3 Arsenal players crucial to Premier League top four charge

Arsenal are in a tough spot. That much is clear to see. The year started off with a deflating loss to Manchester City. The performance was eye-catching and brilliant but the result much less so.

A subsequent flat display against Nottingham Forest further rocked the boat. A brave, stalwart showing against Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup was undone in the second leg before Arsenal’s most recent draw against Burnley. A chance to go into the top four went begging.

All is not totally lost, however.

The way Arsenal played against Man City illustrated what they could do: brilliant interchange, quick movement on and off the ball and incisive passing between the lines allowed them to go toe-to-toe with the reigning champions, and inevitable champions-elect.

3 Arsenal players crucial to Premier League top four charge as Mikel Arteta desperately scrambles for January transfer additions

Yet in the past few games, both manager and players have looked tired, laborious, and devoid of ideas. Help is needed.

The Premier League break will undoubtedly be a welcome one. It will give those at the club a chance to reset. Players will come back from injury, sickness and AFCON, allowing Arsenal to go to Wolves with a squad close to, if not at, full strength.

That said, here are three players already at the club who could shake up the squad and revitalize performances.

1. Takehiro Tomiyasu

The Japanese international has impressed game after game this season. He has slotted in seamlessly to a back four with players still building chemistry alongside one another. The clean sheets have racked up quickly, largely due to Tomiyasu’s presence. He doesn’t bomb forward and constantly overlap around the winger, but his contributions frequently fly under the radar.

He slots into midfield, tucking in to provide numerical superiority. His passing ability with both feet allows Arsenal to play through the opposition’s press. And he rarely gets beat. Against Liverpool, however, that was different. He looked tired and quite simply not fit. He got skinned by Jota for the first goal and never seemed settled. It appears that his most recent outing has aggravated his injury, with Tomiyasu set to be out for a few weeks.

Luckily, Arsenal’s next game is on February 10, allowing him the time to come back when he’s ready and not before. When he does come back, his presence will be warmly welcomed.

Benjamin White will be able to play his most natural position and because of this, Arsenal’s build-up play from the back will rediscover the centrality it lacked against the Clarets. The former Brighton man is far more comfortable on the ball than Rob Holding, and added to Tomiyasu’s stabalising defensive role the back four can once again be settled, providing a strong base for the midfield and attack to work off of.

Speaking of which…

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2. Thomas Partey

Injuries, poor form and plain bad luck have plagued Thomas Partey since he stepped off the plane from Spain. Yet every once in a while, there is a performance where you see a man free of the expectations placed on his shoulders; a man who doesn’t give the ball away or look sloppy on the pitch; a man whose class can be seen by every supporter and opposition fan alike.

His most recent performance like this was against Man City. Tasked with maintaining control among the best midfielders in the world, he was exceptional.

He moved across the pitch with elegance, gliding between world class players with ease. Even his tackles were pristine as he broke up play while rarely giving conceding possession or fouls. Partey drove Arsenal up the field with mazy runs and inch-perfect balls in abundance. This was the man Arsenal fans have been waiting to see for nearly two years.

Comparatively, his brief outing against Liverpool was disastrous. Fatigue was obvious with his challenges tired and ill-judged. That performance can be explained by the plethora of circumstances around his arrival back to London where he surprisingly ended up on the bench just seven hours after landing in the capital.

For all his dips in form and inconsistent patches, he is still the best midfielder at Arsenal and on his day, one of the best players in the Premier League. For any chance at top four, Arsenal need him back fit and firing alongside Granit Xhaka, which is doubtlessly the Gunners’ best midfield pairing. Albert Sambi Lokonga has filled in as best as he can but he doesn’t have the same ability to receive the ball under pressure before progressing the ball forwards.

Partey does and, the sooner he can suit up for Arsenal, the better.

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3. Nicolas Pepe

When compared to all transfers in Arsenal history, you would be hard-pressed to find one as poorly judged as the record-breaking transfer from Lille. A world-class player in France – albeit only for one breakout season – he has not been able to string together even a handful of decent performances in the red and white.

Inconsistency and a style that doesn’t quite fit the possession-based and positional system installed by Mikel Arteta had found him languishing on the sideline.

His games away at AFCON, however, have seen him burst into life. two goals and an assist in three groups games was an impressive return, made that much more impressive by his lack of game time. On his day, he can exceptional. There was greater security in possession from Pepe over in Cameroon. Quick off the mark, what he adds in and around the box is crucial: he is clinical in front of goal.

Although his dribbling and pace is a huge asset, his ability to drive forward has waxed and waned. But his striking ability and technique has always been present. Given Bukayo Saka’s fatigue and soreness from being kicked endlessly, Pepe’s introduction into the side may just be the spark the attacking players need. With only one goal scored for Arsenal this calendar year, he could hardly do worse (famous last words?). It is past time to bring Pepe in from the cold, allow Saka a much- needed rest when possible, and freshen up the attack in certain game states.

Due to the outgoings over the summer and even this month, Arsenal have a smaller squad, commensurate with no European football. While the group is bonded closer together, Arteta has fewer options to turn to when the team is stuck in the rut as it is now. The window winds down and barring any surprise signings, he will largely have the same team for the second half of the season. It is crucial that he is uses the players he has to inspire and revitalize not just the team, but the entire club.