Arsenal vs Wolves: 4 interesting selection decisions for Arteta

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta arrives for the English Premier League football match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal at the Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, central England on February 10, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) /

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Arsenal’s English midfielder Emile Smith Rowe celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Brentford. (Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images) /

2. Emile Smith Rowe at Centre-Forward

How do you keep both Martinelli and Smith Rowe in the team if you don’t play the former at No. 9? You swap them around, of course.

In terms of profile the pair offer different attributes to one another. While they both have a solid technical level, can play inside and out and make clever out to in runs, Smith Rowe would suit the false nine role Lacazette plays more suitably.

Growing up playing as a No. 10, it’s also the position he prefers. What Lacazette does in this team is effectively operate at the tip of midfield diamond, almost more of a No. 10 than a false nine, and it’s a role Arteta firmly believes Smith Rowe can play.

"“I think he can play in four positions,” Arteta said of the 21-year-old. “As a left winger, a left attacking midfielder, a right attacking midfielder and he can play as a nine, very, very well.”"

Were he to make the call it would be a brave one. Arsenal have got to where they are with Smith Rowe out on the left for large spells with Lacazette through the middle, and making the change now for a huge clash in the top four race would be another of his risky moves to break the status quo.

He’s obviously considered it, though.

Continued on next page…

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