Arsenal: 4 reasons top four race is not over

2. Xhaka Into Midfield & Tomiyasu at Right-Back

Due to return to training after the Southampton match, the reintroduction of Takehiro Tomiyasu will be huge for Arsenal. Having been out for so long it means that he’ll need time to get back into the swing of match sharpness, but he’s proven before how quickly he can settle.

Bringing him back into the fold is not just to oust Cedric, it’s to inject some balance.

One hope from the Brighton defeat is that Arteta will have learned his lesson over fielding Granit Xhaka at left-back. He should have learned his lesson from last season already, but alas, it might have taken another horrendous performance and result for it to truly sink in.

If Nuno Tavares is to return to the team and abandon this foolish tactical reshuffle, he will benefit greatly from having a stabilising presence on the other side of the pitch. Nuno’s best performances this season came when Tomiyasu was in the side, adding solidity to the back which allowed him to make those marauding runs forward.

There is no knowing whether Arteta will head down this route. He absolutely should, with Xhaka joining Sambi in midfield and more of a 4-2-3-1 shape being utilised, and if he satisfies the calls of many fans it will get Arsenal closer to a more rounded unit.

Tomiyasu still needs to get battle his way back to fitness, however, yet the blueprint of a more cohesive team is on the horizon.

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