Should Arsenal change formation to salvage their season?

Can we just skip to the summer? After a series of hard-fought victories and largely feeble opposition elsewhere encouraged many fans to dream big, hopes of Champions League redemption are quickly evaporating for Arsenal as back-to-back Premier League defeats undermine European ambitions and shift momentum back across north London.

The sharp competitive decline correlates with a deepening medical crisis, with injuries to Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney undoubtedly playing their part in the Gunners’ untimely slump.

But as Mikel Arteta’s unorthodox firefighting methods continue to compound the misery, epitomised by the tried-and-detested Xhaka experiment on Saturday, will the 3-5-2 formation be revived to salvage the campaign?

Often serving us well in the past, this conservative approach complements the remaining cast and offers potential solutions to immediate problems, such as in the backline. The presence of an extra man would add greater solidity to a floundering unit and help to reintegrate the estranged Nuno Tavares, as he could be deployed in a more suitable wing-back role with reduced defensive responsibility and, in turn, facilitate Xhaka’s return to the middle.

Have injuries and an untimely slump forced Arsenal into a 3-5-2 formation change to salvage their Premier League campaign?

Additionally, systematic change may enhance the currently inefficient forward dynamic by providing a partner for the pitiful Lacazette. The Frenchman has been utterly anonymous lately and is failing miserably in his ball-retention duties, instead cheaply surrendering possession through poor control – thereby inviting pressure on the defence – and offering very little in the final third.

A structural switch to two strikers would afford him the opportunity to keep his spot and hone his typically on-point playmaking talents, while allowing Martinelli to operate in central areas and bring improved energy and movement to our offensive threat, with enhanced mobility aiding efforts to stretch the defence and open up space for midfield creators.

Of course, there will be numerous other factors to consider and such drastic measures may appear reactionary, borne out of panic and frustration following recent disappointment. However, last week’s results demonstrate the injury-hit squad’s inability to execute our treasured expansive style, and this has been exacerbated by the disastrous attempts made to mitigate the damage.

An abandonment of long-standing principles is generally not conducive to success and opting for a safety-first system represents a significant deviation from what we have come to expect, but desperate times call for desperate measures and it is becoming increasingly clear that something must change.