3 ways Mikel Arteta could solve his mini midfield injury crisis

Arsenal overcame adversity for the first time this season as they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at a bouyant Emirates on Saturday, but Mikel Arteta now has to deal with a challenge of a different kind as he prepares his side for a busy Autumn schedule.

A hint of the good feeling garnered from the weekend’s victory was sapped when it was revealed on Tuesday that Mohamed Elneny had sustained an injury in the win and was expected to miss a significant period on the sidelines as a result.

Now, an injury to the tidy and efficient Elneny wouldn’t have been too bad in isolation, but combine that with Thomas Partey’s issue and Arsenal suddenly have a mini midfield injury crisis.

Partey missed the Fulham win with a minor muscle problem, but he’s nonetheless expected to be out of action for the next couple of weeks. That means Arteta must either get creative with his midfield selection for Arsenal’s upcoming clashes against Aston Villa and Manchester United, or he could either place his trust in players who haven’t featured much amid the club’s stellar start to the season.

3 ways Mikel Arteta could solve his mini midfield injury crisis

Here are three ways the Arsenal boss could solve his mini midfield injury crisis.

1. Return to a double pivot

Before this season, Arteta had often utilised a double pivot in midfield. The Gunners would create a 3-2 build-up structure with both pivot players deep, while the right-back would shuffle across with the left-back given the freedom to roam forward.

However, the arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko altered Arteta’s possession structure. We’re now seeing a 2-3-5 configuration with the single midfield pivot being joined in a more advanced position by two inverted full-backs. The two other midfielders, meanwhile, essentially function like a pair of ‘free eights’. They occupy the half-spaces in the final third and frequently rotate in behind and out wide.

The injuries to Partey and Elneny, though, could force Arteta into a rethink, especially if Zinchenko isn’t available. The Spanish boss might have to revert to his old possession structure to maximise Arsenal’s stability in midfield given their current personnel.

Thus, Granit Xhaka could start alongside Sambi Lokonga (or even Ben White) in a midfield two with Martin Odegaard playing ahead of them as a free-roaming #10. Xhaka will perform the role he has for much of Arteta’s reign and allow Kieran Tierney to get up the pitch.

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