3 ways to spark Arsenal’s left-hand side into life again

Arsenal have been a brilliant attacking force this season. Forward players have been incisive, carving defences open for fun.

More recently, however, opposition defences have found success in dropping deep and constricting central areas. As a result, Arsenal have found it difficult to score as easily as they did earlier in the season.

Bukayo Saka continues to be world-class on the right-hand side, often bailing the team out through individual brilliance. The left-hand side, however, has not been as prolific. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have both been tried but with little improvement. The fluid play that was once so tough to defend against has become stagnant.

Part of that is simply ups and downs in form and the limitations of personnel. Martinelli is young and the long season may be tiring him out while Granit Xhaka is not the deft creative midfielder who will slide balls into wingers running in behind. Another reason for the flatness of the left side is down to tactics. Shifting the system through the inclusion of other players may spark new life at a crucial time for Arsenal.

3 ways to spark Arsenal’s left-hand side into life again

Here are three ways Mikel Arteta can change the left side of Arsenal’s attack.

1. Bring back the fluidity

Oleksandr Zinchenko’s purchase from Manchester City utterly changed the way Arsenal played. The Ukrainian slots into midfield and, early in the season, the left side rotations worked to devastating effect. Xhaka, Zinchenko and Martinelli all interchanged frequently. The resulting fluidity was impossible to stop.

More recently, the fluidity has been missing from the left-hand side. While Martinelli may make the occasional foray inside, he largely stays outside. Xhaka stays in the left-sided #8 position, while Zinchenko’s freedom has been constant but the rotations are less frequent and slower paced. When the winger comes inside, another player must fill his space. Martinelli is isolated on the left, not because there are no players around him, but because nobody comes to take his place out wide to allow him to cut inside. The players on the left have become too set in their positions.

Something has to change.

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