As Arsenal begin a Premier League campaign with a new man at the helm for the first time in over two decades, much will be made of how the Gunners set themselves up tactically in the opening fixtures.
New boss Unai Emery is renowned for his perfectionist, analytical and highly-detailed approach to match preparation. The use of video footage and statistical data to examine performances forms a key part of his coaching technique.
On the pitch, his sides tend to employ a hard-pressing style, and focus on moving the ball quickly and vertically from back to front. On the training ground he takes a forensic approach to drilling his squad to cope with, and execute, various scenarios and strategies.
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All of this information may well be very welcome to the ears of Arsenal fans, many of whom feel that Arsene Wenger’s management ethos was outdated. However, for the playing squad at the Emirates Stadium, as excited as they may also be, they have plenty of adapting to do.
The beginnings of Emery’s style being imprinted on this team were in evidence as the Gunners fell to defeat at the hands of the reigning champions, Manchester City, on the opening weekend using a 4-2-3-1 formation. It was clear though that these tactical developments are still in their nascent stages, and that certain members of this Arsenal squad are more naturally suited to these alterations than others.
Emery’s success, in his first season, could well rest upon his ability to forge a happy medium between his preferred style of play and what the players at his disposal are capable of, and what their natural abilities lend them to.
Looking at the ranks under his charge, a 4-4-2 diamond formation looks a perfect fit for getting the best out of the squad’s key talents whilst also producing a team that works as a cohesive unit on the whole.
The immediately obvious advantages of this system are that it allows Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette to work up front together as a strike partnership, and that Mesut Ozil is free to take up his favoured No. 10 berth behind them.
As a forward pair, Aubameyang and Lacazette have the mutually complimentary qualities necessary to work well together. The Frenchman’s impressive hold-up play and quality on the ball should give him plenty of opportunities to find and combine with the pacy Gabonese forward. Of course, both are lethal finishers, so getting them both up front together should bring goals for the Gunners.
For a playmaker such as Ozil, having two potent forwards ahead of him should bring his powers of creation to the fore. Henrikh Mkhitaryan also represents an excellent rotation option for Arsenal in this position.
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The primary drawback to this system is the lack of width the team may be able to generate in an attacking sense, and how, defensively, this narrow formation can cause problems for the full-backs.
In order to negate this threat, the central midfield contingent must be extremely mobile and full of running. Luckily, Emery has players with the required attributes at his disposal. Granit Xhaka is not one of them though, so either Mohamed Elneny or the youngster Matteo Guendouzi must take the Swiss international’s place in the team.
If there is to be any chance of Aaron Ramsey signing a new contract with Arsenal, then he must feel comfortable within the team’s system and be central to Emery’s plans. Setting up with a midfield diamond, with Ramsey occupying the right-hand central midfield role, should bring the best out of the Welshman.
From that position, Ramsey can be part of Arsenal’s pressing game, and when the team are on the offensive he can be afforded license to arrive late into the box in his trademark manner.
The 27-year-old’s past experiences of playing as a right winger, and his remarkably high stamina levels, will serve him well too as he must be willing to provide cover and support to the right-back. Guendouzi (or Elneny) will have to perform the same task on the opposite flank.
At the base of the diamond, new boy Lucas Torreira can be let loose to do what he does best. The Uruguayan should be charged by Emery with the duty of relentlessly breaking up opposition attacks and hounding them in possession. When the 22-year-old does regain the ball for his side, he has the vision and technical ability to launch swift counter-attacks.
Having Torreira shielding the back line should go a long way towards protecting the heart of Arsenal’s defence. Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos are a new centre-back partnership who will take time to gel. They will be reliant upon having a hardworking and defensively diligent midfield cohort ahead of them, and in this selection and formation that is exactly what they ought to get.
Finally, the full-backs need to be prepared to work hard week-in, week-out in order for the 4-4-2 diamond to function optimally. Whilst they have a right to expect, and even demand, support from the left and right-sided central midfielders, they must still take the initiative in exploiting the wings to gain an attacking advantage.
As with the introduction of any new system, it will take time for the players to get used to this diamond set up. However, the fans, board and coaching staff all ought to have patience with this process. If they can do that, then Arsenal have the perfect group of players to employ this system to devastating effect in the Premier League this season.