Arsenal’s season has started off remarkably well. The Gunners currently hold the second position in the Premier League, remaining unbeaten. They have even managed to defeat Manchester City, a team they hadn’t beaten in eight years. However, what’s even more exciting is that there is still plenty more to come.
When asked, Arsenal fans and Mikel Arteta himself would agree that the team has yet to hit its peak this season. Last month, Arteta stated in an interview with football.london, “It’s the expectations that we created and the culture that we created as we want to win every single match… We want to be better, that’s for sure.” Despite winning six matches, drawing two, and securing a title, Arteta believes there is room for improvement.
There have been certain factors that have contributed to this. One of the biggest challenges has been injuries. Last season, Arteta was able to field the same starting XI for every Premier League match before the World Cup. However, this season, he hasn’t been able to have a consistent lineup due to injuries.
Players like Thomas Partey, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber, Mohamed Elneny, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, and Declan Rice have all faced injuries at different points throughout the season. As a result, the team’s starting XI has been disrupted, especially in the midfield.
Last season, Arsenal had a settled midfield trio consisting of Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, and Martin Odegaard. Xhaka has since departed, and there has been a struggle to find consistency in midfield selection. Players like Kai Havertz, Emile Smith Rowe, Jorginho, Declan Rice, and Fabio Vieira have all started in midfield alongside the remaining regulars from last season. Currently, it’s difficult to determine who Arteta’s preferred midfield lineup is.
However, Arteta has hinted at his preference. In the Community Shield match against Manchester City, he chose to field a midfield trio of Partey, Rice, and Odegaard. Out of all the possible combinations, this lineup is the most similar in style to the midfield that nearly won the league for Arsenal last season.
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As City turned up at the Emirates for the Premier League version of August’s game, Arteta opted for Jorginho, Rice, and Odegaard. However, if Partey had been fully fit after recovering from a groin problem, he likely would have started instead. This allows Arteta to have three technically excellent players who are secure on the ball in his midfield, while also benefiting from Rice’s aggression and physicality further up the pitch.
If all three players come through the international break unharmed, Arteta may be tempted to field this trio in the Premier League for the first time. He has had the option in the past, but due to Zinchenko’s injury, Arteta chose to move Partey to right back to replicate the impact of the injured Ukrainian player. However, with Partey now fit after a planned substitution during international duty with Ghana, there should be nothing preventing Arteta from utilizing the midfield trio he seems to favor in big games.
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