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The Gunners are facing a major problem ahead of Sunday’s North London Derby with three of their midfield stars out, but here are five ways they can shape the midfield without those trio.
Arsenal moved to bolster their midfield this summer, which led them to sign Euro 2024-winning midfielder Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad. Unfortunately for the Gunners, the Spaniard got injured in training and will not make his debut until October.
In an unfortunate chain of events, Arsenal’s £105 million midfielder, Declan Rice, was controversially sent off in the 1-1 draw with Brighton just before the international break and is suspended for one match, while club captain Martin Odegaard picked up an ankle injury while representing Norway during the break.
A lot of opinion leaders in the Gunners fanbase predicted the trio to be Arsenal’s starting midfield this season, but they are all out of North London Derby, leaving Mikel Arteta with some headache ahead of the game.
Pulse Sports has taken time to explore some of the potential ways Arteta could setup his midfield for the game against Tottenham.
Bukayo Saka steps into the midfield
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The England international has many qualities, and one of them is his versatility. As many would remember, Saka began his trade in the Arsenal senior team at left back. However, he has also played in the midfield at some point before taking up a permanent role on the wings.
Opposition teams tend to place two players on the left-footed winger, as he is Arsenal’s main threat, and many believe that putting him in the middle of the back obliterates that while increasing the threat he carries.
Leo Trossard as a direct replacement for Odegaard
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Like Saka, one of Trossard’s strengths is his ability to play different positions to a high level. The Belgian has played on both wings, as a false nine, and in midfield across his career and for the Gunners.
Kai Havertz back into the midfield
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To the dismay of some Arsenal fans, the German played in the midfield for most of last season’s Premier League campaign and only truly exploded when he played as the centre-forward.
However, he remains a midfield option, as seen during pre-season, due to his industrious nature and ability to make deep runs from the middle of the park.
Putting trust in the young Ethan Nwaneri
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The young midfielder has been closely watched by several Arsenal faithfuls since he became the youngest player to feature in a Premier League game, debuting for the Gunners after coming on against Brentford in September 2022, aged 15 years and 181 days.
The youngster showcased his potential and readiness for first-team action during pre-season, and this could be the moment for him.
Switching to a back three
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Arsenal’s strongest depth is in the defensive areas, and Arteta could utilise this depth in finding a solution to the midfield shortage.
With a back three, the team can play with two wingbacks who can always step into the midfield to create temporary overloads, while the front three also get the freedom to step into the central areas.
While these midfield injuries serve as a moment of worry for many Arsenal fans, there are options in the team that could make Arteta’s men less predicatable for the opposition.
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