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1) Will the ultra-defensive Mourinho expose Arsenal’s lack of creativity?
Tottenham Hotspur looks more like a real José Mourinho team with each passing week, and their last Premier League game, 0-0 draw with Chelsea, was the Jose Peak – with a twist. He implemented an ultra-defensive setup to limit Frank Lampard’s most creative players, seating everyone behind the ball and compressing the space between the lines, but with central midfielders Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Moussa Sissoko dropping to make six defenses.
These two, just like against Man City, are plugging the gaps between center and wing, creating a brick wall that even the most talented playmakers in the Premier League are struggling to break through. Arsenal will surely find it especially difficult given their inability to play consistent or fluid attacking football this season.
Mikel Arteta has recently switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation and it hasn’t worked out. Its players are strangely disconnected from each other, the automatisms have disappeared in the new system, while Joe Willock, Dani Ceballos and others investigate as individuals. A Mourinho team should really be able to keep a clean sheet against them.
2) Or does the victory of Vienna offer a ray of hope for attack?
But Arsenal 4-1 win over Rapid Vienna Thursday night lays a cat among the pigeons. Arteta’s team was excellent from the start, showing energy and intention with their pass to cut through the visitors, benefiting not only from the 2,000 fans who are inside the Emirates, but also from new passages of interaction between fringe players in unusual positions. .
In particular, Alexandre Lacazette stood out in role number ten, stepping behind Eddie Nketiah to give Arsenal more purpose in this area than Willock can provide. The Frenchman’s desire to turn into possession and run towards the opposition caused panic. It’s precisely the kind of line breaking move Arsenal will need to stretch Tottenham out of shape.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles was impressive in central midfield as well, providing some box-to-box energy at a time when a lethargic Arsenal is struggling to move the ball into the final third. Arteta will heavily rotate first-team players for Sunday, but Maitland-Niles and Lacazette deserve starting spots.
3) Can Nelson be behind Reguilon?
Reiss Nelson is another Thursday night star who should stay on the team. He was a constant threat against Vienna, assisting once and creating five chances, more than any other player on the pitch. Nelson has the frankness and confidence that Nicolas Pepe clearly lacks, and when facing a deep defensive line like Tottenham’s it is vital that there is at least one winger willing to penetrate to the baseline.
His direct opponent this weekend is left-back Sergio Reguilon, who has enjoyed a very good start to life in English football, but may find himself overloaded by Nelson if Heung-min Son does not support. Son was traded to the right for Chelsea’s game, but after struggling to make an impact, he should be moved back to the left wing.
4) Will Kane and Son fight back as effectively as wolves?
The biggest problem with Arsenal’s new 4-2-3-1 is that they are considerably more vulnerable to counterattacks as they have lost a body on their back. The Wolves responded effectively this past weekend when Daniel Podence and Pedro Neto repeatedly found space between the defense lines and midfield, highlighting the problem Arteta has with structure and form now that the 3-4-3 is gone. .
Adama Traore found the players too easy to dribble, and it only took one man to beat to expose Arsenal’s entire system, with runners outnumbering four at halftime. That should worry fans ahead of a trip to Tottenham, where Mourinho will instruct his players to look for Son behind.
Even the best defenses are struggling to control Harry Kane’s movement off the front line. Arsenal, now without a replacement center-back to push up to face him, could be seriously hurt by their interactions with Son. The concern may even be big enough for Arteta to return to 3-4-3.
5) Or will Arteta move back and create heavy play?
Pablo Mari’s impressive performance on Thursday night gives Arteta the option to play with three defenders, especially given that Arsenal is expected to give David Luiz all clear to start. Arteta hasn’t used the 3-4-3 since a 3-0 loss to Aston Villa, and since Spurs’ approach (sitting down, hitting at halftime) isn’t much different from Villa’s, the Arsenal manager will likely be resist making the switch.
The 3-4-3 would certainly prevent a repeat of Thursday night’s creative attack performance, especially as the two-man midfield disconnects from the three forwards, but that Kane issue needs to be addressed. After such a poor streak of form in the Premier League, Arteta might be willing to sacrifice high-paced ball progressions for a spare man to get close to Kane.
The Spurs forward has scored 10 goals in 11 North London derbies. Arsenal need a plan to stop him, even if it means undoing the progress made against Rapid Vienna.
Alex Keble Hosts Premier League Pre-Match Tactics Program on twitch.tv/EPLtactics
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