With the return of the Premier League quickly approaching, our squad seems to be in a healthy position. With the exception of Calum Chambers – who has only recently returned to the training field for light, off-the-ball rehab – everyone is available for selection. Lucas Torreira has recovered from the ankle injury that he picked up at Fratton Park on March 3rd, Héctor Bellerín is seemingly over his underlying knee injury and Kieran Tierney also appears to be fully fit at last. Our fixture list is very congested, and it is fair to assume that every member of the squad will be given minutes in which to prove themselves. The only player who could be a fixture in the XI on a weekly basis is Bernd Leno, but even that is not a guarantee. Mikel Arteta has a selection headache on his hands. Given our usually lengthy injury list, this is a pleasant change. Competition for places can only benefit the squad as a whole. Those who are chosen will have to perform at a high level. If they do not, they won’t play. It’s that simple. Throughout this article, I will examine each position in the 4-2-3-1 system that Arteta seems to favour, and give the lowdown on those competing, the strengths and weaknesses associated with each, and my verdict on who should be our preferred option. Some positions in particular are very tough to call, so my preference may be different to yours. If this is the case, feel free to let me know your thoughts on the issue in the comments section below. Goalkeeper. The first position is undoubtedly the most straightforward. Emiliano Martinez has proven himself to be a reliable number two throughout the season. When called upon, he has performed relatively well, he is very vocal and has played a key role in helping both Gabriel Martinelli and Pablo Marí adjust to life in London. So far this campaign, the Argentinian has kept 5 clean sheets in 11 starts, which is a respectable return – regardless of the quality of opposition. In terms of weaknesses, the 27-year old has a tendency to command his box – regardless of what the situation requires. This isn’t always an issue – in fact, it is often beneficial. However, it occasionally puts his defenders under added pressure. This certainly isn’t a regular occurrence, but it is potentially something for him to work on, nonetheless. Regarding Bernd Leno, our defensive woes have provided the German with the chance to prove just how good his shot-stopping can be. Often facing 10+ shots per game, the 28-year old has certainly earned his wages yet again this season. Since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen, he has been one of our standout performers. Over the past decade, the goalkeeping position has caused us problems. Personnel has changed, the outcome has not. However, since Leno’s arrival in July 2018, the goalkeeping position has progressed from an area of weakness to one of our biggest strengths. He is a fantastic shot-stopper, from both long and short range. In the Premier League this season, our number one has made 104 saves. Only Newcastle’s Martin Dúbravka has made more. His clean-sheet total of 8 from 30 is somewhat underwhelming, but I think we can all agree that this is largely down to the defence in front of him, rather than Bernd himself. If you keep on presenting your opponents with clearcut chances, they are bound to find the net sooner or later, regardless of goalkeeping heroics. There have been some mistakes along the way, but this applies to every goalkeeper in world football. Although Leno certainly needs to be wary of losing his concentration, he certainly makes up for his occasional errors. In terms of standout weaknesses, his long-range passing has seemingly regressed since his arrival. Perhaps it is down to the style of coaching. This is the only immediate area of concern. My verdict: I like Martinez, and think that he is underrated by some fans, but it is impossible to look past Bernd Leno for this one. Right back. There are three options for the right back position. The first of these is Cédric Soares. If I’m honest, I don’t know too much about his game. Although I have seen him in action for Southampton over the past few years, he only featured 4 times while on loan at Inter Milan, and it yet to feature for a single minute at Arsenal due to injury woes. From the outside, his arrival looked to be as a squad player. He can provide competition for Bellerín whilst allowing Maitland-Niles to transition into midfield. Perhaps I will be proven wrong, but I can’t see him featuring too often. Speaking of Ainsley, toying with the idea of midfield sums up one of the biggest problems associated with him. Namely, nobody seems entirely certain on his best position. Although he has had some solid displays at full-back, he has equally underperformed on many occasions. Many fans reminisce over his performance at Old Trafford in 2018 and wonder whether he is better suited to a role in central midfield. Maitland-Niles himself has repeatedly emphasized that he views himself as a winger, but his performances in that position have been equally inconsistent. Although he was very impressive against Liverpool in the League Cup, he was so poor against Vitória at the Emirates that he was withdrawn at half-time. We all know his strengths. He is athletic, his interplay is quite impressive and he offers great overlapping runs when playing at right back. However, his ability on the ball sometimes makes him lethargic with his distribution, and he can give away possession carelessly. The final option is Héctor Bellerín. Although his return from injury was eagerly anticipated by many fans, he has not lived up to those expectations as of yet. Despite a late equaliser at Stamford Bridge, the Spaniard has really struggled at times since returning to action. Arteta has since revealed that Héctor never fully recovered from the initial injury which kept him sidelined in December, so we have to hope that lockdown has provided him with the medium to return to full fitness at his own pace. Regarding his strengths, the most obvious is his blistering speed. Although he appears to have lost a yard since his injury, this is to be expected. Particularly in the case of an ACL injury, it can take players years to return to top speed – if they do so at all. However, an underrated aspect of his game is his passing ability. Not necessarily his crossing, but his interplay in general. Last season, he managed 5 assists in just 19 Premier League games. For context, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold had only recorded 3 in the same time period. This is not to suggest that he will be providing 10-15 assists per season like Trent does, but it proves that he can pick out a pass when necessary. I also believe that he is a better defensive player than Maitland-Niles. This is important in allowing the winger in front of him to have more freedom. In the case of Nicolas Pépé, this could prove key, as we know how effective he can be on the counter attack. Even if Bellerín’s presence allows Pépé/Nelson’s starting position to be 5 yards higher up the field, it could prove to be much more problematic for opposition defences. Another major positive is the leadership that Héctor provides on the field, as well as his constant communication with fellow defenders. In terms of weaknesses, he isn’t fantastic at winning aerial duels, and his one-v-one defending can be sloppy on occasions. However, I would argue that these same criticisms are applicable to the players that he is in competition with. My verdict: I would start Bellerín, push Maitland-Niles into midfield and use Cédric as a backup plan. He could prove to be very useful if Héctor’s previous injuries continue to negatively impact his performances. Centre backs. Since Arteta has arrived, our centre backs seem to have improved significantly. A mix of better coaching, a more functional system and rotations in personnel have led to the side picking up 7 clean sheets in 13 games so far in 2020. Comparatively, our last 7 clean sheets prior to this run span all the way back to April 15th, 2019. Collectively, we have improved, but which defenders provide us with the best chance of success going forward? The first candidate is David Luiz. Signed from Chelsea on deadline day, the move of the experienced Brazilian raised many an eyebrow. Everybody in football is fully aware that he is more than capable when in possession, but his quality off the ball isn’t quite as reliable. Given our frailties throughout the 2018/19 campaign, fans were understandably skeptical about his arrival. Initially, he really struggled – as did all of his defensive partners. The latter stages of Unai Emery‘s tenure were not pretty for anyone, and our defenders were certainly no exceptions. One could argue that any defender would have struggled in the same circumstances, but Luiz made some individual errors along the way, for example: conceding penalties against both Liverpool and Watford. However, since Arteta’s arrival, David’s performances have been top drawer. He has quickly emerged as the first choice central defender and his ball playing qualities are seen much more often under the new regime. A key figure in the dressing room, who is one of the biggest leaders in the squad. Love him or hate him, he has won everything there is to win at club level. Impressive aerially. Composed in possession. Strong in the challenge. The main concerns are his lack of mobility and his tendency to lose concentration at key moments in the game. If he can keep those to a minimum, he is in with a very good chance of starting and earning a new contract to boot. Option two is Shkodran Mustafi. If you had told me last September that Mustafi would be one of our most impressive performers in 2020, I wouldn’t have believed you. Yet, here we are. Arteta’s arrival provided the players with a clean slate. Regardless of your fortunes in the years gone by, you had an opportunity to have a fresh start. Mustafi was one of many players to benefit from this. He was introduced to the side as a result of injuries to both Calum Chambers and Sokratis. Since then, he has impressed. There was one error at Stamford Bridge that could have proven to be costly, but apart from that he has been almost faultless. The German is dominant in the air and gradually improving in his ground duels. However, the obvious concern remains: can he sustain this form? Or is it simply a purple patch? The answer to that question remains to be seen. I would like to think that his mistakes are behind him, but time will tell. Option three is another player who we haven’t seen too much of: Pablo Marí. The Brazilian joined on loan in January, but was in the middle of his pre-season, due to the alternate schedule of Brazilian football. As a result, his opportunities since arriving have been few and far between. We have only seen him feature twice – against Portsmouth and West Ham United. Although it is important to account for the fact that both sides are far from the finished article, Marí has largely been impressive. His debut came at Fratton Park, and he looked right at home. Next to David Luiz, he dealt with everything thrown at him with ease and demonstrated an impressive passing range too. Against West Ham, he made one poor judgement early in the game, but improved throughout and was key in earning another clean sheet for the team. This is a very small sample size to judge him on, but he has one quality that may force Arteta’s hand: he is left-footed. Our head coach has made it clear from the offset that he wants one centre back to be left-footed in order to improve the balance of the side, as well as accelerating our build-up and transitional play. As it stands, Marí is the only centre half at the club who ticks this box. As a result, he could find himself in the XI quite often. The fourth option is Rob Holding. The last year or so has been so disappointing for Holding. He was sporadically used throughout the 2017/18 season, but performed very well when recalled to the side by Unai Emery. Just when he appeared to be a fixture in the side, alongside Shkodran Mustafi, he picked up a severe injury at Old Trafford. His recovery took almost a full year, and he was undoubtedly missed throughout the latter stages of the campaign. If he had been available for selection in Baku, perhaps we could have seen a different outcome entirely. Nonetheless, that is all water under the bridge now. He eventually returned to action against Nottingham Forest in September 2019. He was given the armband, and went on to score the second goal in our 5-0 win. It was a great milestone for him, and filled fans with optimism for his future. However, he has failed to kick on since that game. Although opportunities haven’t been as frequent as he would like, Rob has struggled when he has been included in the side – even against the so-called lesser sides. As I mentioned earlier with Bellerín, it is common for players to struggle to return to their pre-injury performance level at first, but the biggest concern is that he has been back with the squad for almost six months, and there has been very minimal progress. I hope that he can prove me wrong, but I don’t see him being a starter for the remainder of the season.The final option is Sokratis. The Greek has predominantly been used as a right back since Arteta has arrived, but I think it is fair to say that he is more accustomed to a role in the centre. As well as that, the arrival of Cédric in January would perhaps suggest that Sokratis will not be a regular on the right-hand side. Although his performances have improved since Arteta’s arrival, I personally don’t feel like Sokratis will be part of the first XI. He has proven at times this season that he can perform to a high level, but his consistency is a huge issue. In the case of Luiz, he can sometimes make up for his defensive sloppiness with his quality on the ball, but Sokratis is not blessed with this luxury. With the fixture list set to be incredibly congested, it is fair to assume that almost all of the squad will feature at times, but I personally feel like Sokratis’ involvement will be less than that of his competition. My verdict: David Luiz is my first choice. Following that, I would opt for Marí and see how he performs. The side seems more balanced with a left-footed player on the teamsheet, and he is the only option who matches that criteria. If he is underwhelming, my next choices would be Holding and Mustafi. I would use Sokratis as a squad player, rather than a regular. Left back. Option one is Kieran Tierney. Although the Scotsman has been very unlucky with a run of injuries since his arrival, it is important that we remember just how good he can be at his best. Admittedly, the quality in the Scottish league is poor, but it has also produced the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson. Obviously, not all players who have made the transition from Scottish football to the English game have been success stories, but this pair prove that it is certainly possible. Regarding his qualities, Tierney is very quick, but also more than capable physically. Aswell as that, he has a fantastic final ball. When he has featured for us this season, this has been evident, with assists against Standard Liège and Vitória. For Celtic, he managed to provide 29 assists during his final three seasons with the club. His biggest weakness is exactly what has prevented him from featuring consistently since joining – his record with injuries. Hopefully the lockdown period has allowed the 23-year old to return to full fitness, and he can now kick on under the guidance of Mikel Arteta. The second and final option is Sead Kolašinac. You may be wondering why I am not mentioning Bukayo Saka in the race, but I believe that his long-term future lies further up the field, as I will come to later. Sead is another player who has been plagued by injuries recently, but we have seen what he has to offer in English football over the past three years. Physically, he is almost unstoppable. Offensively, he gets into great positions. However, his final ball can often let him down, and he is positionally suspect at the back. He has been linked with a move away by some media outlets, and this could potentially be beneficial for all involved. If Tierney can return to full fitness, I feel like Saka could provide adequate cover, if worst comes to worst – even though he is not natural to the position. The Bosnian earns an excessive wage and, given our financial situation, every pound counts. My verdict: Tierney starts. Kolašinac offers cover. Utilise Saka further forward, unless we suffer injury setbacks. Central midfield. It would appear that Mikel Arteta favours a system with two central midfielders: one defensive and one box-to-box. There are realistically four candidates between the two positions, as I have included Maitland-Niles earlier in the analysis. Although I would prefer to see him deployed in midfield, I don’t think that we will see it too often prior to the 2020/21 campaign. Option one is Dani Ceballos. The Spaniard’s loan spell has been extended to cover the remainder of the current season. He was largely ineffective during Unai Emery’s tenure, but a positional tweak from Arteta appears to be benefitting his game. Rather than utilising him as a number ten, Dani is now playing in a much deeper area. This means that we are less reliant on him to provide the killer pass, which is key. Although he is technically gifted, he is usually content with retaining possession rather than attempting the passes that we have seen from Mesut Özil during his time at the club. With the German ahead of him, Ceballos’ ball retention is much more important for the side. He wins the ball back and gives it to those who can make a difference in an offensive sense. The only issue with this new role is that he is not accustomed to having defensive responsibilities. It is important to note that he has certain defensive qualities but, in comparison to Lucas Torreira, the side looks more vulnerable through the middle upon his inclusion. The second option is Granit Xhaka. The Swiss captain is another player who has found a new lease of life under Arteta. His exit seemed inevitable, but he is now a key member of the squad and the XI itself. His passing range is impeccable – with the exception of occasional lapses in concentration. Defensively, he has come on a lot over the past few months, which is potentially down to him filling in at centre back and left back on regular occasions. Xhaka is a natural leader, and a proper team player. He sacrifices himself to allow the likes of Kolašinac and Saka to burst forward without leaving us susceptible to opposition counter-attacks. In my opinion, Xhaka has established himself as the club’s first choice midfielder over the past few months. Ceballos has improved, but he is only here on loan. Torreira started very well under Arteta, but has since seemingly fallen out of favour and Guendouzi’s attitude problem off the field is influencing his play time. As is the case for Mustafi, the biggest concern with Xhaka is sustaining his recent form. Since signing from Borussia Mönchengladbach, he has gone through many spells of impressive performances, but these have almost always been followed by poor displays and individual errors. It is absolutely crucial that Granit breaks this cycle and kicks on in the months to come. As mentioned above, Mattéo Guendouzi’s playtime has been sporadic since the arrival of our new head coach. He seems to be one of the only members of the squad who were performing at a higher level when Emery was in charge. His replacement has always placed a huge emphasis on representing the values of Arsenal Football Club – not just on the pitch, but in your day-to-day life aswell. Unfortunately, Guendouzi has not impressed him in that regard. There was apparently a warning in Dubai, and this was not the first time that he had to be spoken to. Of course, it is important to consider that Mattéo only recently turned 21, so a certain degree of immaturity is common for players that age. However, if he wishes to reach his potential and become one of the key figures at the club going forward, he must grow up quickly. He may have gotten away with it while Emery was in charge, but this is a new regime entirely. In terms of his qualities, he has a great passing range, carries the ball with little to no effort and wins fouls more often than almost anyone in the squad. Attitude aside, his biggest weakness is probably his defensive discipline. He is often inclined to chase the ball, which can leave his midfield partner exposed. He has also started to engage in simulation in recent months, which I sincerely hope is just a phase. Defending a young player through a dip in form is one thing, condoning cheating is another. The final option is Lucas Torreira. The Uruguayan was immense during his early days in London, but has failed to maintain this level of performance over the past year or so. Initially, Arteta’s arrival seemed to benefit him. The pivot of Xhaka and Torreira was working well but, since then, our head coach has opted for other players in central midfield – at Lucas’ expense. The confusion regarding his role in the squad has once again led to an influx of reports linking him with a move back to Italy. This has happened in the past too, but I am more concerned this time round. As it stands, the central midfield area is certainly one which we need to strengthen. Particularly with Dani Ceballos returning to Madrid. Thomas Partey has been linked by many publications, but we will have to wait and see how that pans out. Until then, I think it is important that we keep Torreira happy. The last thing we need is losing two midfielders, only for the Partey deal to fall through. Torreira is probably our most natural defensive midfielder, at the moment. He is strong in the tackle and disciplined positionally. He might not have the passing range of Ceballos or Xhaka, but he uses the ball relatively well nonetheless. My verdict: Xhaka as the first choice. Use Ceballos alongside him when we expect to dominate the ball. Use Torreira in Dani’s place when it is set to be a cagey affair/we are underdogs. Use Guendouzi as a squad player until he proves that he is willing to buy into the new way of thinking. Number ten. Another area which ideally needs addressing in the upcoming transfer window is the number ten position. With Emile Smith-Rowe on loan at Huddersfield, we find ourselves with only two realistic options: Mesut Özil and Joe Willock. Ceballos proved earlier in the season that the sole responsibility of creativity is a burden to him, and we have since realised that he thrives in a deeper role. As a result, I won’t be taking him into account in this discussion. Mesut Özil has always divided opinion. I, for one, believe that he has been a great servant to the club. He undeniably has his weaknesses, but I feel like some fans expect too much from him nowadays. While we all know that he has been far from his best this season, he has performed quite well under Arteta – all things considered. Mesut turns 32 in October. At the same age, many players move to an easier league, ahead of their retirement. Özil is still here. Still playing in the toughest league in the world, week in, week out. Ideally, we should be looking to replace him in the summer, but in the meantime we can’t. We all know his qualities, he retains the ball immensely and has superb vision. Although his assist tally is very underwhelming this campaign, he still has the ability to pick out passes that other players can only dream of. Similarly, we are all fully aware of his weaknesses. Defensive contribution doesn’t often enter the German’s thinking. In his defence, he has improved in this regard since the change of management, but it is certainly not one of his best qualities. He also has the tendency to fade in games which are more physically demanding. Despite his imperfections, we might have to use him on a weekly basis for the remainder of the season, due to a lack of alternatives. The only competition is Joe Willock. The youngster was a success story in the opening weeks of the season, but we have seen his confidence and performance level drop significantly in the time that followed. His opportunities have been limited to predominantly cup games since Arteta’s arrival, and he appears to be slowly but surely improving. As I mentioned in the case of Guendouzi, it is very normal for youngsters to face dips in form. We must stick by him. If we don’t, the chances of him reaching his potential in an Arsenal shirt are reduced significantly. I like Willock, but I don’t feel like he will be a starter too often in the weeks to come. He is definitely a good option to have, but I feel like a loan might be beneficial next year. He carries the ball very well and has a good eye for goal aswell, but he offers minimal defensive cover and struggles to create too many opportunities for his teammates. My verdict: although I acknowledge that his performances have often been sub-par throughout the course of the season, I feel like Özil has to start if we wish to deploy this system. It is more so down to a lack of options, rather than his recent displays. Hopefully he can continue to improve under Arteta. Willock could prove to be a great rotational option and late-game substitute. Right wing. There are two realistic choices for this position. The first of these is our record signing, Nicolas Pépé. The Ivorian has had a mixed first season in English football, but he was really finding his feet prior to the break. The instructions and encouragement of Arteta were seemingly benefitting the winger, and his performances improved accordingly. He is quick. He is powerful. He is incredibly technically gifted. His end product hasn’t always been perfect, but it is improving almost every week. He genuinely has all of the qualities required in order to be a resounding success in the Premier League. The issue is consistency. Admittedly, this isn’t solely his fault. The adaptation to three different managers has not made things easy for him. Nor have our collective struggles or the toxic atmosphere surrounding the club at times. Regardless, Pépé has been impressive in 2020, and I firmly believe that the best is very much still to come from him. Remain patient, stick by him, and he will prove to the doubters just how good he can be. Since arriving, Mikel has taken interest in the development of Reiss Nelson. Following his first game in charge, he had a lengthy talk with the Englishman as they returned to the dressing room. This wasn’t in a menacing manner whatsoever, quite the opposite. The Spaniard put his arm around him and was seemingly offering him encouragement following a mixed display. At Manchester City, Arteta had a key involvement in the development of both Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sané. Both players have addressed this publicly. With Reiss, perhaps he sees similar potential. Although he was unlucky with an injury in January, he has performed very well when called upon. The battle between him and Pépé for the right wing spot should be very interesting. Both players have great capabilities, and they should keep one another on their toes. If they face a dip in form, they know that they will be omitted from next week’s squad. This level of competition should bring out the best in both players. My verdict: personally, I think Pépé has to start initially. He was showing signs of real promise over the past few months, and he deserves the chance to carry on from where he left off. If he fails to produce, Nelson is a fantastic option to have. With the fixtures coming thick and fast, I am sure that both players will be provided with many opportunities to shine. Left wing. The left wing position is arguably the toughest choice of them all. Firstly, there remains the question of whether Aubameyang will be viewed as a striker or a winger by Arteta. Although I personally prefer him through the middle, our friendly against Charlton would perhaps indicate that we will be seeing our skipper operating from the left in the coming weeks. As a result, I will be including him in this section of the article, rather than that of the strikers. Option one is Bukayo Saka. Despite the majority of his games this season coming at left back, Saka’s future lies further forward. In a sense, his game has massively benefitted from the presence of Xhaka. The extra cover provided by the Swiss has essentially allowed the teenager to play as a secondary left winger, even when he lines up as part of a traditional back four. The return of Kieran Tierney could impact his playing time. As could the inclusion of Aubameyang in a wide position. Unfortunately, I feel like Saka’s weekly presence in the team may have to be put on hold for the time being. This is a shame, as he was excelling prior to the break. Perhaps I will be proven wrong, and he will continue in the XI, but Tierney seems to give more balance to the side. As well as that, excluding Aubameyang from the side is almost unthinkable. Saka has a great turn of pace, a fantastic final ball and the ability to beat a man with ease. No teenager in Europe’s top five leagues has provided more assists this season than the 18-year old. His biggest weakness is probably his aerial ability, but this would presumably not be as prominent an issue if he were to be utilised on the flank, rather than in defence. As was the case for Reiss Nelson, even though Saka might not be the first choice option in his respective position, this is not to say that he will not feature at all. Playing two games per week, along with the newly introduced system of five substitutes, will allow each member of the squad to get minutes. Hopefully he can take full advantage. Option two is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Regardless of whether you prefer him in the centre or on the flank, Aubameyang has to start. Our skipper, our top goalscorer and arguably our most valuable player. The Gabonese captain has been nothing short of world class since arriving. Regardless of where he operates, regardless of our collective fortunes, regardless of the man in charge, he always manages to produce an impressive tally. Even though he missed a period in January due to suspension, he sits in second place in the race for the golden boot with 17 goals. His pace is often focused on, but what stands out more to me is his positional sense. Rival fans are quick to point out the fact that many of his goals are tap-ins or easy chances. My response would be: then why can’t every striker produce similar numbers? The ability to transform half chances into sitters via your positional sense is a skill, not a flaw in your game. This is what Aubameyang does best. He is gradually becoming more accustomed to his role on the wing, and his defensive contribution is becoming more evident, as is his linkup. His interplay with Nicolas Pépé in particular springs to mind. Maybe he’ll play on the left, maybe he’ll pay in the middle, or maybe we’ll see a mixture of the two. Regardless of where he plays, the key factor is that he mustplay. The final option for the left wing spot is Gabriel Martinelli. The fact that we will quite possibly have to bench two players out of Aubameyang, Martinelli and Saka is incredible. They have probably been our three most impressive outfield performers this season, yet there may only be room for one of them in the XI. Like Saka, Martinelli has shown great promise throughout the year. He has maturity beyond his years and has made the transition from the fourth tier in Brazil to Premier League football look effortless. Despite his limited minutes, the 18-year old has managed 10 goals and 5 assists so far this campaign, which is a very respectable return. Coupled with his seemingly endless energy, he has quickly become one of the most promising talents in English football. The transfer fee of £6m is looking like a steal. There is no standout weakness in his game. He is slightly raw, but I feel like that will change with time. He will certainly feature in the months to come, but this may be as an impact sub or rotational player in the immediate future. My verdict: if Aubameyang is considered a winger by Arteta, he has to start, regardless of the quality of Saka/Martinelli. However, should put captain require a rest or be forced to play through the middle, both players mentioned provide fantastic backup. Striker. The final position to address is that of the striker. Although Alexandre Lacazette has been misfiring for large portions of the 2019/20 season, Arteta appears to be very keen on the Frenchman. However, the same could be said for his competitor, Eddie Nketiah. The youngster was close to a loan move to Bristol City before Mikel intervened. He was apparently so impressed with him in training that he blocked the move. This is a huge confidence boost for any 20-year old. Alexandre Lacazette has had a sub-par season to date. Unfortunately, there is no denying that fact. I completely understand that his game isn’t just about goals, so it is unfair to judge him solely on that basis. However, his energy and linkup have also been a shadow of what we became accustomed to throughout the 2018/19 campaign. Regardless of his goal drought at the time, Mikel stood by Lacazette in the early months of his tenure and included him in the side. Gradually, his form began to improve, but he is still a long way from the performances that earned him our Player of the Year award last season. In our friendly game against Charlton, he was yet again in the starting XI, and he marked his return with a stunning finish from the edge of the area. Obviously, Charlton are not world beaters, and the intensity of a friendly cannot be compared to that of the Premier League, but the goal should improve his confidence if nothing else. Over the past few months, he was reluctant to take shots from distance, so this goal could potentially change that mindset. Perhaps he has allowed his goal drought and the constant links away from the club to get to his head in the months gone by. Hopefully he can put those thoughts to one side and perform to the best of his ability for the remainder of the season, regardless of where his future lies.Eddie Nketiah was a surprise inclusion against Newcastle United and, although he wasn’t at his best in that game, he showed enough for Arteta to take note. He has since been included against Everton and West Ham in the Premier League, along with numerous cup outings aswell. During this time, he has scored his first Premier League goal at the Emirates, and also found the net against Bournemouth and Portsmouth in the FA Cup. He appears to be a real handful for opposition defenders. His energy is similar to that of Martinelli, and he has a tendency to press relentlessly. His positional sense is similar to Aubameyang. Many of his goals look routine due to his impeccable positional sense. Admittedly, we only have a small sample size of games on which to judge him, but he was also impressive when he featured for Leeds United, and he has proven effective for the England youth teams. He is certainly a great asset to have, and the battle between himself and Lacazette will be interesting to watch. Regarding negatives, he isn’t a particularly gifted dribbler, and his linkup play needs some work. However, he only turned 21 last week. I am sure that these areas will improve with time. My verdict: against a high line, I would play Nketiah. His pressing and pace in behind could prove key in these fixtures. Against teams who sit back and attempt to soak up pressure, Lacazette’s hold-up ability and interplay may be preferable. To conclude, Mikel Arteta has many key decisions to consider. His training methods in the weeks gone by will to prove to be crucial over the next few months, but his lineups will also have an impact on our final league position. Regardless of what he opts for, I will stand by his decisions. For the first time in a long time, I trust the manager’s judgement. If it is different to my own, then I hope he will prove me wrong. If you have any additional thoughts or disagree with any of my reasoning, feel free to leave a comment below. June 17th is only 8 days away now, in the meantime stay safe. Thank you as always for reading!