ARSENAL TOLD TO DROP XHAKA AND ONE OTHER STAR PLAYER: change Arteta must make for Arsenal to win against Aston Villa
“They still have it, I can sense it. They feel they can do it.”
Those were the words of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after his side were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City in their crucial Premier League top-of-the-table clash on Wednesday evening. Despite a frustrating second-half display at the Emirates Stadium, the Gunners boss was adamant that their title chances are far from finished just yet.
Of course on paper that cannot be disputed. Win their game in hand against Everton next month and the north Londoners go back to the summit of the table, where they had spent the best part of six months before Wednesday’s loss.
However, something absolutely needs to change sooner rather than later. Arsenal dropped just seven points during the first half of the season. They are now three games into the second half and they have already dropped eight.
A loss to Everton was followed up by a frustrating 1-1 draw against Brentford last weekend. Arteta and the fans blamed officiating for the stalemate against the Bees, and were rightly aggrieved – Ivan Toney’s goal never should have stood.
But Thomas Frank’s side still created the better chances. Take away Toney’s goal and the expected goals (xG) was even. Just a few months ago Arteta’s side were blowing teams away, registering two or more xG in almost every outing. However, this just isn’t the case anymore.
Arsenal’s left flank needs a refresh, it is pretty evident to see. Granit Xhaka and Gabriel Martinelli, who feature as the left-sided No.8 and left winger respectively have fallen out of form. Both have started all 22 of the Gunners’ league fixtures this term and that shouldn’t become 23 this weekend against Aston Villa.
Martinelli and Xhaka have struggled since the injury to first-choice striker Gabriel Jesus and this is by no means a coincidence. Jesus tends to drift to the left, dropping deep and roaming on the touchline, something that had allowed Martinelli to cut in and operate in more central zones while Xhaka underlapped, often picking up positions in the left-half space to score or create.
In fact, as per Understat, Martinelli was averaging 0.53 goals and assists per 90 minutes before Jesus’ injury while Xhaka was registering 0.46. Since then, they have managed just 0.28 and 0.25 respectively – both producing roughly half of their previous output, albeit the sample size is much smaller.
In fact, Arsenal as a team have registered just 1.85 xG per 90 minutes since Jesus went down, compared to 2.11 with him in the team.
Utilising either Fabio Vieira or Emile Smith Rowe in that left-sided No.8 position could be the key if Arsenal want to get out of this mini-slump. An extra playmaker to lessen Martin Odegaard’s creative burden will help them when they come up against deep blocks and need someone to progress the ball vertically between the lines.
Xhaka is undoubtedly a huge asset but the ball can get caught under his feet at times, often struggling to turn and open up passing angles when under pressure – something that neither Vieira nor Smith Rowe struggle with. Leandro Trossard is of course an option to replace Martinelli on the wing and the Belgian has looked sharp when coming off the bench recently – opening his Arsenal account during the draw against Brentford.
Trossard could also be deployed in place of Eddie Nketiah, who has deputised for Jesus since the former City forward’s injury. Nketiah has performed admirably but he just hasn’t formed a connection with Martinelli, favouring runs into the right channel instead of the left, something that has often isolated the 21-year-old on the opposite side.
Arteta has arguably been the best coach in the English top-flight this season but it is time to be proactive. Martinelli and Xhaka are two of the biggest reasons that Arsenal are in the title race but it is time to bench them this weekend against Aston Villa.
The Gunners need to end the rut they find them in. Before it’s too late.
