I predict the 2024–25 season will be a big one for Arsenal. We expect the Gunners to improve from last season, and with the disappointments of how last season ended, they should be hungry enough to stage a successful title charge.
Even without major arrivals, Arsenal still has a pretty decent squad, and Arteta has all the freedom to tweak his line-up whichever way he likes going to games. I can imagine a scenario in which the Spaniard can literally have a front-five of Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Oleksander Zinchenko, Martin Odegaard, and Bukayo Saka.
In this scenario, Riccardo Calafiori would occasionally invert to midfield, with Gabriel, William Saliba, and Ben White forming a back three.
With such a line-up, the Gunners would have progressive players further up, while defensively and physically solid players in the back would hold fort during transitions.
Out of possession, Calafiori could drop to left-back, and Zinchenko could drop to midfield and form a pivot with Rice.
With such a set-up, Arsenal would be kings of possession.
I know many would argue this set-up only favors Zinchenko, but after his performance versus Bayer Leverkusen overloading the midfield in a game in which he scored for the 4-1 win, I think it was clear he has something to offer.
Why not use him in midfield, as many fans have requested, if he can’t find minutes at left-back, where Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber excel?
We argue he’s poor defensively; at least he’d have a proper LB and CB behind him if he lost the ball in midfield.
What do you think?
Daniel O
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