Arsenal are off to a flying start in this new edition of the Premier League. The Gunners secured narrow wins over Newcastle United and Burnley respectively in their first two league matches. But, they will be facing their biggest test yet when they lock horns with Liverpool next weekend.
The European champions have also secured two wins in two, and their revered attack could cause a lot of problems for the Arsenal defence that looked shaky at times against both Newcastle and Burnley. In this article, we will discuss a couple of tactical steps Unai Emery should implement if he is to stop the Liverpool attack in this coming Saturday.
A five-man backline
Liverpool are naturally a free-flowing counter-attacking team. But, given the individual quality of their overall first-team, we could expect the Reds to dominate possession. Manager Jurgen Klopp will look to use his side’s tenacity to restrict the Arsenal players of any time and space on the ball. And that means the Gunners could look shaky in possession in the middle third.
Emery, therefore, could implement a five-man backline. The two pendulating wing-backs could support the central defenders in Sokratis, David Luiz and Calum Chambers. A 5-3-2 could suffice, giving them the support of an additional defender, who could help Arsenal cope with the attacking trio of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Most importantly, it will hand them numerical superiority in midfield that could be paramount in their bid to retain possession of the ball. The three central midfielders in Dani Ceballos, Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira are all capable of providing the energy and urgency that could help Arsenal compete with Liverpool’s own midfield trio.
Defending in deep-blocks
Its imperative Arsenal do not play with a high line if they are to prevent Liverpool from scoring next weekend. This is because of the lack of pace offered by their central defenders, especially in Luiz and Sokratis. None of them are capable of recovering their position within a quick period.
And considering the pace Liverpool possesses on the counter in the likes of Salah and Mane, deploying a high line of defence would cause Arsenal to get exposed in defence on numerous occasions. Not to mention Firmino, who can manipulate the entire backline with his intelligent movements in behind the defence.
Therefore, the Gunners should operate with a deep defensive block and allow their midfielders to play a more prominent role during defensive phases. It will help them reinstate the overall balance of the team.
