By Merlion
January 1 2021

If not for COVID-19 knocking out Gabriel, Luiz and WIllian, plus Auba calf injury, Mikel Arteta will not have stumbled upon this winning combination (against Chelsea and Brighton) with Emile Smith-Rowe as the catalyst to link play, and we all know about Martinelli. Saka at right wing is a revelation with Martinelli-ESR-Saka developing telepathic understanding on their runs, their mobility and positional plays.

Lacazette is rejuvenated with much improved link-up plays and more more passing channels for him with this mobile trio. At least, opponents cannot spare the 2 or 3 players to surround Lacazette whenever he receives the ball, opening up gaps for Martinelli and Saka to run in. 

Not forgetting a deep-running ESR is always a threat hovering at the edge of the box. 

 This is the FORWARD LINE in 4-2-3-1 that is a far more goal-scoring threat than the awful 4-3-3 with Auba-Laca-Willian in the November Slump. 

 This is the future that Mikel Arteta must continue and develop into the future 2020/21 team: 

... Saka ... Smith-Rowe ... Martinelli 

..... ..... ..... ..... ..... Lacazette  

Until Auba re-discovers his mojo and commitment to fight for every ball, like Martinelli, his best position now is on the bench and as a supersub when we need to get a result. 

Auba is another "Chicken" Walcott, never goes into 50:50 balls and always skip out of tackles (rather harsh, and scores far more goals when on form.Ed).

Laca is a far more superior centre forward than Auba in this new setup. 

 This new role is perfect for Lacazette with his aggression in the box, ability to hold up the ball under pressure in the box. Not really a target-man, but a mobile forward in the box who opens up space for the MIDFIELD-3 to drive into the gaps, and like Pires-Freddy in their heydays, cutting in from the flanks to latch onto through-balls from Lacazette and ESR with a clear-goal scoring chance. 

 ESR is now operating in a "Bergy Hole" with Martinelli and Saka cutting in to create overloads in either flanks or in the centre, pulling defenders out of position and causes disarray with their pace, movement and interchangeability. 

 Dynamism, relentless pressure and interchangeability - that is the winning formula with a relentless Martinelli, aggressive Lacazette, dynamic Saka and a hard-driving and tactically-aware Emile Smith-Rowe in the middle, able to roam across the line to create overload. 

It is a throw-back to the French Spine with Martinelli operating as “Henry” and Saka cutting in like a “Freddy Ljungberg”. 

Emile Smith-Rowe lacks that unique peripheral vision and silky skills of Bergy, but he makes up by his pace, movement, positional and tactical awareness to click with Martinelli and Saka, and helping out as a passing option for Lacazette holding the ball in the box. 

And throw in Thomas Partey as a “Vieira” behind them, we are nearly a complete team. 

But Partey needs another partner, and hopefully Joe Willock and Miguel Azeez can develop this season into a box-to-box midfielder to complement Thomas Partey. 

Defence? 

Pablo Mari brings experience and calmness in the box, and can get only better with more game time. TA4 is slow, Mertesacker is slow, but they overcome this “defect” with their positional awareness, the height to win headers and the experience to man-mark opponents in the box. Holding-Mari partnership brings calmness in the box whereas Holding-Gabriel partnership is all frenzy actions and seems to lack leadership and organisational ability than Mari provides now. 

It is a nice headache for Arteta to how to strengthen CB partnership and to bring Gabriel back into the team with Pablo Mari. 

Erh… Luiz who?