Granit Xhaka and Mesut Ozil offer Mikel Arteta the answer to solve key Arsenal problem

It is well-established that Arsenal’s left flank isunder some scrutiny from both a personnel and system perspective. Gabriel Martinelli has taken plenty of attention, as well as Leandro Trossard, with calls for a new signing.

Arsenal have brought in a new wide player in Noni Maduekeand Mikel Arteta gave him his unofficial debut on the left flank on Wednesday against Villarreal. Asked about his positioning after the game, the manager committed to the idea of the winger being able to play on either wing.

“Both sides,” Arteta said.“I think Noni, when you ask him, he's very comfortable playing right and left.

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“So we want to have inverted footed players. We can do that, and he's a real threat.

“But I want to play him against teams and we want to find something else, playing with natural footed, he's going to give us that solution. Today you've seen already a couple of balls that he put in the box, the pace and the quality he can deliver. So, great option.”

Madueke might yet change the effectiveness of the Arsenal left flank, and who is anyone to prejudge a player before they’ve really had an opportunity? That said, beyond the players themselves, there is an argument still that the 4-3-3 structure that Arsenal have as a foundation to their system could be changed to get more from the left.

As of now, Martinelli averages 6.48 touches in the opponent’s penalty area per 90, compared to Bukayo Saka’s 7.67. In terms of progressive passes received per 90, Saka again has the higher volume, 12.33 > 10.41. In terms of just raw touches per 90, the story is the same, 49.97 > 37.55 in favour of the right winger.

These numbers highlight the Gunners’ starting right winger's greater exposure to possession. Granted, Trossard also plays there, but his numbers only strengthen the points: 5.54 touches in the opponent’s penalty area per 90, 7.59 progressive passes received per 90, and 45.20 touches per 90—all below Saka’s metrics.

Currently, Martin Odegaard operates as a left eight compared to the ten role he occupied when he first joined. At that time, Emile Smith Rowe, playing on the left, operated more as a wide playmaker than the natural winger role Martinelli plays.

However, the biggest influence that balanced the attack was the presence of the left-footed Granit Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder was a big influence on Martinelli and it is no surprise in Xhaka’s final season with Arsenal in 2022/23, the Brazilian had his best campaign, returning 20 goal contributions across all competitions.

Arsenal still have a left-footed left eight in the form of Mikel Merino, but he is stylistically very different to Xhaka. He loves to get into the box himself and on the end of chances rather than playing the deep playmaker role that Xhaka would enjoy in the old system.

Declan Rice, meanwhile, a brilliant midfielder and right-footer, typically moves the ball through central areas and even to the right. Therefore, service to the left has diminished.

Arteta has been reluctant to move away from this established 4-3-3 system. It was a structure that was always on his mind when he arrived, and he even said as much early in his time with the club, when the system was just a dream.

Speaking in December of 2020, Arteta first posited the idea of the 4-3-3. At that time, having played with a back three, he felt he lacked the necessary players to commit to it.

“We want to move to a 4-3-3, but for that you need a lot of specificity in every position, [and] now in five or six positions we don’t have it,” he said. This has since changed, and as of this summer, on paper, Arsenal have at least two competitive options for every single one of the eleven roles.

However, with the arrival of players like Madueke and Martin Zubimendi, a change in structure could be possible. Instead of a 4-3-3 with one designated number six, Arsenal might benefit from returning to an Arsene Wenger favourite, the 4-2-3-1.

The days of Mesut Ozil operating in the ten role with Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla playing the pivot behind offered a lot of balance. Arsenal these days have attacking quality the likes of Ozil likely wished he had ahead of him, besides, of course, that of Alexis Sanchez.

Now with Europe’s top goal-scorer from the last two seasons and England’s star boy, Saka, there is a lot to appreciate. Even that from Madueke, a favourite of Thomas Tuchel on the left for England now, is a factor many should be intrigued by.

Yet a switch to a double pivot in midfield, putting Rice alongside Zubimendi and instead moving Odegaard into a freer role could have many benefits. Zubimendi is not just a six, and for Spain, is often seen roaming forwards, even scoring, as shown in the Nations League game against Portugal.

He has done this in pre-season for Arsenal, getting on the end of a chance set up by Gyokeres against Tottenham and being present in the right half space to combine with Saka and Odegaard. Rice and Zubimendi interchanging roles throughout a game, with one going and one staying, could offer Arsenal balance and a level of variety in attacks.

Not to mention the influence that Odegaard could then have on both sides of the field as opposed to predominantly the right wing. The question to end on is: How likely is Arteta to do this?

The short answer is, probably not very. In fairness, Arteta has taken the Gunners back into title contention and the European elite competition’s latter stages with his system and is minded to stick with it but after three years of failed title challenges, it could be that now is the time to try take that next step in the side’s evolution with talent at his disposal.