How does Arteta solve the midfield conundrum for the derby?

Morning all.

The main talking point ahead of today’s North London derby is what Mikel Arteta is going to do in midfield without both Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. There are options, but quite which he goes for is anybody’s guess. For our preview podcast on Patreon, I drew up a few permutations which we discussed.

Partey – Jorginho – Havertz: A kind of double pivot with two very experienced players plus Havertz ahead feels like something the manager might do, but I’d be concerned by the legs of the two veterans against a Spurs side that like to drive through the middle.

Partey – Havertz – Saka: Could you move Saka from the right to a more central position? I think he’s good enough to play there, although I don’t think he would play the way Odegaard does. It’s a risk moving one of the best players in the world out of his best position, but perhaps the presence of Raheem Sterling on the right allows you to try it.

Partey – Havertz – Nwaneri: As I said earlier in the week, the 17 year old is the closest natural replacement for the captain, and if he started it would definitely be exciting. Arteta is reluctant to play young players before he feels they’re ready, so it would be a real demonstration of his faith if he gave him his first ever start in a North London derby away from home. I’d love to see it, but I think it’s probably unlikely.

Partey – Havertz –Zinchenko: Again one I think is unlikely but one they will surely have thought about as they considered all their options. I just worry that he’s not a 90 player for what is, essentially, a 90 minute position.

Partey – Trossard – Havertz: Trossard has played left 8 before, and Havertz has played in Odegaard’s position a couple of times, but I don’t think either of them flourished there, so this is another long-shot.

The truth is, there are arguments against all of those options, and I don’t know what he’s going to do. It might be something completely different…

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Author : arseblog

Publish date : 2024-09-15 07:25:09

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