KEOWN TALKS TACTICS
EMERY SHOULD UNLEASH HIS FRONT THREE TO PIN BACK SPURS’ FULL BACKS
UNAI EMERY is a difficult man to predict. In the Premier League last season, for example, Arsenal started with a back three on 13 occasions and a back four on the other 25. At the opposite end of the pitch, Emery rotated his forwards as if they were riding a carousel. Mesut Ozil was in then out. Aaron Ramsey was in then out. Alexandre Lacazette and PierreEmerick Aubameyang would start together, then they wouldn’t. As a player, that would frustrate me. I felt at my most comfortable when we kept the same shape week in, week out. When the team sheet drops for tomorrow’s derby with Tottenham, I want to see three names in particular staring back at me for Arsenal. I want to see Lacazette starting up front, then Aubameyang and £72million new boy Nicolas Pepe on either side of him. I want this to be the start of a consistent spell for those three in the team. Emery should play to his strengths. He should be trying to strike fear into his opponents, and I think a 4-3-3 formation could work in Arsenal’s favour tomorrow. That set-up could cause Tottenham problems and pin them back. Right back Kyle Walker-Peters is not fit, so Serge Aurier may get the nod, even though the club have apparently been looking to sell him. Or Mauricio Pochettino could go 3-5-2 and use Moussa Sissoko as a wing back. On the left side, Danny Rose should start. Only Liverpool have produced more crosses than Pochettino’s men this season, and we saw how Arsenal’s midfield diamond gifted space to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson at Anfield last week. That is a key area for Tottenham too and Emery’s side cannot let the visitors have it all their own way. You don’t want to see your rivals flying forward and creating chances. If Pochettino does opt for wing backs, then they will drop into defence when out of possession. Pepe playing on the right then Aubameyang on the left
would limit Spurs’ wide men from getting forward. Emery could even take a leaf out of Jurgen Klopp’s book by using them as ‘inside forwards’, where they occupy the space between the centre backs and full backs. Cause confusion. Keep those full backs occupied and stop them from having the freedom of the flanks. Pepe, a leftfooter like Mo Salah, could cause carnage on the right after showing glimpses of what he is about against Burnley. Aubameyang will fancy his chances against Aurier, Sissoko or whoever he faces on the left. Lacazette could then act as their target man. Emery needs to strike a balance in midfield as well, and I think Dani Ceballos, Lucas Torreira and Joe Willock could do a job there. Your guess is probably as good as mine as to what Emery will do, but I definitely want to see him start his big guns.