Arsenal’s success has been due to several different partnerships in the squad.
Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba’s chemistry at the back has helped the Gunners maintain the best defence in the Premier League, while Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice have formed a phenomenal midfield pairing as well.
There are other great partnerships too – Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and one of Jurrien Timber or Ben White have troubled opposition defenders as well.
Mikel Arteta has now found another interesting duo – Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.
Who is Arsenal’s first choice striker when everyone is fit?
Mikel Arteta says Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz playing together is another ‘weapon’ at Arsenal
Arsenal have mostly played with one striker throughout their time under Arteta.
The Gunners have had a lot of joy with that over the years, but like every top team, they can change things.
Viktor Gyokeres is Arsenal’s main man up top, and he looked really good against Chelsea.
However, after he came off, Arteta introduced a partnership of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus up front, and even though neither player is a prolific goalscorer, the Arsenal manager has now called them a ‘weapon’ he can use.
When asked about Jesus and Havertz playing together, he said in his press conference on Friday, as per Football London: “Well, (it was) what the game, in my opinion, was demanding as well.
“Because the spaces were opening up, and what we needed from that position was somebody who could arrive in the box, could threaten the opposition half. If they were to start even more aggressive as well, somebody who in indirect play as well could be very, very efficient.
“We have combinations of players that can alter positions as well, the chemistry between them, and yeah, it’s another weapon that we have.”
Change our mind: Kai Havertz is comfortably Arsenal’s best striker when fit…
Or are you picking Mikel Merino, Gabriel Jesus or Viktor Gyokeres over him?
There’s another partnership Mikel Arteta should use at Arsenal
Jesus and Havertz could be a very dangerous partnership against certain teams, but Arsenal have other options up top as well.
One partnership that we haven’t seen before is Gyokeres and Havertz playing together.
The two attackers are both big and strong, drag defenders with them and open space up for their teammates in different phases of play.
Havertz and Gyokeres both like to drop deep at times as well, so if they play together, we think the Premier League leaders can cause the opposition all sorts of problems if they interchange positions.
We are sure Arteta will use them together at some point this season.
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