Arsenal are set to face Pairs Saint-Germain over two legs in the Champions League semi-final.
The Gunners host the French Champions next Tuesday at the Emirates, before travelling to Paris for the second leg at the Parc des Princes the following week.
The winners of the tie will face either Barcelona or Inter Milan in Munich at the end of May, with the chance to claim their first ever Champions League triumph.
Mikel Arteta has a number of selection headaches ahead of the clash, as Thomas Partey is suspended for the first leg and the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out injured.
Mikel Arteta used a 4-4-2 to beat PSG in October
Arsenal have already beaten PSG this season, overcoming Luis Enrique’s side in N5 in the League Phase of the competition in October.
Goals from Havertz and Bukayo Saka saw off the Ligue 1 giants, in what was an astute display from Arteta’s men.
PSG have improved significantly since then, adding Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to their squad, although some of the same weaknesses remain in Enrique’s team.
Martin Odegaard was absent for that clash, out injured with an ankle issue.
Arteta’s response to not having his captain was to deploy an unusual 4-4-2 shape, which involved Leandro Trossard and Havertz as a front two, leading the press up top.
Declan Rice dropped deeper to form more of a double pivot alongside Partey, while neither full-back inverted into midfield.
Much more of a traditional system, it worked to a tee, with the Gunners negating PSG’s fluid attack completely on the night, limiting the Parisians to just 0.3 expected goals.
Mikel Arteta should replicate 4-4-2 system for Champions League semi-final
PSG’s full-backs, Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi, like to push high up the pitch, and Arsenal’s 4-4-2 shape exploited this effectively.
With the central areas well covered by the front two dropping in and the midfield pivot, Saka and Gabriel Martinelli were able to stay high and wide, and take advantage of the space Mendes and Hakimi left behind them on several occassions.
Meanwhile, Havertz and Trossard effectively pressed Marquinhos and Willian Pacho, and their combinations in possession caused the PSG centre-back partnership issues throughout.
Havertz earned rave reviews from French media for his performance on the night, providing the Gunners with a physical focal point for Trossard to roam and play off.
This time around, Arteta should use Mikel Merino as the Havertz replacement in this system, doing the dirty work to inconvenience the PSG back-line.
Trossard should assume the same role, while Odegaard should drop into the double pivot with Rice and focus on ball progression when Arsenal have the ball.
Saka and Martinelli will take up their aggressive offensive positions, with this blueprint primed to deliver progression to the final for the North Londoners.
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