Arsenal are currently in Dubai for a mid-season break but have been rocked by the news that they will be without yet another key player due to injury.
Arsenal forward Gabriel Martinelli is out for over a month following a hamstring injury and adds to the injury list that already includes Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.
Mikel Arteta was ‘disappointed’ the club didn’t make a January signing and now the Spaniard heads into the next three Premier League games with just four available forward options.
Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling are the most experience options but the form of young star Ethan Nwaneri will give Arteta something to think about as he evaluates his next move.
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Three ways Arsenal could line up with Gabriel Martinelli
With Martinelli set to miss fixtures against Leicester, West Ham and Nottingham Forest in the Premier League and the Champions League last-16 tie, here are three ways Arteta could set his team up in the Brazilian’s absence.
Ethan Nwaneri replaces Martinelli on the right hand side
The most obvious choice for Arteta is to replace Martinelli like for like with youngster Nwaneri. Arteta has revealed the Arsenal first team trust Nwaneri and having held the Hale End graduate back for much of the season, now the boss has now choice but to unleash him.
Trossard would continue on the left-hand side and then Kai Havertz would be responsible for leading the line up top on his own.
Sterling is given the chance to prove his worth
Raheem Sterling needs to take responsibility for Arsenal and start delivering performances that everyone knows he is capable of.
Arsenal fans saw signs of promise from Sterling against Girona and the England international now has to take that form and produce domestically for Arteta with his driving runs into the box and decisiveness in his final actions.
Sterling has scored just once so far this season for Arsenal and if he is the man to replace Martinelli on the right-hand side, that record will simply have to improve.
Arteta may have to change formation to suit the available players
Arteta knows the system that he likes to play with. The Emirates stadium has become accustomed to a 4-3-3 formation with inverted full backs flooding the midfield and fluidity in movement from the attacking positions.
Now might be the time for the Spaniard to adapt for a period of time. Ben White has returned to Arsenal training in Dubai, meaning that the defensive numbers are looking a little more healthy.
Arteta began his reign using a 3-5-2 formation when he needed to make Arsenal more solid defensively, now he could use the formation to make the Gunners more of a threat going forward. Fans often think 3-5-2 is a defensive formation but with the players at his disposal, Arteta could use it as a weapon.
Myles Lewis-Skelly and White could provide the width and have proven themselves to be more than adequate in attacking areas, whilst the midfield trio of Rice, Odegaard and Nwaneri brings a blend of tenacity and creativity.
Trossard has played centrally before and having two bodies up front may see Arsenal increase their threat in and around the penalty area.
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