Mikel Arteta has some of his biggest decisions of the season to make when Arsenal travel to face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
Perhaps it’s always easy with hindsight, but Arsenal’s XI against Aston Villa on Sunday did raise a lot of questions, with many unsure why Oleksandr Zinchenko started for example.
Although Arsenal began the game extremely well, and looked to be on course for three much-needed points, things changed in the second half.
Mikel Arteta’s decision to drop Kai Havertz deeper, away from the false nine role he has been thriving in, then seemed to be a peculiar one.
Of course, that decision to start Gabriel Jesus as the nine also left Arsenal with less control in midfield.
Yes, Douglas Luiz was missing for Unai Emery’s side through suspension, but Villa still had the quality to make Arsenal regret that call.
Jorginho and Thomas Partey were watching from the bench, and when the £12m-Italian was introduced it already felt too late.
Arteta will have learned from that experience, and will now need to prove it when Arsenal travel to Bayen.
Mikel Arteta has to start Jorginho as Arsenal’s six against Bayern on Wednesday
To best display how ‘wrong’ that line up was, it’s almost unthinkable that the same XI or structure would be chosen in Bavaria.
Arteta will know that he has to reinstate either the ‘superb’ Jorginho or Partey as Arsenal’s number six against Bayern, gaining that extra control.
And to that end, Zinchenko’s ball-playing ability then won’t necessarily be needed, allowing Arsenal to choose a more defensively robust option.
Takehiro Tomiyasu or Jakub Kiwior has to come in, Arsenal already know how dangerous Bayern’s wingers can be.
Jakub Kiwior deserves another chance against Bayern
To be fair, Leroy Sane did have Jakub Kiwior beaten all ends up at the Emirates, but Wednesday will be a different game.
Arsenal will sit in their block more often, which should suit Kiwior and Arsenal as a whole.
If defensive fragility undermined their strong attacking play at the Emirates, that shouldn’t be an issue this week.
Arsenal definitely have the tools to beat Bayern and progress to a Champions League semi-final, but Arteta has to get his decisions right.
Fortunately, it’s the Spaniard’s choices who have got the club this far, and fans should be reminded to ‘trust the process’.
That being said, it seems as if Arsenal may be willing to finally give up on one player this summer.
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