Is Lucas Torreira the man to help Arsenal get the best out of Mesut Ozil?
Unai Emery has repeatedly stressed that he will oversee “a new way” at Arsenal and, in trying to identify just exactly what that means, supporters will be hoping that two themes of Thursday’s pre-match press conference are transferred onto the pitch on Saturday.
First, in answering a question about Mesut Ozil with reference to why “defensive moments are for each and every player” and then also in talking up how Lucas Torreira, finally a specialist holding midfielder at Arsenal, is ready to make his first start for the club.
It certainly felt like no coincidence that Ozil was absent from the Arsenal team last season that were rewarded for a performance of rare defensive discipline with a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge after prioritising defensive discipline. Extracting rather more from the enigmatic German will be one of the defining challenges of Emery’s tenure. The bottom line is that the new recruitment team rewarded what has so far been a mixed Arsenal career with a giant contract in January and, while criticism of Ozil can be overstated, we are yet to see a corresponding return.
While Arsene Wenger largely gave him the absolute freedom of the pitch in a number 10 position behind the main central striker in a 4-2-3-1 system, Emery has so far asked him to play off the right in a 4-3-3 formation.
He saw little of the ball in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester City and the doubt against Chelsea is whether he will be able to significantly influence a game in which Arsenal are again likely to need to absorb considerable pressure. Emery is sympathetic to that difficulty but also clear in his basic requirement for every player.
“There are defensive moments and attacking moments; every player each needs this commitment,” he said. “For me, we need to start together, whether we are attacking or defending. Defensive moments are for each and every player. Ozil is playing all his career like a ‘10’ player, or a right winger going inside to receive the ball. It’s clear he needs the ball more to give more options in the attacking moments.”
Emery then stressed that he did not want to change Ozil’s usual position and his thinking must surely also relate to the arrival of Torreira.
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At £26 million, he has been Emery’s most costly addition and the player in whom most hope now rests to solidify this Arsenal team and extract rather more from those around him. Just 5ft 5in tall, it not just Torreira’s attempted style which is almost identical to N’golo Kante. For Uruguay in the World Cup, he simply patrolled the area in front of the back four and Emery’s plan is presumably for him to work just between two more advanced midfielders, whether Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka or Matteo Guendouzi.
Torreira was not deemed ready to start against Manchester City last week but the expectation is that he will come into the team on Saturday for a fixture Arsenal have not won since 2011.
“He is training good,” said Emery. “He is now with the team and knowing and learning English conversation with us and can understand all the things we want to do tactically.
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“We can speak about the number six (a defensive midfielder), the number eight (a more box-to-box player) and the number 10 (behind the striker). Normally every player has two positions. Torreira is six, eight. Maybe also Elneny, Xhaka and Matteo. Maybe another player, a more attacking player like Aaron Ramsey is more of an eight, 10. This possibility to play with two or three midfielders depends on each match.”
An intention to rotate, to try different formations and partnerships, will also extend to Arsenal’s attack where he is open to starting Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang together. Emery also warned that, like last week against Manchester City, the challenge of Chelsea did require particular tactical planning.
He said that his general approach going forward would be 70 per cent focusing on “our way” and perhaps around 30 per cent shaped by the opponent’s specific qualities. “Every player will get chances to show us his performance for the team,” he said.
