4 reasons Unai Emery must keep the latest formation intact

#2 Clean Sheets

Manchester United v Arsenal FC - Premier League

Arsenal have suddenly broken a duck of sorts. In their last match against Chelsea, they managed to score all their goals in the first half! Arsenal have been coming back in the second half but in this match, they scored their two goals before the breather and came for the second half to defend the lead. But what is interesting is that they actually succeeded in keeping Chelsea at bay and ended with a clean sheet - only the fourth they have managed this season.

What a different pep-talk Emery had to give, finally. Normally, he would be urging the players that it is not over and they needed to deliver the goals to equalize or get a win. This time he must have been telling them how to defend their two goals and kill off the game.

In the Arsenal's perspective, this line-up seems to offer the template for a clean sheet as they have very little to rely upon in terms of how to get clean sheets more frequently. It would be a surprise if Emery does not at least look to the merits of this formation in terms of getting the attack-defense balance, having deployed it with great success against Tottenham and now Chelsea. It was great to see Aubameyang and Lacazette put in defensive shifts too. Aubameyang made three defensive tackles and Lacazette had two defensive interceptions!

The formation apparently encourages the team to defend as a unit - the template for keeping clean sheets.