Premier League 2018-19: 3 tactical factors which could determine the fate of the Manchester City vs Arsenal match

Modified Feb 11, 2019 12:09 GMT

Arsenal v Manchester City - Premier League

3. Arsenal’s central midfielders playing long-balls to their wingers

It would be interesting to see Arsenal’s starting formation for Sunday’s match. They might go with two forwards in Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, or play Lacazette as the lone forward with Matteo Guendouzi, Xhaka, Aaron Ramsey, Aubameyang and Alex Iwobi forming a 5-man midfield in a 4-5-1 formation.

Either way, Arsenal’s central midfielders would have to play long balls occasionally to Aubameyang, who has a tendency to move to the flanks. Iwobi also likes to make his runs through the left flank and would prefer to have quick balls from the likes of Guendouzi and Ramsey.

However, Ramsey usually does not fall back to the middle third very often, and prefers to stay upfront. Therefore, the onus would be on Guendouzi to play those long balls to the wingers.

Guendouzi is not very fast, and is unlikely to be allowed much time on the ball by City’s midfielders. Therefore, he would do well to play those long balls to the likes of Aubameyang and Iwobi to open up scoring opportunities for the Gunners.

Aubameyang has scored 18 goals in 30 matches for Arsenal in this season so far, and would like to increase his tally against City.

About the author

Subhadeep, an adept tennis journalist at Sportskeeda, has been writing about the sport for seven years. He is known for his exclusive match reviews and opinion pieces, utilizing his MBA degree to tackle them effectively with his problem-solving abilities.

Subhadeep lives and breathes tennis. He watches matches regularly and engages in social media platforms to stay on top of the latest happenings. As a writer, he brings the fan's perspective to his pieces, ensuring his readers enjoy an exceptional experience every time.

Growing up, he idolized Boris Becker, but he now firmly believes Novak Djokovic stands alone as the 'Greatest of all Time', especially considering the 24-time Grand Slam champion's incredible stats. One thing that still puzzles Subhadeep, however, is how Becker's Wimbledon tally might have reached five if not for Pete Sampras.

Speaking of the All England Club, the British Major holds a special place in his heart as he admires its blend of tradition and grass-court excellence. When not working for Sportskeeda, Subhadeep delves into the other "love of his life": football, and enjoys contributing his insights to different websites dedicated to the sport.

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Edited by Musab Abid