Will a 3-man defence of Monreal, Gabriel and Koscielny as Sweeper work for Arsenal?

Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal could play along with Gabriel in a three-man defence

For the most part, the reaction to the series opener of ‘Spicing up the tank without breaking the bank – Part 1’ featuring a Barca style front 3 was positive. However as I suggested it is a case of using one’s imagination to consider the strengths of the current squad and mixing it up to surprise the Premier League. The question I am in essence asking myself and my handful of readers is, can Arsenal with no new signings improve on this past season and impose themselves in new ways on the Premier League.

The second system and change of personnel I want to consider and could see Arsenal illicit the absolute best from Hector Bellerin and the lost soul that is Kieran Gibbs. I have touched on this possibility before and I have to be honest and say that whilst I am convinced of its merits there is no evidence that Wenger will embrace it as it involved a back 3.

Whilst I have always thought Debuchy, Bellerin for sure and particularly Gibbs have all the attributes to play as continental wing backs, my reservation previously lay with our centre backs. Indeed more the lack of pace at the outset of last season with only Kos of the 3 available, having any.

Chambers and Mertesacker are both able central defenders but as a combination were too similar and missing the Frenchman’s agility. With a back 3 however I think at least 2 must be swift across the ground and not just the sweeper.

Two things happened that changed my stance and one of those was a huge surprise to me. The obvious one as the arrival of the elegant and fast addition, Gabriel in January and even in a 2 CB formation, he has to be ousting Per in the near future. No, the real turn up was when Wenger was forced to turn to Nacho Monreal earlier in the season.Yes, he made errors but being thrown in at the deep end seemed to hugely improve his defensive attributes and positioning when he returned to the left-back role.

I will freely admit that I was keen to see the Spaniard leave our club at the end of 13/14 and now the guys I sit with happily rib me week in week about how much I love my Nacho. Monreal’s new consistency and reliability on returning to his usual position led to the coaching staff and indeed most of us fans seeing him as the No.1 at LB, a position that was most assuredly Kieran Gibb’s at the outset of the campaign.

It was, however, his run at centre back that set me thinking of how he could easily play to the left of a back 3. A thought I parked in reality as it was hard to see Wenger try it.

Not uncommon

However, there are certainly trends in football and in formations and the back three system has been increasingly utilised in the past 2 seasons. Wenger has shown far more adaptability in the past 2 campaigns both from game to game and in games, so perhaps a 3-5-2 or a variant is not so far fetched. After all it was only in 2012 that we saw Juve go 49 undefeated with a back 3 – I thought it a sign then!

So whilst it may be a bold step into the unknown for Arsenal since the Rioch days, there is little debate that we have the right troops now. I would envisage an extremely mobile back three of Gabriel right, Monreal left and Koscielny slightly deeper as the sweeper, who better. This system is probably not suited to Chambers and Mertesacker.

What also allows Wenger to operate Bellerin and Gibbs as attacking box to box wingbacks, both having played as wide midfielders in the past. Debuchy and actually even Ox could also play the right wingback role but I think Bellerin may well be the best crosser of the ball on the run at the moment.

With the width coming from the wingbacks, it gives huge flexibility in selecting the 3 central midfielders but certainly, I would see 2 deeper midfielders and Ozil at CAM behind a traditional target man, second striker central attacking partnership.

Depending on the opposition, the deeper midfielders would be two from Ramsey, Coquelin, Santi and Wilshere and the 2 attackers would be Giroud to take advantage of the width with Sanchez just off him. Welbeck and Walcott would provide cover for both. If the discipline was there as we know it is with Cazorla now, I would go for Cazorla or Wilshere for their superior passing range over Le Coq as the diagonal passing to the surging wingbacks is required.

In this formation, Ramsey would be given his opportunity to get beyond Ozil and join the attack. The individuals can vary as some took great offence at my dreadful liberty in leaving Ozil out of the first 11. You will be delighted that he is front, centre and integral to my selection in this 3-5-2.