5 factors that will define Arsenal's season

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has a lot to worry about this seasonIt's been an eventful first month in the Premier League and we have had a good look at all teams and the way they have set themselves up this season. While the league isn't without its massive wins and shock upsets, a certain trend has already emerged – that every team is beatable.Yet, after five game weeks, Arsenal are still undefeated – the only unbeaten team apart from Chelsea. But judging by the Gunners' mixed performances so far, one would safely bet on a high scoring drubbing rather than another Invincible season.A flurry of new signings in July saw hope rekindled and a chance to build on the success of the FA Cup win last season. But half the signings were mere replacements and did not add to the squad as such. Mathieu Debuchy replaced Bacary Sagna, a young Calum Chambers replaced Thomas Vermaelen and David Opsina replaced Lukas Fabianski.Alexis Sanchez has been the biggest high profile signing of the summer and he has already delivered, securing Champions League football and automatically raking in his transfer fee in the form of Champions League income from group stage participation. The jury is still out on the deadline day signing of Danny Welbeck though. Quite simply, it is far too early to judge him. But he has opened his Arsenal account with a goal and assist against Aston Villa, thereby automatically making him an upgrade over the young Yaya Sanogo.But a number of problems, old and new, are still clearly visible in this Arsenal side.

#1 The Formation: 4-2-3-1 vs 4-3-3

Nobody is quite sure why Arsene Wenger wanted to change the formation from a 4-2-3-1 that worked so beautifully in the past to a 4-3-3. The new formation immediately threw up a number of red flags – the team lost its cohesiveness, players were played out of position, and the team with one of the best midfielders in the league (on paper) ultimately surrendered its midfield advantage.

With the Gunners adopting this formation, the classic number 10's position was gone. Wenger had first switched to the 4-2-3-1 to build the team around Cesc Fabregas. After his departure, Aaron Ramsey failed to step into his shoes in a position that is not suited to him. Santi Cazorla's arrival in 2012 signified a change in fortunes and the Gunners had a perfectly moulded CAM who could play passes into the final third at will. The formation allowed one midfielder to sit at the base, one box-to-box midfielder (ideal position for an all-round player like Ramsey) and a play maker.

But the 4-3-3 forced both the midfielders to play a little wider with no clear role in the centre between the middle and final third of the pitch. This resulted in the forwards, especially Alexis Sanchez, dropping deeper to collect the ball and move forward. The Chilean is blessed with incredible dribbling skills which allowed Arsenal to mount a few attacks, but there is only so much he can do, often getting crowded out or fouled before he could build up play.

Left: 4-2-3-1 which allowed players to play in their natural position.Right: 4-3-3 which played players out of position and nobody to dictate play in the middle.

4-3-3 also asked more of the full backs

Although attacking full backs who overlapped on either flank have been Arsenal's strength over the years, both full backs were required to attack at the same time to give the Gunners the advantage and allow one of Wilshere or Ramsey to move to the centre.

This left the defence a man down when the team lost possession, and that was the invitation counter-attacking teams needed to pour forward and convert their man-advantage into shots on target.

#2 Mesut Ozil\'s form

Mesut Ozil has had an indifferent start to this season.

Arsenal’s record £42.4m signing Mesut Ozil returned to the club only to find that he had been shunted out wide and forced to play in the front three in the new 4-3-3 formation. While most fans automatically assumed that he was always played on the left (thanks in part to the commentators and on-screen graphics), that isn't the case.

Ozil did start games on the left, but he was allowed to roam across the pitch and switch positions with Alexis Sanchez. But this movement didn't allow him to build a rapport with either of the two full backs. While Alexis and Debuchy combined well on the right flank, Ozil struggled to have an understanding with Monreal (with Gibbs injured). His inability to track back on a regular basis also hurt the full back on the flank.

However, the lack of time in the centre was a factor and Ozil never got to play in his preferred role between the lines, looking to release the forwards, especially with a pace outlet like Alexis. Ozil thrives on runners who get behind defences, and it is a pity that he hardly got the chance to play with Theo Walcott in the side last season with the Englishman forward succumbing to two injuries. The game against Besiktas saw him create a chance for Alexis’ goal when he was in the centre of things rather than out wide.

Mesut Ozil’s heat-map against Manchester City shows that he actually spent almost half the match in the middle of the park instead of out on the flank.While most assumed that he played on the left, he actually spent the least time on the left flank.

When Wenger reverted to the 4-2-3-1 against Aston Villa, Ozil was a changed man. Back in his natural role, he scored the opening goal with a run through the centre and later assisted Welbeck by drifting out wide. He also had a key pass in the game that resulted in the third. That's not all, he even covered 11.3 km – the highest by any Arsenal player on the pitch!

The key to Ozil’s success is playing in the centre with drifting out wide being his secondary weapon, rather than primarily playing out wide and then drifting into the centre. Give him more time and space in the centre, and he will create chances.

#3 Can Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere play together?

Arsenal loses its shape when both Ramsey and Wilshere are accommodated in the XI.

The absence of Ozil in the middle meant that the mantle had to be taken up by either Ramsey or Wilshere. That is where Wenger made his second mistake – trying to accommodate both midfielders in the starting XI.

With both midfielders tasked with carrying the ball forward, Mathieu Flamini was left brutally exposed. His positioning and decision-making eventually left the defence at the mercy of counter-attacks – especially against Manchester City.

Since both Ramsey and Wilshere are attack-minded and since both are in-sync with the rest of the team, the decision rests on their defensive capabilities. This is where Ramsey's work-rate, stamina and pressing currently put him above Wilshere in the pecking order.

When Arsenal used the 4-2-3-1, Wilshere was usually benched with Ramsey starting in midfield with Ozil. Although Wilshere can adapt to a number 10 role (he played as a number 10 in his youth days), there is no need for that with Ozil (and Cazorla) in the side.

Wenger would be wise to rotate between Wilshere and Ramsey rather than use both together and sacrifice the midfield shape. Both can score goals, both can link up well with the striker, and both are equally adept at initiating attacks.

But when both are on the pitch, one tends to suffer while the other shines – mainly because they eat into each other’s zone.

The heat-map against Manchester City showed that they spent a majority of the game in the middle just before the final third of the pitch (48% and 43% respectively)

Wenger adamant on trying to make it work

Wenger also recently compared the dilemma to Brazil’s problems in the ‘70s: “What is Wilshere but basically a number 10? He played his whole life at number 10. Somebody had to go there. Is it Wilshere, Ozil, Ramsey? And nobody is really natural out wide. So do you keep good players out or you try to get them together?

“It is (ambitious trying to play like Brazil’s 1970 team), but without ambition you cannot progress. We have that desire to play well altogether and I think we can really achieve it. We can have a fantastic team.”

#4 Mikel Arteta vs Mathieu Flamini as CDM

Mikel Arteta (L) and Mathieu Flamini (R)

Mikel Arteta's injury early in the season made things worse for Arsenal, and Wenger had no choice but to play Mathieu Flamini as the midfield anchor. While Flamini will throw himself into challenges that Arteta will never risk, his passing range has never helped the cause.

With Wenger not signing a central defensive midfielder this summer and Arteta handed the captain's armband, the Spaniard is always going to be the safer option to play in that role. Although he is slower and less physical than he was two seasons ago, Flamini's erratic positioning and propensity to get yellow cards early in the game are a huge risk. Secondly, Flamini's passing range is very limited, with more passes going sideways or backwards compared to Arteta, who can initiate attacks when he spots an opening.

The new captain is also a safer bet in high pressure situations when the opponents press. He is less likely to concede possession, unlike his French teammate, and he brings a measure of calm and controls the tempo of the game.

#5 Defensive compactness

Alexis Sanchez attempts to close down Leicester City’s Ritchie De Laet

A team that flourishes when it has the ball, Arsenal is a completely different unit without it. The team has incredibly gifted players who can do wonders with the ball. But when it comes to getting it back, only a few stand out.

That is where pressing the opposition comes into the picture. Pressing doesn't require the team to physically win the ball back. Restricting movement and denying space is all that is needed to force the opposition into a mistake. An interception is a cleaner method of winning the ball back.

With only four or five players in the team actually capable of putting in a perfectly timed sliding tackle, pressing becomes all the more important. But here, again, teamwork is the key. To pile on the pressure, the team needs to press as a unit. It must start with the striker and then make its way to the midfielders, cutting off or forcing players to make a pass into an area where you can win the ball back.

This was a major factor when players like Tomas Rosicky and Aaron Ramsey played together. They would harry the opposing midfielders, chase them across the pitch and force them into making mistakes. Alexis also does this very well, thanks in part to his days with Barcelona where pressing was a vital component to their tiki-taka brand of football.

More often than not though, only a handful of players proactively press the opponents while the others tend to sit back, waiting for the opposition to make a move. However, of late, it has been interesting to note that Welbeck was actively involved in trying to win the ball back and retaining it in the process.