If Arsenal revert to a 4-4-2 formation once Gabriel Jesus returns from injury, they could end the title race with such a lethal partnership up front.
That’s the view of BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks, who has heaped praise onto in-form youngster Eddie Nketiah following his brace in the 3-2 win over Manchester United at the weekend.
There were many fans and pundits concerned when Jesus got injured at the World Cup with Brazil, but he’s barely been missed at all so far, with Nketiah filling in superbly with a prolific run of form.
The 23-year-old has seven goals in his last seven games for the Gunners, and fans will no doubt be thrilled that he’s hit such a great streak of form just at the right time.
It remains to be seen what Mikel Arteta will do with his strikers when Jesus returns from injury, but Crooks believes it could be ‘game over’ if the Spanish tactician decides to use them up front together.
“I honestly thought that the loss of Gabriel Jesus to injury would have a devastating effect on Arsenal’s title chances. I couldn’t have been further from the truth,” Crooks said.
“Jesus was in sparkling form before he got injured at the World Cup but from the day Eddie Nketiah came into the Arsenal team to deputise for Jesus, he has been in blistering goalscoring form.
“His goals-per-game ratio has been off the chart. The striker has scored seven goals in his past seven games and would have added to that tally had it not been for some brilliant goalkeeping by David de Gea on Sunday.
“What Arteta does when Jesus is fit is anyone’s guess but if he were to play 4-4-2 with Jesus and Nketiah up front as a partnership, it’s game over.”
So, Garth, who would Arteta leave out, to accommodate the change to 442. Can’t see it myself.
I agree. You leave out one of the 11 the balance is off. Eddie is more of a goal poacher. A proper number 9. Jesus is more of a number 10 with his link up play. Personally I prefer Eddie.
Maybe I’m just old fashioned but I like my number 9 to score goals. I just hope Eddie can keep performing the way he has since Jesus got injured and if not Jesus will take his place. Also Jesus can play out wide on the flanks. So there he can cover Gabriel and Trossard now too.
Completely clueless.
Does he not understand Arsenal’s formation is the key to their success?
Arsenal has a system that uses speedy tricky wingers to pull away fullbacks hence exposing the middle. Having two strikers means leaving out Martinelli or Xhaka, something that will shift the workload elsewhere. It will mean Zinchenko can’t venture up or Partey will be isolated very easily. It is easy to look at a goal return as the quickest way win games but the most important thing has to be how you create them and how you defend when you lose possession.
Just sign one central midfielder then league is ours