Analyzing Unai Emery's 3-4-3

They haven't lost a match in nearly four months, and today, they sit fourth in the Premier League and first in their Europa group. Nonetheless, while Unai Emery has had a successful start to life in England, tactical issues continue to pervade the Gunners. From an inability to start games off on the front foot, to switching off defensively at crucial moments in the game (nobody in the top five has conceded more goals), Arsenal must correct these flaws if they are to clinch Champions League football.

Nonetheless, a streak is a streak, and what has defined this 18-game unbeaten streak has been a certain mesh of flexibilityand a pseudo-steeliness not seen since the previous decade, before the last few years of Arsène Wenger's era. It is no coincidence that the emergence of Lucas Torreira as vigilant watchdog for an otherwise erratic defense is reaping rewards, and as much as Arsenal have been labeled as flat track bullies, you can only beat what’s in front of you. Apart from the games against Crystal Palace and Wolves, Arsenal haven't dropped points against a single mid-table side. By this time last year, they had already lost to Stoke City and Watford (and were about to draw to Southampton and West Ham).

Arsenal have mainly lined up in a 4-2-3-1 this season, with other formations like 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 being used sparingly. Against Qarabağ on October 4, the Gunners went with a 3-man backline for the first time in the season, with Nacho Monreal, Sokratis and Rob Holding in defense, Sead Kolašinac and Stephan Lichtsteiner combining on the wings with Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith Rowe, and with Mattéo Guendouzi and Mohamed Elneny working as a midfield pivot. However, the 3-4-3 experiment only lasted 45 minutes. By the time halftime had come, Emery had seen enough of Qarabağ finding space in behind Kolašinac and Monreal, and switched it back to a 4-2-3-1.

It would not be for nearly two months that Emery would test the 3-man backline again. On November 25, against the surprise package of the Premier League season, Arsenal went with the 3-4-3 at Bournemouth's Dean Court. This time, Arsenal had its first choice line-up rather than rotational squad players, with the exception of Mesut Özil and Alexandre Lacazette.