The largest problem for Arteta coming into this match was how he was going to arrange within the absence of suspended midfielder Thomas Partey.
The 31-year-old is a key a part of the Gunners midfield and picked up an affordable yellow card within the ultimate couple of minutes of the match with Actual Madrid within the quarter-final which meant he missed this sport.
With the accidents Arsenal have and with Mikel Merino taking part in as a central striker in latest weeks, Partey’s absence prompted Arteta to shuffle his group round.
Merino dropped into his pure midfield place, Declan Rice moved deeper to a quantity six function and away from the quantity eight function wherein he produced two player-of-the-match performances in opposition to Actual Madrid. Trossard got here in as striker.
PSG had been dominant from the beginning of the match and had 75% possession within the opening quarter-hour, taking the lead within the fourth minute with an Ousmane Dembele strike.
Dembele so usually drifted into the area between Arsenal’s backline and their midfield, and PSG scored the opening purpose when he made that motion.
The query Arteta will probably be asking is – if Partey had been within the group, would he have been in a position to cease Dembele receiving the ball earlier than giving PSG the lead?
Partey has been in wonderful type in latest weeks and will probably be essential to the Gunners subsequent week if they’re to overturn the defeat and progress to the ultimate.
