How might Arsenal set up without key players at Spurs?

Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 4.

Team analysis: Arsenal 

Declan Rice will miss his first Premier League match as an Arsenal player this Sunday, and his suspension for two yellow cards against Brighton & Hove Albion could not have been more ill-timed.

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With captain Martin Odegaard picking up an ankle injury on international duty, and new signing Mikel Merino ruled out with a fractured shoulder, Mikel Arteta could head into the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur without arguably his entire first-choice central midfield. 

Although Arteta has refused to rule out Odegaard, it has been reported he could be out for around three weeks. If he does join Rice on the sidelines, how might their absence impact the Gunners’ approach at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

Rice may not be a massive miss

In big matches like this, any team would miss a player of Rice’s calibre, not least for his calming presence and experience.

Yet the 25-year-old has been a long way off his highest standards during the early stages of the 2024/25 campaign. 

He has looked after the ball beautifully, averaging a 97.1 per cent passing accuracy, the best of any top-flight player to have featured for at least 90 minutes.

Rice has not, however, been a dominant presence.

In fact, he has made less than half the number of successful passes per 90 minutes than he did for the Gunners last season.

Rice's 23/24 v 24/25 passing compared

Taking up wider than usual positions on the left of Arteta’s midfield, Rice has not been fed the ball as often during the build-up phase.

On the periphery in all three of his starts, this tells the story of a player who has been gently feeling his way back to full fitness, following a limited pre-season.

Defensive numbers down 

The England international works hard, and has covered a team-high average of 10.9km per 90 minutes across the first three matches. But even that is down on 2023/24, when Rice ran an average of 11.51km each game. 

In his box-to-box role the Arsenal star is asked to defend in a different way to when he plays at No 6, with pressing a bigger part of his brief.

He does that well, and this aspect of his play will be missed on Sunday but overall, his defensive numbers are not as impressive as last season. 

Making only one tackle, and winning a sparse amount of duels, we are yet to see the best of Rice out of possession. 

Rice's 23/24 v 24/25 defensive stats

Up against a Spurs side who will try to gain control, this would have been the fixture that demanded more from him in a defensive capacity.

That responsibility will now fall to others. 

Time for Jorginho?

The logical choice for Arteta would be to reinstate Jorginho, using the Italian at the base of his midfield alongside Thomas Partey. See below for how Arsenal might line up with that midfield pairing. 

With neither player especially quick across the turf it makes more sense for Arsenal to consider a double pivot, rather than asking one of them to cover expansive spaces as the sole holding player. 

Rice’s top speed of 33.25km/h last season was way in advance of Jorginho (28.9km/h) and Partey (31.94km/h), so his ability to cover ground in recoveries will be sorely missed.

The table below shows that Jorginho ran further per 90 minutes than Rice in 2023/24, but that figure is a little misleading.  

Fourteen of the 32-year-old’s 24 appearances were as a substitute, where it is easy to run harder for shorter periods of time.  

Midfielders' distance/sprints/top speed 23/24

Facing Spurs may suit Jorginho  

Arsenal enjoyed seven wins, two draws and only one defeat when Jorginho started in the Premier League last season.  

He was in the starting XI for both shutouts against Manchester City and played a key role in a 3-1 home win against Liverpool.  

Jorginho is a progressive passer who wants to break the lines, and feed passes into space over the top.  

On his last top-flight start the Italian showcased that quality with a delightful long-range pass that picked out Kai Havertz beyond the last defender in a 3-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.

If Spurs allow Jorginho this kind of time and space, Arsenal will have a good chance of exposing Ange Postecoglou’s high line.  

Jorginho will still have scars from the moment he was caught in possession for Spurs’ equaliser in a 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium a year ago.  

But last season it should not be forgotten that no Arsenal player averaged more successful passes into the final third per 90 minutes than Jorginho.  

Clipping passes into space for runners, he could be very well suited to this contest.  

Jorginho v Arsenal midfielders 23/24

Finding room for Sterling

If Arsenal opt for a 4-2-3-1 double pivot they may rely more heavily on transitions than usual.  

This tweak could prompt Arteta to hand a debut to the pacy Raheem Sterling. 

Selecting the loan signing from Chelsea would signal fresh energy, and positive intent from the visitors, and it would be no issue for Trossard to fill Odegaard’s role behind Kai Havertz.  

Both men are mobile technicians, who can also press excellently from a 4-4-2 base out of possession.

In possession that shape would potentially morph into a 3-3-3-1 with Jurrien Timber inverting from left-back (Arsenal's other left-back, Riccardo Calafiori, is also an injury doubt).

This would offer the Arsenal security down the spine if play breaks down, without losing their attacking firepower.

Could Nwaneri make his first start? 

The other scenario may see Arteta stick with 4-3-3, a formation he has not deviated away from since the start of 2023/24. 

In that scenario he could blood teenage talent Ethan Nwaneri. The 17-year-old is effectively Odegaard’s understudy following the departures of Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira, and impressed greatly during pre-season.  

Nwaneri became the youngest ever Premier League player in 2022/23 when he came on against Brentford, aged 15 years and 181 days.  

He is quick, technically outstanding and a fantastic ball carrier, but this would be a huge encounter to throw him into. If this happens it would hard to envisage Sterling also making his first start in Arsenal colours. 

Asking Nwaneri to fill the boots of Arsenal’s influential skipper would be a difficult enough task for any player.  

Since the start of last season no Arsenal player has created more opportunities than Odegaard.

Importance of Odegaard (since start of 23/24)

Potentially losing Odegaard and Rice for this north London derby is an undeniable blow, but Arteta does have tactical options up his sleeve that can help his side adapt.

His usual strategy may need to be adjusted, but there is still enough quality in his ranks to give him confidence of claiming a third straight win away to their bitter rivals.

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