Arsenal dropped points against Brighton last time out in what was a game filled with controversy.
Declan Rice was given a second yellow card for kicking the ball away by Chris Kavanagh, which ultimately changed the flow of the game and Joao Pedro netted an equaliser.
And, this now leaves Arsenal with a hole to fill against Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby up next, with very little options available to Mikel Arteta.
Interestingly, it seems as if Arteta has a trick up his sleeve when it comes to finding a suitable replacement for the Englishman…
Mikel Arteta toying with putting 25-year-old in Declan Rice’s place for Arsenal vs Tottenham
The only option Mikel Arteta really has at his disposal if he wants an out-and-out central midfielder is Jorginho, with Mikel Merino now out for 6-8 weeks through injury.
However, there is the potential to use players out of position against Spurs or even draft in Ethan Nwaneri, who has impressed in the academy at London Colney.
A report from Give Me Sport suggests that Mikel Arteta will do neither of those things and is instead toying with the idea of playing a player out of position.
It’s stated that GMS sources have been informed that Arteta is toying with the idea of dropping Kai Havertz into midfield and allowing Raheem Sterling to lead the attack after it has become clear that the Englishman is willing to do whatever it takes to impress his new boss.
Is this a smart move by Arteta?
Mikel Arteta has very little choice but to drop Kai Havertz back into midfield as it allows him to get the best players available to him on the pitch.
There are doubts over Jorginho’s match sharpness as he’s yet to play so far this season, while throwing Nwaneri in at the deep end could be seen as a big risk.
Kai Havertz’s two goals and one assist from the pinnacle of the attack will be in the back of his mind, but now he has the option of Raheem Sterling to call upon, or even Leandro Trossard to lead the line.
Trossard operating in the false 9 position is something that Charles Watts thinks will happen, as he has experience playing there and the pace to get in behind Spurs’ high line.
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