Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal travel to Southampton on Wednesday (7.45pm kick-off) hoping to keep alive their quest for a top four finish in the Premier League.
The Gunners picked up a crucial 2-0 victory over Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United on Sunday to cut the gap between themselves and Manchester City in fourth to just six points, ahead of Wednesday’s game in hand at St Mary’s.
And it means that all three points on the South Coast would heap the pressure on both Pep Guardiola’s City and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool ahead of the final few games of the campaign.
With an FA Cup final also to come for Arsenal, as well as their chase for a Champions League spot, they clearly have much to play for between now and May, yet that hasn’t stopped speculation building about who Wenger may look to sign in the summer.
And one man they’ve been linked with in recent days is Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, who has had a stellar season at Selhurst Park.
The 24-year-old sensation has netted six goals and laid on nine assists in helping the Eagles move away from the bottom three, and his fine form has attracted interest from both Arsenal and North London rivals Tottenham.
Yet, this all begs the question, where would he play in that Gunners team?
Well, here are THREE ways in which Arsenal could line up with the Palace man next season…
Midfield trio (4-2-3-1)
Wenger’s preferred system for the majority of the campaign has been the 4-2-3-1, and Zaha could certainly find a place in that formation.
The 24-year-old likes to get wide and take defenders on, so a position in that midfield trio would work well for the Ivory Coast international, and with the stability of two defensive-minded central midfielders behind him, he’d have freedom to use his pace and trickery – you could even argue that Arsenal haven’t got anyone like that in their squad.
Whether Wenger would opt for someone like Alexis Sanchez or a more physical presence like Danny Welbeck as the main man up top remains to be seen, but either way, Zaha could certainly have much success in that midfield trio.
Just behind the main man (3-4-2-1)
This one seems unlikely given Zaha’s desire to get wide, but playing him alongside a Mesut Ozil or Alexis Sanchez in the two behind the main man in a 3-4-2-1 formation could work.
And that’s because not only could he still get wide and do his thing, but he would also be joining the wing-back, possibly a Kieran Gibbs or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, in a two-on-one out wide. That is a terrifying prospect for even the best and most disciplined of full-backs.
Again, having the midfield two as well as the wing-backs would take the weight of his shoulders in terms of tracking back and helping out defensively, yet this system could, in time, also create a newer more central position for Zaha.
He is only 24 and although he looks to be a winger, he could well become a more central figure in time – a frightening prospect.
In a front three (3-4-3)
The system Arsenal are regularly playing at the moment has seen Wenger revert to a three-at-the-back, with Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, and one of Danny Welbeck or Olivier Giroud more often than not in his front three.
Yet this doesn’t allow for much width, mainly due to personnel, but that’s exactly where Zaha could come in and change the dynamic of their attacking play.
He has the pace to cause defenders problems, he likes to get wide where possible and take defenders on, and even cut inside and drive more centrally – ultimately though, he likes to create opportunities and get balls into the box.
And this could be a weapon for Arsenal, with Welbeck and Giroud both great physical presences up top, while Sanchez has the ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play if he is in the more advanced role.
This is a system that, with Zaha in it, could cause major issues to almost all Premier League defences.