Arsenal’s strength in depth has been seriously questioned over the years.
However, the strength of the current Arsenal squad in some areas is clearly evident when everybody is fit for selection.
This particular situation is clearly obvious across the wings and attacking midfield role.
With Theo Walcott nearing his return from injury, it means that a regular starter in the first team would have to give way for the 25 year old. Currently, Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla play in the wings, while Mesut Ozil plays behind the striker.
Although, the latter has spent more time in the wings, while Santi Cazorla has been deployed more in the hole.
The player likely to give way when Theo Walcott returns is Santi Cazorla. He might have to settle for a place on the bench as Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez would definitely start when both are fit.
However, a mitigating factor is that Arsene Wenger has a nous for wanting to play a playmaker in one of the wings while he uses a more orthodox winger in the other wing in order to create a triangle for the winger/playmaker to cut into the middle What it means is that Santi Cazorla would play from the wings in most matches, while Alexis Sanchez and/or Theo Walcott would have to slug it out for a chance to play in the other wing.
This is before Oxlade Chamberlain, Joel Campbell, Lukas Podolski and Tomas Rosicky are brought into the picture as back up in the wings. It essentially shows the club’s depth across the wings.
Besides the conundrum that the return of Theo Walcott from injury would create for Arsene Wenger, the positive that the situation creates is that the Frenchman would have enough options to call on across the wings.
It means the squad can adequately be rotated without a drop in quality. As it stands, Arsenal have six players who can play in the wings, this is excluding Mesut Ozil who has been deployed in the wings in some matches this season.
The player that might benefit more from Theo Walcott’s return would be Mesut Ozil. The German international would then be subjected to more rotation as he continues his adaptation to English football.
Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez could then be deployed in the wings, while Santi Cazorla can play in the hole while Mesut Ozil is rested.
With doubts over his fitness, following the ankle injury he sustained against Leicester City in Arsenal’s last league match, Mesut Ozil can be protected more by using him in some matches while he is rested in others to give room for an improvement of his fitness.
Also, the formation Arsene Wenger adopts could also play a role in whether Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez can play together, without the need of any of the quartet giving way for the other.
It means that in some instance, baring injury or suspension, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez would be in the wings, while Santi Cazorla would play in a deeper role with Mesut Ozil in the hole.
Santi Cazorla had previously played in that box-to-box role in Arsenal come from behind win over West Ham at Upton Park in the Boxing Day match last season.
A match that saw Aaron Ramsey injured, which meant Santi Cazorla dropped to a deeper role, while Lukas Podolski came on for the Welsh midfielder.
With all the often bellowed talk of lack of depth in the Arsenal’s squad, Arsene Wenger would have some positive headache in trying to keep everyone happy when everybody is fit for selection.
