He said previously he wants to dominate games, to press and play the game high up the pitch.
When he joined he said he wanted work rate amongst other things.
I think we tried to do this pre-COVID but the defensive issues forced a change of shape which has seen us lose a player from the attack/#10. There have been a number of impacts as a result:
- without a 3rd midfield role we see Laca now playing as a false9 and becasue our 2 midfielders are playing as DMs he drops deeper past the AM line and to where the CMs would normally be;
- again without the extra man in attack we have dropped our line of engagement in terms of our block and press;
- out impetus in attack is via the flanks to create width in the final 3rd, but we still lack midfield numbers in support to provide depth;
- the Double pivot at DM enables us to play out from the back and to create passing triangles and overloads on either flank in our half, but the lack of pace or physicality aligned with the deeper starting position means our transition is slow as they play from so deep and are not able to support the ball as it moves higher up the pitch unless it is held up waiting for the support to arrive.
The key weakness in the 343 with a 'flat' midfield 4 is the 2 CMs. Cruyff looked to eliminate this by plying the 4 as a narrow diamond with the #6 & #10 as the key roles in transition.
Arteta has been using an inverted WM to come inside to create a false midfield3, and this is usually in position as the highest midfield option and also positioned in line with the half space between the lines and the channel between the FB & CB. This is the role seen with AMN on the left, and also now with Willian also coming infield from the right.
ATM I think we see it in open play on the same flank as the ball, but I think it could be more effective if both roles looked to do so at the same time to provide the central passing options, and then used Tierney and Bellerin to provide the width for the switch of play into space on the opposite flank after we drag the defence across to counter our overload.
That said I do not think we will retain the 343 before the end of the year. Ideally this would see a return to a back4 and either a 4231 or 433 to get the extra bodies forward to reinstate our high line of engagement and more bodies forward in the press. I think Holding was likely to have been preferred to partner Gabriel ahead of Luiz as we've seen when we have operated as a back4 in open play. IF Holding is out and Arteta does not trust Luiz enough to play with a back 4 without a twin pivot at DM to provide immediate cover support, then I'd consider a 4222 or even the 3142 as Guardiola used against us.
Partey may still be key to this and may well 'need' to start as the deepest midfielder so as to provide better protection to the CBs, to also enable us to return to playing with enough players in attack until we can upgrade our options as CB, CM, WF & CF to eventually play Arteta's preferred style.