Paul Merson believes that Unai Emery will be able to better implement the three-man-back formation this season after the arrivals of David Luiz and Kieran Tierney.
Luiz performed exceptionally well in Antonio Conte’s defensive system at Chelsea, helping them to sixth Premier League title in 2017. Emery might be reliant on the Brazilian to better fit that same playing style at the Emirates this season.
“When you’re looking at them and you’re naming them players, I wouldn’t be surprised if he started going to a three at the back,” Merson said on Sky Sport ‘The Debate’ show.
“Play them two and David Luiz in the middle of them. He can come out and play, you’ve got Tierney playing as one wing-back. I think it suits all of the defenders. If you have three centre-halves playing there it gives all of them something to fall back on.
“If Tierney can get forward he can play, so he’ll want to get forward. They’ll want to bomb forward down the other side and they can score goals. I’m looking forward to Arsenal this season. I was quite impressed [against Newcastle], I was quite impressed.
“It was a hard game, going to Newcastle, first game of the season, a couple of new players. For me it was comfortable and [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang what a goal, what a goal.”
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