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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Josh O'Brien

Mikel Arteta tempted to unleash attacking quadrant in Arsenal team

Mikel Arteta has revealed he may field all four of Arsenal's most exciting young attacking talent at once in Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli.

All four are highly rated by the Spaniard and adored by the Arsenal faithful, but it has proved a struggle to try and accommodate all four in the same starting line-up.

Martinelli was suspended for the last league outing at home to Brentford but having served his one-game ban, Arteta now has a decision to make ahead of the visit of Wolves on Thursday night.

The game is arguably the most important of Arsenal's league season so far, with a win giving the Gunners the chance to put some daylight between themselves and the likes of Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are three of Arsenal's four young attacking talents ((Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))

Given the stakes of the clash, Arteta deploying an attacking quartet that boast an average age of 21 would be a bold decision, but the Arsenal boss has conceded he is tempted.

"They have played together - Emile played as a left attacking midfielder, which is another position he can play," he said.

"I am tempted, yes, because they want to play and when you see players training and playing the way they do, you want to throw them all on the pitch. Unfortunately, 11 is the limit."

Some may argue that of that four, none could lead the line but Arteta has identified Martinelli and Smith Rowe as two that could be used as a forward in future.

"It depends on the role you want to play and the role you want from the nine,” the Arsenal boss explained.

"They have very different qualities, they would change our structure and the spaces that we would attack, the positions that would threaten, how they fix the opponent in certain areas.

Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard are two of Arsenal's most important stars ((Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images))

"It would depend on the behaviour of the opposition as well, to understand which context would benefit both of them.

"They have changed quite a lot of positions as well and we have to be careful sometimes with how much we change them.

"But the moment they are ready, it is another opportunity to use them as well in the future."

Thankfully for both Arsenal fans and Arteta himself, the respective ages of all four means there is plenty of time to mull over whether it is an attack-force worth trying.

Alexandre Lacazette has been guilty of spurning chances for Arsenal recently (Getty)

Alexandre Lacazette has started the majority of games in recent weeks as the lone striker and while the Frenchman has struggled for goals, Arteta is confident they will come soon enough.

"[Lacazette] knows as a striker what is demanded of him, and that is to be involved in goals and the chance creation of the team.

"He is doing a lot of things right in attack, and out of possession as well. He needs to continue to do that.

"The ball will go in the net very soon. He has been unlucky because he has had the chances to score as well, some goals in the last few weeks."

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