Latest Arsenal addition Lucas Perez offers Arsene Wenger far greater tactical versatility, injecting an element of pace in contrast to Giroud’s physicality.
Arsene Wenger has deployed a lone striker in his 4-2-3-1 system for some time now. He has often utilised a bigger or more technical striker as a hold-up type player. However, in recent years, with Olivier Giroud’s form inconsistent at best, Wenger has often chosen to employ a faster striker to threaten in behind.
This is particularly important in bigger games, where Wenger has turned to the likes of Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck to play a more counter-attacking style. This has served the club well in years gone by, but the inconsistent form and fitness of the England attackers limits the frequency and regularity with which Wenger can utilise such a tactic.
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Perhaps then, latest addition Lucas Perez will provide a more prominent and persistent attacking alternative to Giroud. Perez is an extremely sharp attacker, built very much in the same vain as Jamie Vardy. Electric in behind, lethal in front of goal and a nuisance to defend against, consistently hounding and harassing opposing defenders.
His issues come, though, in his lack of proof. By that I mean, he is a one-hit wonder thus far. That is not to say that he will not continue to improve off the back of last season’s form. Rather, he is 27 and last year was the first one to take any notice of and consequently, there are concerns about the risk taken in bringing him in.
What can not be denied, though, is that while Wenger may use him as a winger, Perez’s best position is as the centre-forward. In the central role, he is able to stretch the defence, run the channels, threaten in behind and on the break, something that has far less effect from a wider position.
Consequently, adding Perez to the squad allows Wenger a far greater versatility with his team setup. Against the lesser sides where Arsenal will dominate much of the ball against a deep-lying back four, Giroud is the physically strong, aerially imposing striker that is needed. Against the top sides, though, Wenger may choose to introduce the pace of Perez and play on the counter rather than control possession.
However Wenger chooses to rotate his two-star strikers, what is absolutely certain is that he has a tactical flexibility that has not been afforded to him in years gone by, and although Wenger has been stubborn in altering and tinkering with his line-up previously, this season he may look to be more adventurous in his team selections.
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