How Arsenal can benefit from Alexandre Lacazette’s suspension

Arsenal player Alexandre Lacazette received a straight red card in the closing stages of last week’s embarrassing defeat for Arsenal in Belarus. It means that the striker is banned for Thursday night’s tie at the Emirates when BATE Borisov will arrive protecting a slender 1-0 lead. It’s a major blow for Arsenal to be left without their second top scorer and the club’s player of the season. But Lacazette’s ban raise some interesting points ahead of the second leg in north London. Without Lacazette Emery will have to start with his preferred 4-2-3-1 system, one that served the Gunners well earlier in the campaign. Torreira and Xhaka could play as the holding midfield duo in front of the back four, with Kolasinac and Ainsley Maitland-Niles still given licence to get forward as wing-backs.

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