Arsenal Vs West Ham: Time to ring the changes

Arsenal travel to West Ham United on Monday night. With their season almost over already, it is time for Freddie Ljungberg to ring the changes. At this stage, what more is there to lose?

It took a long time for Arsenal to adhere to the wishes of their supporters. Obviously, their sacking of Unai Emery a little over a week ago was not borne out of the fans’ increasingly intense frustrations, though the empty Emirates seats will have played a part, but the feeling of the fanbase was much more erred towards change than that in the boardroom.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Freddie’s First Foray

In fact, it probably took two months for the hierarchy in north London to come to the same conclusion that a large majority of the supporters had already rested upon. You might credit their patience with a ‘new’ manager and project, but there was a desperate need to pull the plug and start afresh.

Arsenal have now played two matches in the post-Emery era. There was an immediate belief that his departure would breathe new life into a listless team. Sweeping changes would rifle through the squad as interim head coach and immensely popular former player Freddie Ljungberg looked to imprint his stamp on the team. An air of excitement rippled through the Emirates stanchions. There was finally change, and that, at the very least, was something to look forward to.

But in Ljungberg’s two matches in charge, we have seen him revert to a team reminiscent of what Emery put out. Granit Xhaka was reinstated to the midfield, Kieran Tierney dropped to the bench, Lucas Torreira was still a box-to-box midfielder, while Calum Chambers continued at right-back. The sweeping change had been swept under the carpet and out the front door. It was nowhere to be seen.

In his first two matches, Arsenal accrued just one point. The loss to Brighton and Hove Albion on Thursday night essentially ends their Premier League hopes. Already ten points off the top four, even with Monday night’s game-in-hand against West Ham United, and with a brutal stretch of matches on the horizon through the festive period, hopes of reclaiming Champions League football through the Premier League seem slim at best. If they didn’t already, Ljungberg’s side now has nothing to lose.

And with this new freedom of expression, the Swede should take advantage. If the results no longer matter all that much, let’s see him ring the changes, provide an influx of youth and potential, even if it backfires. Why not try Chambers and Rob Holding at centre-back together? Play both Tierney and Hector Bellerin on opposite flanks. Use Gabriel Martinelli; heavily feature Matteo Guendouzi; drop the incumbent starters like Mesut Ozil, Granit Xhaka, Sokratis and David Luiz, none of which are likely to be a part of the team’s future.

By first sacking Emery and then showing their patience in their search for his successor, Arsenal have revealed their feelings about this season. They would love a late push for a top-four finish, a run in the Europa League, and maybe a trophy at the end of it all, but they also realise this is likely a lost campaign, one that should be used to prepare for the future, not try to win in the present.

With this freeing mindset, what have Arsenal got to lose? It is time for Ljungberg to ring the changes, to swing for the fences, to inject some life into this team. It cannot get worse, and you never know, there might just be some fun to be had along the way.