To sum up the January transfer window for Arsenal in three words, it would have to be 'improved squad depth'.
Heading into the new year, it was clear that the priority for the Gunners was to sign a defender, midfielder and forward. Come 11pm on deadline day it was mission accomplished by Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar with a total of £54million spent across deals for Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior and Jorginho.
If there is one concern about Arsenal and their capacity to fend off competition from Manchester City and last the distance in the Premier League title race, it is whether their squad is deep enough to cope especially if a key player - like Thomas Partey for example - suffers a long-term injury.
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However, with Eddie Nketiah already ensuring the north London outfit haven't skipped a beat since losing Gabriel Jesus to injury, the hope is that the three January signings can help raise the level of the first-team squad as Arteta certainly has a lot of depth at his disposal.
Now, as Matt Turner's performances prove he is a capable backup to Aaron Ramsdale and Karl Hein showing promise in those pre-Premier League restart games during the World Cup break, there's no need to go into great detail with regard to Arsenal's goalkeeping depth chart.
The same applies to the defence and the attack. Across the back-line, Arteta has two players in every position as Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney are the options at full-back, and Kiwior can provide competition for Gabriel Magalhaes as the left-sided central defender to partner William Saliba or Rob Holding.
Trossard is proven at Premier League level and has already shown he can compete with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka for a starting berth whilst Jesus, as well as Reiss Nelson, will be like new signings when they return from injury and there's also Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira who can operate as part of the front three.
With that said, if there is one area of concern for some Arsenal supporters, it's the midfield. It can be argued that Albert Sambi Lokonga's departure and Mohamed Elneny's injury leaves Arteta short of options and it remains to be seen if adding just Jorginho will be enough for the remainder of the season.
Considering the Gunners are in the thick of a Premier League title race and also have the Europa League to navigate from March onwards, looking at Arteta's current midfield options (not including Elneny who has undergone knee surgery), football.london assesses who should be prioritised in the Spaniard's two preferred formations.
4-3-3
There's no doubt that Arsenal have transitioned into a 4-3-3 formation from a 4-2-3-1 system which was always Arteta's long-term vision: "We want to move to a 4-3-3," he said in December 2020. "But for that, you need a lot of specificity in every position but now in five or six positions, we don’t have it."
It's safe to say the Spaniard has those options now as Partey, when fit and available for selection, is an automatic choice to operate at the base of midfield. In Jorginho, and Granit Xhaka there's cover in this position to help manage the Ghana international's workload, whilst Zinchenko, Kiwior and White are wildcard options.
Captain Martin Odegaard has made the right-sided No.8 role his own and this is where Vieira can come in when the Norway international needs a breather with Smith Rowe another option - although a lot depends on the 22-year-old's fitness having made five substitute appearances so far this season.
Xhaka is in the form of his life as the left-sided central midfielder and there isn't too much depth beyond him now that Lokonga has joined Crystal Palace on loan. One can argue that Vieira and Smith Rowe can fill in for the Switzerland international when he needs a break and let's not forget Zinchenko can operate as a central midfielder.
Depth chart:
Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Granit Xhaka, Jorginho, Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior, Ben White
4-2-3-1
Were Arteta to revert back to a 4-2-3-1 shape, he would have Odegaard, Smith Rowe and Vieira to select to occupy the space behind the central striker - whether that be Nketiah or Gabriel Jesus when he's fit again - and make things happen with a starting position closer to the opposition's box.
Previously, Partey and Xhaka have been Arteta's preference for a double pivot in midfield in this formation and that would most likely be the case with Jorginho waiting in the wings and once again, Zinchenko, Kiwior and White's versatility to operate in midfield in case of an emergency makes them wildcard options.
Depth chart:
Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, Martin Odegaard, Jorginho, Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior, Ben White
In conclusion, even with Elneny unlikely to play again this season because of injury and Lokonga out on loan, there is plenty of depth to Arsenal's midfield. Is it enough to finally end the 19-year wait for a Premier League title? Only time will tell - but it feels like the January transfer window has set Arteta on the right path.
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