Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Leeds on Sunday was a damaging one in terms of squad numbers.
Mikel Arteta will be without Nicolas Pepe for the club’s next three Premier League games following his straight red card for headbutting Ezgjan Alioski, while Willian and Bukayo Saka were forced off through injury.
Speaking after the game the Arsenal manager expressed particular concern for the England international.
"He was in pain” said the Spaniard. “We're going to have to assess with the medical staff how bad it is, but it looked like a pretty bad challenge and he was in pain so we decided to take him out straight away."
All this means the Gunners are severely stretched in terms of their attacking options. With Europa League and Premier League games coming up thick and fast Mikel Arteta may well have to rethink how he sets up his front line going forward.
Here, football.london takes a look at a few ways that Arsenal might line up.
Play the kids
One of the more interesting things to happen during Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Leeds on Sunday was the Gunners change in formation. Mikel Arteta shifted his side from a 3-4-3 to a 4-2-3-1 in an attempt to bring some much-needed attacking impetus to the side.
The Spaniard chose to hand a start to Hale End graduate Joe Willock, and with the unavailability of so many senior players, that could be a trend that continues going forward.
Reiss Nelson was given first Premier League minutes in the second half of the match, and might well have a decent run on the right had side of the attack.
On the opposite flank Arteta described Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ’s “natural position” as being on the left, which would allow for Eddie Nketiah to come in ahead of Alexandre Lacazette up front.
The injury to Thomas Partey and COVID-related absence of Mohamed Elneny could mean that Willock is needed in a deeper role though. This could open up a spot for Emile Smith-Rowe in the attacking midfield spot.
The 20-year-old was left out of the Gunners first team photo but still has role to play in the team. He has three goals in three Premier League 2 games this season and is probably the Gunners most naturally creative midfielder in the absence of Mesut Ozil.
Auba up top
The problem with the above formation is that it would see Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang moved back out to the left.
The Arsenal captain has struggled to impact games on the flank and was played down the middle on Sunday.
He was far more influential on the game in this position and had his joint highest number of shots all season despite the fact that the Gunners were down to ten men for much of the match.
If Mikel Arteta does choose to keep the 31-year-old there, then Emile Smith-Rowe could easily slot in on the left side in Bukayo Saka’s absence.
Smith-Rowe first broke into the first team under Unai Emery in that position and scored two goals in the 2018/19 Europa League group stages from out wide.
With Kieran Tierney overlapping the 20-year-old could easily influence the game in the half-spaces like his idol Kevin De Bruyne, and combine with Aubameyang to devastating effect.
Three centre forwards
Alternatively, Mikel Arteta might be tempted to field his three main goal threats on the pitch together at the same time.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah have all started together before.
However, it had far from the desired effect. The trio failed to find the net as the Gunners succumbed to a tepid 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa in the penultimate game of last season.
On the night Arteta chose to field Nketiah on the right and Aubameyang on the left, but ultimately all three ended up coming central and playing in each other’s spaces.
Alexandre Lacazette did begin his career at Lyon as a winger and could play on the flank if required, but this would leave the Gunners seriously lacking in creativity from the wide areas.
Folarin Balogun could also be an option down the middle if he decides to sign a new contract.
