Arsenal Wenger is facing a mounting injury crisis ahead of the new season (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal Wenger is facing a mounting injury crisis ahead of the new season (Picture: Getty)

The new season is yet to commence and already Arsene Wenger is staring a full-blown injury crisis in the face. It is just so typically Arsenal.

Alexis Sanchez will miss the opening two games of the new campaign with an abdominal strain, while Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil remain doubts with the calf and ankle knocks which ruled them out of Sunday’s Community Shield win over Chelsea.

Shkodran Mustafi is not yet fit enough to return to the first team fold having been given an extended break following his involvement in this summer’s Confederations Cup, while compatriot Per Mertesacker was forced off at Wembley with a facial wound after clashing with Gary Cahill’s elbow.

Alexis Sanchez will miss the first two games of the season with an abdominal injury (Picture: Getty)

Gabriel and Santi Cazorla are still long-term absentees, while no return dates have been set for Jack Wilshere and Francis Coquelin, who suffered a knee injury during the Emirates Cup win over Benfica.

All in all it represents a typically unsettled build-up to the new campaign for Wenger, whose side face Leicester at the Emirates Stadium on Friday evening. Here are three different ways he could shuffle what remains of his pack…

Stick with the winning 3-4-3 formula

Wenger hinted over the summer that he would mix and match formations over the course of the coming campaign, but during pre-season he has stuck exclusively with the 3-4-3 system which triggered such a dramatic change in fortunes at the end of last season.

His defensive and midfield options are thin on the ground at present which means a midfield engine room comprising of two former Basel players, Mohamed Elneny and Granit Xhaka, both of whom impressed against Chelsea, will be relied upon against Leicester.

Arsenal finished the Community Shield with a makeshift back three (Picture: Metro)

Arsenal finished the Community Shield with a makeshift back three of Rob Holding, Nacho Monreal and new signing Sead Kolasinac and unless he is willing to thrust Mustafi straight back into the heat of Premier League battle, that trio is likely to be entrusted with taming the likes of Jamie Vardy on Friday.

Up front, Alexandre Lacazette is certain to make his league debut, flanked by Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck, unless Theo Walcott earns a promotion from the substitutes’ bench.

Revert to his favoured 4-2-3-1

Had Wenger been successful in his summer-long pursuit of Thomas Lemar it is likely he would have at least dabbled with his preferred formation during pre-season.

It’s unlikely the Frenchman will switch back on Friday but the paucity of defensive options could force him to reconsider, especially if Mertesacker fails to recover from his head injury and with Laurent Koscielny still banned.

Arsenal haven’t played with a flat back four since their defeat to Crystal Palace in April (Picture: Metro)

Should he do so, his biggest decision would revolve around who to pair with Rob Holding at the heart of his defence. Nacho Monreal has performed as an emergency central defender with mixed results in the past but has been tied up in knots by Riad Mahrez when lining up in his customary left-back role against Leicester previously.

Kolasinac certainly looks built for the Premier League and was described as a ‘tank’ by Walcott earlier this week. After his impressive debut in the Community Shield Wenger could deploy him in a more central role, but surely must be hoping to avoid doing so and will be praying Mertesacker is passed fit.

Gamble with 4-4-2

There’s absolutely no chance Wenger will start with this system but should they end up chasing the game, and given their recent opening day struggles that really wouldn’t rank as much of a surprise, he could well end the game in this fashion.

The little we’ve seen of Lacazette in an Arsenal shirt thus far suggests he’s likely to be isolated in Wenger’s preferred system, won’t cause much of a threat if he drifts out to the flanks and will only truly spark to life when there is an opportunity to run in behind or a chance presents itself in the penalty area.

Arsenal’s greatest sides under Wenger were built around a 4-4-2 formation

Harnessed alongside an old-fashioned target man, one with a touch as refined as Giroud’s, could be of major benefit to Arsenal’s club-record signing, particularly during the latter stages of matches when opposition sides sit deep and begin to tire.

MORE : Alexis Sanchez is out of Leicester City clash and Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Per Mertesacker are doubts, admits Arsene Wenger