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The biggest challenge for Arteta coming into this match was how he was going to set up in the absence of suspended midfielder Thomas Partey.<\/p>\n
The 31-year-old is a key part of the Gunners midfield and picked up a cheap yellow card in the final few minutes of the match with Real Madrid in the quarter-final which meant he missed this game.<\/p>\n
With the injuries Arsenal have and with Mikel Merino playing as a central striker in recent weeks, Partey’s absence caused Arteta to shuffle his team around.<\/p>\n
Merino dropped into his natural midfield position, Declan Rice moved deeper to a number six role and away from the number eight role in which he produced two player-of-the-match performances against Real Madrid. Trossard came in as striker.<\/p>\n
PSG were dominant from the start of the match and had 75% possession in the opening 15 minutes, taking the lead in the fourth minute with an Ousmane Dembele strike.<\/p>\n
Dembele so often drifted into the space between Arsenal’s backline and their midfield, and PSG scored the opening goal when he made that movement.<\/p>\n
The question Arteta will be asking is – if Partey had been in the team, would he have been able to stop Dembele receiving the ball before giving PSG the lead?<\/p>\n
Partey has been in excellent form in recent weeks and will be crucial to the Gunners next week if they are to overturn the defeat and progress to the final.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n