How Arsenal should line up for 2023-24 season: Mikel Arteta must be brutal and start David Raya over Aaron Ramsdale

It's hard not to love Aaron Ramsdale. A few eyebrows were raised when the Gunners spent £30 million ($38m) to bring him to the Emirates, on the back of successive Premier League relegations with Bournemouth and Sheffield United, but the Englishman has risen to the challenge over the past two seasons, becoming a firm favourite with the fans in the process.

Football is an unforgiving game though, and Arteta has shown typical toughness in pushing the club to sign Raya this summer. It might seem heartless, but expect to see the Spaniard usurp Ramsdale as Arsenal's No.1 this season. The numbers don't lie.

Raya registered the best save percentage in the Premier League last season and also comfortably bettered Ramsdale's post-shot xG minus goals allowed numbers - the latter being the most reliable, numerical indication of shot-stopping ability.

The data also suggests Raya is a better distributor. He completed 39.3 percent of his passes over 40 yards last campaign, while Ramsdale only managed 25.4%. In addition, Raya is a superior 'sweeper keeper', averaging more offensive actions outside his penalty area than Ramsdale.

All of this points to the same conclusion: Ramsdale's days as the Gunners undisputed No.1 are over. He will still contribute, with Arsenal primed to play more games than they have previously under Arteta if all goes to plan, but Raya is likely to start more Premier League matches.

It may seem a little harsh on Ben White, who scarcely put a foot wrong last season, but Timber will most likely be Arsenal's starting right-back. The Gunners haven't spent €46 million (£40m/$52m) for the Dutchman to sit on the bench.

Timber was used across all three defensive roles in pre-season, but with Arsenal's centre-back positions occupied by one of the most assured partnerships in the league, slotting into a right-sided berth seems most feasible.

It's not an overstatement to describe the 22-year-old as one of the most technical defenders in the Premier League, and this calmness in possession perfectly suits the way Arteta wants his side to play.

William Saliba started the 2022-23 season in sensational form, with his performances scarcely dipping in quality until he suffered an untimely back injury in March. Arsenal's Premier League title bid fell apart in his absence, with the Gunners winning just five of their last 11 games without the Frenchman.

Keeping him fit and healthy is paramount if the north Londoners are going to mount another bid for Premier League glory this season. No one in reserve offers anywhere near as well-rounded a game as Saliba.

The other half of Arsenal's tried and tested centre-back pair, Gabriel is set for another season in the heart of the Gunners defence. Although occasionally prone to a lapse in concentration or a rash challenge, the Brazilian has proved to be an inspired signing since arriving at the club from Lille.

No player in the Arsenal squad completed more passes than Gabriel last season and he also registered the best aerial duels won percentage, highlighting his importance to the team. If he's unavailable, White, Timber or Jakub Kiwior are capable of filling in. Rob Holding is still around, too...

Oleksandr Zinchenko was a revelation last season, stepping out of his role as a bit-part Manchester City player and establishing himself as one of Europe's finest full-backs. Although he appears on the team sheet as a left-back, the Ukrainian loves to drift inside and pull the strings from midfield.

Although Zinchenko has a significant amount of credit in the bank, he will need to maintain his performance levels this season. Timber's arrival adds competition in his position, while Takehiro Tomiyasu will also be pushing him hard following his return from injury.

This could prove to be the most significant signing of Arsenal's modern history. Manchester City were in for Rice too, as were Manchester United and Chelsea at various points over the past few years. However, in the end, Rice chose Arsenal, arriving from West Ham for £105m ($133m) and becoming the most expensive British player ever in the process.

Although Rice had been venturing forward from midfield more than he ever had previously last season, he will principally be tasked with providing defensive solidity and starting attacks from deep at the Emirates this season. Most of the time, two advanced midfielders will be flanking him, while Thomas Partey can come in alongside Rice for the big games.

The first of Rice's new midfield colleagues is a fellow fresh recruit. At first, it seemed a bit surprising that Arsenal were so insistent on signing Havertz. He had hardly set the world alight at Chelsea, and it was not obvious where he would slot into the team.

Things became clearer in pre-season, with the German operating as part of a new-look midfield three against Manchester United. It was far from a vintage performance, but Arteta seemed to suggest he would be continuing with the experiment in his post-match interview. "When they play 55 times together, it will be better, it will flow better, they will understand each other better and we will be more dominant. But things take time to glide and we have to respect that," he said.

Havertz could develop into a fine advanced midfielder for his new club, but the jury remains very much out on the German's suitability for the role. In the Community Shield, he started up front due to the absence of Gabriel Jesus, only increasing the debate over where he will end up playing the majority of his minutes.

There's always been a feeling that Martin Odegaard might not quite live up to his potential. However, the Norwegian emphatically dismissed those notions last campaign and deservedly scooped the club's Player of the Season award.

'Captain Fantastic' will need to maintain his impeccable standards this season with the Gunners set to compete on multiple fronts. Odegaard has only played in the Champions League twice previously, with both appearances coming in the group stage. The Norwegian will be aiming to savour the knockout rounds with Arsenal this season.

No player embodies Arsenal better than Bukayo Saka. Although he's a local-ish lad who progressed through the club's youth set-up, his starting position has nothing to do with sentiment.

In recent seasons, Saka has definitively established himself as one of the most devastating forwards on the planet. The 2022-23 campaign was his best yet, with the 21-year-old registering 14 goals and 11 assists.

Also, for the second successive season, he did not miss a single game. His undroppable status is unlikely to change and Arteta will be desperate that he remains injury-free over the coming months.

He may have missed the Community Shield through injury, but once he's back to full fitness we can expect to see Jesus leading the line for the Gunners. The Brazilian is not super-prolific, though 11 goals in 26 Premier League games was not a bad return last season, but he suits Arteta's system.

Jesus has had no issue fulfilling his manager's pressing desires and he is also the master at bringing his team-mates into the game. He's creative too, ending last season with seven assists.

Havertz's arrival, as well as the uncertain futures of Folarin Balogun and Eddie Nketiah, adds some complexity to the centre-forward position, but Jesus has plenty of credit in the bank. This should see him start more often than not when available.

The super-versatile Leandro Trossard will be pushing hard for a spot in the team, but Gabriel Martinelli's sublime 2022-23 season means he is ahead of the Belgian in the pecking order for now. The 22-year-old ended the campaign as the Gunners' top scorer with 15 goals, and all signs point to him getting even better.

Not only has he got a year's more experience, there is also increased creativity behind him. This means Martinelli's devastating darts in behind will be spotted with greater frequency, which should lead to more assists and more goals.