Wenger's latest worry: How to play Aubameyang, Lacazette together

Arsenal supporters entered the January window fearing the worst. The club's reigning scoring leader, Alexis Sanchez, was dismayed and destined for an exit, and talk of luring reinforcements to the Emirates Stadium was understandably met with chuckles and cynicism.

A few weeks on, and Sanchez has made his debut with loathed rival Manchester United, but a move that on paper should have poured salt in the Gunners' gaping wounds was subdued by Henrikh Mkhitaryan's acquisition. Now, Arsenal appears set to add the Armenian's former Borussia Dortmund teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the ranks, but with the ink on a club-record move for Alexandre Lacazette barely dry, Arsene Wenger faces a predicament: how will he play both strikers together?

Despite a stretch of nine matches in all competitions without a goal, Lacazette has been a positive influence in attack, making vital runs and providing link-up and hold-up play that wasn't previously an esteemed element of the Frenchman's CV. With Sanchez's ball-swallowing routine heading north and the Gunners' unfamiliarity with Lacazette's preferences, it's reasonable to think that the 26-year-old former Lyon star has his best days ahead of him.

In a vacuum, Lacazette and Aubameyang are different players. Lacazette is a lethal finisher who profits from shoulder dips and quick turns with his back to the net, while Aubameyang is a pace merchant who fancies getting in behind the backline. From a tactical approach, the two players are similar enough to potentially cause Wenger a headache. With that in mind, here are three ways Arsenal can line up in anticipation of Aubameyang's arrival, and the impact it will have on Lacazette and others.

3-4-2-1: No love for Laca

Wenger has employed a back-three to varying degrees of success this season, and in this setup, Lacazette is sacrificed for defensive rigidity. Should Lacazette fancy some company on the pine, Aaron Ramsey and Ainsley-Maitland Niles can be the striker's backup brethren. Ozil and Mkhitaryan will provide Aubameyang with plenty of service, though this formation puts heaps of pressure on both Granit Xhaka and Jack Wilshere to ply their trades as ball stoppers, a demand that has proved futile in several instances this season.

4-4-2: Majestic up top, middling in the middle

Then-Dortmund gaffer Jurgen Klopp didn't consider Aubameyang a traditional No. 9, prompting moves for Ciro Immobile and Adrian Ramos while the mohawked speedster was shifted out wide. Spoiler alert: Immobile and Ramos were poor, and Aubameyang reclaimed his role as striker to stellar results. In this setup, Lacazette could provide a source of link-up play while his fellow French-born forward could sit on the centre-back's shoulder. Again, this formation would put an unreasonable amount of pressure on Xhaka and either Wilshere or Ramsey.

4-2-3-1: Pierre-Emerick Henry

Arsenal's all-time leading scorer Thierry Henry dominated the Premier League with a melange of pace and dribbling skills whilst cutting in from the left side. Wenger could opt to shift Aubameyang out wide in hopes that a front-three could benefit from an organic shape similar to Liverpool's ever-moving attack. With Ozil playing as a No. 10, Xhaka and Wilshere could sit deeper, and in theory, provide coverage for the backline.