Contrasting results and performances in the Premier League and Champions League is an indication for change.
In recent weeks there has been a contrast in results and performances on display by the Gunners in those two competitions. In our last two Champions League games we saw performances akin to the Arsenal of the last two campaigns in the League. Transferring this same performance to the PL has been a difficult thing for us to do, at least for the last three games.
In those three games, we have only managed to score three goals, with all of them coming from corners, as there has been a certain inability to create loads of chances in open play from our end. Looking at this issue more closely we tend to see something very different in UCL recently. Take the Monaco game sandwiched between those two draws with Fulham, we were able to create swarms of big chances throughout the game with all of our three goals on the night in fact coming from open play.
This contrast is an indication that Premier League clubs have seemingly figured out how to play against us, especially in the defense. Fulham and Everton both had a combined XG of less than one against us, but it was indeed at the other end that we failed to capitalize on with Everton in particular having a very solid low block.
Our play is starting to become rigid and predictable, the lack of urgency we displayed against Everton was personally the most frustrating watch of the season for me, I couldn’t get my head around our inability to move with more speed, especially against a team that didn’t threaten us. Teams like Everton and Fulham have found out that we can hardly cope with deep defensive lines, it’s not just the compactness of the defenses that’s tough for us, teams have figured that if they can mark Saka and Ødegaard out the game on our right side then they can block us completely off.
This shouldn’t come as any surprise to be honest because we simply haven’t done enough to evolve our tactics in recent seasons. We are still playing to an extent, the variation of the same tactics that brought us challenging again in 2022/23. Arteta still persists on the inverted fullbacks with the left-back more often than not being the one to do this which has significantly hampered our left side.
The combination of Zinchenko, Xhaka and Martinelli worked very well together in chance creation in that campaign, but after a season or two, especially without the presence of Xhaka at that left 8 position, we have seen just how ineffective it has been. It’s not to say that our failure to replace the Swiss international is solely to blame, but a change in tactics to accommodate other profiles in that position should’ve been groomed since his departure.
It’s not only the inverted fullbacks that has become predictable, we’ve been using a false nine for quite a while now with neither of the options (Jesus and subsequently Havertz) being able to provide proper facilitative play currently, Jesus and Trossard played it well in 22/23 and subsequently Havertz last season but we didn’t manage to win anything of major significance in that period. This was an indication to shake things up with a number 9 who could be a lethal finisher but we stuck to our Guns even after that.
The last point is not a tactical issue but simply a lack of variation and you could say the issues with our left side has led to this. We are very reliant on the duo of Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard, it’s an Avenue where Areta shouldn’t tweak but instead reduce this over reliance on the pair. Teams are setting up their banks of four to very much counteract this, we often have a double or sometimes triple up on Bukayo Saka on the right, being very aggressive against him and Ødegaard.
This defensive overload should be easily exploited by a quick switch out to the left but Arsenal rarely go for those diagonals, preferring a shot pass build instead. When the ball eventually gets there, the defence shuffles over to cope with our pretty weak left side. This isn’t the case against the bigger clubs who come out to play, and that’s the reason why they struggle against weaker opposition, in the last few months anyways.
The reason why we aren’t facing this problem in the UCL recently is simply because we play teams who don’t play us consistently. They don’t have the understanding to an extent as oppositions we face in the Premier League, and that just further emphasizes the difficulty of the league we play in.
We’re projected to finish with 71 points if we continue in this fashion, change is needed, the tactics have become all too familiar with PL opposition! If not then I fear we’ll have a battle on our hands to finish inside the top four come the end of the season.
Thoughts, gooners?
BENJAMIN KENNETH.
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