How Arteta can set Arsenal up to become a winning side
240 characters aren't enough to explain a tactical set-up. I like Arsenal. I want them to prosper. Profiling players is important. This is how (I think) they can thrive.
In this period gone by, Arsenal have been subject to a run that consists of a few poor results, most recently to Everton, a team themselves in a rut.
Although Arsenal prevailed over Southampton today, the underlying problems of control and creation were seemingly present through previous games they have won.
The landscape at Arsenal is fascinating. At the helm you have Mikel Arteta, somebody I hold an admiration for, who has a grasp on the theory of the sport. He is a manger with a vision for his ideal side yet currently, the image of Arsenal fails to reflect the ideal Arteta pictures as the final product.
With the ideal circumstances, pieces and conditions, maybe Arteta would be able to implement all the theory into action resulting in a wonderful, polished product.
What we have currently though aren’t the ideal circumstances.
In this middle part of the process, managing and tweaking the team may be necessary — a sort of halfway system between what you have now and what you want the final product to be.
I propose what this sort of halfway system could be.
This piece attempts to be comprehensive so might read long.
It presents the system first, broadly. A justification of the the shape and personnel follows that.
I talk about why this shape could (and should) aid in solving some of Arsenal’s problems this season, namely their lack of control on games, the turnovers in the build-up and the lack of chance creation vs a settled defence, in open play.
This is the rough shape in possession.
To summarise the main points as succinctly as possible:
Tomiyasu’s quality is best utilised in those third CB areas. As a wide RB, sure he can do an important job but at times he looks uncomfortable. He suits the deeper role.
Elneny’s inclusion is integral to retain the ball in the first phase. A possession based side has to ensure turnovers are entirely minimal here. Elneny’s ability to resist pressure, retain the ball and indirectly progress the side into the second and third phases of the game are the best at the club and so are necessary.
Xhaka is a second DM. He is not a sitting DM. His passing arsenal is too great not to utilise further up the field.
Smith Rowe is in a 10 role here rather than in his usual role as an inside left-winger. Smith Rowe has excelled in his left-wing role this season however his excessive quality means a move to the 10 position can contribute more to the side and its dynamics as a whole.
The thinking behind this move aims to have Smith Rowe provide a very strong, high-quality overlap for Saka at times.
With Smith-Row holding the width, especially given his ability to deliver a quality cross, both high or low, offers another chance creation pathway. It also frees Saka to play inverted.
Tierney as the left width has been one of the primary methods of chance creation in Arteta’s tenure. This does not have to change. It’s good. Use it often. Him and Saka to begin with, or Smith Rowe on the overlap (as Saka inverts) provide the width to stretch stubborn defences.
As Saka inverts, in the areas Smith-Row may vacate, his in-swinging crosses to the far post (to be met by the centre-forward or the inside-left attacker for a shot) offer another method of chance creation. We see this method utilised often regardless. It is one of the most common mechanisms Arsenal opt for in open-play alongside the Tierney strong-footed cross/cut-back.
The inside-left attacker (Nketiah, Martinelli types) plays narrow once Tierney pushes up to provide the width. Like Saka on the opposite side, they may deliver the in-swinging cross for the centre-forward, Saka or a Smith Rowe late run; another avenue that opens up a path to goal.
The inside-left attacker (given their profile) should be encouraged to join the centre-forward at times, to form a front two. Martinelli and Nketiah should be comfortable in these position. In moments, it may be appropriate.
Lastly, Xhaka (and less commonly Elneny) can form third man support for the winger and half-space player. Think the Salah, Henderson, Trent triangle. There is an opportunity to create an overload in these areas.
In the attacking phase, Xhaka’s strong footed cross to the back post, from the half-space, may be a further tool to unlock compact defences in a way De Bruyne and Henderson have shown possible over the last few seasons. Smith Rowe as a right-footed half-space player too, can enact this mechanism from the opposite side.
The centre-forward position is one that has been a problem for Arsenal recently. It is not entirely relevant who plays there in this system. With an increased control in all three phases, a sustained pressure across the game and additional avenues of chance creation, the attacker should receive a sufficient amount of chances.
The following section goes player by player justifying their inclusion. It continues by profiling each player giving their strengths and weaknesses.
Ramsdale:
Ramsdale takes the spot in goal. This selection, like a few of the early ones are fairly self-explanatory. The English keeper has established himself as one of the bright sparks of this Arsenal side, this year.
Ramsdale’s shotstopping has been remarkable so far, particularly in 1v1 situations. The following data illustrates and quantifies his quality, placing Ramsdale as this season’s best 1v1 goalkeeper in the league, so far.
That would undoubtedly be a good reason to start him but naturally, for a possession heavy, ball-playing side, Ramsdale’s ability with his feet is the primary reason for his inclusion.
The first line of three again pick themselves although the role of Tomiyasu, deeper as this third centre-back rather than supporting the attack may be a little contentious.
Gabriel:
Firstly, Gabriel as a left footed player is able to utilise his profile to the advantage of more favourable passing angles as the left centre-back. He is a player used to playing on that side, he already does. This is no-brainer in terms of selection.
White:
Benjamin White as Gabriel’s centre-back partner again is something we’ve seen all season and White’s ability to carry the ball up the field as well as playing strong, direct, line-breaking passes at times too, are all extremely valuable tools in the possession heavy manner in which Arteta may want to control games.
Tomiyasu:
Tomiyasu’s strengths this season have been on display in phases of games in which he’s been tasked with keeping an opposition winger quiet. He plays as a very astute, strong and determined defender and watching him compete (and win) many of his duels is a wonderful thing.
In recent games, Tomiyasu has been tasked with supporting the isolated Saka down the right flank. An overlapping threat on that side is key (and we’ll get to that in a moment) but given performances and player profile, Tomiyasu looks to have struggled in those wide attacking positions.
Rather I would prefer Tomiyasu to use his qualities as the third centre back (a la Kyle Walker for Manchester City in seasons gone by). This is not a role that should be too difficult for the Japanese defender to get to grips with either as during his time at Bologna, the 23 year old was given significant minutes as a centre back.
The iteration of his role was one that is quite similar to the role suggested for him here. Accomplished in the duels, on the ground and in the air, an aggressive high-line centre-back, with sufficient recovery pace and the quality to progress the ball through carries or passes off both feet - this is his most natural role at present.
The slightly controversial subjects of the double pivot follows this. In my Arsenal XI, the double pibot consists of a Mohamed Elneny and Xhaka pairing
For a possession based side, it is of utmost importance that the side retain the ball. If you fail to retain the ball, you fail to sustain possession and thus fail to sustain attacks and exert pressure.
Without the ball, you lack control of the game. By definition, you’re not a possession side. Opposition teams instead hold the ball, sustain pressure against you and you become both at risk of conceding and at risk of lacking control of your own attack, relying on transitions or set-pieces alone.
Elneny:
This is where Elneny’s inclusion makes sense. In terms of profile, Elneny possesses a profile that is conducive to a great amount of scrutiny and unwarranted slander. If we judge players by how well they can do their prescribed role, Elneny is one of the finer players.
The problem is that this role is an under appreciated, ‘boring’ one.
As the #6 in a possession based side, the sitting DM, your primary focus has to be to keep the ball. Opposition attackers and 10s will jump on you at any chance they get but the 6 has to resist that pressure, turn, pass it off, create new angles and show for the ball often. The backboard. Ever present. Ever reliable. Elneny does all of this.
From a prior article I wrote:
When speaking about progression for an Elneny type, we could reframe it by saying the non-progressive passer indirectly progresses the side from the first phase into the second and third phase.
With ElNeny’s inclusion, sure you’ll lose some of the direct progressive 'risky' passes as a side in exchange for the risk averse 'sideways' passes under the press but this is a NET positive.
There is a consistent critique lauded at Elneny in that ‘he can’t pass the ball forward, he can’t progress it.’ Yet, Elneny has the quality to do so and does.
The only difference may be the rate at which he does relative to another midfielder.
Secondly, holding that view looks at progression as an individual action, at the micro-level rather than looking at how the team, as a whole, progress the ball.
Elneny’s near perfect ball retention progresses Arsenal from the keeper to the likes of ESR, simply through the act of not losing it and not causing silly turnovers. This affords Arsenal the chance to sustain possession and pressure whilst reducing the amount the opposition attack the Arsenal goal.
In the graphic below, we see Elneny share company (and top the chart) that includes players like Rodri and Wijnaldum: ball retention, recycling monsters for possession based, league winning sides.
Across the decade prior, statistically Elneny ended as the second most efficient passer the league had seen too. These are specific qualities and traits Arsenal would be better off utilising.
Arsenal have struggled this season with their progression in the first phase. Partey in particular and at times Sambi, have lost the ball in dangerous areas of the field which have lead to chances or goals conceded. The games against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and now Everton spring to mind.
‘In the first half we were very inconsistent with the ball. We could not take the ball to the final third. We kept giving the ball away. Sloppy passes. Sloppy touches’ (Arteta following the 2-1 loss to Everton)
As the sitting DM, the one who links defence to midfield, Elneny offers you the security Arsenal most certainly need. For the problems we saw at Everton (and prior) an inclusion of Elneny ensures you do not ‘[keep] giving the ball away’.
It ensures you are able to ‘take the ball to the final third’ whether directly or indirectly.
Xhaka:
Xhaka is a player that is often profiled as a sitting, pass-heavy DM. The player’s aesthetics and his true ability to hit passes well, paired with this seeming lack of pace all fit the mould for what people see a number 6 to be. This is a mischaracterisation of Xhaka as a player.
Xhaka displays strengths (and weaknesses, that can be mitigated) as a second DM, leaning towards the mould of a box to box midfielder. Think something closer to the stylistic profile of a Ilkay Gundogan type.
Xhaka’s primary quality is his ability to play the pass. He is relatively competent at it in the first-phase during the build-up so playing him as one of the double pivot players is still worthwhile.
When Arsenal require a 3-2 shape for numerical superiority against an opponent’s high press, you can trust Xhaka in the build-up if he plays towards the left of the field.
As a more one-footed player, Xhaka’s angles are slightly reduced.
A reduced tendency to play with the right foot, with ease can be detrimental in the first phase as the lone DM or if a player is on the wrong side, without support.
Xhaka can play on both sides, sure, but in these specific moments of high-risk, with reduced out-balls, less time and less space, the smallest of weaknesses are magnified.
Regardless, even if this assertion about a reduced protectiveness as the sitting 6 was untrue, Xhaka’s ability to play progressive passes and be an extremely valuable creative player is something a team have to make use of.
These attacking traits have been on display throughout his career, with Xhaka receiving acclaim for his more progressive and dominant performance against France for Switzerland at Euro 2020. For Switzerland, Xhaka receives plaudits continually and it’s usually in a more liberated role.
Scouring the archives brought to light quotes from both Wenger and Xhaka that would be relevant in illustrating this point.
“I’d actually describe myself as a fake No10 – in other words, a No10 that plays further back,” Xhaka said in 2017.
This quote was not elaborated upon but from it we can deduce that a 10 is the primary creator traditionally — a player who seeks to thread the needle and create goal-scoring chances.
Xhaka, assumingly, is talking to his ability to play the David Silva, Özil passes from the pivot positions and whilst venturing forwards, only not by the box, between the lines like a Silva or Özil might.
Wenger also talks to Xhaka’s abilities as a two way player, profiling him as a box to box midfielder.
The assessment in the above video is fairly accurate. Whether Xhaka has the engine to get up and down the pitch, particularly in transition is an unknown and remains partially unconvincing but in a controlled way, to give Xhaka the license to express his creative talents and play in box-to-box areas, from the half-space, is an endeavour that warrants persistence.
Xhaka is a player that performs at his best facing the game. He is able to play an expansive range of passes to a very high level, short or long, through the lines or a switch. The second DM role is perfectly suited in all these regards. Thus, pairing him alongside a pragmatic ‘destroyer’ who sits and is a wonderful retainer of possession in Elneny is a great stylistic match that permits a more expressive Xhaka.
Profiling the other non-starter DMs:
Briefly touching upon the other central midfielders in the side is necessary given the rather debated nature of this area of the pitch. There is always the need to appropriately profile the players.
Partey:
Often this season Partey has been deployed as the first DM, the sitter, the one who receives the ball and is given the responsibility of recycling it.
As we have established, in recent games especially, Partey has often struggled to retain the ball making errors and turning the ball over in extremely dangerous areas of the field. For a sitting 6, this is one of the more detrimentals traits you could possess. Retention is king.
Partey however has shown a great potential for the more progressive line-breaking passes, including in today’s game against Southampton.
In recent memory, his direct pass through the lines against Manchester United was a central factor in Ødegaard’s goal. This ability has been demonstrated across the previous season too.
Partey could play as an alternative to Xhaka as the second DM; the DM that is given license to push forward a little, under lesser pressure, and with the freedom to express their creative, progressive quality.
Losing the ball from an unsuccessful pass in these areas of the pitch is also less dangerous than losing it in your own third. Moving Partey to that half DM, half B2B role maximises his strengths and minimises his weaknesses and errors which is in essence the most valuable thing when it comes to picking an XI.
Admittedly though, if Arteta does persevere with Partey in the single pivot role as does seem to be the case, given his reluctance to use Elneny and the higher profile signing of Partey, there is a possibility he simply develops the Ghanaian to eradicate some of those ball retention flaws, solidifying his place in the side as a starter. If that balance can be established, and it’s a big if, Partey with adequate ball retention and his strong, creative progression would be an impressive combination.
Lokonga:
Lokonga is a unique player. He is someone who naturally displays leaderships qualities at his young age, demonstrable given his captainship at Anderlecht. At Arsenal, he made a bright start.
In Lokonga’s first few appearances, he did commit errors but in such a high risk system, playing in a new team and in a new country, that is forgivable and there were many signs to appreciate.
Sambi went through a teething period of a few games and hasn’t seen much game time recently but I would suggest that he still possesses qualities that make him potentially able to play in the dangerous, press-conducive areas of #6.
He isn’t as accomplished in that regard to Elneny but there can be an argument made for a relative competence there. Given his inexperience and age though, to play him in that role immediately would be a risk. Playing in that area is to be a linchpin for the side. It would be giving a talented but young player too much responsibility.
Given Lokonga’s other qualities and relative rawness however, he can also be utilised as the second DM. In his display at Newcastle, Lokonga was afforded more time and space to face the play. In these moments, Lokonga was able to deliberately play passes that were intentional and creative, adopting a deep-lying play-maker role at times.
Opting for Lokonga as the second DM, alongside a sitting Elneny would be an appealing and interesting experiment. You would play a more safe duo for the first phase build-up whilst still retaining some of the progressive, play-making from deep.
Lokonga’s ability to contribute in both ways is slightly similar to Xhaka although given Xhaka’s age, experience and composure under a new and strong press, he would still be the first choice ‘second DM’ alongside Elneny in this set-up.
If you want to give Lokonga minutes though, you can, either as the pragmatic, sitting 6 or the second DM. The important thing is for him to receive minutes (especially in matches against softer opponents). I like Lokonga. He is raw but he be nurtured into a strong pivot player, a starter and captain in the long-term.
The front five:
It’s difficult to describe the front 5 and their dynamics one by one. Grouping them together helps explain the rationale with more ease.
To break a team that has sat in, is compact, and is unmoving (in their intention) it is vital for the attacking side to have width high up the pitch. This creates a conundrum for the opponents in that either a member of their back 4 or 5 are attracted laterally to cover (opening space inside) or the opposition’s wide midfielders have to track back (opening up space in the midfield). It’s a necessary tool.
Off the ball, you’d have width being provided by Saka (RM) and Martinelli/Nketiah (LM) - in a 451 or 442. In the attacking phase, the width would be provided by Tierney (wide left) and Saka (wide right) or Smith Rowe (when Saka and Smith Rowe rotate; the overlap)
Given Arsenal would have width in this system and with the potential for traditional footedness on both sides in Tierney and Smith Rowe, the cut-backs and the traditional crosses as a chance creation tool are unlocked. Great.
This below example is a beautiful sequence and at its core is a Smith Rowe on the right side of the field, interacting with Saka.
On each side there exists one traditional footed player and one inverted player, which is a deliberate choice.
Arsenal have opted to play two left footers on the right this season in Ødegaard and Saka and I think this unlocks fewer doors than the complimentary opposite-footed dynamic offers.
With one inverted player, the angle for the in-swinging cross to the back-post becomes available. This is an excellent tool that Arsenal have utilised at times through Saka. If this solution can present itself with Nketiah inside right, finding Saka or Smith Rowe with a curling diagonal, it is another tool to an ever-expanding attacking arsenal/Arsenal.
That play on words was an accident, I promise.
With traditional width and the in-swinging cross present on both sides, this front five have broad creative final actions that should be able to be executed more frequently.
The final main selling point of this quartet of Tierney, Martinelli/Nketiah, ESR and Saka is the late runs and potential goal threat that comes from three of them. In the more central areas, you have Smith Rowe who has shown a sense of goals and a tendency to make late runs into the box at times. On the left you have a player in Nketiah or Martinelli that were trained as traditional attackers. Sensing the goal and attacking the more central, box areas are in traits sewn into their DNA, particularly Nketiah, when remembering his movement and finishes in the youth leagues.
At this point, it is important to highlight Ødegaard’s sense of goal. In recent games, he has shown up in the right moments and finished off many Arsenal moves and his exclusion from the XI here is not for his inability to sense the goal. It is more for dynamic reasons. As a left footed 8, I would feel comfortable with him starting if a traditional right winger started. Of course he could play as the right sided 8 but the only other solution I can think of in this regard would be Smith Rowe wide right from the kick-off. That moves Saka somewhere else. That’s too much to think about for this already novel of a piece.
For someone like Martinelli who may become isolated as a lone 9 from kick-off, the ability to hit those areas later, from a little wider may allow him a greater involvement in the game and the chance to end up on the end of more shot-creating actions. It also affords someone like Martinelli and the inverted Saka the chance to make an out-to-in run to expose false-transitions, moments when the opposition line steps up.
These four players surrounding whichever striker is fit, healthy, enthusiastic and ready should offer enough methods to create regularly thus scoring more often. They possess the quality to execute these methods of creation and hold enough of an awareness of goal to end up on the end of these moves themselves.
That’s the bulk of this theoretical set-up. In concluding this piece, it is important for me to acknowledge of course that this remains a theory. Football is still a game played on the field, affected by multi-factorial uncontrollables.
Still, in terms of ‘on-paper’, this XI is full of players that are suited to the roles given. For that reason I believe it should work but there is no way to be sure without seeing it in action and probably over a semi-significant sample size.
In terms of potential uncertainties, the left half-space player is an area that I am not entirely sold upon. I like it but I worry about it a little bit. For Manchester City, the equivalent role could be seen as to be occupied by a poaching genius in Gundogan who also happens to be wonderfully gifted in the build-up and first phase.
Both Nketiah and Martinelli are young. This role would be partially unfamiliar to them. Regardless, they make the most sense there, given previous performances in their careers, most recently Nketiah’s role in his cameo against Everton embedded above.
Finally, a novel tweak if Martinelli or Nketiah were to fail to thrive in the left half-space role would be to potentially push Xhaka up into that zone. Xhaka from here would recycle the ball, win duels and utilise his strong-sided left footed cross from the half-space or deeper. He also possesses the ability to thread through balls through the lines to Tierney or for one of the other attackers. Lokonga would then potentially pair Elneny in the pivot position he’d vacate.
This three midfield system behind a four of the ESR (10), Tierney (wide left), Saka (wide right) and CF, can obviously be rotated to include Partey. The point is this is a potential alternative solution to consider.
See below:
For the main XI off the ball, the side would defend in a 442 with Smith Rowe joining whichever centre-forward started the game to form a front two.
There would be the potential to drop into a 4141 too. I like that formation very much but most top sides tend to drop into a 442 and it works for them. Arsenal have done it previously and often. They’d be fine defending space when the opposition had the ball.
This article is not to suggest I hold a view superior to anybody within the game or otherwise. It is simply an expression of what I see as the best potential solution given the players Arsenal currently have and the style they may seek to implement.
Others may disagree and that’s fine. It’s a sport of opinion. I’ve at least offered a thourough justification for my preferred XI.
I present my ideas and defend them in the same way any football-centric mind would. That is not to pose unwarranted scrutiny towards people within the game. Rather this is a potentially great (or not so great) solution that remains, for now, untested.
It would be a great day if the Arsenal team sheet ever read: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney - Elneny, Xhaka, ESR - Nketiah/Martinelli, CF, Saka - in the aforementioned roles.
It would be an even greater day if that side won convincingly. I hope I see it.