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Mikel Arteta: Top Of The Klopps

A_G

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Arsenal fans are well acquainted with the frustration of dropped points, individual mistakes leading to goals and a lack of decisive quality in the final third, all aspects of their home draw with Crystal Palace on Monday night. One historically unfamiliar theme though, was how Patrick Vieira's team were able to sustain long periods of possession under little stress.

Whatever else you can say of Arsenal over the past decade or more, the Emirates Stadium is not a venue the vast majority of opponents expect to arrive at and dictate play. Worryingly for Mikel Arteta, that is changing, and now it is Crystal Palace rather than Barcelona who are monopolising the football on Arsenal turf, aided by the home team's light touch approach out of possession.

Arsenal's lack of assurance with the ball after taking the lead was the target of Arteta's post-match ire. "We had no composure on the ball, we started to give the ball away too easily," the Arsenal manager said. "We didn't have any sequences in our passes, we wanted to attack in one or two passes and the distances were too big."


Arteta is right to highlight Arsenal's ball retention problem. Too often we try to separate how a team attacks and defends for the purposes of analysis, when in reality there is a symbiosis between both phases. A team who struggles to keep the ball and kicks long will not be in position to press, and a team who cannot regain possession quickly will struggle to have much possession of their own.

The sore point for Arteta though, is that a team's work out of possession is a more telling reflection of their coach than their quality with the ball. A stray pass, a scuffed shot or a botched counter-attack; these can be matters of individual talent and quality - or isolated errors - and Arteta is not working with Arsenal players of the same calibre as previous vintages. Having a plan to win the ball back and pressure opponents into mistakes though, does not rely on player quality to the same extent. When this aspect of the game is lacking, the spotlight shines on the coaching.

In short, Arsenal are a pretty passive defensive unit. This caution helped them record the third-best defensive record in the Premier League last season, staying in their shell to ensure a creaking David Luiz and less than fleeted-footed centre-halves such as Pablo Mari and Rob Holding were not exposed. Having a decent defensive record is only a necessary component of being a team at the right end of the table though, it is not a sufficient one.

The responsibility on Arteta this season was to make Arsenal a more dominant team with increased attacking productivity, while trying to keep the goals against column roughly the same. He is still grappling with the task.

Positive starts have been a theme, like the opening 15 minutes against Palace when Arsenal completed 93 passes to Palace's 34, 11 in the attacking third to their one and did not allow their opponents a shot on goal. Between 15 and 30 minutes though, Palace completed 109 passes to Arsenal's 47 including 14 in the attacking third, and in the final 17 minutes of the half including stoppage time it was 107 completed passes to Arsenal's 38 with 25 in the attacking third to Arsenal's two.

Completed passes by Palace midfielders James McArthur and Luka Milivojevic between 15th minute and half time​

PALACE_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq4obmm3xmtqu-AUd5Ye4-uVrLSNPSp8FYs1axSY4O_ZM.png


During these passages, Palace were able to complete their passes at a rate of around 90 per cent, indicating their degree of comfort. So far this Premier League season, only Norwich City and Watford have won possession in the middle third of the pitch on fewer occasions than Arsenal. Those same two relegation battlers are also the only teams to allow opponents more passes per defensive action than Arsenal's 16.1. Only four teams have recorded fewer pressed sequences - which Opta defines as passages of play where the opposition team have had three passes or fewer that ended within 40 metres of their own goal - although one of them is league leaders Chelsea.

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It is not that Arsenal's attackers are lazy or that they do not press at all. They 10th in the league for high turnovers won, and are actually tied-fifth along with Chelsea for total presses. But once that initial burst of energy high up the pitch is broken, there is not much of a second wave to keep opponents penned in their half. Arsenal tend to retreat quite swiftly.

The unwillingness to engage more aggressively is all the more strange given that Arsenal, one or two positions aside perhaps, look to finally have the personnel to hunt teams down. Aaron Ramsdale is willing to come off his line and be bold with his starting position, central defenders Ben White and Gabriel are fast athletes, there is greater mobility in central midfield without Granit Xhaka and there are young legs in Martin Ødegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka. Full-backs Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu have bite and do not shirk a challenge. And while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not a natural presser, he is fast enough to unsettle defenders and has been putting a shift in.

Recovering the ball higher up could also help Arsenal gain a couple of 'free' shots or chances per game and increase their attacking volume. Their attackers thrive in open spaces when opponents are exposed in transition, but because so many Arsenal attacks start from so deep, they are asked to be part of very considered, methodical periods of possession play. When one of those back-to-front passing moves comes off it looks wonderful, but they are by their nature difficult to execute with regularity.

Taking a broader view, greater attention to pressing would also suit Arsenal's stature and budget. While they were the league's biggest spenders last summer, Arsenal under their current owners are not going to buy a squad of off-the-peg talent to rival the Manchester clubs or Chelsea. If you have - at best - the fifth most talented group of players and have aspirations to finish higher, then you need to find a way to punch above your weight. Making the opposition's life hell when they have the ball is one such way, and while it requires appropriate recruitment it need not be expensive. Just look at what Liverpool have extracted from Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Georginio Wijnaldum; very good players all, but not considered in the elite bracket as reflected by the transfer fees paid.

Arteta would likely respond that Arsenal cannot organise themselves into the right structure to press if they do not build play accurately themselves, but one can beget the other. By neglecting off-the-ball pressure, Arsenal's manager is leaving some quick gains on the table at just the time he needs them.
 

AberGooner

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Player:Gabriel

We've never had a press since his first months in the job. Luiz made the comment about our fitness not being up to it but it seems we've never done anything about it and that was well over a year ago now.

We did it a couple pre season games and then it disappeared once the actual season started. Guaita looked really shaky on the ball the other night as well. Tbf Auba ran his arse off as usual but none of the rest make much, if any effort at all.
 

Rex Stone

Long live the fighters
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We've never had a press since his first months in the job. Luiz made the comment about our fitness not being up to it but it seems we've never done anything about it and that was well over a year ago now.

We did it a couple pre season games and then it disappeared once the actual season started. Guaita looked really shaky on the ball the other night as well. Tbf Auba ran his arse off as usual but none of the rest make much, if any effort at all.

Said this the other night. The one supposed benefit of no European football is that we’d have less games and would be fresher.

We look absolutely knackered in every game though. Tierney was done after 20 minutes against Palace ffs.

The conditioning looks well off because we don’t press, don’t play three times a week but still look shattered. It’s mental.
 

AberGooner

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Player:Gabriel
Said this the other night. The one supposed benefit of no European football is that we’d have less games and would be fresher.

We look absolutely knackered in every game though. Tierney was done after 20 minutes against Palace ffs.

The conditioning looks well off because we don’t press, don’t play three times a week but still look shattered. It’s mental.

We've got a factory load of staff too. You wonder what they're actually doing behind the scenes.

Liverpool have an older squad with less players than us yet they're able to keep up the intensity playing CL games on top of that.
 

Rex Stone

Long live the fighters
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We've got a factory load of staff too. You wonder what they're actually doing behind the scenes.

Liverpool have an older squad with less players than us yet they're able to keep up the intensity playing CL games on top of that.

Likes of Greenwood and Salah seem to play 90 minutes every other day but look fresher than our substitutes.
 

2Smokeyy

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Not really surprised that Arteta has neglected our team pressing during games as he’s so fixated on this Pep style of football, he has forgot about the basics of the PL.

Even his signings are based on trying to replicate this BTEC Pep ball and he’s too stubborn to adapt. We all the know the PL - Pace & Power wins you games. For example, just look at an average player like Antonio who is feasting off of this.
 

AmsterdamGunner

Active Member
When will he lose the dressing room? Or could it be there are problems already and players are not performing because of that?

After Tottenham I thought he could have turned a corner because it seemed the players were fully behind him. I don’t rate Arteta but after the Tottenham games I thought that maybe I was wrong about him, mainly because the players seemed to work so hard for him. But last games showed again he is just not good enough. When will the players revolt? Or has that started already looking at the last performances?
 

RunTheTrap

Kai Havertz Offense League
Pressing isn’t just based on fitness. It needs to be intelligent. We don’t have any noticeable pressing traps. It’s annoying seeing Auba do an Alexis impression and run at goalkeepers all by himself. It gets the crowd on side but if he’s doing it by himself it’s not worth it. We are terrible off the ball. Se seem to drop into a deep block far too often and too early. I don’t dislike it but if you’re gonna do that at least be good on transitions and winning the ball back. I think we would benefit if we had a consistent ball-winner in our midfield. A Fabinho/Kante/Casemiro type (easier said that done) and then force transitions.
 

Sammy1887

New Year, Same Hate For Reed
So we don't create chances, or press very well...nice!

He's gone backwards as a manager, tbh...which makes no sense really, as he wasn't even an actual manager yet when he first took us over.

Gone into a Pre-Assistant to an Assistant Manager role!
 

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
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Before we get back on the topic of Arteta's incompetence, just my view on Tuchel / Racism talks:

1. Yeah, i think the "racism" tag has been politicized, abused and misused. Just like MeToo, anti-semitism, etc. It's kind of lost its way

2. For full disclosure, I'm black (the easiest "victim" of "racism") although I may not have experienced a lot of prejudice as I've not lived in Europe so maybe I don't see the full picture though.

3. Regarding this case, I think @Macho statement is apt - Tuchel may be accused on being insensitive, rather that being racist or being biased towards it.

4. I don't remember this incidence in detail, but reading through that link, it's a leap of judgement to accuse Tuchel off that alone. I like Demba Ba a lot.

5. I also think it's a leap to accuse Ba of an ego-trip. Emotions are charged and in the heat of the moment, you make snap decisions and it's why at the administrative level (FIFA, UEFA, etc.) these discussions are important and they need to go beyond the lip service and marketing we see - the knee before matches, etc. These are flippant. There's a need to understand viewpoints, cultures, etc. if this type of misunderstandings are to be overcome
Agree with what you say, but I’m well within my rights to not want a manager who is insensitive to racial issues without being called “fickle” or “air headed”.

At no point did I actually call the guy racist. But that’s what people like to do, create and tear down a point that wasn’t actually made in the first place.
 

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
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Yeah I said the same thing a few ages back, you don’t need quality players to coach a good press, quality players just help you make the most out of a good press. It’s one of those things that is almost solely down to the quality of the manager.

Statements like this rarely work out but swap Arteta for Potter and we’d be a top four challenger I’m so sure.

I believe he’s up there when it comes to winning the ball back high up the pitch imagine if he had Saka, Pepe, Auba and even your boy ESR in the situations that he gets Maupay and co into.
 
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Rasmi

Negative Nancy

Country: England
The depressing thing isn't really how bad we are now, it's how much worse we would probably have to get before he goes.

Feel like relegation is the only thing I could see getting him and Edu to **** off..tough times :lol:
Honestly I would take relegation if it means Arteta leaves. This club needs to maybe be relegated to get with the times. The whole fake we are old school and don’t like changing managers is pathetic. There is nothing worse than just accepting mediocrity like Arsenal
 

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
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Country: England
Not really surprised that Arteta has neglected our team pressing during games as he’s so fixated on this Pep style of football, he has forgot about the basics of the PL.

Even his signings are based on trying to replicate this BTEC Pep ball and he’s too stubborn to adapt. We all the know the PL - Pace & Power wins you games. For example, just look at an average player like Antonio who is feasting off of this.
Funnily enough though City also heavily rely on winning the ball high up the pitch. In fact it’s pretty much their entire game plan.

They are probably the best side in the league at playing against a low block but it’s just not an efficient way of scoring goals, even when you’re as good as city.
 
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