Reasons why Arsenal's tactics are not predictable

VIỆT HÙNG |

FIFA Days is always a challenge for coaches due to interruptions. However, for Arsenal, that disadvantage became an opportunity for Mikel Arteta to experiment.

Before the 2024-2025 season, Arteta said he always looked at the series of matches to think about their opponents and their diagrams, to see if he could maintain those ideas for a few weeks.

From there, the Spanish coach took advantage of the first international break of the season to bring the new recruits to the forefront, this season as well. In the last 7 matches, 5/8 new players have been used, and players who have been in the starting lineup for a long time have also been repositioned.

Gabriel Martinelli

Martinelli did not start the season very impressively when he started on the left wing. However, from the bench and in other roles, he has begun to leave his mark. In mid-September, the Brazilian star replaced Eberechi Eze and only took 36 seconds to open the scoring against Athletic Bilbao.

He then had an assist for Leandro Trossard to score. When Arsenal needed to equalize against Man City, Martinelli was brought on the right wing and a smart run helped him score the equalizer.

Arteta once told the injured Noni Madueke that Martinelli could be used more on the right, his runs into the center are very important depending on how the opponent arranges.

It is easy to see that the 24-year-old striker is being used flexibly this season, Arteta wants to rely on Martinelli's speed and smart lack of ball control in the period when the opponent is exhausted.

Martinelli da duoc su dung o ca hai canh va deu da tot. Anh: AFP
Martinelli has been used on both wings and plays well. Photo: AFP

Leandro Trossard

Like Martinelli, Trossard mainly came off the bench and also brought very good performance. The Belgian striker has scored 2 goals and 2 assists this season. As for Trossard, Arteta also requires flexibility as he often starts on the left wing but constantly moves into the middle, as a second number 10 to connect the midfield and the strikers. By moving like that, he helps open up space for Viktor Gyokeres and his other teammates to exploit.

With Martin Odegaard injured, Arteta will probably prioritize Trossard as a free striker more, in order to create surprises from many sides.

Trossard luon la quan bai tay hieu qua cua Arsenal. Anh: AFP
Trossard has always been an effective offside for Arsenal. Photo: AFP

Eberechi Eze and Bukayo Saka

Eze started the season playing on the left wing, where he impressed with his dribbling ability. However, Eze's biggest mark now is his decisive passes. The match against Man City was the clearest example when the English star put on the field as a "number 10" and immediately left an impression with a cross for Martinelli to score.

Since then, Eze has been used more in the centre, sometimes operating on the right to take advantage of the space.

As for Bukayo Saka, he often plays on the right wing but this season he has also been used flexibly on the left wing. Arteta wanted to take advantage of Saka's weakness when cutting in, creating a new way of attacking to surprise the opponent.

Saka luon la tru cot nhung cung phai thich nghi nhieu vi tri. Anh: AFP
Saka has always been a mainstay but has also had to adapt to many positions. Photo: AFP

Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard

Rice often plays a box-to-box role, participating in both defense and attack. The arrival of Martin Zubimendi this season has caused Rice to sometimes drop deeper, but Arteta has been flexible in letting Rice or Zubimendi leave the position, depending on the course of the match. For example, in the win over West Ham, Rice not only supported the defense, he also had many attacking options such as creating passes to clear the line, suddenly rushing into the penalty area or coordinating with surrounding satellites to find long-range shooting opportunities.

As for Odegaard, before the knee injury, he was also used quite freely on the right wing or in the center. One of the points Arteta has applied is the midfield positions, there are times when it is easy to see the Norwegian midfielder retreat deep, while Rice or Zubimendi are on the serve.

Rice da duoc choi cao hon va hieu qua hon. Anh: AFP
Rice played higher up and more effectively. Photo: AFP

Why is Arteta doing this effective?

The diversity in the way Arsenal use players makes it difficult for their opponents to predict. When people like Martinelli, Trossard, Eze, Saka can play in many positions, opponents cannot predict the playing style. In addition, rotating roles helps reduce pressure on some individuals who have to do too many things when the defense is forced.

Recent performances show that Arsenal are playing more flexibly, sometimes focusing on attack on the wing, sometimes coordinating quickly in the center. Consecutive victories are proof of how Arteta and his students take advantage of their ability to change roles to create an attacking flow.

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