If we reduce the offensive aspect of football to its simplest forms, one of the solutions used by many teams is to create space in one way and exploit it in another.
The methods vary depending on the principles of a team, the tactics and the profiles of its players. This could be using quick passing combinations and rotations to catch up to the opposition, moving a player to overload different areas of the pitch or focusing on blocks and dummy runs to create space on passing shots. feet stopped.
Arsenal’s right-sided combinations of Ben White, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard proved effective for another season, and the overloads of new signing Kai Havertz or the No.6 only added to its strength . The German international’s variable positioning when playing as the most advanced player also helped Arsenal exploit spaces in central areas and force defenders out of position. As for set pieces, their mastery of set piece situations speaks for itself.
The first half of Saturday’s 3-0 home win over Bournemouth was all that, with a pinch of fluidity added to the mix.
Arsenal’s movements constantly created space inside Bournemouth’s defensive block, and Mikel Arteta’s players were alert enough to exploit it.
In this first example, Odegaard drops out to help Arsenal advance the ball up the pitch – which has been a feature of their play since December – with Declan Rice advancing to the other side of the pitch, where Takehiro Tomiyasu has moved infield from left back. occupy a narrow position.
The interesting part is not the positioning of Arsenal’s players, but how their movements allow them to play in Bournemouth’s midfield.
Tomiyasu’s run inside presents a passing option to Thomas Partey, and Rice’s forward movement forces Bournemouth right winger Antoine Semenyo to hold his position, meaning it is his teammate closer Ryan Christie, who is set to head for the Japan international.
Meanwhile, Odegaard occupies a more central position…
…which allows him to receive the ball from Tomiyasu in space after Christie moves to press the latter, because Semenyo is trapped by Rice’s movement.
The result is that Arsenal find themselves in a four-on-four scenario when Odegaard finds Rice.
It doesn’t lead to anything this time as Bournemouth’s players fall through time, but it’s an early signal of what’s to come.
Arsenal’s fluidity of movement was not only evident in the build-up phase, but also in the final third.
Here, Havertz moves to the right wing to present himself as a passing option for Saka. The German striker’s movement drags Marcos Senesi further and creates a gap between him and his central partner Illia Zabarnyi, who Leandro Trossard looks to attack.
At first, the Belgian is stalked by Christie…
…but Zabarnyi signals to the Scot that he is going to collect Trossard as Arsenal circulate the ball down the right side.
To help his defense, Lewis Cook drops to mark Havertz in the half-space and Christie maintains his deep positioning to support Bournemouth right-back Adam Smith against Rice.
At this point, Christie’s decision makes sense, as a cross to the backcourt in this situation is one of Arsenal’s solutions in the attacking third and Rice’s aerial ability makes him more threatening.
With Bournemouth’s double pivot also deep to defend Rice and Havertz, Odegaard has space in front of his penalty area.
First, White tries to attack the gap between Senesi and Cook, and although Saka can’t find his right back’s run…
…the latter’s movement allows Saka to move inside the pitch and pass to Odegaard in space. Thanks to Christie’s positioning, the Arsenal captain has extra time with the ball…
…and it’s Senesi who blocks his pass towards Trossard.
In another example, Havertz and Saka swap positions, but the key move comes from Trossard moving behind the penalty spot after attacking the space vacated by the German.
Again, Christie’s focus on defending Rice at the far post and Cook being occupied on Arsenal’s right side leaves space in front of the defense, where Trossard positions himself.
Christie and Zabarnyi report that he is free…
…but Semenyo is not close enough to Trossard when Havertz finds the White overlap on the Arsenal right.
In this position, Bournemouth’s central defenders and Christie have to drop to defend the space between them and goalkeeper Mark Travers, which creates a larger space for Trossard.
White plays the cutback intelligently…
…but the Belgian’s shot is blocked, again by Senesi.
The dynamic movement of Arsenal players came from everywhere – even William Saliba joined in on the action. Here, Havertz and Odegaard are marked by Senesi and Cook when the French central defender is in possession.
In two movements, Arsenal created a gap in the visitors’ defense.
First, Havertz falls, taking Senesi with him…
…before Odegaard attacks the space vacated by these moves and therefore also moves Cook, which blows a hole in the Bournemouth defense as Saliba plays wide towards Saka.
The central defender attacks this space and Saka finds him in space, with Cook and Senesi simply reacting to the situation after being moved…
…but Saliba’s final shot is saved.
Ultimately, Arsenal’s dynamic movement destroyed Bournemouth.
Before the penalty with which Saka opened the scoring just before half-time, Odegaard wandered inside the field to attack the space behind Christie, who headed towards Rice.
As Rice looks for the best passing option and passes the ball to the advancing Gabriel, Odegaard continues his movement to overload Arsenal’s left…
…which is made possible by the off-ball movement of Tomiyasu and Trossard which pins Bournemouth’s right winger and right-back and creates more space for the Norwegian to attack. Gabriel then makes a pass into Odegaard’s path…
…which finds Havertz running behind the defense before the striker wins the penalty.
As simple as it may seem, being fluid in possession is not easy in a league that has been rich in transitions this season, as you have to find the right balance between having a dynamic attack and being in the right positions to counter-press effectively.
This is the balance Arsenal have achieved under Arteta.