Arsenal’s ‘strategy’

Since the winter holidays in the Arab Emirates, the Arsenal looks like an up and much improved team. And this was not the result of a sudden change in his players, or of chance, but of a plan carefully worked out by Mikel Arteta on lazy days in the relaxing Dubai sun. There, in addition to releasing stress in the best possible way, to leave all performance problems behind, he set out to improve many tactical aspects and design the ‘strategy’ to become champion.

The ‘gunners’ rehearsed plays and studied how to better exploit fouls and corners, all thought-out improvements to increase performance and fight for the title, in the decisive months of spring. During the 10 days of their stay in Dubai, they even lived with their families, to improve the disconnection, and with the idea of ​​removing all the pressure they accumulated in December, after two unexpected defeats, which made the them another. wasted time. But no, the Gunners came back with everything, with momentum that gave them guarantees to win games and put themselves in a position to fight for the Premier League.

Set piece changes are one of the keys to improving the Arsenal, but not the only one. The maximum concentration at the beginning of the games, with a busy first 15 minutes, of great physical demand, and the new role of Kai Havertz, with his constant unmarking movements as a ‘false’ center forward, also contributed to the relentless offensive performance. of the ‘gunners’. They have scored 31 goals since the championship resumed in January, and without relying on their star, Gabriel Jesussuffering from constant problems with his knees.

Monday’s match at Sheffield perfectly illustrated all these improvements, which led to a crushing superiority over their rivals. More than because of the amazing score (0-6), what was seen again in Bramall Lane This is the perfect moment of form where most of the team’s key players find themselves. Arsenalespecially the ‘column’ that supports it and builds up Saliba-Rice-Odegaard-Saka. The effectiveness of the team is based on their performance and with this they are now strengthening their optimism to face the decisive phase of the season. At 39 minutes, the Gunners, like true ‘bombers’, are five goals ahead, the first time a visiting team has achieved such a wide margin in Premier League history.

Champion numbers

When North London fans sang ‘North London forever’ on Saturday, to boost their team before playing against Brentfordwill make it known to Arsenal of Arteta This year he has all the strength and resources to be able to stand, without hesitation, on Liverpool and City of Manchester. In the ‘red’ of Jurgen Klopp They defeated them on February 4 (3-1), in a great match, where they showed another ‘gunner’ force in which they locked up their rivals. Also with planned approach to corners. Arteta He dedicated a lot of time to it, placing his specialist assistant, Nicolás Jover, at the top of the sessions, where the goals of the central defenders came. Gabriel Malgahaes and Salibastudied the headers, which were missing last year.

Because the winter holidays, the new Arsenal He scored 31 goals and got just three in seven Premier League games. 30% (17 goals) were from set pieces. Their goal difference is now better than that Liverpool and city. The Gunners have the highest scorers (68) and the fewest goals scored (23). One point now separates him city and two of the Liverpooland with Sunday’s Anfield clash between the ‘reds’ and ‘skyblues’, a victory for Arsenal against Brentford and a draw at Liverpool would give them the lead, with ten games remaining.

Learn from the past

Except for the unexpected and a little defeat against Porto in the Champions League (1-0), there was no sign indicating any performance problems at Arsenal. The upset suffered by their best players last year serves as experience to avoid the mental block again at the decisive moment. And to the industrious spirit of the group, which was now achieving regularity in victories, was now added the recovery of the wounded. The latter is Thomas Partywhich will be a luxury reinforcement, after a long absence since October.

To understand how the Arsenal was perfected this year by the hand of Mikel Artetawe must examine what was experienced as “disappointment” last year, through repeated failures in major battles, in the fight against City of Manchester. That is “more maturity and experience”, in the words of the captain Odegaardwhich now has Arsenalwas part of a process, which at its beginning, when it came to London, Arteta wrote on a whiteboard: ‘Trust the process’. Collaborate first and include titles as a goal. Everyone on the training pitches at London Colney exudes confidence and ambition, starting with the empty display case he installed Arteta so that the players feel, on a daily basis, that they are losing their Premier title dream.

That’s how they are now. Although Liverpool and City of Manchester, who will face Sunday at Anfield, will continue on their path of increasing victories and overcoming obstacles through rotation, Arsenal continues and responds to their greedy mentality, which is recognized in their victories. And the secret of the big change is the ‘plot’ that everyone in Dubai has made.