From conceding 43 goals in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign – the same number as third-placed Manchester United, nine points behind, and 10 more than title winners Manchester City and Newcastle United – Arsenal have become a defensive machine. Under Mikel Arteta they have transformed.
It was the attacking synergy and dynamism which propelled a youthful team to the top of the table until March 2023. Gabriel Jesus dropping into pockets and feeding Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli.
Martin Odegaard found space on the edge of the box for cutbacks and sweeping finishes. Thomas Partey rocketed in a few, as did Granit Xhaka. It was free-flowing and with abandon.
The defence was commanded by a new-look Gabriel Magalhaes, all beefed up and without as many errors. William Saliba strolled in and looked at home immediately.
That version of Arsenal didn’t last long. They were shell-shocked by City’s spring surge and crumbled. The underlying numbers suggest they should have conceded another two goals throughout the season as well. Meanwhile, they ran extremely hot in front of goal, scoring 11 more than xG suggested they would.
When Arsenal returned for 2023/24 they had been bolstered by physicality. David Raya arrived, as did Declan Rice and Kai Havertz. All three added significant presence, height, and strength.
That became Arsenal’s thing. Although they managed to score more goals (increasing from 88 to 91), it was defensive improvement of conceding just 29 times (14 fewer than the year before) that powered their title challenge. City had the next best defence, conceding 34.
Zoning in on control and solidity, Arsenal once more went for shape and resilience over fluidity in summer 2024. Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino came in as the main signings. Arsenal once more finished the season with the best goal against record, letting in just 34.
The next best was Liverpool with 41. This time it was the attack that let Arteta down, and that owed partially to injuries. Now it is Andrea Berta’s role to balance Arteta’s squad to go again.
He is targeting at least one new winger (depending on potential exits). That player will need to provide more to the team going forward, of course, but also has other responsibilities.
No Arsenal player hit 10 league goals last term. Although that again owes to injuries for Havertz and Saka, it was telling that Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli all fell short of their best despite playing over 2,300 minutes each.
Odegaard, in particular, was a long way from his usual standards in front of goal and in general. Whilst Trossard and Martinelli did score eight each, with 11 assists between them as well, it was not enough to make up for Saka and Havertz’s absence as well as Jesus being out of form then absent for the rest of the season.
That is why Arsenal have turned to new wingers this window. Nico Williams has been a primary option but his massive wages and the total cost of a package to buy him is turning suitors away.
His profile demonstrates just what Arsenal want, though. Williams is quick, operates on both sides, and works hard off the ball. He ranks ahead of Trossard for tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes in the past year and is comfortably ahead of Martinelli on both counts as well.
This, for Arteta, is vital. He has turned to an increasingly structured Arsenal system which dominates off the ball. In a 4-4-2 block capable of pushing up the field to press or dropping deep to restrict space, Arsenal have become one of the meanest teams in the world out of possession.
This is not just about having high energy to chase the ball down but also tactical discipline and intelligence to hold the right position, following the correct opposition players, and remaining focused. The ability to take on instructions and to carry them out is just as important as harrying in a full throttle press.
Williams is raw but looks capable of doing this, even if it would take some work. Arsenal’s other targets differ in their off-ball record to date. Rodrygo at Real Madrid, for example, has had to cover and do a lot of the hard yards due to Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe offering very little shield from the frontline.
Numbers alone cannot show how well a player will adapt to a new club or manager’s demands, but Rodrygo has a promising set of defensive attributes. He ranks well for tackles, interceptions, blocks, and clearances. In the first three metrics he is on another level to Martinelli and again betters Trossard.
Saka is the gold standard for this stuff with 1.59 tackles per 90 (in the top 25% for forwards), and 1.08 blocks (also in the highest quarter). He combines that with an excellent understanding of positioning and tracking with Ben White and Jurrien Timber behind him on the right.
Having played for Eddie Howe for three full seasons, Anthony Gordon is another who is well drilled in his defensive responsibilities. Arsenal have reportedly been looking at the Englishman as a potential option.
This is in contrast to Rafael Leao. He is the most flary of the players linked with Arsenal, and is a terrific ball-carrier, preferring a dribble over pass. In this respect, he would be something very different to Arsenal’s attackers, who mainly control possession and then slice through with choreographed patterns.
Leao would be a less predictable player who is big to run directly at his man and ranks in the bottom third for pass attempts per 90. He is in the Mbappe and Vinicius Jr camp of offering very little off the ball.
Arteta would need this to change if Leao was to come to the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal’s wingers are crucial to the setup which suffocates and frustrates opposition. Leao would need to be in tune with putting in a shift to make it a genuine 11-on-11 game rather than being a passenger off the ball.
He is in the bottom 5% for tackles per 90, as well as the bottom 20% for tackles and blocks. 93% of forwards complete more clearances than he does.
The big advantage of Leao is his height. He is good in the air but that does not necessarily translate to much when Arsenal are holding their shape.
These factors will all matter for Berta and Arteta when selecting their ideal winger. Not only do Arsenal need some added impetus in attack but they must find someone able to fit into their defensive model as well.
