Arsenal: First-half problems down to lack of dribblers

Arsenal are yet to lead a Premier League match at half-time this season. They have struggled greatly in the first half this year. Could it be because of their lack of dribblers?

12 games into the Premier League season and Arsenal have not led a single one at half-time. It is a quite remarkable statistic. What is even more staggering, however, is that they have only lost two matches, that being the first two against Manchester City and Chelsea. Despite the consistently spluttering starts, they are unbeaten in 10-straight league matches.

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Nevertheless, as Unai Emery and his band of merry men continue to adapt to one another, to improve, to acclimatise and to, ultimately, develop, the repeated poor first halves must be ironed out. The Gunners will not finish in the top four at the end of the year if they never win a first half.

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Consequently, Emery and his coaches, to solve the problem, must first work out what the cause of the problem is. And this is not so easy. Because Arsenal are consistently playing well in second-halves, it is not as if whatever is causing them to stumble them before the break is an issue that pervades throughout the team at all times. It is only pertinent to the first 45 minutes of games.

That got me thinking. Whatever the issue is must be related to the different styles that are exhibited early and late in matches. As the game progresses, there is more space, with players becoming tired and ill-disciplined. Early in matches, some managers will be a little more cautious, wary of losing the game before it has ever got going. Substitutes can change the dynamics, with managers able to make tactical tweaks having watched the opposition an extended period.

And as I thought about Arsenal’s troubles in the first half, the element that I began to believe is the most prominent is the reduced space that the attacking players are operating it, especially against deeper-lying, lesser Premier League teams. When space opens up, the quality of Emery’s creative playmakers, allied with the speed of the movement off the ball, carves open exposed and vulnerable defences. But early in games, such a tactic is not effective.

Speed in runs off the ball does not have the same impact because there is far less space to run into. Passing and moving is great for control of the match, but it does not open up well-drilled teams. Spain, Barcelona, Manchester City, the biggest proponents of possession-orientated football over the past decade, have all tended to score more goals late in games when the opposition is tired and their relentless, attacking pressure pays dividends.

Earlier on in matches, it is more likely to be an individual moment that creates an opportunity. This primarily is provided by those who have the ability to beat defenders with the ball at their feet. Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane at City; Eden Hazard at Chelsea; Mohamed Salah and Saido Mane at Liverpool. But Arsenal do not really have these players. The closest is an out-of-position centre-forward who is a clumsy dribbler and an insecure 22-year-old whose recent prosperous run seems a little unsustainable.

The lack of dribblers in the squad is becoming an increasing concern. It was extremely evident against an obdurate Wolves defence at the weekend. No Arsenal player could beat their counterpart, and it led to frustrating attacks that were sounded out with relative ease. And then, later in the match, when space in the midfield began to open up, the chances slowly started flowing.

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What Emery can do to solve this problem before the January transfer window, I do not know — and it is more likely to be the summer window, as well. But this is an issue for this team, and, if not addressed, it could cost them the top-four finish they are so desperately striving for.

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