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Arsenal: 3 improvements to make in winter break
The positive impact of Mikel Arteta’s coaching is clear. But there is still more work to be done. Here are three improvements Arsenal must make this winter break.
Mikel Arteta’s coaching qualities have been illustrated in great detail over the past month. While Arsenal’s results still leave a little to be desired, the impact of the Spaniard’s coaching is undeniable. The team is more compact, there is a greater detail, understanding and definition regarding the style of play, and individual players are consistently put into better positions to succeed, which is what good coaching does.
Listen to the latest episode of the Pain In The Arsenal Podcast here!—The Rebuild 2.0
But that does not mean improvements cannot still be made. There is still lots of work to do. So, with Arsenal now enjoying a two-week break before their next outing, which includes a training camp in Dubai, here are three tactical improvements that Arteta should focus on.
3. Stay calm under pressure
To date, the Mikel Arteta era has been defined by the spotty performances of his team. They have 20-minute periods or sometimes even whole halves in which they look excellent, a well-drilled team that can dominate the opposition. Then they have another 20 minutes when they struggle mightily, falter under pressure, and often concede — this is why so many leads have been blown in recent weeks.
The major difference in performance between these two distinct periods of dominance and being dominated is the team’s ability to play out from the back. The Crystal Palace is the perfect illustration of this: Arsenal dominated for the opening 30 minutes before Palace started to press higher up the pitch and the Gunners lost control of the match. They could not play out from the back effectively.
Arteta must work on the players’ composure in deep positions. He is asking them to play in a manner that will put them into testing situations. It is crucial that they remain calm under pressure such that they make the right decisions, often meaning playing the correct pass, and can then execute well, playing an accurate pass at pace. When Arsenal play out from the back well, they invariably dominate games. Improving this area will help them be more consistent throughout the 90 minutes.