Arsenal: Moving upwards as easy as ABC

C is for Cohesion

Arsenal’s best moments — the entire first half, really — came when the system worked as a whole. With the wing-backs stretching the Foxes’ backline, Alexandre Lacazette dropping deep with his back to goal, and the centre-backs suppressing the counter, the midfield played splitting balls through to the forwards, who in turn found late runs or recycled back to start the process again.

And when Arsenal did turn it over, they forced repeated turnovers. With one man pressing and two cutting passing lanes, Leicester couldn’t find an answer. Their fresh legs in the second half gave them the upper hand, but the substitutions were forced by Arsenal, who ran them completely ragged.

As they face some stiff opposition in the second North London Derby of the season this Sunday, cohesion will be the most important part of their game. Arteta has implemented a style and definition that every player has adapted to and now executes in conjunction with one another. It is a connected system.

ABC. It’s easy as 1-2-3. With faith in Arteta, in his ability to build a resolute, cohesive unit, Arsenal are on the up, no matter what the table may say.