Midfield Aggression is an Offer Arsenal Can’t Refuse

Midfield management was Unai Emery’s worst quality.

Yeah, you heard me. Emery was famous for his tactical switches, inconsistent approach to games, and creating a defense so porous that a losing result seemed a half-step away at all times. But his management of the midfield was the keystone of all of those problems Arsenal had.

Every time Emery’s Arsenal lined up, a gaping hole would immediately form between the midfield and the back three or four. This veritable chasm leaked goals like the world’s worst faucet, as opposing attackers were gift-wrapped space in behind our midfield game after game. It seemed an insurmountable issue, until Mikel Arteta came along.

Our ageless Spaniard created a system in which that major deficiency was no longer an issue. Deploying Dani Ceballos and Granit Xhaka in a deep-lying block, whether in a 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-3 , served as a very effective screen for the backline and allowed our midfield to build out from the back without compromising defensive position and opening ourselves to counter attacks.

But that system, too, has its drawbacks. Xhaka and Ceballos are not mobile enough to cover the large swathes of ground necessary to defend and create chances. As a result, another gap has formed, this time between the midfield and attack. It’s a gap that has widely prevented us from scoring on multiple occasions.

Enter Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny against Manchester United. Unlike Xhaka and Ceballos, they are not renowned for their passing range or creative flair. Rather, they are hard-working, mobile, and most importantly, aggressive. This combination of traits allows them to bridge that gap between the midfield and the attack, and aggression is the most important of all.

Their aggression relieves pressure from the Arsenal forwards; whether they’re breaking up play and granting opportunities on the counter, or drawing the opposing midfielders into central spaces, allowing for more creative space out wide, the importance of a midfield that’s constantly moving and working and harrying and hassling cannot be overstated.

And yes, I know what you’re thinking, ‘Granit Xhaka is way too aggressive, and we don’t need more of that’, and to an extent, you’re right, but he doesn’t have the mobility or athleticism to cover the ground his aggression demands. Both Partey and Elneny do. It’s that simple.

I’m not saying they should play together every game. But if Arteta can add aggression to the midfield, he should do so, whenever possible.