Arsenal vs Villarreal: The key to beating Unai Emery’s side

Based on the previous two fixtures, Arsenal will struggle to hurt Villarreal when they meet in the Europa League on Thursday night. However, their issues in front of goal stretch beyond those two outings and have been prevalent all season.

Glancing at the underlying metrics, key to note first of all is that Arsenal concede far fewer big chances, and less goals as a result, under Mikel Arteta compared to Unai Emery’s tenure.

That part of the side has improved, but at the cost of attacking output.

Goal threat has abandoned the side for large spells even with a plethora of attacking talent in the squad. 44 goals in 33 Premier League matches is a limp return when there is hundreds of millions of pounds worth of forwards to choose from.

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Arsenal’s vital area of improvement needed vs Villarreal in Europa League semi-final first leg

Why so? It became apparent shortly after Arteta took the reins that instilling a strong defensive foundation was high on his list of priorities. Arsenal gifted goals and chances in abundance under Emery, and employing a manager who would set his sights on implementing differing final third tactics without seeing to their own third first would produce little variety in results.

Fluctuating between formations and personnel, Arteta sought to tighten the ship before gradually balancing his focus with the other end of the pitch.

He is a manager of routine. Phases and choreography that then allow for dashes of freedom in the execution. Former players have spoken in glowing terms of how Arsene Wenger got his side operating to the peak of their powers, where their individual qualities could shine. With Arteta it feels that margin for spontaneity is lessened.

The result is meticulous build-up play borne out of extensive scripting and rehearsal. When it comes off it’s pleasing on the eye and borderline mesmeric, but the key is that is has to come off. Lacking goals all season, and especially during the winless run pre-Christmas, the buzzword became ‘risk’.

Countless hours working on shape and positioning tightened the shackles on jeopardy, with players less willing to, as a Swedish billionaire once said, ‘throw their hat into the ring’.

An occasional Mohamed Elneny thunderb*stard and Alexandre Lacazette penalty aside, the goals Arsenal have scored have needed to be precise phases of play knitted together over a scenic tour of the turf.

And this starts from the back, which is where Arsenal must alter their methods to be a more dangerous attacking threat.