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.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

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.

Arsenal Must Build Through the Thirds Faster Against Villarreal

There is method to every motion in the build-up play, starting from the back.

This rigid nature could be impacting the decision-making in the final third, as previously noted, but getting to the stage where choices are to be taken in and around the box has to be quicker. Arsenal are far too slow building out from the back.

Pre-calculated from back to front, Arsenal give the opposition too long to settle. Thus far it’s been a difficult balance the strike, although the absences of players such as David Luiz have made an impact.

Rob Holding, Pablo Mari and Gabriel have their strengths but none of those lie in moving the ball with pace. That may come for the latter.

Arsenal are at their best when the forward line is interchanging. It forces opposition players out of position and instills doubt into defenders. From here they can overload wide areas, have someone run in between centre-back and get bodies in and around the box.

https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1387371375514591239

Lose the ball, or have it returned in some manner, and the process restarts: another measured, slow building back through the thirds. Said pressure rarely counts for anything as the process of restructuring invites the same of the opposition.

Luiz will not solve this issue outright. He most certainly can help but if he’s not around against Villarreal then it relies on other parties to embrace the economy of touches and seek the forward option with pace.

Especially given the first leg is away from home, Arsenal have the chance to set a marker. They failed to do so against Benfica and only took a marginal advantage having fallen behind to equalise, and the importance of scoring in Spain is heightened by their struggles in front of goal at home.

Villarreal will invite a slow encounter that allows the likes of Gerard Moreno to be effective on the break. Arsenal mustn’t let them settle. Play with speed and with a structure that isn’t restricting through the thirds. Get Thomas Partey on the ball and give him multiple passing lanes; have two men drop into the half-spaces with runners beyond; encourage the centre-backs to fizz the ball into feet in fewer touches.

Bottom line: pick up the pace.