Arsenal back to understanding the economy of touches

Arsenal are preparing to take on Manchester City in the Premier League and despite the visitors’ immense quality, yet again that flutter of hope lingers in the mind.

It shouldn’t really, should it? Arsenal have lost their last five matches to the Citizens without scoring a single goal, and amid Covid absences and the rather unavoidable fact that regardless of how improved one team may be Man City are still excellent, hope probably shouldn’t even be mentioned.

But Arsenal are playing some brilliant football. Four Premier League wins on the trot have seen the return of confidence after the demoralising back-to-back defeats against Manchester United and Everton. The goals are arriving and the spells of pressure extended.

The enjoyment is back, and the speed of play is having a considerable impact on that.

Arsenal are back to understanding the economy of touches with one-touch play in the final third speeding up progression and making for fun viewing

Last season it was well documented that no Premier League team got the back from back to front slower than Arsenal did. Players *cough Ceballos* took the scenic routes when progressing the play and fans watching on could have popped to the bar and returned to their seats only missing a few yards of movement.

Too many touches of the ball made for excruciating viewing, and when possession was recycled in the final third it took even longer to get it back up the pitch.

Over recent matches, regardless of the opposition, the amount of touches to get the ball through the thirds has reduced considerably. The play is faster, the combinations more technically appealing and one-touch passing from the centre of the pitch onwards has returned.

It makes for immeasurably more enjoyable reading. From a statistical point of view, it makes for immeasurably higher chance creation. From a professional point of view it makes for more goals, and therefore more points.

Having Thomas Partey operate more often as a single pivot – this freedom is granted more due to playing inferior opposition – and Martin Odegaard able to drift off and find pockets of creative potential has enhanced the flow of the play. The ball moves side to side quicker, and invention can sing with more fluid movement.

The economy of touches is something all the players are improving, even those who already boasted an understanding of speed in football. With the group learning each other’s styles and idiosyncrasies this has been able to flourish. That level of understanding is only 15 or so games old, too.

Moving Xhaka further up the pitch may also be with an eye on speeding matters up. In receiving the ball in advanced areas he is granted less time in possession, in many ways forcing the pass sooner. It really is evident across the board.

When to release and when to hold onto the ball can be instinctive, but with the right coaching can be a development tool to increase collective output. And, from a selfish fan’s point of view, it’s just more fun to watch. Watching Arsenal isn’t as much of a chore at present, and with more time developing this aspect of the game, hopefully it can continue to be so.