Wolves vs Arsenal: 4 key tactical areas to exploit

Mikel Arteta takes his Arsenal side to the Black Country on Thursday to face Wolves in a crucial Premier League match with undoubted top four implications.

Bidding farewell to Nuno Espirito Santo at the end of last season as the Portuguese boss opted for a new challenge, Arsenal will face a newly invigorated Wolves side at Molineux for their first taste of competitive football in 18 days.

It’s a huge game. Every single fixture between now and the end of the season will be for this Gunners team.

With no other competitions to focus on it leaves Arteta’s side with nowhere to hide. If they can’t string together a run of results in the final 17 matches of the season with the additional rest they granted to them by not being in Europe or in the FA Cup then they don’t deserve Champions League football. It’s as simple as that.

Wolves vs Arsenal: 4 key tactical weaknesses for Mikel Arteta’s side to exploit in Thursday’s huge Premier League clash at Molineux

Their welcome back to the Premier League pits them against a side who’ve remarkably got themselves into the top four mix despite being the third lowest scorers in the whole division. Bruno Lage has built a side with a solid defensive foundation that rarely concedes chances, or gives them away.

Fitness and sharpness could play a key role in this one given the length of time the players have had away from action, so a win here will have be seen as a real success ahead of hosting Brentford next.

Arteta has got his team playing the way he wants, even if January’s five-game winless run set ambitions back. Various absences played their part across the month and now with the squad near full strength it is time to right the wrongs of January.

Tactically it will make for an interesting match. Wolves have their strengths, just as they have their weaknesses. Four tactical areas to exploit spring to mind, which is easier said than done with this Wolves team performing magnificently this season.

1. Wolves’ Poor Shot Creation

Wolves boast the unwanted record of recording the second fewest shots per 90 minutes in the entire division (10.10), just behind Dean Smith’s struggling Norwich (10.05).

Additionally, they have recorded the fourth lowest amount on target per 90 (3.29), which makes it also no great surprise that they have an npxG this season of just 20.4, also the division’s fourth lowest.

In terms of their style, when in possession Wolves like to make use of third man runs, often employing methodical passing patterns that seek to catch the opponent off guard. These patterns, where close-knit triangles and boxes entice players in before quickly changing to long passes, aim to switch the play with pace and get Wolves up the pitch with speed.

But it can be predictable. Their low shot numbers come from opposition sides knowing their approach, and they often find themselves running into cul-de-sacs where teams can get back into shape and force efforts from distance. They’re always looking for the opposition to free space behind their full-backs. Simply, don’t be fooled.

Focus is key. Wolves don’t have many shots because they build their play into positions where shots are in effect a waste of possession. For this reason, Arsenal shouldn’t be afraid to let Wolves have the ball in the areas they think they want it, and by avoiding playing into their hands they can continue to frustrate and win the ball back eventually.

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