Arsenal 2-1 Wolves: 4 tactical triumphs from Mikel Arteta

2. Nicolas Pepe + Eddie Nketiah Subs & Formation Change

When the board came up showing that Gabriel Martinelli was coming off for Pepe, it felt like another one of the manager’s usual changes. He often doesn’t alter the approach, just the personnel.

It was a substitution that needed to happen, with Martinelli ineffective on the night, but tactically it might not have changed much.

Just five minutes later, however, Eddie Nketiah came on for Cedric, a far more radical alteration. Arsenal then switched to two up front with Saka playing left wing-back, a system he kept in place even after the equaliser. This was a far cry from the pragmatic approach Arteta has been known for. This was a statement move that gave Wolves something to think about.

Crucial in the changes was moving Saka to the left side. Getting a purring Martin Odegaard close to Pepe was the intention, with the Norwegian lofting some delicious passes over the top all night, one of which resulted in the equaliser.

A change that is only heralded as genius since it paid off, it nevertheless was one of his smartest in-game tactical alterations during his tenure. All aspects of the move worked in Arsenal’s favour, including giving the Wolves central defenders another striker to occupy, which in turn pushed Odegaard that touch closer to goal.

It was an undisputed tactical triumph.

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