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

3. Getting Granit Xhaka to Drop Deeper in 4-2-3-1

The first half of Thursday night’s clash was the first time since moving to a 4-3-3 shape that cracks began to appear. Granit Xhaka had a superb second half display at the Emirates, whereas in the opening 40 minutes he looked lost as the advanced No. 8.

Partey was bossing the show with delicate technical ability, yet whenever Xhaka was found in the final third his lack of agility was costing Arsenal. He couldn’t move the ball on quick enough, wasn’t impacting the game in as much of a positive way and, generally, looked quite lost.

His role in sustaining pressure was key, though, but at around the 40 minute mark he was instructed to come deeper to free him up of space.

In the second half this persisted in the early exchanges, as while he maintained a high position, he would fall back towards Partey to offer himself up for the ball to keep progressing down the left hand side.

Without the ball this 4-2-3-1 shape was the one Arsenal assumed more often, and then as control began being fully regained it moved Xhaka back further up the pitch, in turn pinning Wolves back. The fluctuations were often minor, but their impact on the game was considerable: Xhaka would draw men in and Partey could feed the ball out to the left with more space for Tierney and Martinelli to run into.

It worked.

Continued on next page…