Watford vs Arsenal: 3 tactical areas to exploit for Arteta

Arsenal still have a string of tough fixtures to get through in their remaining 14 Premier League matches of the season, meaning no slip ups can be accepted against sides battling for relegation.

Making the short journey to Watford on Sunday, a team they share a training ground with, Mikel Arteta will be pitted against Roy Hodgson for the fifth time in his career, having won one and drawn three times against the veteran’s previous side Crystal Palace.

Having secured maximum points from their three fixtures in February, the Hornets present another excellent opportunity for the Gunners to maintain their winning run in the series of matches that Arteta dubbed ‘cup finals’.

On to their third manager this season already, Watford had bid farewell to Xisco and Claudio Ranieri before appointing Hodgson six matches ago, during which time he’s collected five points and seen his side score just two goals.

Watford vs Arsenal: 3 tactical areas to exploit for Mikel Arteta’s team in Sunday’s Premier League clash at Vicarage Road

The 74-year-old is known for getting his team well organised at the back and building effective counter-attacking units, but his work in Hertfordshire is still in its infancy and the quality of his squad has its clear limitations.

Boasting the second worst defence in the league, and the leakiest of all the teams on home soil, this is a match Arsenal head into as undoubted favourites to win.

On the 15 occasions that these sides have met in the Premier League Watford have failed to keep a single clean sheet. The odds of them putting an end to that run are slim, although any side fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table poses a risk.

Just because Arsenal boast more quality across the pitch does not determine success. Looking at this Watford side under Hodgson, there are a few tactical deficiencies to take advantage of and boost the chances of securing all three points.

1. Exploiting Watford’s Unrefined Press

Hodgson sides don’t press the ball high up the pitch. His style is often defined by a compact defensive shape, one set up to pounce quickly in transition and feed the forwards with direct vertical and diagonal passing.

Usually lining up in a 4-4-2, a system he has used in some of the matches during his short tenure, he’s since reverted to a 4-3-3 shape with Imran Louza as the long No. 6 and Moussa Sissoko and Tom Cleverley as No. 8’s either side.

Under the guidance of Ranieri it was painfully easy to play through the Hornets. Their deep pressing was uncoordinated, lopsided and opened up spaces centrally for one or two simple passes to penetrate.

There have been improvements of late, but it’s still not refined.

What Arsenal can do to exploit this is to have a spare man in the midfield. Watford will seek to cut passing lanes and mark their opponents centrally, so having Alexandre Lacazette drop deeper – as he does – will either match up the Hornets when Thomas Partey is in possession, or create a one man overload with one of the No. 8’s aiming to put some pressure on the Ghanaian.

Either they leave him unchallenged to dictate the play and progress the ball, or they get someone closing in on him which leaves Xhaka, Odegaard and Lacazette outnumbering them in that area.

With still some work to do on solidifying their central structure, attacking them where it hurts will be where joy can be had.

Continued on next page…