Is there a blueprint for beating Arsenal?

Football is all about problem-solving, or ‘finding solutions’ as some like to say. It’s a world laden with ideologues, philosophers, and romanticists; coaches that have attempted to revolutionise the simple but beautiful game with ideas, styles, and systems inspired by an array of external factors.

Such revolutionaries, whether it be the Mighty Magyars, Dutch-inspired Total Football, or Pep Guardiola, have altered our perceptions as to how football matches should be won. For some, there is a ‘right’ way and any manager that sets out his side with the sole intention of shunning beauty is the personification of ‘anti-football’ – whatever that is.

For every mastermind that’s sparked revolution, the juxtaposing anti-hero isn’t too far away. Think of José Mourinho and Guardiola when their paths crossed in Spain.

Eventually, the novelty of revolution wavers. Holes within the framework are sniffed out with weaknesses, even if there are few, being exposed and exploited. Now, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are hardly a groundbreaking outfit, but they are very good. They’re not top of the ridiculously competitive Premier League for no reason as the 2022/23 campaign enters its second half.

Before their trip to Goodison Park on Saturday, just Manchester United had beaten the Gunners in the Premier League, while PSV beat a rotated Arsenal XI in the Europa League. These defeats depicted holes within the Gunners’ squad (Sambi Lokonga started in place of Thomas Partey at Old Trafford), but there wasn’t much other teams could take away in regards to a blueprint for slowing Arteta’s side down.

But two English managers have since stumbled upon something.

Is there a blueprint for beating Arsenal?

As stout as Newcastle had been heading into their January trip to the Emirates, the Magpies appeared ripe for picking in the opening stages. Arsenal were in a rampant mood with Dan Burn struggling to deal with the distinct threat of Bukayo Saka.

However, the visitors weathered the early blitz and eventually got a foothold in the game thanks to a change in tack from Eddie Howe. In a bid to mitigate Arsenal’s proficiency out wide, Newcastle’s wingers, Joelinton and Miguel Almiron, dropped deeper to support their respective full-backs. Their 4-5-1 midblock was almost a 6-3-1 at times when the wingers sunk to double up on Gabriel Martinelli and Saka, but the ploy worked a treat.

Newcastle’s defensive work out wide was complemented by their extremely compact midfield three, and sporadic sequences of high pressing to ensure it wasn’t backs-against-the-wall stuff for 90 minutes. While they lacked the threat in transition to hurt the hosts, the Gunners were limited to an xG of 1.1 – their third-lowest tally up until that point in the Premier League season.

The Magpies escaped the Emirates cauldron with a well-earned point, but Arsenal’s momentum failed to waver. Convincing victories over Tottenham and Manchester United left them in a healthy position at the top of the Premier League entering Saturday’s contest at Goodison Park.

Everton away has haunted Mikel Arteta since taking over as manager, but this particular fixture didn’t appear so ominous while Frank Lampard was in charge. But, fatefully for the Gunners, the Everton board opted to part ways with Lamps and appoint Sean Dyche as manager.

Arteta had won just one in five against Dyche heading into the weekend’s clash. This was no longer a cakewalk.

Now, there’s a stigma attached to Dyche for being rather primitive tactically. When you think of his Burnley sides; 4-4-2, long balls, and Brexit are phrases commonly associated. But such an assessment is woefully unfair and the Englishman highlighted his credentials as a top coach on his Everton debut.

https://twitter.com/Everton/status/1622604368154353665

The canny Dyche took the common sense approach. He studied how Newcastle had success in slowing the rampant leaders down and replicated Howe’s formula using the players he had at his disposal. There was no 4-4-2 but a 4-5-1, Abdoulaye Doucare returned to the fold, while a pair of hard-working wingers in Alex Iwobi and Dwight McNeil earned starts down the flanks.

Dyche’s set-up was superbly drilled, with his midfield three and left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko all impressing out of possession. Doucoure, who did an excellent job of ensuring Oleksandr Zinchenko wasn’t a major factor, Amadou Onana, and Idrissa Gueye combined for 27 ball recoveries, while Mykolenko registered a game-high four tackles.

The Ukrainian’s aggression when facing Saka meant the Englishman rarely got the better of his opponent one-vs-one. There was an odd sequence of success, but Saka ended the bout with a 55.6% dribble success rate. Mykolenko’s bravery paid dividends, and it was arguably the best any left-back has performed against Saka this season.

Everton’s combativeness and aggression was undoubtedly inspired by Dyche’s arrival, and how he set his side out would suggest that he, with the help of Howe, has stumbled upon a blueprint for slowing Arsenal down. The Gunners, who asserted no control on proceedings and were woeful in the final third, accumulated their second-lowest xG haul of the season on Saturday.

Dyche’s arrival meant this was always going to be a tricky game for the league leaders, and supporters shouldn’t be too concerned with the defeat, especially after Man City’s result on Sunday.

Dyche simply got the better of Arteta, but it’ll take similarly shrewd coaching and near-perfect execution for other Premier League sides to replicate the success of Everton and Newcastle in stifling Arsenal. That’s a testament to Arteta’s side.