Arsenal – Tottenham Hotspur: Arsenal’s Out Of Possession Masterclass Secures Bragging Rights (2-1)

Arsenal put their recent struggles behind them with a much-improved performance in the North London Derby. While the scoreline suggests a close contest, the Gunners were in control from the very first whistle. Their quality shone through, especially their out-of-possession approach, as they disrupted Tottenham Hotspur’s build-ups and created numerous chances on the breakaway.

Tactical analysis and match report by Rahul Madhavan.

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The North London Derby always packs a punch, but this particular encounter held significant importance for both sides, albeit for different reasons. At the halfway point of the season, Arsenal remain determined to challenge for the title, while the mood at Tottenham Hotspur was mixed, given their league position compared to their rivals.

For Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, however, the cracks were beginning to show. A promising start to the new year quickly unraveled, with the Gunners on a three-game winless streak, including back-to-back cup defeats to Newcastle United and Manchester United. The setbacks reignited familiar doubts among their supporters, casting a shadow over their title ambitions. Yet, this derby offered Arsenal a golden opportunity to make a statement, especially with Liverpool and Nottingham Forest dropping points earlier.

Arteta made four changes to his lineup, though his defence remained unchanged from their recent defeat to Manchester United. Jurriën Timber, William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães, and Miles Lewis-Skelly formed the back four ahead of David Raya. In midfield, Declan Rice and Thomas Partey replaced Mikel Merino and Jorginho. Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz kept their places, while Raheem Sterling and Leandro Trossard came in for Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus.

Tottenham Hotspur, meanwhile, certainly embody inconsistency. While Ange Postecoglou’s men have one foot in the Carabao Cup final after ousting Liverpool, their Premier League campaign paints a bleaker picture. Winless in their last four league games, Spurs sit a disappointing 13th in the table, a staggering 13 points adrift of the top four. However, the derby presented Postecoglou with a chance to strike a major blow to Arsenal’s title hopes—one that could potentially shift the momentum of Tottenham’s season as well.

While Postecoglou made several changes from their 3-0 victory over Tamworth in the FA Cup, there was just one alteration from their win against Liverpool. In front of Antonín Kinský, the backline consisted of Pedro Porro, Radu Drăgușin, Archie Gray, and Djed Spence. Lucas Bergvall and Yves Bissouma retained their spots in midfield, with Pape Sarr stepping in for Rodrigo Bentancur. Leading the attack was the in-form front three of Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, and Dominic Solanke.


Arsenal at their very best

The Gunners have had their fair share of struggles this season partly due to their struggles out of possession. What is considered their greatest strength has now revealed vulnerabilities, with opponents finding some success in playing through. However, from the very start, the home side, energized by the support of their crowd, came out firing this time around. Their hybrid pressing system and high intensity paid off almost immediately, with Raheem Sterling breaking through on goal in the second minute after they won possession in midfield.

Tottenham, meanwhile, showcased contrasting dynamics on either flank. On the left, Spence adopted a deeper role to assist in the buildup, while on the right, Porro pushed higher, with Kulusevski staying wide along the touchline. In midfield, Bissouma typically operated in the deeper role, though Sarr also dropped back to support the buildup. This approach, however, ultimately played into Arsenal’s hands.

Arsenal’s success hinged heavily on the roles of their front three. Havertz often shifted toward the right, while Sterling took on a hybrid role, positioning himself between Gray and Spence before angling his run to block the passing lane to the full-back. Ødegaard, on the other hand, was responsible for tracking Bissouma. Sterling’s out-to-in pressing movement further created a numerical advantage at the back, giving Arsenal a two-versus-one edge over Solanke.


Minute 2: Arsenal’s pressing in full effect. Sterling initiated the press with his out-to-in movement, forcing Gray to turn side-on and pass to Drăgușin. This triggered Havertz to close down the center-back. Arsenal’s intensity paid off when Lewis-Skelly won the ball from Kulusevski and played Sterling through on goal. Notably, Arsenal also implemented heavy man-marking in midfield, with Trossard tracking back to mark Porro while maintaining a numerical advantage at the back.


While Sterling initially acted as the cue to start Arsenal’s press, the responsibility soon shifted to Havertz. With tight marking all over the midfield, Spurs were forced to rely on Kinský as their spare man. Havertz angled his press toward the goalkeeper, forcing him to play the ball either to the left side or central areas. Arsenal’s strategy for funneling play to Spurs’ left flank was, however, deliberate for two reasons.

First, they had reliable duel winners in Timber, Saliba, and Partey positioned to win long balls and second balls if Kinský played over the top. Second, Spurs’ two most creative players, Kulusevski and Porro, were stationed on the right and often attempted to overload against the young Lewis-Skelly. Thanks to the effectiveness of their press, Arsenal managed to dictate the visitors’ buildup. Several of their chances stemmed from their ability to win the ball in midfield through their intense press.


Execution of Arsenal’s press from the left side. Havertz initiated the press, forcing Kinský to shift the ball to his weaker foot. Sterling then pressed Gray, prompting Timber and Saliba to step up and close down Spence and Son, respectively.


Arsenal’s press on the right side was also adaptable; if Spence moved centrally, Partey would follow him while Timber shifted across to mark Bergvall. Their structure ultimately ensured minimal ground to cover, which in turn, allowed them to win second balls and regain control. Spurs failed to register a touch in the penalty area during the first 20 minutes, yet they stunned the Emirates by taking the lead around the 25th minute, with Son scoring from a set-piece situation.


Arsenal in possession

The majority of Arsenal’s clear-cut opportunities originated from their out-of-possession structure, but they also displayed quality in their attacking play from both flanks. By now, it is evident that Arteta favors a U-shaped progression over central buildup, though this game showcased a subtle shift. Naturally, Ødegaard was the orchestrator of most moves starting from the back, but, like Spurs, Arsenal showed differing dynamics on each side—albeit in a distinctly different manner.

On the right, the structure was more positional. Sterling maintained width, while Timber frequently made underlapping runs to disrupt Tottenham’s midfield. Ødegaard operated in the half-spaces, effectively using the space Sterling created by drawing two defenders. The chance-creation on this flank appeared straightforward as well, with crosses playing a pivotal role. Arsenal consistently targeted the far post, particularly with Trossard and Rice making runs. Within the opening 20 minutes, they created two notable chances in similar fashion – Ødegaard, turning side-on, delivering a cross to the far post, an area Spurs have struggled to defend under Postecoglou.


A look at the pass map highlights Ødegaard’s influential presence and Arsenal’s tendency to focus their attacks on the right flank.


On the left, however, the approach was far more fluid, characterized by frequent positional rotations. Rice excelled both out of possession and with his constant movement in possession, which posed significant problems for Spurs. Arsenal’s approach on this flank involved overloading to drag Tottenham’s defense across, thereby creating space in the penalty area, especially on the far side. Once again, Ødegaard was integral to this plan, as he shifted across to receive the ball in pockets before delivering passes to willing runners in Trossard, Rice, and Lewis-Skelly.


Minute 4: Ødegaard shifted flanks to create a four-versus-three overload, catching Bissouma out of position. Arsenal’s positional rotations were evident, with Lewis-Skelly, initially positioned deeper, making an underlapping run. Though initially ignored by Trossard, Ødegaard, after receiving a pass from Rice, threaded a ball through to the full-back. With Drăgușin pulled out of position, Arsenal found themselves with two players in the box ready to capitalize.


All this pressure was bound to pay off, and it did five minutes before halftime—unsurprisingly, from a corner. Gabriel beat his marker, Drăgușin, before the ball deflected off Solanke and found the back of the net. Just four minutes after the first goal, the Gunners struck again, this time through their high press. Partey’s aggressive pressing forced an error from Bissouma, allowing Ødegaard to set up Trossard, who fired into the bottom corner to give Arsenal a well-deserved lead.


Postecoglou’s adjustments fall short

Tottenham’s issues were glaringly evident. Both Bissouma and Sarr struggled to receive the ball under Arsenal’s high-intensity press, while their primary creative outlets, Porro and Kulusevski, were largely ineffective. Postecoglou’s response was to improve their progression in the first phase and involve the forwards more. To achieve this, he substituted Bissouma and Sarr for James Maddison and Brennan Johnson.

This adjustment saw Kulusevski drop into midfield, Johnson occupy the right flank, and Porro operate slightly deeper to aid in the buildup. The key tactical shift, however, was in how Spurs structured their pivot. In the first half, Sarr dropped alongside Bissouma but struggled to facilitate progression, largely due to Rice and Ødegaard’s exceptional front-foot pressing.

The introduction of Maddison added a higher technical quality and shifted the dynamic. He began operating on the left, where Partey was positioned, which in turn forced Arsenal to adjust their approach. Partey, not the quickest to track Maddison, allowed the English midfielder to drop deeper and improve Spurs’ buildup play, while Rice remained occupied marking Kulusevski on the opposite flank.

Although Spurs’ first-phase progression improved noticeably, their chance-creation mechanisms remained lackluster. Solanke was starved of service, and Rice effectively neutralized the free-roaming Kulusevski.

That said, the visitors managed to create a few opportunities, primarily due to Partey’s struggles in and out of possession. The Ghanaian conceded possession in dangerous areas on a couple of occasions. Additionally, when Spurs attacked down the right, Partey dropped between the center-backs, inadvertently giving Spurs the space to attempt shots from the edge of the box. Whether this was a deliberate tactic by Arteta or a lapse in concentration, Spurs managed to create a few half-chances from these situations.



Despite these moments, it was a relatively comfortable outing for Arsenal. Spurs registered 10 shots, five of which came after the 70th minute, but only one was classified as a clear-cut chance. It was Arsenal who had the more dangerous opportunities late in the game as Spurs committed players forward in search of an equalizer.


Takeaways

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal delivered a true masterclass in out-of-possession tactics. While they had recently seemed to lose their sharpness, they were undoubtedly back to their best on the night. Ideally, Arteta would have wanted his team to capitalize on more of their chances and extend the scoreline, but for now, he will be more than satisfied with the victory. The three points bring the Gunners right back into the title race, as they sit just four points behind Liverpool, who still have a game in hand.

For Tottenham, their struggles in buildup play and defensive vulnerabilities were not unexpected. However, the surprising aspect was their usually prolific attack—currently the second-highest scoring in the league—being completely shut down. Credit must go to Arsenal for their near-flawless out-of-possession performance, though Postecoglou will undoubtedly have expected more from his team.



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