On an evening at the Emirates Stadium that starkly contrasted with the action across the pond in Bavaria, the two sides showed why there are levels to fear in Europe’s elite club competition. The hosts have gone too far deep to turn back on a plan that is pushing players towards physical exhaustion while their […]
The weight of history is hanging over Arsenal. Dumped out of two cups in a fortnight, they are not rising to the occasion of the run-in. But as another defeat marked a typically miserable month for Mikel Arteta, the biggest bottle job of all is not beyond the realms of possibility. Tactical analysis and match […]
Arsenal are finding ugly ways to win, but how should fans feel at the midway mark of their Champions League quarterfinal? They left Lisbon with a clean sheet, and the advantage in the tie, but there are still signs the side are playing with the margins of football a little too finely. Tactical analysis and […]
Pep Guardiola was able to find the right approach on both sides of the ball here, and Mikel Arteta was not able to find the right response. Without the ball, City’s zonal press used cover shadows to prevent Arsenal progression, and with the ball, their right-sided play with the likes of Bernardo Silva, Cherki, and […]
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal secured a commanding 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium, showcasing a tactical masterclass that balanced sophisticated positional play with a ferocious defensive appetite. A spectacular strike from Eberechi Eze broke the deadlock, before Declan Rice’s defensive anticipation and subsequent clinical finish in the second half doubled the advantage, leaving […]
One could have been forgiven for thinking that Arsenal were on their way to another dreary draw against a disciplined defensive unit, but that headline would not have told the whole story. In spells, the hosts had shown that they are open to using their tools in different ways to better effect, and the newest […]
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal maintained their resilient European form as they battled to a 1-1 draw against Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena on March 11, 2026. In a tactical match that pitted Kasper Hjulmand’s back three structure against Arsenal’s disciplined style of play, the first leg of this Champions League Round of 16 tie remained on […]
Less possession, passes, shots and shots on target, but ultimately the victors on the evening. It is a score card that one would not traditionally associate with Arsenal, but the league leaders are embracing defensive discipline and the dark arts to a standard that might lead them to success. Tactical analysis and match report by […]
Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1 at the Emirates to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to five points. A game that was rather tepid from open play, saw Chelsea edging possession, but it was decided from set pieces as Arsenal scored two goals from corners, despite the Blues pegging one back from […]
Arsenal started this game in dominant fashion, able to play through Spurs’ 5-3-2 defensive shape and attack down their right side. Their first half goal was answered quickly, but the second half saw them run away with the game, helped by their defensive intensity and solidity. Tactical analysis and match report by Josh Manley. We decided […]