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Arsenal Have Turned A Tactical Corner In The Big Games

wenger arsenal tactics

Arsenal's record against top teams this season encouragingly juxtaposes the disastrous record of last year - with three wins and two draws from six big matches so far. With just the two wins from ten attempts last season against these same teams, Arsenal have seemingly learned the lessons of the past and that has been demonstrated with some superbly worked wins away at Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter final, away at Manchester City and at home against Liverpool in the Premier League.

For years, Arsenal have painfully suffered defeats in big games and have been frustratingly reluctant to learn from their mistakes. Having conceded twelve goals at both Stamford Bridge and the Etihad last season, in addition to conceding five at Anfield, it seemed that the Gunners had been felled the same way yet again: playing a predictable game of possession football and being exploited too high up the pitch.

However, with just the two losses in six games against top teams, the penny has seemingly dropped. Arsenal have come out in these fixtures, particularly this calender year, and been prepared to sacrifice possession for defensive stability before counter-attacking efficiently and clinically. Arsene Wenger's notorious stubbornness amplifies the effect of this new style of play, and it would seem that Arsenal have finally turned a corner in terms of approaching big games.

giroud goal big game

In both Manchester victories, Arsenal had an inferior percentage of possession: a mere 35% at the Etihad and 42% at Old Trafford. For an Arsene Wenger side, this is particularly unique and demonstrates the change in Arsenal's preparation of big games. The most pertinent of the aforementioned losses this season - a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea - interestingly further illustrates the effectiveness of this new system of football and promotes the idea of giving up possession for ruthlessness on the break, as it was Arsenal who had more of the ball with 53% that day, but it was their opponents who still ran out as the comfortable victors.

To answer the big question - whether these victories against top teams prove that Arsenal have finally turned a corner - I believe so, yes. Obviously, other factors cannot be ignored: particularly the emergence of Francis Coquelin in addition to the fine vein of form from Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez. However, this has been largely affected by the way they've been laid out - Coquelin remaining disciplined with the forwards having licence to interchange - and that is down to the manager's change in tactics.

Considering Arsenal's new tactical approach in these big games has overseen a first victory in the blue side of Manchester for five years, and the first victory on the red side of Manchester for nine years, this season has seemingly heralded the end of Arsene Wenger's tactical naivety and unwillingness to change, and has professedly marked the beginning of a more realistic, albeit less romantic (as the manager puts it), style of play.

By The Chilean Pele

 

Goonersphere's Response

Thanks for writing in. There has been a more pragmatic approach against the top teams this season and it is producing results. I think the type of game we play now in these matches is partially down to the style of player we have, technically sound but willing to do the "dirty work". Winning the big games isn't always key to winning titles but certainly the improved mentality and confidence from doing so has seemingly so far cut out the silly errors in the smaller games too.

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