What a difference a week makes in football.
Seven days ago, Arsenal were basking in the glow of a record-setting 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven, the largest away victory in Champions League knockout history. It was a performance that seemed to exorcise the ghosts of their recent struggles, and optimism around Mikel Arteta’s men was high. Surely, with that kind of attacking firepower, they could carry that momentum into the weekend against a struggling Manchester United side languishing in 14th place in the Premier League?
But Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford told an all too familiar story. Arsenal was dominant in possession, as they have been for much of the season, but once again they were blunt in front of goal. A 74th-minute strike from Declan Rice was the highlight of the day for the Gunners, but without the heroics of goalkeeper David Raya, who made three crucial saves in the second half, they could well have left Manchester with nothing.
The Low Block Blues
The most glaring concern for Arteta’s side remains their inability to break down ‘low block’ teams that sit deep and absorb pressure. This is where their struggles were most evident against Manchester United, who, with just 32% possession, invited Arsenal to break them down. Unlike in Eindhoven, where PSV were willing to take the game to Arsenal and were punished for it, Manchester United’s deep block stifled Arteta’s men. The Gunners had 17 shots yet only managed one goal with an Expected Goals of 1.66, reflecting the wastefulness of their attacking efforts.
With the continued absence of Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, and with Gabriel Martinelli fit only for a place on the bench, injuries undoubtedly played a role, but there’s a deeper issue at hand. Arsenal’s attack, despite their dominance of possession, appears devoid of creativity when faced with a low block. On Sunday, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice regularly came short to receive the ball, while Ethan Nwaneri, deployed out wide on the right, struggled to have any impact in the Saka role. In contrast, Saka’s ability to cut inside and exploit the half-spaces in the final third is still sorely missed.
It’s this lack of invention in the final third that has left Arteta’s side looking increasingly toothless. A team that can score seven goals away from home in Europe one week can only muster one against a struggling United side the next. It’s a stark contrast that begs the question: can Arsenal adapt and find a way to unlock opposition defences, or will this season’s continental campaign fizzle out in similar fashion?
All Eyes on Europe
Arsenal’s European ambitions remain alive, and it’s the Champions League that now represents the club’s best hope for silverware. Despite their domestic troubles, Arsenal’s 7-1 victory over PSV in the first leg means they are on the verge of reaching the quarter-final stage of the competition.
The road ahead to the final will not be easy, and to get to Munich, Arsenal will first have to beat one of the Spanish capital’s two footballing giants. Heading into their second leg at the Estadio Metropolitano on Wednesday leading 2-1 on aggregate, Real Madrid loom large as the Gunners’ likely opponents in the next round. The defending European champions would no doubt test Arsenal’s resolute defence to the limit with their plethora of attacking talent. However, it’s Atlético Madrid, under the tutelage of Diego Simeone, who may present the biggest challenge to the Gunners’ European dreams. The Spanish side are renowned for their dogged defending and ability to sit deep, qualities that have seen them concede just 18 goals in La Liga this season, the lowest of any team across Europe’s top five leagues. Arsenal have only met Atletico once in Europe before, and that ended in heartbreak, losing 2-1 on aggregate in the 2018 Europa League semi-finals.
Although the Premier League is now seemingly beyond Arteta’s reach, the Champions League remains the holy grail for Arsenal fans. The Gunners have never lifted any of UEFA’s three major European trophies [the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League] and their last continental triumph dates back to 1994, when they edged out Parma 1-0 in the now-defunct Cup Winners’ Cup.
In preparation for Wednesday’s return leg against PSV, Arteta could look to rotate his squad ahead of Sunday’s London derby at home to Chelsea, with Ben White and Raheem Sterling potentially in line for starting roles. Gabriel Martinelli’s return from injury may see him feature again as a substitute, with the Brazilian still regaining full fitness.
The task at hand is clear: Arsenal must find a way to be more clinical in front of goal, while continuing to solidify the defensive unit that has kept them competitive this season. Their hopes of European glory, and perhaps, Arteta’s future at the club, now rest on navigating the challenges of the Champions League with the same ruthlessness they showed in Eindhoven last week.
JP McGrath is a MA student journalist at City, University of London reporting in the heart of Mildmay, Islington. JP has worked with two universities in the US covering their athletics programs. With a particular passion for sports, JP has worked as an NFL analyst and spent a week on the Times newspaper sports desk.