With seven video games to go, the Premier League title race is as shut as it may possibly get. Arsenal are on high however simply on aim distinction towards Liverpool with Manchester Metropolis only a level behind. After dropping out on the title, Arsenal are decided to finish their two-decade trophy drought. The Gunners have managed to construct a squad that has challenged for trophies on a number of fronts.
Nearly all of the plaudits have gone on to the workforce’s attackers, corresponding to Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Ødegaard and Leandro Trossard. Nonetheless, the workforce’s defence has been nearly as good, if not higher. Sir Alex Ferguson as soon as mentioned ‘Assault wins you video games, defence wins you titles’. And Arsenal have been the right embodiment of this quote.
Final season, Arsenal misplaced the title by 5 factors, however additionally they conceded ten extra targets. Mikel Aretat mentioned final season, “We’re conceding too many easy targets.” This season, although, has been a special story, and we analyse how the Gunners have change into one of many stingiest defences throughout Europe.
Arsenal 2023-24 defensive stats
With seven video games to go, Arsenal conceded 24 targets, which is the least within the league. That is already seven lower than what they conceded final season on the similar stage. Nonetheless, Arsenal additionally conceded 12 targets within the final seven video games the earlier season which doesn’t look like the case with this season.
The membership have conceded 260 photographs, the second-least within the league. Nonetheless, solely 73 photographs had been on the right track, the best-record within the league. Arsenal’s improved defensive report is a collective effort of the backline and Declan Rice who has not been a terrific participant but additionally a terrific chief.
Gabriel and William Saliba have been on the coronary heart of the defence, preserving the opposition at bay. They’re one of many main the explanation why Arsenal have solely conceded 491 touches of their field, the least within the league.
Arsenal have additionally improved upon their high-pressing abilities. The Gunners at present are the second-best workforce on the Buildup Disruption Share (BDP). The BDP is a metric that measures how typically a workforce disrupts the opposition’s buildup both via tackles, dispossession or interceptions.
Arteta’s males additionally dominate on the Subject Tilt, which measures the proportion of possession a workforce has within the opposition’s half. Arenal are the second-best workforce within the league after Manchester Metropolis within the league.
This excessive urgent model permits the opposition much less time on the ball, giving them fewer alternatives to create probabilities. Opta of their evaluation just lately discovered that Saliba and Gabriel had been the most effective centre-back partnerships within the league successful 17 out of the 24 video games they performed giving them a successful proportion of 70.8.
Former England worldwide Matthew Upson additionally acknowledged the brilliance of Gabriel and William Saliba. The centre-back, who represented the Three Lions on the 2010 FIFA World Cup (the place he additionally scored a aim) gave an interview to Betway the place he lamented reward on the centre-back duo. On being requested whether or not Gabriel and Saliba had been the most effective defensive partnership within the league, Upson mentioned, “I’d say they’re, and I believe that their report would inform you that. They’ve obtained the defensive report within the Premier League when it comes to conceding targets, I believe they’re three targets higher off than some other workforce.”
“That’s normally typically an excellent marker, isn’t it? To say that you simply’ve obtained the most effective centre-back partnerships actually does offer you an opportunity. I believe the midfield has lots to do with it. Declan Rice has had an enormous say; enjoying behind him is a dream when it comes to what he brings. He can instinctively fill in,” he added.
Upson additionally talked concerning the significance of Rice who has offered the bodily presence within the midfield. He mentioned that Rice’s function as a centre-back early in his profession has helped him to work in tandem along with his centre-backs.
“I adore it when the centre-back steps out with the ball, Declan has obtained that intuition, that centre-back intuition, which he performed via under-18 and even in under-21 soccer. He performed lots at centre-half, so he actually understands the function.”
Final season, Saliba missed the final 11 league video games resulting from a again damage. This coincided with Arsenal’s decline in kind the place they relinquished their grip on the title race. And Upson acknowledged that the supply of the Frenchman for your entire season has helped Gabriel massively.
“However I really feel that Gabriel is extra assured when he has Saliba alongside him, and he makes clearer selections. When Arsenal misplaced Saliba on the finish of final season, I felt Gabriel was slightly bit extra distracted. He wasn’t as centered on his personal sport and what he brings in being bodily. I like the way in which he stood as much as Haaland on Sunday and the way he went about that. I believed that was an actual present of confidence,” Upson mentioned.
He additionally acknowledged that with the way in which Saliba was enjoying, he was virtually nearly as good as Virgil Van Dijk, who he acknowledged was the present finest defender within the league.
“By way of the Premier League in the mean time, it’s between Virgil van Dijk and Saliba. I believe it’s troublesome. I believe van Dijk is in a special stage of his profession, he has extra of a presence and aura round him due to what he’s achieved, due to his stature at that membership,” Upson mentioned.