Expert Alex Keble believes Arsenal have the best defense in Europe and this is a springboard for them to aim for the Premier League title this season.
After ending 2023 with two defeats to West Ham and Fulham, Arsenal won all six Premier League games in the new year, scoring 25 goals and conceding three. Specifically, the "Gunners" defeated Crystal Palace 5-0, Nottingham Forest 2-1, Liverpool 3-1, West Ham 6-0, Burnley 5-0 and Newcastle 4-1.
"Attacking ability is often talked about more than defending ability, so the 25 goals Arsenal have scored in their last six Premier League games makes the fact they have only conceded three goals in those games understate the point," Keble commented.
How good is Arsenal's defense?
In fact, defense is the launching pad for Arsenal to compete for the Premier League title this season. The Gunners have conceded the fewest goals in the league with 23 goals since the start of the season. They also have an expected goals conceded (xGA) of 18.52 since the start of the season and an xGA in 2024 of 1.90 - both the lowest in the league. This figure is only about a quarter of that of Man City - the defending champions with an xGA in 2024 of 6.8. Meanwhile, the top club Liverpool is even worse, conceding 25 goals, with an xGA in the league of 32.2, and an xGA in 2024 of 10.
Coach Mikel Arteta directs during Arsenal's 3-1 win over Liverpool in round 23 of the Premier League at Emirates Stadium on February 4, 2024. Photo: AFP
Like Pep Guardiola, Arteta’s coaching background is defensive. That might sound counterintuitive at first. But the positioning and high ball control that characterize both Spanish coaches are geared towards shutting down the counter-attacking threat and creating chances for opponents.
With Arteta, the general idea is to press high and hard at certain times. Unlike the constant pressing style of Liverpool or Tottenham, the Gunners often choose their moments and switch to a one-on-one pressing system to stifle and win the ball back.
Arsenal also kept the most clean sheets - 10 - and faced the fewest shots on target - 137. But this was not due to their excellent defending in the home field, but because Arteta's team did not allow opponents to get close to the penalty area, especially in the first half when they pressed hard and dominated completely.
This is evident in the fact that Arsenal allow opponents just 93 touches per 90 minutes in their defensive areas, the second lowest in the league, and 14.5 touches per 90 minutes in the penalty area, fewer than any other team.
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya blocks an attack by striker Miguel Almiron during the 4-1 win over Newcastle in the 26th round of the Premier League on February 24. Photo: Reuters
Arteta’s idea is to hold opponents deep in their own half, shut down counter-attacks as soon as they lose possession and force opponents to play longer, and therefore less accurate, passes. Arsenal have only allowed opponents to complete 45.5% of their long passes – the second-lowest in the league.
The most recent 4-1 win over Newcastle was a clear illustration of Arsenal’s pressing and defending abilities. Alternating between a 4-4-2 and a man-to-man pressing system, Arsenal relentlessly tracked the visitors, with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard leading the press. In the example below, Arsenal pressed Newcastle until the opposition misplayed a pass to Rice.
A situation where Arsenal surrounded Newcastle and made a bad pass right in their own half. Screenshot
Arsenal's dominance was evident in the first half, when Newcastle only touched the ball once in the opposition's penalty area, was caught offside, and failed to register a single shot on target. This had not happened to Newcastle since the match against Southampton in March 2014.
Meanwhile, the Gunners won the ball 11 times in Newcastle's third - the best first-half tally of any Premier League game this season. Conversely, Newcastle failed to pass the ball 29 times in their own third - the worst tally of any club in the opening 45 minutes of the competition.
This season, Arsenal have improved significantly compared to last season. Their xGA has dropped from 1.1 to 0.7; shots faced per 90 minutes have dropped from 9.0 to 8.4; and goals conceded per 90 minutes have also dropped from 1.1 to 0.9.
The influence of Rice, Saliba
There are two main reasons for Arsenal’s defensive improvement, the first being the presence of Declan Rice, who brings leadership and intelligence to the central midfield both on and off the ball. The Englishman is often the first to press, and Rice’s world-class anticipation is instrumental in activating Arsenal’s pressing system. At Arsenal, Rice tops the list for tackles (52), tackles won (32), interceptions (35) and is second only to William Saliba for ball recoveries (128).
Saliba has been the second catalyst for Arsenal's dominance. The French centre-back has not missed a minute of Premier League football this season, having missed 12 games and left Arsenal scrambling for the title last season. Saliba's consistency, along with Gabriel Magalhaes, has given Arsenal a solid foundation.
Arsenal midfielder Saliba blocks striker Luis Diaz during the 3-1 win over Liverpool at Emirates Stadium in round 23 of the Premier League on January 4. Photo: Reuters
Last season, Arsenal picked up 1.75 points per game from 12 games without Saliba and 2.42 points from 26 games with the Frenchman. This season, the Gunners are averaging 2.23 points per game. With the centre-backs in top form and Rice sweeping the pitch, Arsenal look formidable even when they have to defend a little deeper, as all teams do at some point in the game.
Coupled with an excellent pressing system, Arsenal have produced one of the best defences the Premier League has ever seen - and arguably the best in Europe at the moment.
"Twenty of the past 31 Premier League champions have had the best defensive record, as have five of the last six. If they continue to maintain their solid defensive record, Arsenal will have a great chance of winning the title at the end of the season," Keble concluded.
Hong Duy (according to Premier League )
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