With seven video games to go, the Premier League title race is as shut as it may get. Arsenal are on high however simply on purpose distinction towards Liverpool with Manchester Metropolis only a level behind. After shedding 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.
The vast majority of the plaudits have gone on to the staff’s attackers, similar to Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Ødegaard and Leandro Trossard. Nevertheless, the staff’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 in addition 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 turn out to be 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. Nevertheless, Arsenal additionally conceded 12 targets within the final seven video games the earlier season which doesn’t seem like the case with this season.
The membership have conceded 260 pictures, the second-least within the league. Nevertheless, solely 73 pictures had been on 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 in addition a terrific chief.
Gabriel and William Saliba have been on the coronary heart of the defence, retaining 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 expertise. The Gunners at the moment are the second-best staff on the Buildup Disruption Proportion (BDP). The BDP is a metric that measures how typically a staff 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 staff has within the opposition’s half. Arenal are the second-best staff within the league after Manchester Metropolis within the league.
This excessive urgent type permits the opposition much less time on the ball, giving them fewer alternatives to create possibilities. Opta of their evaluation not too long ago discovered that Saliba and Gabriel had been among the best centre-back partnerships within the league profitable 17 out of the 24 video games they performed giving them a profitable 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 purpose) 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 one of the best defensive partnership within the league, Upson mentioned, “I might say they’re, and I feel that their report would inform you that. They’ve acquired the defensive report within the Premier League by way of conceding targets, I feel they’re three targets higher off than another staff.”
“That’s often typically a very good marker, isn’t it? To say that you just’ve acquired among the best centre-back partnerships actually does offer you an opportunity. I feel the midfield has lots to do with it. Declan Rice has had an enormous say; enjoying behind him is a dream by way of what he brings. He can instinctively fill in,” he added.
Upson additionally talked in regards to the significance of Rice who has supplied 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 together with his centre-backs.
“I like it when the centre-back steps out with the ball, Declan has acquired 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 on account of a again damage. This coincided with Arsenal’s decline in type the place they relinquished their grip on the title race. And Upson said that the provision of the Frenchman for your complete 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 a bit of bit extra distracted. He wasn’t as centered on his personal sport and what he brings in being bodily. I really like the best way 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 said that with the best way Saliba was enjoying, he was virtually nearly as good as Virgil Van Dijk, who he said was the present finest defender within the league.
“By way of the Premier League in the intervening time, it’s between Virgil van Dijk and Saliba. I feel it’s tough. I feel 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.