Why Arsenal lead the way for counter-attacking goals

Counter-attacks are viewed as a key tactical component for many managers and head coaches.  

While some prioritise the use of those rapid transitions more than others, the ability to turn defence into attack with ruthless efficiency will always provide a welcome source of goals.

During the current Premier League campaign, strikes from fast breaks currently represent a 5.25 per cent share of all goals.

Here, the construction of those devastating breakaways and the patterns that regularly emerge is analysed.

Exploiting space

Arsenal lead the way with six goals from counter-attacks so far this season, proving to be masters at exploiting holes left by advanced opposition full-backs.

Identifying those empty spaces and surging into them from transitions form a key part of Mikel Arteta's strategy, with four of their six breakaway goals arriving in this way.

Emile Smith Rowe's effort in the 3-1 win at home to Aston Villa was a terrific example.

Following a turnover in possession, Villa right back Matty Cash engaged with left-back Nuno Tavares high upfield, but was bypassed from a ball into Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Making a forceful in-to-out run from deep, Smith Rowe surged into the full-back's unoccupied domain to latch on to a brilliant first-time pass. From that burst, he fired home.

Bukayo Saka's goal on the counter at home to Brentford followed a similar lead.

Saka's strike v Brentford

After regaining the ball inside their own half, with the Bees' right wing-back pushed on, Saka played a forward pass into Alexandre Lacazette before making an explosive 50-yard sprint into the full back's area.

Lacazette set the ball back to Thomas Partey who strode forward before releasing the England international to score from a classic up-back-and-through move.

Punishing 2v2s

Several productive counter-attacks have been inspired by strikers peeling off towards the flanks when opponents have gambled on leaving a 2v2 at the back.

Making angled sprints from central areas towards the empty flanks, these runs offer the player in possession a longer outlet pass into space.

Once they take control of possession, central defenders are in turn dragged wide which is not always comfortable for them.

Bernardo Silva's sensational breakaway goal for Manchester City at Aston Villa is a prime example of that.

From the turnover, Gabriel Jesus made a fantastic in-to-out run that got goal-side of Tyrone Mings, and with Ezri Konsa pulled across on the cover, Bernardo was left alone to convert the cross with a sublime one-touch volley.

WATCH: Bernardo Silva's goal (via YouTube)

Armando Broja (v Leeds United), Ollie Watkins (v Brighton & Hove Albion) and Wilfried Zaha (v Watford) all scored from extremely similar scenarios, arcing their runs into a wide channel to spark the counter.

Decoy moves

When dissecting each counter-attack goal this term, it is clear that strikers sometimes have an unselfish part to play in freeing up space for others.

For example, in Man City's 4-1 success at Brighton, Phil Foden made a smart dart from the middle to the right that distracted both centre-backs.

This movement created space for Jack Grealish to fly into from a Bernardo Silva pass and City's record signing squared to an unmarked Foden inside the box to score.

WATCH: Foden goal v Brighton (via YouTube)

Adam Idah's goal in a 2-1 win against Everton owed plenty to a clever diagonal decoy burst made by Norwich City strike partner Teemu Pukki.

From a Brandon Williams' interception at left-back, Pukki took two defenders with him towards the ball, with little hope of receiving the pass.

This left an inviting avenue down the middle for Idah to profit from.

Breaking the lines

It is often risky, but the best way to break the lines can sometimes be with a piece of sharp, quick dribbling inside your own half.

This has stood out in several goals scored from counters this season.

One of the most memorable was Ademola Lookman’s consolation effort in a 6-3 loss at Man City, inspired by a mazy James Maddison dribble that opened up the pitch to expose the hosts' defence.

But it is West Ham United's Pablo Fornals, with a league-high four goals from fast breaks, who has benefited most from this style of breakaway.

His goals at home to Liverpool and Villa originated from Jarrod Bowen and Declan Rice respectively and, on each occasion, those team-mates dribbled past an opponent inside their own half to spring the transition.

Rice's footwork helped to produce a 3v2 with the spare man Fornals, who was on the far side, eventually converting Said Benrahma's cutback.

Closing down

When all 11 players are back defending behind the ball, the absence of an outlet up front can create issues.

That said, Mohamed Salah and Jadon Sancho proved that ground can still be made, with fabulous individual goals against Everton and Chelsea respectively.

In the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, a corner was cleared to Seamus Coleman, who was subsequently caught in possession by a Salah press.

At Chelsea in November, Manchester United's Sancho raced out from a long clearance to apply pressure on Jorginho and, as a consequence, the Italian's loose touch let him through to score for a 1v1.

Making the effort to close down the last man in this manner can prove fruitful.

Sancho's goal v Chelsea

Working together

Finally, it is important to note that forwards working in tandem, are often the springboard for fabulously constructed counter-attacking goals.

Tottenham Hotspur are the best example of this pattern of play, with Harry Kane and Son Heung-min two of the best in the business at manufacturing top-class breakaways.

Son's strike at home to Brentford was a simple, but outstanding, team move that turned a lofted clearance to the South Korean into a superb goal.

A classic up, back and through saw Son set the ball to Kane, who instantly released wing-back Sergio Reguilon in behind.

Having spun his marker on halfway, Son would apply a simple finish.

WATCH: Son's goal v Brentford

Teams with most goals from fast breaks 2021/22

Six Premier League clubs are still waiting for their first counter-attacking goal of the campaign, but from those who have found the back of the net we have witnessed a diverse assortment of styles.

Using space

Leaving split-strikers up front has resulted in more than one fast-break goal; the use of one front man dragging a centre-back short in order to isolate the other defender in a 1v1 with a runner has worked too; as have dynamic out-to-in sprints between full-backs and central defenders, two of which were scored by Villa's Jacob Ramsey.

The most common feature of counter-attack goals have involved a run either in behind a full-back, or into space they had left free. 

Just over half of the 42 fast-break goals follow this pattern, highlighting the risk-to-reward nature of using attacking full-backs.

As the likes of Arsenal and West Ham have shown this season, there is scope for growth in the number of goals scored from breakaways.

If enough work is done on the training ground to raise efficiency levels, we could soon see the overall share of counter-attacking goals exceed the 10 per cent mark.

Also in this series

Part 2: Hobbs: Support for coaches is incredibly important