Why Arteta has changed his Arsenal defence

Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 4.

Arsenal v Man Utd

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta may contemplate altering his early-season tactics for Sunday’s home match with Manchester United.

ARS

3-1

MUN

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Arteta has started Thomas Partey at right-back in all three matches, with the Ghanaian moving into central midfield when Arsenal have possession.

This approach opened paths for Partey to play a number of crisp passes into Bukayo Saka’s feet from infield, freeing up his team-mate for 1v1s with the opposition left-back.

See: What transfers clubs need: Arsenal to Brighton

However, there have also been some teething problems, especially when Arsenal's build-up play has broken down, as it did for Fulham’s first-minute goal in last weekend's 2-2 draw at Emirates Stadium.

Oleksandr Zinchenko’s return to full fitness presents Arteta with an opportunity to switch up his strategy.

It has been interesting to watch Partey move inside to be the central orchestrator from his unusual full-back slot.

Partey's presence in that role has allowed Arteta to bring an extra attacking midfielder, Kai Havertz, into his starting XI.

Attacking outlet

Sometimes Partey offers the remaining back three an outlet for a pass between the lines.

Alternatively, he drops into a centre-back position, pushing Ben White into a more orthodox right-back slot.

The fluency of those passages of play have been varied until this point, and a mix-up in positioning did present a gift to Fulham’s Andreas Pereira in the opening minute last week.

Here, you see Partey start off in between William Saliba and White.

But then Partey jumps into central midfield to offer team-mates a new passing angle. Saka has not seen that move, and plays a stray blind pass into space, which Pereira pounced on to score.

Freeing up Saka

One aspect of Arteta’s thinking with this alternative set-up has been to draw opponents away from Saka.

With Partey often dragging a player with him infield, it has been easier to slide balls into Saka, without him being crowded out by double markers.

Partey, White and Martin Odegaard have all supplied him with a near constant service.

Last season, Saka enjoyed 58.5 touches per 90 minutes, but this season that figure has risen markedly to an average of 83.3 touches.

Arsenal’s opposition need to be taken into account, but that leap is huge and Saka is currently having considerably more touches than any other wide player in the Premier League.

Premier League wingers touches 2023/24

The one negative of using Partey in this way is the impact it has had on White’s relationship with Saka.

In 2022/23, the duo shared an outstanding chemistry, but with White playing more central now, that has suffered a little.

The case for change

The visit of Man Utd may be enough for Arteta to consider a different structure.

Deploying twin attacking midfielders, Havertz and Odegaard, may seem too adventurous, so he could bring Partey back into the defensive midfield role and move Declan Rice to his left.

This would firm the side up in midfield and better protect them against United’s dangerous counters.

Using Zinchenko as an inverted left-back, as he did so successfully during 2022/23, feels like it makes sense for this match too.

He is very comfortable in that position, varying his contribution’s infield and out wide, perhaps more naturally than Partey can on the other flank.

As shown in their respective chalkboards against Fulham (above), Zinchenko stretched Arsenal’s opponents out wide with far greater regularity, and got into some very advanced positions.

On the other side Saka has been left isolated at times, and less able to be part of any penetrative combination play down the right.

The inclusion of Zinchenko at left-back could also pave the way for Gabriel to reunite with Saliba in the heart of Arsenal’s defence.

Next: Adrian Clarke on Brighton v Newcastle