I've seen a lot of negative overraction after Arsenal lost their latest pre-season game against Manchester United, but there is simply no reason to panic. The performance was not that bad and Arteta's team found some nice solutions against United's defensive shape.
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As you can see on the picture in the first tweet, Manchester United used the same 4-2-3-1 defensive shape they used against Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Just like Guardiola's team, Arsenal started the game in a 3-2 (+GK) shape in the buildup.
United's aim with the narrow line of 3 players behind the striker was to limit the space for Arsenal's double pivot, and make it hard to progress the ball through central areas.
United's double pivot (Mount and Mainoo) man marked Odegaard and Havertz while Lisandro agressively followed Nketiah into deep areas, while Varane covered the space behind him.
Against this shape Arsenal was able to progress the ball with well timed rotations in midfield, and they also had a free man in the backline alongside Ramsdale. This time Timber's position affects Garnacho who follows him centrally, while Odegaard pulls Mount out into wide areas.
Because United using a +1 in their backline to cover, Gabriel is the free man, so Antony had to move closer to him, but this creates a 2v1 against Mainoo with Havertz and Tomiyasu.
After Ramsdale's switch to the far side Havertz creates space for Tomiyasu in midfield with a well timed run behind AWB, so the japanese is able to receive the ball and switch it to Saka for a 1vs1 against Shaw.
At times Arsenal simply used a 4-1 shape with wide fullbacks to exploit the space behind the high and narrow front 3.This time Timber is high and wide behind Garnacho,so after Ramsdale passed the ball to him, both Mount and Shaw jumped,which meant that Odegaard and Saka was free.
Arsenal suffered mostly when United built their attacks as they used smart rotations with AWB moving high,while Mainoo dropping into his place or a center back moving into midfield with Heaton as a +1. Ten Hag's team were constantly able to find a free man against Arsenal's press
During the cooling break Arteta adjusted his team's pressing shape, and after that Saka pressed Lisandro, while Timber jumped on Shaw, while Odegaard and Havertz marked the double pivot.
Before the change Martinelli always followed AWB into his own half, but after that he stayed high to put pressure on Mainoo, while Odegaard and Havertz covered the center, with Nketiah denying the possible switch through the GK.
The funny thing is that in the last situations Arsenal pressed worked well and forced United to quickly go long, but they still conceded beacuse Gabriel miskicked the ball.
Arsenal at this moment is a work in progress with the new signings and some new dynamics in terms of roles in the team, but the performance against United was simply not as bad as some might want to sell it.
There are also a lots of positives from Manchester United, especially in the build up phase where they used lots of clever rotations to progress and draw out Arsenal players to create quick transition like situations. Their level will definitely go up with Onana in goal.
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