Martin Ødegaard is an ELITE player is his new all-encompassing role.
In the #10, he had natural limitations that prevented him from reaching the likes of KDB. He's a different profile now, more like Bernardo Silva.
Somehow, Arteta's Arsenal are going to get better..
THREAD! 🚨
In the #10, he had natural limitations that prevented him from reaching the likes of KDB. He's a different profile now, more like Bernardo Silva.
Somehow, Arteta's Arsenal are going to get better..
THREAD! 🚨
In yesterday's game, Burnley tried to match up with Arsenal's build-up in a 4-4-2 where they shadow marked balls into the players positioned high before arcing their runs to press the ball carries in the backline.
The approach was fine, but Arsenal are simply a far better team.
The approach was fine, but Arsenal are simply a far better team.
In this moment, Burnley jumped too aggressively in the press as two players went to press the same man.
With Arsenal being the elite team that they are, they played through the press and found themselves in a favourable position in offensive transition.
Ødegaard punished them..
With Arsenal being the elite team that they are, they played through the press and found themselves in a favourable position in offensive transition.
Ødegaard punished them..
The 'edge of the box rifle' is synonymous with Ødegaard, but it's Arteta usage of him in every other phase that is particularly interesting & *new*..
Here we see Arsenal build in a 4-2-4 with Ødegaard in a double pivot.
Ahead of that, Trossard & Havertz split between the lines.
Here we see Arsenal build in a 4-2-4 with Ødegaard in a double pivot.
Ahead of that, Trossard & Havertz split between the lines.
Because Arsenal are a team that like to attack with 5 in the last line, Ødegaard's dropping movements are a cue for Ben White to position himself high up the pitch.
This often occurs with him pushing high and wide on the right wing which invites Saka to occupy the inside pocket.
This often occurs with him pushing high and wide on the right wing which invites Saka to occupy the inside pocket.
As White starts deep and he has to travel high, it means that Arsenal only attack with 4 in the last line at times.
However, this almost exclusively occurs in transition-based moments.
When Arsenal decide to recycle in these situations, Ødegaard moves high & ARS attack with 5.
However, this almost exclusively occurs in transition-based moments.
When Arsenal decide to recycle in these situations, Ødegaard moves high & ARS attack with 5.
It's the first and second phase dynamics that interest me the most, though.
Here we see Ødegaard move high as he simultaneously instructs Ben White to invert into midfield.
Then, Arsenal start to build in their desired 3-2 shape with 5 players ahead of that in attack.
Here we see Ødegaard move high as he simultaneously instructs Ben White to invert into midfield.
Then, Arsenal start to build in their desired 3-2 shape with 5 players ahead of that in attack.
However, these are the exact moments in which Ødegaard's *new* role become apparent.
Despite their limitations, Burnley are well-drilled.
They are capable of matching up against the opposition's build-up in the press to ensure there are no spare men.
Ødegaard prevented that.
Despite their limitations, Burnley are well-drilled.
They are capable of matching up against the opposition's build-up in the press to ensure there are no spare men.
Ødegaard prevented that.
Here we see Burnley press Arsenal's build-up effectively, but Ødegaard drops deep from between the lines to overload their press.
He drops all the way into the first line of the build-up, asks for the ball to feet, and forces Burnley's high press to drop off into a mid-block.
He drops all the way into the first line of the build-up, asks for the ball to feet, and forces Burnley's high press to drop off into a mid-block.
Then, as a result of that action, Arsenal can form their desired 3-2-5 shape in attack as Burnley have been penned back.
In these moments, Ødegaard can move back into his typical space in the right half space between the lines (so as long as White is inverted alongside Rice).
In these moments, Ødegaard can move back into his typical space in the right half space between the lines (so as long as White is inverted alongside Rice).
Ødegaard made sure that occurred, though, as he consistently organised the structure of his team.
As he was moving high, he instructed White to invert. His tactical understanding is incredible.
Much like Bernardo is for Pep, Ødegaard is like a coach on the pitch for Mikel..
As he was moving high, he instructed White to invert. His tactical understanding is incredible.
Much like Bernardo is for Pep, Ødegaard is like a coach on the pitch for Mikel..
Arteta himself also has plenty of novel solutions which help Arsenal's new dynamic...
When Ødegaard drops deep, Trossard drifts into the captain's vacated zone.
This gives Arsenal lots of combination-potential on the right-hand side, but it also creates space for Kai to attack.
When Ødegaard drops deep, Trossard drifts into the captain's vacated zone.
This gives Arsenal lots of combination-potential on the right-hand side, but it also creates space for Kai to attack.
It also means that Ødegaard (and others) can find Havertz' movement in behind before Trossard makes a run from deep of his own from the right half space.
This led to the creation of Arsenal's penalty.
The thing about Ødegaard, though, is he's not just useful in possession..
This led to the creation of Arsenal's penalty.
The thing about Ødegaard, though, is he's not just useful in possession..
In fact, he often leads the press for Arsenal, and his understanding of when to press, work rate, aggression, and intensity is off the scale good..
Here we see Arsenal press Burnley's central quartet in their 4-2-4 with Ødegaard pressing the ball carrier & shadow marking the #6.
Here we see Arsenal press Burnley's central quartet in their 4-2-4 with Ødegaard pressing the ball carrier & shadow marking the #6.
Then, where possible, the shadowing-marking oriented pressing approach transitions into a full-blown man-to-man press as Rice jumps high to press Burnley's spare #6 and Saliba + Gabriel press the central attackers in the front four dropping between the lines.
The press is TOP 💯
The press is TOP 💯
Arteta prefers to go man-to-man from opposition goal kicks, but against Burnley he decided to leave them with a spare man in the build-up unless the players decided the moment was right to transition into a man-to-man press.
This is because he wanted Rice to help defensively.
This is because he wanted Rice to help defensively.
In the man-to-man press, it can result it moments like this occurring in deep defensive zones if the initial phase of pressing is bypassed.
Alternatively, in the shadow-marking-based press, Arsenal have Rice back to help create defensive overloads in these types of moments.
Alternatively, in the shadow-marking-based press, Arsenal have Rice back to help create defensive overloads in these types of moments.
Against a team like Burnley who A) often go long from goal kicks, and B), don't have elite technical quality, it makes sense to press them in a primarily conservative manner, but that is only possible if the players responsible for shadow marking high are exceptional pressers..
Ødegaard's ability to lead the press is a huge reason as to why Arteta is comfortable in making that decision.
However, this has been the case with Ødegaard for a season and a half now. His pressing has been consistently fantastic.
What is most impressive, is his *new role*.
However, this has been the case with Ødegaard for a season and a half now. His pressing has been consistently fantastic.
What is most impressive, is his *new role*.
Previously, Arsenal were an elite tactical team, but they were quite predictable to set up to play against.
When we saw Zinchenko, for example, starting, it was clear the dynamics were going to consist of him inverting into midfield with Ødegaard high in the front 5.
When we saw Zinchenko, for example, starting, it was clear the dynamics were going to consist of him inverting into midfield with Ødegaard high in the front 5.
Now, though, Arsenal are more tactically diverse and Ødegaard is essential to that.
Instead of the team rigidly building in a 4-2-4 before transitioning into a 3-2-5, the players have been given more responsibility.
This is because the squad is bigger & they understand Arteta..
Instead of the team rigidly building in a 4-2-4 before transitioning into a 3-2-5, the players have been given more responsibility.
This is because the squad is bigger & they understand Arteta..
The next evolution of Arteta's Arsenal is occurring right in front of our eyes.
I go back to the image from before where Ødegaard dropped deep to overload Burnley's press.
This is a player-based decision. Ødegaard has license to do this on the pitch, & it kills the opposition..
I go back to the image from before where Ødegaard dropped deep to overload Burnley's press.
This is a player-based decision. Ødegaard has license to do this on the pitch, & it kills the opposition..
Let me tell you why:
Look at the picture below. Burnley matched up well with Arsenal initially, but Ødegaard dropped deep, overloaded the press, & received on the first line. Tactically, to combat this, they have to bring a centre back out to press or leave ARS with an overload.
Look at the picture below. Burnley matched up well with Arsenal initially, but Ødegaard dropped deep, overloaded the press, & received on the first line. Tactically, to combat this, they have to bring a centre back out to press or leave ARS with an overload.
If Burnley did bring a centre back out to press, they may have a more compact press as they match up in man-to-man fashion, but football is not played on paper..
How many centre backs, in world football, would be willing to press that high with 100% intensity and commitment?
How many centre backs, in world football, would be willing to press that high with 100% intensity and commitment?
Not only that, but we have to consider the profile of the player. This is Martin Ødegaard - one of the most impossible to press players in the sport. GOOD LUCK dispossessing him.
This player-based decision is what we see with Bernardo Silva at City.
That's who Ødegaard is now.
This player-based decision is what we see with Bernardo Silva at City.
That's who Ødegaard is now.
Last summer, Pep said that City could not replace Bernardo. He was right..
The guy may not accumulate the output of the elites, but he's a tactician on the pitch who can't be dispossessed, is mobile & brave to consistently get on the ball & excels in the press.
That's Ødegaard.
The guy may not accumulate the output of the elites, but he's a tactician on the pitch who can't be dispossessed, is mobile & brave to consistently get on the ball & excels in the press.
That's Ødegaard.
Now that Arsenal have their own Bernardo, they have levelled up as a team.
They are more tactically diverse, much harder to prepare to play against, and more fluid as a whole whilst maintaining top positional play, physicality, pressing, and all of their other elite qualities.
They are more tactically diverse, much harder to prepare to play against, and more fluid as a whole whilst maintaining top positional play, physicality, pressing, and all of their other elite qualities.
And the craziest thing about it is Timber, Tomiyasu, Partey, Fabio Vieira, and Jesus have mostly been injured.
The team are reliant on Ødegaard as he is a player that maybe only Bernardo could replace in world football, but even without Martin, Arsenal are tactically diverse..
The team are reliant on Ødegaard as he is a player that maybe only Bernardo could replace in world football, but even without Martin, Arsenal are tactically diverse..
It would be amazing if Arsenal could win the Premier League and/or Champions League this year, but all I can think about is how utterly incredible this team are now and are going to be.
The team has levelled up thanks to Arteta & Ødegaard, yet somehow there's MORE to come 🤯
🛑
The team has levelled up thanks to Arteta & Ødegaard, yet somehow there's MORE to come 🤯
🛑
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