Mikel Arteta admits it has taken his side a little while to come to terms with Martin Odegaard’s absence but after last weekend’s swashbuckling win over Leicester and Tuesday’s efficient dismantling of Paris Saint-Germain, he believes there are signs of their attacking flow returning.
The Gunners lost their influential captain last month ahead of a trio of away games and with little time on the training ground found themselves trying to find solutions on the fly. Ultimately, they leaned into their strengths in defence and from set pieces to preserve their unbeaten streak.
Last Saturday, something seemed to click. While Arteta’s side left it late to secure the win over Leicester, their 16 shots on target—joint-most in a single match since 2004—suggests they’re starting to find their rhythm.
Facing the media ahead of Saturday’s match with Southampton, Arteta reflected: “We had a really difficult fixture list after the international break. On top of that, a lot of unpredictable things happened in terms of injuries and players not being available. But we adapted, we look forward and we competed really well in all games.
“For sure there are aspects that we have to still improve but we are showing a lot of consistency, a lot of adaptability in the way that we can play and win games and I think these are all very positive signs but it’s very early in the season still.”
On coping without Odegaard, he continued: “We had to be different. I think the impact that Martin has in everything that we do, it was too big to try to replicate it with one player.
“We tried to do it in a different way, adapting a few things and playing to players’ qualities, players that can play in spaces, positions and with the right chemistry around them. And maybe it took a game or two and then everything started to flow a bit better. But I think we’ll find a way. But we’re still missing him a lot because he’s one of the most important players for us.”
When news of Odegaard’s injury broke, Arsenal fans speculated that Kai Havertz would be utilised in midfield with Gabriel Jesus a candidate to lead the line. As it happens, Havertz has held an attacking role in the side often dovetailing with Leandro Trossard in a formation that often looks like a 4-4-2 without the ball.
Asked about the decision to try something new and whether it has been implemented solely because of injuries to key personnel, Arteta said: “Yeah, especially because I think we have to put players in positions and qualities that they can feel it, that they are in their strengths and try to hide our weaknesses as much as possible.
“So without Martin, we have other things that we cannot do. But as well, we are a bigger threat in other areas and we have to make the most out of that.”
At times, Arsenal have appeared to favour a more direct football, with David Raya not afraid to play long from goalkicks and big switches of play coming from defence and midfield. Arteta says that’s not so much down to personnel as the qualities of the opposition.
“In certain games, yes [we go direct], but it wasn’t because of Martin, more because of the behaviour of the opposition.”
It’s been tough living without Martin. But we really did think only 3 weeks ago that were Odegaard to get injured, we’d be utterly screwed.
What’s cool about this new knowledge is that we can now rest Ode, or take him off after 60 mins, and know we have a coherent system that works without him.
Still really looking forward to seeing that dream weaver again though. It’s just not the same without him.
You’re so Gary wright
Garth Marenghi is now my 2nd favourite dream weaver.
What a show!! 🙂
When he returns, he’ll take us to an astral plane and cross the highways of fantasy.
It’s just so impressive, how with this group and this manager we can adapt to anything! We still play great football, winning football.
So I was right to have refused to blame the fact that we didn’t win the league two years ago on Saliba’s injury.
No you were not right. Saliba’s absence had a massive impact with Holding coming into the side and the defence looking all over the place. It’s delusional to think losing Saliba didn’t affect our chances of winning the league.
I shouldn’t have to explain the differences between the two situations… but here goes. A center back’s pace and individual quality determines fundamental things you can and can’t do on the pitch. The better/faster your CB pairing, the higher you can set your defensive line. The best teams in the world all have a high line and they all tend to have rapid defenders. If you take that away, suddenly you can’t play a high line and you have to give the opponent more space in their half, which means you can’t press as effectively. Ipso facto, you lose control… Read more »
We were not at this level two years ago. Don’t forget, this team has grown and matured over that period. Both the manager and the players. This current team might be able to cope without Saliba, but two years ago we wouldn’t and couldn’t.
You have been right once, but that wasn’t the time.
That Ødegaard’s absence would limit our creative passing and brilliant combinations went without saying. But I was also worried about his both leading and organising the press. I was pretty confident Havertz (Ødegaard’s usual accomplice in pressing) would continue this role, but I was completely surprised that Trossard has done it. Havertz / Trossard out of possession isn’t exactly the same as Havertz / Ødegarrd, but it plays a very similar role. I’ve always liked Trossard–but I never thought he could be this important a player for Arsenal. He deserves great credit–but so does Mikel Arteta for turning him into… Read more »
Yea, he’s a real gem. If he were an Invincible, which one do you think he’d be? (Trossard)
Freddie
He’s definitely the Freddie of the bunch in terms of his role on the team and the spark he provides, even if he obviously isn’t remotely the kind of athlete Freddie was.
(he makes up for it with top tier intelligence and composure on the ball)
It’s just a shame he seems so grumpy. I really love his incredible conversion rate but I worry he is a dressing room downer. And we know how Mikel deals with them. Fingers crossed I’m wrong.
Nah, I think it’s just his style
But Henry wasn’t fun to be with as a player at Arsenal. When he left for Barcelona, many players came out to say they could perform better because he was very demanding. What happened is that the team regressed and was completely out of top four.
False 9/10 suits Leo down to the ground. With a double-pivot behind him and allowed to come central he can use his dribbling skills and pen box instincts with a perfect foil in Havertz.
When you have versatile, quality players more solutions are available.
Who cares about Odegaard? We’ve got Nwaneri!
Wow! You move on fast.
😛
Arteta is doing an incredibly good job. Faced with abscences of his two most important players and away at Spurs, he produced a masterclass to leave White Hart Lane with all the three points. This contrasts sharply with our 3-0 loss to them three years ago. Anyone remember when an injruy to TP5 was enough to completely disorganize and ruin our season? Arteta has built a team that can survive any injury. I suspect the team won’t crumble even without Saliba. Arteta has so many options to make up for any loss. I’ll be watching keenly to see how Pep… Read more »
Great points. Stacking the defence, signings-wise, looked so odd until the bigger picture of absences and versatility came into focus. Feels like an interesting transition in football (though it may have always been somewhat present) that individuals are less important than those you have to cover and adapt. I think that was so present from the subs bench in my formative years of watching football (90s), but now it feels like it has to be an ebb and flow across the season from the squad at your disposal.
I think Pep has the resources and know-how to find solutions. He also has a guaranteed goal machine up front to bail him out.