He later gave Chambers his first Premier League start of the season away to Burnley in March 2021. When still using a back three that December, he highlighted Calum Chambers (6ft) as a player who could still be used as a right-back because: “You win some height, you win other characteristics that are different to Hector Bellerin (5ft 10in) or Cedric (5ft 8in) in that position.” The evolution from 2019 is visible but there was one period during 2020-21 that outlined Arteta’s desire for a more imposing backline. Their first choice back four is Benjamin White (6ft 1in), William Saliba (6ft 4in), Gabriel Magalhaes (6ft 3in) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (5ft 9in), although there are matches, such as the 3-2 win over Liverpool when Takehiro Tomiyasu (6ft 2in) has meant each member of the backline is over six feet tall. Marouane Fellaini then performed multiple roles for him at Goodison Park and Old Trafford, where he later became manager, while Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek were pivotal to West Ham’s success before their dip in league form this term.Īrsenal have seen a height increase across their backline since Arteta took charge and have become more imposing as a result. In his early days at Everton he inherited Duncan Ferguson and Kevin Campbell. That desire for height and physicality has been a hallmark of Moyes’ sides over the past 20 years. He convinced Moyes (who “didn’t want too many small players”) to sign the Spaniard. Even before this point, he tended to be one of few players to have football conversations with assistant manager Alan Irvine. It was at Everton where the signs of a future coach first became apparent in Arteta, with his anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2009 a crucial period in this regard. And while Guardiola clearly has a huge impact on Arteta, in the build up to these matches it is often overlooked that the Arsenal manager has also drawn inspiration from a number of other coaches.īy no means is this a definitive list but here, The Athletic looks at a few themes of Arsenal’s play that could be a result of his exposure to tactics and techniques throughout his life in football.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |