With seven video games to go, the Premier League title race is as shut as it may get. Arsenal are on prime however simply on aim distinction towards Liverpool with Manchester Metropolis only a level behind. After shedding out on the title, Arsenal are decided to finish their two-decade trophy drought. The Gunners have managed to construct a squad that has challenged for trophies on a number of fronts.
The vast majority of the plaudits have gone on to the crew’s attackers, corresponding to Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Ødegaard and Leandro Trossard. Nevertheless, the crew’s defence has been pretty much as good, if not higher. Sir Alex Ferguson as soon as mentioned ‘Assault wins you video games, defence wins you titles’. And Arsenal have been the right embodiment of this quote.
Final season, Arsenal misplaced the title by 5 factors, however in addition they conceded ten extra targets. Mikel Aretat mentioned final season, “We’re conceding too many easy targets.” This season, although, has been a unique story, and we analyse how the Gunners have develop into one of many stingiest defences throughout Europe.
Arsenal 2023-24 defensive stats
With seven video games to go, Arsenal conceded 24 targets, which is the least within the league. That is already seven lower than what they conceded final season on the similar stage. Nevertheless, Arsenal additionally conceded 12 targets within the final seven video games the earlier season which doesn’t look like the case with this season.
The membership have conceded 260 pictures, the second-least within the league. Nevertheless, solely 73 pictures have been on track, the best-record within the league. Arsenal’s improved defensive document is a collective effort of the backline and Declan Rice who has not been an excellent participant but additionally an excellent chief.
Gabriel and William Saliba have been on the coronary heart of the defence, preserving the opposition at bay. They’re one of many main the explanation why Arsenal have solely conceded 491 touches of their field, the least within the league.
Arsenal have additionally improved upon their high-pressing expertise. The Gunners at the moment are the second-best crew on the Buildup Disruption Share (BDP). The BDP is a metric that measures how usually a crew disrupts the opposition’s buildup both via tackles, dispossession or interceptions.
Arteta’s males additionally dominate on the Subject Tilt, which measures the share of possession a crew has within the opposition’s half. Arenal are the second-best crew within the league after Manchester Metropolis within the league.
This excessive urgent model permits the opposition much less time on the ball, giving them fewer alternatives to create probabilities. Opta of their evaluation lately discovered that Saliba and Gabriel have been among the finest centre-back partnerships within the league successful 17 out of the 24 video games they performed giving them a successful proportion of 70.8.
Former England worldwide Matthew Upson additionally acknowledged the brilliance of Gabriel and William Saliba. The centre-back, who represented the Three Lions on the 2010 FIFA World Cup (the place he additionally scored a aim) gave an interview to Betway the place he lamented reward on the centre-back duo. On being requested whether or not Gabriel and Saliba have been the most effective defensive partnership within the league, Upson mentioned, “I might say they’re, and I believe that their document would inform you that. They’ve obtained the defensive document within the Premier League by way of conceding targets, I believe they’re three targets higher off than another crew.”
“That’s often typically an excellent marker, isn’t it? To say that you simply’ve obtained among the finest centre-back partnerships actually does offer you an opportunity. I believe the midfield has rather a lot to do with it. Declan Rice has had an enormous say; enjoying behind him is a dream by way of what he brings. He can instinctively fill in,” he added.
Upson additionally talked in regards to the significance of Rice who has offered the bodily presence within the midfield. He mentioned that Rice’s position as a centre-back early in his profession has helped him to work in tandem along with his centre-backs.
“I like it when the centre-back steps out with the ball, Declan has obtained that intuition, that centre-back intuition, which he performed via under-18 and even in under-21 soccer. He performed rather a lot at centre-half, so he actually understands the position.”
Final season, Saliba missed the final 11 league video games as a result of a again harm. This coincided with Arsenal’s decline in type the place they relinquished their grip on the title race. And Upson said that the supply of the Frenchman for your entire season has helped Gabriel massively.
“However I really feel that Gabriel is extra assured when he has Saliba alongside him, and he makes clearer selections. When Arsenal misplaced Saliba on the finish of final season, I felt Gabriel was a bit bit extra distracted. He wasn’t as targeted on his personal recreation and what he brings in being bodily. I really like the best way he stood as much as Haaland on Sunday and the way he went about that. I believed that was an actual present of confidence,” Upson mentioned.
He additionally said that with the best way Saliba was enjoying, he was nearly pretty much as good as Virgil Van Dijk, who he said was the present finest defender within the league.
“When it comes to the Premier League in the mean time, it’s between Virgil van Dijk and Saliba. I believe it’s troublesome. I believe van Dijk is in a unique stage of his profession, he has extra of a presence and aura round him due to what he’s achieved, due to his stature at that membership,” Upson mentioned.