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da pinup bet： After nearly twenty-two years under the control of Arsene Wenger, whoever replaced the Frenchman in the Emirates Stadium dugout was always going to want to stamp his own identity on the Arsenal team.
Unai Emery has certainly been attempting to introduce a new style of play at Arsenal and, despite some setbacks, has stood firm by his ultimate vision for the club.
On the chalkboard
The tactical approach that Emery has adopted for this Arsenal project is built upon the principle of the ball being played out from the back. This means that moves start with the defence, usually the goalkeeper. From there, instead of looking long, the team seeks to lay the foundations of an attacking advance by passing the ball around deep in their own territory in an attempt to manoeuvre themselves into an advantageous position.
This is not a new technique, even to the Premier League. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City set the standard for this style of play in their record-breaking title-winning campaign last time out. Jurgen Klopp’s summer purchase of Alisson, a goalkeeper renowned for his ability with the ball at his feet, is a clear indicator of the German coach trying to embed similar practices at Anfield.
However, Emery has experienced some difficulties in getting his new set of players – particularly the veteran between the sticks, Petr Cech – to deliver upon these instructions effectively. Yet, Emery will not compromise upon his ideals, as the benefits for Arsenal of mastering this style of play could be huge.
The difference
Playing out from the back invites pressure. Opposition players take the opportunity to press, close down and harry the defenders/goalkeeper on the ball in order to force them into a mistake. At the moment, Arsenal are making those kinds of errors all too regularly.
However, the whole point of playing out from the back is to invite exactly that kind of pressure. When the opposition advance and press, they leave gaps in the midfield. A side that excels in playing out from the back is able to move the ball intricately and rapidly – and consistently without failure – around these onrushing opponents and into the vacated spaces behind them.
At this point, far from being hemmed in, the side on the ball suddenly find themselves with a numerical advantage and with frailties in the opposition’s shape to exploit.
Arrival at this level of competency with this style is Emery’s ultimate aim for Arsenal, and he can never get there by abandoning the system now. Guardiola himself had similar issues in his first season at the Etihad Stadium. The reward for his perseverance came in the form of City’s utter domestic dominance last season.
Arsenal don’t have the financial resources to match City, but the system of playing out from the back is symbolic of the Gunners’ ambition and the process of modernisation they’re currently undergoing. It’ll require patience, but it needs sticking with.
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