With seven video games to go, the Premier League title race is as shut as it could 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 group’s attackers, resembling Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Ødegaard and Leandro Trossard. Nevertheless, the group’s defence has been nearly 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 additionally they conceded ten extra objectives. Mikel Aretat mentioned final season, “We’re conceding too many easy objectives.” This season, although, has been a special story, and we analyse how the Gunners have grow to be one of many stingiest defences throughout Europe.
Arsenal 2023-24 defensive stats
With seven video games to go, Arsenal conceded 24 objectives, which is the least within the league. That is already seven lower than what they conceded final season on the identical stage. Nevertheless, Arsenal additionally conceded 12 objectives within the final seven video games the earlier season which doesn’t seem like the case with this season.
The membership have conceded 260 photographs, the second-least within the league. Nevertheless, solely 73 photographs have been on track, the best-record within the league. Arsenal’s improved defensive file is a collective effort of the backline and Declan Rice who has not been an important participant but additionally an important chief.
Gabriel and William Saliba have been on the coronary heart of the defence, holding the opposition at bay. They’re one of many main the reason 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 present are the second-best group on the Buildup Disruption Proportion (BDP). The BDP is a metric that measures how typically a group disrupts the opposition’s buildup both by tackles, dispossession or interceptions.
Arteta’s males additionally dominate on the Area Tilt, which measures the share of possession a group has within the opposition’s half. Arenal are the second-best group within the league after Manchester Metropolis within the league.
This excessive urgent fashion 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 the most effective 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 perfect defensive partnership within the league, Upson mentioned, “I’d say they’re, and I believe that their file would let you know that. They’ve acquired the defensive file within the Premier League by way of conceding objectives, I believe they’re three objectives higher off than every other group.”
“That’s often typically a superb marker, isn’t it? To say that you simply’ve acquired the most effective centre-back partnerships actually does provide you with 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 supplied 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 together with his centre-backs.
“I adore it when the centre-back steps out with the ball, Declan has acquired that intuition, that centre-back intuition, which he performed by 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 kind the place they relinquished their grip on the title race. And Upson said that the provision of the Frenchman for your complete 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 little bit bit extra distracted. He wasn’t as targeted on his personal sport 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 assumed that was an actual present of confidence,” Upson mentioned.
He additionally said that with the best way Saliba was enjoying, he was virtually nearly as good as Virgil Van Dijk, who he said was the present greatest defender within the league.
“When it comes to the Premier League for the time being, it’s between Virgil van Dijk and Saliba. I believe it’s troublesome. I believe van Dijk is in a special 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.