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Stick or twist for Arteta – keep to the formula or refine Arsenal style?Figure caption, PSG retained the Champions League title with a penalty shootout win over ArsenalByAlex Howell
Arsenal are fresh from Champions League final heartbreak but there is no time to wallow.
Sunday’s Premier League title celebrations in north London may have refocused minds on next season’s missions, when they will aim to stay at the top of the English game and go a step further in Europe.
Defeat by Paris St-Germain in Budapest on Saturday night came only on penalties, but Arsenal’s limitations against opposition of the highest class were evident before the spot-kicks.
The Gunners had less than 25% of possession, and Kai Havertz’s early opening goal was their only shot on target in 120 minutes of football.
After the game, PSG midfielder Joao Neves stated Luis Enrique’s side had been “the only one who wanted to play”.
Former Arsenal defender and Premier League winner Matthew Upson told BBC Sport that Havertz’s early goal killed the game in one sense.
“Had it been 0-0 throughout the first half, I think you might have seen a slight difference in Arsenal, but once you get that goal naturally you just slightly slip into protection mode,” Upson stated.
“Every team does it and obviously PSG then dominated the ball, but the possession stats are pretty scary really for a final with two teams who are the best around. To have a 75-25% difference in possession is almost unheard of really in a Champions League final.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta described PSG as “the best team in the world”.
He stated it was their prowess that dictated Arsenal’s style.
He also hinted that his side could look to emulate the French side’s style of play in the future.
“What they are able to do with the ball, with individual actions, I haven’t seen it,” Arteta stated.
“It’s not the plan to play in certain areas when you don’t have the ball, but they force you to do that.”
So does the Spaniard need to refine his style for next season to push Arsenal to the next level, build up their possession numbers, and keep challengers at bay?
Or will we see more of the same Premier League title-winning formula from the Gunners?
PSG played 885 passes during the final, more than three times the 285 Arsenal managed.
After Havertz’s early opener, the Gunners defended deep to protect the lead with their world-class backline keeping them in the game.
Despite winning a first Premier League title in 22 years, Arsenal have been criticised for their style of play throughout the season because of their threat from set-pieces and a perception they lack creativity from open play.
The number of wins by single-goal margins over the campaign also drew attention, although it is worth noting Arsenal took the title by seven points from Manchester City and with a league-leading goal difference.
Upson believes that when pressure ramped up in the run-in, Arteta reverted to a more conservative style.
“If you looked at the performances from August to December, I think you see a different Arsenal team,” Upson stated. “He notably switched to more of this type of style from January onwards.
“It’s become really notable. I cast my mind back to the games in September or October and it was slightly different football, much more possession-based. Those buzzy little triangles between Saka, Odegaard, Rice, and whoever the full-back was on the edge of the 18-yard box was really good, entertaining football to watch and they were trying to control the game in that sense.
“As time has gone on and maybe the pressure has built, they have fallen back on the reliable side. It’s worked and it’s been the right choice because they have won the Premier League.”
Across all competitions, Arsenal won 20 games by a single-goal margin.
Arteta has spent more than £900m on signings since taking over as Arsenal manager in 2019. Although he has transformed the club from where he found it, some have questioned whether Arsenal should be playing a more attractive brand of football by now.
With his side having got over the psychological block of winning the Premier League title, now could be an ideal time for Arteta to make a style switch, even if adjusting a winning formula brings with it the element of a gamble.
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Defeat by PSG brought about Arsenal’s second moment of misery in a major final this season after the Gunners lost to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup at Wembley in March, with Arsenal only having 38% possession on that occasion.
Arteta’s team were the second highest scorers in the Premier League with 71 goals, only behind runners-up City who scored 77.
Taking all competitions into account, Arsenal scored 76 open-play goals across the season. Some 22 of their 30 goals in the Champions League came from open play.
But Arsenal only scored more than one goal in two of their final 14 games in the campaign.
Arteta perhaps gave a hint about what he may need to do this summer for Arsenal to become both more easy on the eye and capable of lifting Europe’s top club trophy.
“We need to do better, we have to improve and find different margins to get the outcome that we want,” he stated.
Arteta has turned Arsenal from ‘nearly men’ to English champions, a major step that could be followed by moves to change the approach in attacking areas.
“He alluded to that after,” Upson told BBC Sport when asked if a forward line change is needed.
“His comments were more based around ‘we need to be a little bit more PSG-like’ – and I understand that. That’s difficult to achieve with the structure that he’s got in place, but you can certainly tweak that because ultimately it’s a numbers game.
“If you only have the ball for 25% of the game, you’re going to be defending a lot.”
David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Declan Rice have been Arsenal’s standout players this season, which shows that the Gunners’ excellence has been in their backline and defensive areas.
No Arsenal forwards were included among nominees for the Premier League’s Player of the Season award.
Image source, Getty ImagesArsenal have played the most games in European Cup and Champions League history without winning the trophy (226)
Arsenal have monitored Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, who has Premier League experience from his time at Manchester City.
Even though Viktor Gyokeres scored 21 goals in all competitions in his first season with Arsenal, that could be an area that can be strengthened.
Arsenal are also looking to strengthen on the left wing, and Arteta stated that he and the club will “start to make some very important decisions if we want to reach another level”.
There will be an examination of whether Arteta’s current group of forwards are capable of adapting style. Some are eminently capable.
“I think [Bukayo] Saka will be in that bracket,” Upson stated. “[Leandro] Trossard is very good with the ball. Technically he’s an excellent player.”
Upson also pointed to the full-back roles, and how attacks can be launched from those positions.
“I saw that last night with the PSG team, how important the full-backs are in how they’re willing to go the other way and be real catalysts for those attacks,” Upson stated.
“So I think that’s another interesting feature, but I think they’ve got the players [at Arsenal]. I think they’ve got really good technical players, top level players with the ball.”
Arsenal beat Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan on their way to the Champions League final.
It was a terrific feat and to take PSG to penalties was commendable, but Upson believes the Gunners need to show more on the ball if they are end their wait for Champions League glory.
“Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, PSG – you’re going to come up against two or three of these throughout the tournament in the need to win it,” Upson stated.
“That’s going to be difficult over two legs if you’re not going to have a little bit more possession. For me, that could be a feature that you see from Arsenal next season.”
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