I didn’t watch the game beyond the last 10 minutes, so I was wondering what everyone was complaining about, and I’ve been itching to join in. So I watched the first 30 minutes on x2 speed to at least get the gist of the issues with Arsenal yesterday.
When Arsenal had the ball, Wolves sat in a 4-4-2 block. I’ve seen this type of defensive organisation many times over the years. Everton and Fulham are the most similar. Wolves were well organised and made no effort to press Arsenal’s centre-backs in established possession. Timber, in particular, was often left with 5-10 metres of space when he received the ball.
In the last image, Timber doesn’t have the ball, but it shows how much space he had to play with. The issue for me was that he shunned the centre of the pitch. He was either passing the ball to Saliba or Saka, so the pattern of play tended to fall into the dreaded horseshoe shape.
I’ve said this before about Saliba and Gabriel, but to break down a block like this, you have to provoke movement, A slight moment of disorganisation. The centre-backs therefore need to be a bit more proactive.
How? Put your foot on the ball. Will they press you? If not, move into the space they’re affording you and make them see you as a threat. Another thing he could do is pass into the block and find a Zubimendi or an Eze.
Unfortunately, combining centrally doesn’t seem to figure in Arteta’s masterplan.