Arsenal Column

Myles Lewis-Skelly promises you instant technical security, and at least one heart-in-your mouth moment, in the centre of midfield.

There's been interesting man-marking battles across the pitch, despite Bayern opting to drop-off more than I expected. But Konsa, following Kane, has been key, and Bayern have used that attack the space behind, for the goal, to isolate Davies against Timber

Didn't expect to shoot with his right maybe?!

It really strikes me how congested Brighton were willing to allow their man-marking to be. Arsenal, especially with Lewis-Skelley, tend to overload the backline - here, they weren't allowed to settle into that pattern. The lack of left-side presence also seems conspicuous

Yeah I've noticed that. There's an air of (good) arrogance about him

Odegaard has played this game on his own terms. That's partly what makes him so thilling; he plays with own idionsyncracies, his own habits - feels uniquely his own player - and he's confident to strut it.

As Arteta once said: "For me, the way we occupy space and who is going to move in there is more important than the formation. ..In small spaces, every detail, every touch, every movement is critical. And sometimes it’s not just about giving the ball to somebody, it’s about when"

Though against Aston Villa, Arsenal flipped the script a little bit in the second-half, bringing on Eze for Tzolis, and giving a bit more parity to their attacks. For the only goal, they overloaded the left, showing that that side is more than a decoy

As such, even Odegaard has become freer, not just restricted to a right-sided no.10 role that demanded so much - without really offering the possibilities, and his pass map v Chelsea, shows how those rotations allowed him to pop up on the left at times.

The left-side then, once Calafiori arrives, can be the impetus or it goes back to the other side, where there's a bit more space. Tzolis has made an impact because often he makes the right decisions - he's not really there to beat defenders (though in the final action he may).

However, Odegaard's goals v City and Chelsea signal how the left side is being used, often left vacant as Arsenal draw the opposition towards the right, then switch to the left - before bringing it inside, back to the right - and before you know it, players are in pockets

Even the changes to the midfield, bringing Bruno G, hasn't changed the right side bias (41% of attacks v Man City went there on his debut), and unlocked Rice, now playing more to that side, with Lewis-Skelly instead, deployed in more of a shuttler, screener role towards the left

The way Arsenal use the left-side over the years has been interesting, and it looks like Arteta is trying to get a better, different balance. Previously, that side has been less optimised, galvanised by Trossard whilst the team heavily biased the right-side... 1/

*5 fouls without being booked

Love it. Somehow Lewis-Skelley has got away with 5 tackles with being booked. Two of them right after another.

Throughout the game, Arsenal tried to use the full-backs to pin Villa's wide players, opening space for the wingers. If they went wide, the wingers came inside. For the goal, Arsenal got the rotation finally perfect, especially down the left, Calafiori crossing

This can be summarised by the full-backs pass charts - Calafiori more of a decoy, trying to open space for Tzolis who has struggled when isolated, and White, who seems a little hurried, when in advanced positions, as Villa quick to close down those combinations

Arsenal seem to be stuck between trying to play through Villa's mid-block, and quicker over their high line, but getting neither correct. This could be a commentary on Villa's shape - both hurrying Arsenal, and forcing the ball where the men are. The connections not there