The most notable tactical shift deployed by Mikel Arteta since he took the reins at Arsenal has been his switch to a three-man defence.
Initially, Arteta had continued with a flat back four as used under his predecessors Unai Emery and Freddie Ljungberg, but his tactical shift was done with the idea of solidifying the team without losing an attacking threat.
The Gunners switched to a defensive three for the season run-in, bringing victories over Wolverhampton Wanderers, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, as well as the Community Shield triumph over the Reds on Saturday.
Prior to this, the club usually deployed variations of a 4-2-3-1 formation before moving to a 4-3-3 shape and then eventually shifting to the current setup.
The three-man defence works as it not only provides an extra body in the heart of defence - thus helping to alleviate individual errors - but it also gives more of an attacking emphasis in width.
The two wide players essentially operate as wing-backs - and thus have significant responsibility - while allowing for three primary attacking players to remain on the pitch.
David Luiz has usually been deployed as the central figure in the defensive three, seen as being able to play out from the back and also to marshal the defence. His positioning also means he is shielded by two natural defenders, which in turn means his individual errors are minimised.
Another natural central defender has been played to the right of the Brazilian, with Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding thriving in the position. This position is given slightly more liberty to advance forward with the ball - as the central defender holds - which favours both. Hector Bellerin, whose instincts have always been to advance forward, is just at home in a wing-back role as at right-back.
However, it is the left side of the defence which appears to benefit most from this formation. Kieran Tierney had endured a frustrating time in north London with a series of injuries but came into his own with fine displays in last season’s run-in.
The Scotland international is equally adept at playing either as the left-sided central defender or indeed as a wing-back. Tierney played in the advanced wide role in the win at Molineux earlier this summer but was a standout on the left side of the defence in the win over Liverpool and FA Cup triumphs against Man City and Chelsea.
Arsenal have a degree of depth in this position too as Sead Kolasinac can fill-in for Tierney in the defensive position but, more promisingly, the versatile Bukayo Saka enjoyed fine individual performances at wing-back. It is a position which Ainsley Maitland-Niles has also enjoyed, meaning the rumours of a move to Wolves - who also play a three-man defence with wing-backs - continue to baffle Gunners fans. Maitland-Niles, along with Luiz and Tierney, is just one of the biggest beneficiaries of the new system.
The return of Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari from their respective injuries will give Arsenal more options in defence, while William Saliba is expected to be one of the first names on the team sheet in the medium to long-term future and is likely to be the kingpin in any defensive setup. Any potential arrival of Gabriel Magalhaes will mean there is an overload of promising defensive options - quite a shift from the trend in recent years of an error-prone backline.
Of course, the system is not without drawbacks - it is usually highly effective against teams who will enjoy more possession as it allows teams to retain a strong defensive shape and break with quick attackers in the final third. However, against teams who Arsenal will look to enjoy the lion’s share of possession and opportunities against - more than most in the Premier League - it could blunt any sustained level of attacking pressure.
That being said, this has proven highly effective and transformed the Gunners from pushovers in big matches to a resilient side capable of defeating any opponent. It benefits many of their defensive players - particularly those with an eye to push forward - and offers greater tactical flexibility ahead of a promising season for the club.
