Arsenal enjoyed a solid display during their 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. Mikel Arteta reverted to playing three-at-the-back, a system that helped secure him his first trophy as a manager last August.
However, the system he implemented against Chelsea was a far cry from his 3-4-3 of old. In fact, the tactical set-up drew a number of parallels to former Gunners' coach Arsene Wenger's 2016/17 side.
Despite finishing fifth that season, Wenger's Arsenal enjoyed a solid campaign, capturing the FA Cup and finishing on 75 points, a tally that would see them secure a top-three finish in each of the last three seasons.
While the system may not be something Arteta plans on utilising long-term, he clearly took some inspiration from his old coach Wenger with this tactical plan. Here, we've highlighted the key similarities between the two set-ups.
Wide playmakers
Previously Arteta had opted for Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe as the wide men when opting for a 3-4-3. They were employed as inside forwards with Alexandre Lacazette as the focal point, dropping deep to hold up the ball and distribute it quickly.
However, that front three struggled for ball retention and failed to create many meaningful chances, a recurring problem throughout Arteta's time as Arsenal boss so far.
In the win over Chelsea, Arteta fielded Emile Smith-Rowe and Martin Odegaard on either side of Aubameyang. Effectively, this front three had the necessary components to drive at the opposition, press from the front and also retain the ball in the final third.
Both Smith-Rowe and Odegaard displayed a willingness to block passing lanes centrally and occupy spaces between the lines, a tactic that stifled Chelsea's build-up and eventually forced Jorginho to panic under pressure, which resulted in Smith-Rowe scoring the winner.
Arteta's tactic to couple a fast counter-attacking striker with two high volume chance creators was identical to Wenger's 2017 plan which saw Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil play either side of Danny Welbeck.
Sanchez and Ozil in 2016/17, like Smith-Rowe and Odegaard this year, averaged the most key passes per game in the team. Arteta, like Wenger, decided that a striker who struggles with the ball at his feet can be accommodated if he is surrounded by players who have the ability to create goal-scoring openings.
Press resistant midfield
The Mohamed Elneny and Thomas Partey pivot was stylistically similar to the 2017 pivot of Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey.
Xhaka will likely displace Elneny when he returns from injury but the Egyptian international showed a good account of himself at Stamford Bridge. He distributed the ball swiftly and effectively and also provided an invaluable amount of energy in the middle of the park.
Throughout Arsenal's visit to West London, Partey was given freedom to roam the midfield. The former Atletico Madrid maestro utilised his impressive dribbling ability to evade Chelsea's press throughout the game while also showcasing his defensive prowess.
In Wenger's 3-4-2-1 Ramsey was given a similar role, tasked with breaking the lines in midfield through dribbling and clever movement. Perhaps Partey lacks Ramsey's ability in the final third but the Ghanaian efficiently helped Arsenal advance up the pitch, registering four progressive carries, the joint-most for Arsenal.
Defensive solidity
Wenger's Arsenal deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation in the last 10 games of the 2016/17 campaign, winning nine and losing one. Furthermore, the Frenchman's side conceded just seven goals, a far cry from the 21 they had shipped in the previous 10 outings.
This defensive solidity is something that the three-at-the-back system provides and Arteta's team showcased that again on Wednesday night.
Bukayo Saka was deployed as a right-wing-back and his disciplined display helped Rob Holding shore up the right side of the defence and shut out Christian Pulisic throughout the affair.
On the other side, Kieran Tierney was allowed to sprint forward without having to worry as much about his defensive duties as Gabriel would slot in as an unorthodox left-back in possession. The Brazilian enjoyed an excellent performance, blocking two shots and making 10 clearances, the most from any player on the pitch.
With a promising win under his belt, it remains to be seen if Mikel Arteta will stick with his Wenger-inspired approach of a 3-4-2-1 formation in Arsenal's final two games against Crystal Palace and Brighton.
