Arsenal 23/24 season preview

 

Top scorers 

 

Martinelli	15
Odergaard	15
Saka	14
Jesus	11
Xhaka	7

 

Assists 

 

Trossard (inc Brighton)	12
Saka	11
Xhaka	7
Odegaard	7
Jesus	7

 

Arsenal’s 22/23 player of the season Martin odegaard got 22 goals and assists last season which was only bettered by 8 players last season, including fellow team mate Bukayo  saka who managed 25 goals and assists. 

 

Most used line up 22/23 

 

4-1-4-1

Predicted line up 23/24

 

4-1-4-1 

 

Formations and tactics 

Even with the potential additions of timber and rice and the arrival of Havertz, Mikel Arteta will most likely play a very similar formation to last season. Often he used a 4-1-4-1 or 4-2-3-1 last season with this changing during the game. Arsenal play a 2-3-5 when going forward and zinchenko often tucked into midfield to add numbers to allow xhaka to push forward into the secondary 10 role. Martinelli and saka playing as inverted wingers allows for them to cut in and have a shot on goal, which saka often tries however because they are both very good with their feet they can also go down the outside of the defender using their pace when needed. 

 

 

Saka and Martinelli both averaged 1.7 successful dribbles per game, putting them both in the top 10 most successful dribblers Martinelli was 2nd with 28 dribbles completed and Saka 9th with 20. Arsenal were the 4th most fouled team in the league last season with 11.5 fouls per game given against them only behind Aston Villa (13.8), Crystal Palace (12.6) and Leicester (11.7). 

 

 

Arsenal like to control possession in games averaging 52.9% possession per game and averaging 490 passes per 90 minutes. The addition of Havertz and rice will likely increase these numbers as both players having good passing accuracies with 82% and 88% respectively and are comfortable on the ball and receiving the ball in tight spaces. Arsenal like to play the ball around the central midfield and the defenders to draw the opposing side into their half and then when they are ready will try to play through the lines quickly through the likes of odegaard looking for balls to the wide players or Jesus through the middle. The directness of arsenals attack often catches teams out with them going from defence to attack in a number of passes at times and taking teams apart 

 

 

 

 

Midfield options 

 

It will be interesting to see if Arteta plays havertz in bigger games where defensive solidity maybe needed or whether he opts for rice and partey/ Jorginho instead and plays 4-2-3-1. Havertz can play as a 10, 9 or an 8 for arsenal and is a great squad player to have, especially with arsenal being back in the champions league. Havertz is quick thinking, has very good ball control, great vision, an eye for a goal and good positional sense. This makes him an almost perfect Granit xhaka replacement. For all his attacking qualities a lot of people will question if he can play as an 8. Havertz is used to being played as a 10 or at Chelsea recently as a false 9 however Havertz managed to average 1 tackle per game which was more than the man he is replacing Granit xhaka with average 0.9 tackles per game. He managed this while being in and out of the Chelsea team and being played in several positions. 

 

 

If Havertz isn’t to play then the likely person to replace him would be Thomas partey or Jorginho. Partey averaged 2.1 tackles a game, which is exactly the same as potential new boy Declan rice. If partey stays at arsenal this season Arteta may use the 2 in midfield to allow a strong foundation in central midfield. Rice averaged 56.3 passes in the premier league games with a success rate of 88% with 4.1 of those being long balls. Partey averaged 59 passes per game with an 88% success rate also, however only attempted 2.3 long passes per game. With partey in the side however it may allow rice to venture forward more on his penetrating runs he has often produced for West Ham. Jorginho can also play in a 2 man midfield, in a 4-2-3-1 formation or 4-1-4-1. Jorginho averaged 50 passes across his premier league games for Chelsea and arsenal with a success rate of 86% and averaged 2 long balls per game. He also averaged 1.8 tackles per game. Jorginho is a very good partner option for rice / havertz in bigger games as he is very disciplined and retains the ball very well. 

 

With Havertz in the team, arsenal may increase the number of crosses they produce, currently within Jesus as the recognised 9 the service into the box isn’t always regular however it may increase with the presence of Havertz and rice in midfield. Saka produced the most crosses for arsenal with 172 crosses, with Martinelli 2nd producing 113 and odegaard 3rd with 91. As mentioned above, arsenal were the 4th most fouled team in the league, with the extra height of rice, havertz and timber in the squad they may be able to make more of their set pieces they get regularly in games. 

Havertz could also provide a secondary striker option if needed if arsenal are chasing a game at any point and are in need of a goal.  

 

Martin odegaard will be looking to build on a successful season with arsenal. The captain managed 15 goals and 7 assists which only was bettered by Bukayo saka with 15 goals and 11 assists. Odegaard likes to find pockets of space in between defences and likes to go into the traditional number 10 positions and spaces. He racked up 23 successful through balls last season which was only bettered by Fernandes (35), De Bruyne (28), Alexander - Arnold (26) and Guimaraes (25). 

 

 

Arsenal season predictions 

Building on last years 2^nd place in the premier league, its likely arsenal will have another strong season under Arteta. They are in the champions league for the first time since 2016 and have recruited well so far in the transfer window. A high table finish in the premier league, a cup run and a champions league knockout match are the predictions for arsenal in the 23/24 campaign. 

 

Premier league 

3rd

 

Champions league 

R16

 

Fa cup / carabao cup 

Win 1 of the cup competitions 

 

 

Arsenals first 5 premier league fixtures

 

Team	Home / away	Date
Nottingham forest	Home	12/07
Crystal Palace	Away	21/07
Fulham (H)	Home	26/07
Manchester United	Home	03/08
Everton (A)	Away	16/08

 

Arsenal will be looking for a strong start to the season with Nottingham forest at home first game of the season, arsenal have won 4/5 of the last meetings between the side and have never lost at home to Nottingham forest in the premier league.