Arsenal Women Analysis: Arsenal Reid United’s Threat in Behind

The story of Arsenal’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United on Sunday was one of defences being on top. Both teams switched their striker- with Melvine Malard starting upfront for United and Stina Blackstenius for Arsenal- for very similar reasons. For Arsenal, they know United’s box shape in front of their penalty area, comprised of centre-halves Le Tissier and Janssen and midfield double pivot Zigotti and Hinata, is very difficult to play through.

Slegers told Arseblog News post-match that she felt if United were going to give up any space, it was going to be in the channels. ‘The plan was to have the threat in behind against their high press and also them being very aggressive and player for player on our midfield. So it was part of the plan and I think we caused a lot of problems, we don’t get all the way in towards the goal and create opportunities.’

However, Arsenal just didn’t get into those spaces often enough. On the other side, Manchester United selected Melvine Malard upfront ahead of Elisabeth Terland. Marc Skinner made the same call when the teams last met in May for similar reasons, he felt Arsenal have greater vulnerability in behind and Malard is better set up to take advantage of that than Terland.

Arseblog News asked Skinner about this post-match and this was his response, ‘It’s really interesting with Arsenal. They’re very good defenders, but they tend not to defend unless it goes wide channel. So they give you space to play. I think they play a kind of false pressure, they zone or screen rather than pressure you all the time. And then when it goes wide, especially in frontline, they press you.’ This is what I will focus on in this analysis piece, how Arsenal defended United’s threat in behind.

Arsenal are very nearly caught cold by a ball over the top in the opening seconds from Le Tissier.

Really, van Domselaar is caught cold here, her starting position should be higher. Any long ball that drops into the penalty area unopposed is down to the goalkeeper. Van Domselaar does save the shot but it’s a needless early panic. However, from here, Arsenal manage the threat in behind well.

When this attack breaks down and Ella Toone collects the ball she only has one thing in mind.

It’s a ball in behind and a foot race between Malard and Reid. Fortunately for Arsenal there isn’t a support run for Malard, which enables Catley to move across and provide additional cover.

It’s not needed because Reid wins the foot race and you can see that Catley has already retreated back to the left side. The understanding between Catley and Reid was superb all afternoon.

This time we see Malard drop deep and Toone run in behind.

Again, the fact that van Domselaar is not in the picture even at this point is concerning and suggests that her starting position is too low. It puts greater pressure on Reid to win the foot race.

Win it she does and she clears the situation up. But there’s no way van Domselaar should have been on her line the whole time this threat unfolded.

Once again, we see here that Le Tissier look for the ball in behind.

Catley reads the ball and her recovery pace is good, she fends off Bizet’s cross, which Reid is well positioned to defend in any case.

Very early in the second half, United again look for the ball over the top via Janssen. This produces another ground duel between Reid and Malard, but Reid makes sure to keep her body between Malard and the ball at all times and eventually wins a free-kick. Reid was outstanding in these ground duels all afternoon.

United get a high turnover from a loose Catley pass here.

This produces another one v one defending moment between Malard and Catley.

But Catley watches the ball all the way, refuting Malard’s shimmies and she makes the block at the right time.

Now it’s Rolfo’s turn to look for the ball over the top.

But it’s Reid by name read by nature. Katie is on it.

Sandberg goes for another up and under here.

It’s another ground duel between Malard and Reid and we can see already that Reid is positioning her body between player and ball.

It’s another grapple but because of Reid’s body positioning, Malard can’t get through.

It wasn’t always route one up and unders that the centre-halves defended well. Rolfo picks a great pass to Sandberg running off the shoulder of Emily Fox here.

But Reid is immediately alive to it.

Reid gets her shoulder into Sandberg and protects the ball for a goal kick and Sandberg is frustrated enough by Reid’s physical superiority that she gives her a little shove in frustration when the ball has gone.

Maya Le Tissier makes a first-time interception here.

And the ground duels are coming thick and fast between Reid and Malard.

Once again Reid gets her body between player and ball once more and turns away from her goal.

Malard is replaced by Terland but it doesn’t prevent United trying to get the ball in behind. Zigotti swings an angular pass in behind from right-back.

The swerve on the pass defeats Catley but Reid moves across with an immaculate blocking tackle.

Arsenal didn’t really adjust their overall shape in respect of United’s tactic to go over the top, they were comfortable leaving Catley and Reid to deal with those isolated defending incidents and both centre-backs rose to the challenge excellently, Reid in particular.

Graphics as ever provided by Miedemastuff.

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