City’s anti-press trick that baffled Arsenal revealed ahead of Etihad clash

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Manchester City employed a tactical masterclass that completely neutralized Arsenal’s build-up play during their Carabao Cup final victory, according to a detailed tactical analysis.

As reported by the Daily Mail, Pep Guardiola abandoned his trademark high press and instead instructed his front four to simply stand their ground when Arsenal had possession in their defensive third.

The tactical trap

City’s attackers – Rayan Cherki, Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo – formed a front line that refused to engage Arsenal’s center-backs Gabriel and William Saliba, or goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Instead of pressing, they blocked passing lanes into midfield while allowing the defenders unlimited time on the ball.

The strategy completely bamboozled Arsenal. Kepa was seen standing with his studs on the ball, while the back three passed between themselves for over a minute at a time, desperately trying to bait City into pressing and leaving gaps for Declan Rice or Martin Zubimendi to receive possession.

Zubimendi’s struggles

The analysis particularly highlighted Zubimendi’s poor positioning throughout the match. The Spanish midfielder frequently hid behind Haaland’s frame, making himself unavailable for passes. Gabriel managed just three passes to Zubimendi despite touching the ball 68 times.

When Zubimendi did receive possession, his pass map showed predominantly backwards and sideways distribution – a stark contrast to Arsenal’s usual progressive play. In only one Premier League match this season had he completed fewer passes than the 33 against City.

The tactical breakdown showed Arsenal’s pass map with minimal connection between defense and midfield, compared to their recent 2-0 victory over Everton where the link-up play was far more fluid.

Looking ahead to the Etihad

Arsenal face the prospect of encountering the same tactic when they visit the Etihad Stadium in April, with the title race potentially on the line. However, there are reasons for optimism.

David Raya’s return in goal should provide a significant upgrade in distribution compared to Kepa’s hit-and-hope approach. The England goalkeeper’s superior passing range and accuracy could help Arsenal bypass City’s tactical trap.

Additionally, the potential availability of Eberechi Eze and Martin Odegaard in midfield would give Arteta more creative options – players capable of receiving the ball in tight spaces and progressing play forward without being constrained by the team’s typically methodical approach.

The tactical battle at the Etihad will test whether Arteta has found solutions to counter Guardiola’s anti-press strategy that proved so effective at Wembley.