Arsenal Fluidity, Manchester United Chance

MANCHESTER, SATURDAY — Arsenal, after scoring seven goals against PSV Eindhoven, has begun to find solutions to the crisis in their attacking line. The key lies in the fluid movement of players, unrestricted by positional structures. However, this new formula could become a new problem when they face Manchester United.

Arsenal's goal-scoring momentum, which had previously stalled, is now flowing. They managed to defeat PSV 7-1 despite playing without four of their key forwards in midweek. This achievement successfully broke the record for the highest number of goals scored by an away team in the knockout stage of the Champions League.

From a team that failed to score in their last two English Premier League matches, Arsenal became record-breakers. That magical night in Eindhoven was made possible by a change in approach by manager Mikel Arteta. The rigid 4-3-3 formation structure was transformed into something so fluid that it became difficult for opposing teams to anticipate.

Arteta intends to use a similar approach when visiting Old Trafford Stadium on Sunday (9/3/2025) at 11:30 PM WIB. "We need threats from all areas. We have lost very important wingers (Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli), so we need other options in the final third," he stated.

Arteta is known as a tactician who is highly detailed and somewhat pragmatic. He is reluctant to take significant risks. He employs a rigid structure, with players not moving too far from their original positions, to be prepared to anticipate transitions. This discipline is what has kept Arsenal unbeaten against "Big Six" teams since April 2023.

That structure was sacrificed for the sake of goals. Arsenal lacked individual quality in the attacking line due to an injury crisis. As a result, they utilized a greater number of players and freer movements to disrupt the opponent's defense. This was proven during the match against PSV, where goals were successfully scored by six different players.

Two of the goal scorers were wing-backs Ricardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber. Their positions were highly unconventional. Timber often occupied the winger position, while Calafiori could suddenly find himself in the center-forward position. No player had an absolute position, except for the goalkeeper and the two center-backs.

The problem is, Arsenal's latest solution comes with consequences. The freedom to play leaves many players out of position. Not to mention, to have more options, Arsenal often places six to seven players in the penalty box. That makes "The Cannon" very vulnerable to counter-attack transitions.

The hole has the potential to be a disaster for Arsenal at Old Trafford Stadium. As is known, MU is a team that relies heavily on counterattacks. Wingers with fast sprinting abilities, such as Alejandro Garnacho, can punish the visiting team who are busy attacking.

The two teams' duel in the FA Cup, in January 2025, is a reflection. Arsenal were 0-1 behind in the first hour despite being dominant with 62.5 percent possession. MU did not attack much, but were always dangerous through transitions. After MU defender Diogo Dalot received a red card in the 61st minute, the match was no longer ideal for analysis.

Ruben Amorim, MU Head Coach, is confident with his team. However, he hopes Garnacho and his colleagues can be sharper in front of the goal. "In the end, we have to score goals. If they can score one goal, everything will be much easier. So we have to score first," he said.

MU also had problems up front, which was evident in midweek. They had the potential to score more than one goal against Real Sociedad, but wasted many chances. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. Meanwhile, MU striker Rasmus Hojlund has not scored since mid-December 2024.

Regardless, Amorim's main focus right now is to restore the players' fitness. They only have less than three days after visiting Sociedad, Friday morning WIB. The problem is, the "Red Devils" squad looked exhausted at the end of the match.

Amorim came to the conclusion that the Europa League is much more difficult than the Champions League. "Not because of the game, but the recovery that must be done for the weekend's game. We have to deal with that. We have to survive on Sunday, because the team looked very tired in the last 20 minutes," he said.

The urgency of the competition can also have an impact. The match against Arsenal is always prestigious, but the Premier League is no longer important for MU. They are stuck in 14th place. The only title that can be achieved is the Europa League. Meanwhile, MU will play the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 against Sociedad in the middle of next week.

The title seems more important for MU at the moment, because Amorim has sounded pessimistic even though he has only been with them for about four months. When asked about Arteta's success story in building Arsenal, Amorim admitted to being inspired. "(The difference) is that I won't get as much time as Arteta. I can feel it," Amorim concluded.

A fiery Arsenal are clearly the favourites at Old Trafford. However, never underestimate United in big games. They have often caused surprises, such as when they eliminated Arsenal with only 10 men in the FA Cup. (AP/REUTERS)