We started 2025 in the best possible fashion with a 3-1 victory against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on New Year’s Day, but we had to do it the hard way by coming from behind to snatch the points from the Bees.
But how did we manage to turn the situation in our favour? Our resident tactical expert Adrian Clarke has gone through the stats and footage to seek out five reasons why Mikel Arteta’s team ended up on top:
SUFFOCATING THE BEES
There was a positive intent to our football throughout the opening hour. Monopolising possession through an assertive mindset, we largely pinned Brentford back into their own half until a two-goal lead had been established.
Thomas Frank’s gameplan may have featured a willingness to drop off into a low block, crowding their defensive third before springing counters, but our desire to be front-footed pushed them deeper than they would have liked. Relentlessly producing attack after attack, rarely letting the hosts into our half, an incredible 48% of the first period was spent probing inside the final third of the pitch.
Action areas – first half
While it was difficult to fashion clear openings with so many opposing players packing that area, we routinely forced the Bees to defend inside their own box and Gabriel Jesus’ poacher’s finish from a rebound was a by-product of the pressure we exerted.
Following a series of blocks, Thomas Partey’s strike made its way through bodies, with unsighted keeper Mark Flekken unable to control his parry to Jesus, who was in close proximity thanks to how deep we had pushed them back:
After going 3-1 up we changed our tactics, easing off the press to sit back in our shape. Flipping the style of play made us less vulnerable to breakaways, and the difference it made is highlighted by comparing Brentford’s heat maps from each half.
The red patch in front of their own goal showcases the questions we asked of their defensive players in the first half…
… but tellingly, they enjoyed just four inside our 18-yard box during a second half where we allowed them to have 63% of possession:
IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS
We have been exceptionally strong defensively in recent weeks, limiting five of our last six Premier League opponents to an XG of just 0.32 or less. That is the lowly figure Brentford registered against us, their lowest of the 2024/25 campaign.
While they did punish us by scoring from a turnover that could have been defended better, the Bees failed to register a single effort on goal after the 63rd minute.
At the other end of the pitch, we made a conscious effort to make up numbers inside the Brentford danger zone. Mikel Merino was especially proactive, timing a series of runs to try and get on the end of crosses. From one of the Spaniard’s bursts, he created a far post 2v2 which forced a poor clearance that fell kindly for Gabriel Martinelli to score our crucial third goal:
Jesus (13), Martinelli (11) and Merino (10) all reached double figures for touches inside the opposition box, and having three players with 10+ is a rare feat, occurring just 10 times in 189 games played this term (of which we account for four), and just twice away from home before this last matchweek.
| Date | Team | Opponent | Players |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28/09/2024 | Arsenal (H) | Leicester | 4 |
| 20/10/2024 | Manchester City (A) | Wolves | 4 |
| 17/08/2024 | Arsenal (H) | Wolves | 3 |
| 17/08/2024 | Liverpool (A) | Ipswich | 3 |
| 14/09/2024 | Manchester City (H) | Brentford | 3 |
| 21/09/2024 | Tottenham (H) | Brentford | 3 |
| 05/10/2024 | Arsenal (H) | Southampton | 3 |
| 26/12/2024 | Manchester City (H) | Everton | 3 |
| 30/12/2024 | Aston Villa (H) | Brighton | 3 |
| 01/01/2025 | Arsenal (A) | Brentford | 3 |
Another pleasing stat to note from this London derby success is the way we outworked our opponents. On and off the ball, the tempo of our running was strong, with teammates working hard to create angles for one another, and Mikel Arteta’s players covered 116km – almost 5km more than Brentford.
MIDFIELD GENERAL
This was one of Partey’s most influential performances of the campaign so far. Early in the match he set the tone with a series of excellent interceptions and ball recoveries, and his general defensive work helped us pin the Bees back into their own half.
Overall he made five tackles, six recoveries, three clearances and won nine of his 10 duels. His strength down the spine of the pitch was a key ingredient to our success.
Partey’s tackles, interceptions, recoveries and clearances:
NEW-LOOK FRONT LINE THRIVED
Ethan Nwaneri became the third youngest player to make his full Premier League debut for us, occupying the wide right position. The 17-year-old performed with great skill and confidence, completing 22 of his 24 passes.
Impudent and positive, but also industrious, Nwaneri’s drive was evident throughout. He made 29 pressures in total, including 18 in the final third, which are figures that were second only to captain Martin Odegaard.
Ethan Nwaneri | Every touch against Brentford
Brazilian pair Martinelli and Jesus were also lively, delivering four and three shots each respectively, in their goalscoring displays. After relatively quiet starts to 2024/25, both have stepped up with improved output in recent matches.
MORE SET-PIECE SUCCESS
Merino fired home from close range to despatch our 10th set-piece goal of the Premier League season, a division high. Teenager Nwaneri was entrusted with corner-taking duties from the right, and his precise inswinger bore fruit in the 50th minute.
It looked as if we had deliberated targeting Bees keeper Flekken, flocking players around him as the ball travelled through the air, which drew his own defenders onto him too. This remarkable image shows just how crowded the six-yard box was when he tried to get his hands onto the ball:
In total, 16 players were standing inside the six-yard box at that moment, with many of his own players obstructing his space. It may have been a scruffy goal of sorts, but Merino’s strike was another one that stemmed from a pre-planned corner kick routine.