Mikel Arteta has shown a ruthless edge whenever he decides a player no longer fits his ethos, with several contracts terminated since his return to the Emirates. On the pitch, however, he has often been more measured, with critics accusing his approach of being overly controlled and lacking an alternative plan. The 43-year-old has long faced claims of micromanaging talent, yet the finest managers are those who trust their principles while also recognising when adjustment is required.
That is why Arsenal’s setup at Elland Road represented a significant moment in the title race. Arteta and his staff faced a delicate balance during the week. Arsenal sit top of both their domestic and European league tables, evidence that their approach has been effective. Changing too much would have risked undermining what has brought success. Still, there was a growing sense that creativity in the Premiership had dipped, with chances becoming harder to come by.
A statement of flexibility
By leaving Ødegaard and Eze out and starting Havertz, Arteta challenged the perception that certain players are undroppable. The decision refreshed the side and would have unsettled Daniel Farke, who may have expected Havertz to operate further forward if selected. Instead, the German was used in a role that altered Arsenal’s attacking dynamic.
Havertz interprets the number 10 position differently from his teammates, at times pushing on to support Gyokeres almost as a second striker. While it is too early to judge whether this will be a long-term solution, managing the 26-year-old’s minutes remains a priority. That consideration alone means further rotation should not come as a surprise in upcoming fixtures.
Benefits of tactical variation
This role is not entirely new. Havertz was previously trialled in a similar position after moving across London, alongside one of Ødegaard or Trossard, with a single defensive midfielder ahead of them. That experiment was short-lived, but it now offers an alternative if a goal is needed. There is also scope for others to operate more freely should injuries arise.
Trying something different at this stage of the season keeps the squad alert and makes Arsenal less predictable. Competition can elevate performance, and small tactical details often separate success from failure. By altering his system at a critical moment, Arteta demonstrated bravery and deserves credit for showing courage when it mattered.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
Well balanced article 👏. Sometimes I do feel that Arsenal have performed much better when Arteta’s most trusted attacking players were out injured Ode, Saka etc. Maybe there’s an element of predictability with how Arsenal operate on the right side when we have both Saka and Odegard playing. Anyways its just a feeling and I could be wrong, no stats or data to back it up.
My remark when I heard Saka was out during warm up was ‘blessin in disguise’, and at the end of the day, it was. Saka and Ode should start from the bench for the next couple of games now and let’s see if it would spark something inside.
If/when Saka is benched, expect an article the next day about a potential transfer to Barcelona or Liverpool.
He doesn’t get into Barcas 11
honestly it’s sickening to hear or read those articles . it seems there is a deliberate gang up against our darling Arsenal FC
Maybe your a bit sensitive
Saying he doesn’t start for Barcelona is hardly an insult
Saka won’t even branch an 18yrs old Lamine Yamal at Barcelona and as long as Salah remains at Liverpool, he won’t bench Salah … So don’t worry about the noise in the media … Saka won’t leave Arsenal unless Madrid comes coming , then they should be ready to pay £150m+
To be honest and fair , I think Saka has done already what Yamal is currently doing , Saka has shoulder those burdens too when he was an 18 onward
And to be honest , I’ve been craving for Saka and Odegaard been benched , not because they’re suddenly a bad player , far from it , but they’ve come a very long way from young age , carrying enormous responsibility on their shoulders and carrying the team when they shouldn’t have and that may have played a viral wrole in their current dip in form … They need to reinvent themselves to that higher status of players like Mbape and pedri or Musiala , that is what separate elite players from the average … Saka need to improve the way he plays and his total output is not giving at all
Saka – zero goals in his last 13-appearance
Odegaard – zero goals in his last 13 appearance
Odegaard no longer assist or influence the games bar-karabat game , he’s in fact now killing the tempo of the game as soon as he enters … Odegaard needs to reinvent his playing style onward
Saka recently started on the bench v Forest. Not heard any transfer issues so far.
Good article Dan and it shows that MA does not have favourites.. just as Le Prof didn’t during his tenure in the hot seat.
To think that, is to believe that MA would put his own position into conflict, just to placate others – quite ridiculous in my opinion.
Although Arteta finally benched Odegaard, can we stop with what a good decision it was as if it was some kind of epiphany that he had.
Yes a good decision, but it’s a decision that should have been made long ago. And the fact that it’s been done now, is not worthy of all this adulation in my opinion.
Just to add, poster boy Saka to needs to be benched. He’s certainly not producing enough top level performances either. But as he’s the star academy player and as I said poster boy, he largely gets away from criticism.
How could!Arteta have played Havertz in Odegaards role if he was injured till recently.? How are you to know whether that was his plan from start of the season when he bought Gyo to play him in no 10!?
So why would it be an epiphany?
We have had major injuries since day 1 and have still managed to put out competitive teams !
COYG .. lets get the job done tonight and make that first final of the season
@Neil that’s a sensible reply
Neil,
My remark regards epiphany wasn’t directed to mean that Havertz would have played had he not been injured.
It was regarding Arteta at last benching the underperforming Odegaard.
And having finally benched him, which quite a few posters have been advocating for a while. We now read articles praising Arteta’s so called bravery in benching said under performing player.🤦♂️
I had not anticipated the reults to be that favourable, though I was pleasantly surprised. Havertz and Madueke brought out the striker in Gyokeres, and, it is as if the two can play together with Gyokeres, better than he (Gyokeres) does with Odegaard and Saka. But then, what else do I know, after all this was only one match?
All in all, Arteta’s choice of the squad in this match, reminded me of those days when Arsenal played without the breaks on; the days Wenger allowed his players to “play their game”!
Let us hope that this style came from his talk with his players, after the disaster that was the match against Manchester United.
Let’s see how the combination will do against stronger opponents.
I believe it will still work well.
I guess Arteta is maturing as a coach for him to bench his captain Odegaard.
Arteta still used his slow build-up tactics at the Emirates, hence some disappointing results there
Havertz is back, so Arteta should gamble a bit at home by using Havertz’s height and encouraging his players to win the second balls
I’m sure Havertz can win a lot of aerial balls from Raya
The Spaniard is a tactical genius, and coaches with this unique traits are control freak , it goes with the territory, there’s no two ways about it.
Driven by precision in the modern high stake games, the gaffer constant need for control often manifest in extreme attention to detail, Abamyang fell casualty to Arteta’s regid training regime, and his desire to dictates every movement in training and on the pitch.
Let’s put the gaffer’s style into perspective, he expects and will set up each players to perform a very specific role,
The Spaniard has to be in total control, directing play from the sidelines, what this does , it reduces the on field player autonomy, but ensure the managers vision is executed to deadly accuracy.
That’s why David Raya caught off his line, faces no repercussion from the Spaniard.
But Arsenal needed this kind of control to take us where we are today, so the Spaniard will always try something new to maintain control , Jegen Klopp and the legendary Frenchman are different in this regard
I don’t think that Ødegaard was benched, as Arteta has stated that he has a muscular injury. The rest will do him good.
I don’t think that Ødegaard was dropped, as Arteta is saying that he has a muscular injury.
I want to agree that Arsenal are more predictable when we play saka and odegaard as the opponent always wait in the box and 2 other payer following saka once he gets the ball, and saka is showing he has different skills which make him more predictable. And our striker is always suffering from lack of through pass from the midfielder.