Last Saturday Liverpool set out to stifle the threat of Dani Ceballos and it worked perfectly and in doing so they eliminated much of the creative options for Arsenal.
Targeting specific players works and it does not always have to be the best players that the opposition fields.
Targeting Harry Kane would seem obvious but surely it would be better to target players that provide him with the service because you not only cut off Kane you also cut off Son, Moura etc.
Another reason for targeting a particular player is to give yourself dominance in a certain part of the field and that is definitely what Arsenal should be looking to do next Sunday against Tottenham.
Every team has weak spots and Spurs will be targeting specific Arsenal players I assure and do not assume they will be the big names, that is too obvious and the reason they are the best players is that they are used to being targeted.
It is the lesser-known more vulnerable players that if targeted correctly can pay dividends.
Harry Winks
The 23-year-old is a very negative player but he keeps the flow going in the Tottenham midfield, by targeting him it will give Arsenal superiority in the middle of the park, he is their weakest link in that area and controlling midfield is crucial.
Danny Rose
A poor defender but can be a danger if allowed to get down the flanks, he is a useless crosser of the ball but what he does do effectively is lay the ball off just outside the penalty area to the likes of Son, Eriksen, Moura or whoever is playing in that part of the field. He cannot be allowed to run down the wing with impunity because he brings far more dangerous Tottenham players into the game.
Davinson Sánchez
He will not be able to handle the pace of any of Arsenal’s forwards and he is an inferior defender to Toby Alderweireld, he gives fouls away as if he was a charity and if there is one central defender Arsenal need to run at it is Sanchez. By constantly playing the ball into the area he is defending Arsenal will get far more joy than if they tried to take on Alderweireld.