Arsenal had every right to feel confident before travelling to Bayer Leverkusen. Not only did they win all of their league-phase games in the Champions League, but they did so without trailing for a single minute.
Across four competitions this season, Mikel Arteta’s side have found answers to different questions, yet the frustrations felt familiar as they drew 1-1 in their last-16 first leg on Wednesday evening.
It was a pattern that had plagued Arteta more so in previous seasons, but Arsenal did not do enough in Germany to unlock a stubborn defence from wide areas.
That is, until they eventually did.
It is worth remembering that Arsenal have been excellent at finding the free man on the edge of the penalty area when wide players are doubled up on in attack.
The issue was that Kasper Hjulmand’s side were working in threes and fours to shut down Arsenal’s threat in those wide channels.
Leverkusen’s 3-4-2-1 system has been well established since previous head coach Xabi Alonso led them to a historic title, and Hjulmand has followed a similar blueprint in the way the German side set up in and out of possession.
In possession, his wing-backs push high, but are quick to form a back five against the ball. Each of the two central or attacking midfielders will also shuffle across to cover zonally and ensure Leverkusen often have an extra man when defending wide areas.
This can be seen below, in the first half, when midfielders Aleix Garcia and Ibrahim Maza work across to support Alejando Grimaldo as Bukayo Saka receives the ball.
With no route through, Saka turns back to Jurrien Timber to recycle possession.
It was the same on Leverkusen’s right flank, with Ernest Poku — deputising as a right wing-back due to injuries on that flank — doing well to drop into position along the back line as Martin Terrier and Exequiel Palacios come over to support.
Including right centre-back Jarell Quansah, Leverkusen have a wide defensive box to cover Arsenal’s three players pulling wide, always ensuring there is an extra man to force Arsenal to turn back inside.
Such was the frustration Leverkusen generated in Arsenal that Piero Hincapie’s rushed attempt to speed up the play led to him passing the ball behind Gabriel Martinelli and straight out for a throw-in. Note that Leverkusen’s defensive box was ready should he have received possession.
Hjulmand’s side continued to stifle Arsenal’s attack intelligently, and although Timber offered underlapping runs on the right flank, there were not enough options for Arsenal to build those same networks.
Eberechi Eze’s role as an attacking midfielder did not stitch the attack together in wide areas in the way Martin Odegaard is famed for, with Arsenal requiring an extra body to ask more questions when working the ball down the flanks.
One of the few times Arsenal broke forward well in wide areas was a breakaway attack from Saka and Timber following a David Raya throw from their own penalty area, with Timber crossing for Martinelli to eventually strike the post in the 19th minute.
The pattern continued in the second half, with three Arsenal attackers against four Leverkusen defenders. In the example below, Saka tries to force the issue by finding Timber inside, but the danger is snuffed out as Leverkusen intercept and work the ball away from danger.
Despite his best efforts, Saka had a disappointing night and was replaced by Noni Madueke on the hour mark. Space was still at a premium, initially leaving Madueke frustrated as he was crowded out.
In the example below, he looks to receive the ball inside Leverkusen’s defensive square, but the home side’s organisation again forces Timber to play back.
All it took was one opportunity for Madueke to find space.
His direct running won the penalty for Arsenal in the 86th minute, and it came from asking different questions of Leverkusen’s defence. As he receives the pass, Leverkusen have their defensive triangle ready to overload the wide area once again — but rather than turn back (red arrow), Madueke elects to go on the outside with his run.
A burst of pace creates the separation, before Madueke scythes through the defending Malik Tillman and Grimaldo, who have doubled up on him.
Whatever your view may be on the foul, the opening comes from Madueke’s bravery to commit opponents.
“We will look at things we can improve,” Arteta said after the game. “(We will look at) the situations we can create and especially try to be much more efficient in a lot of simple things that we didn’t do so well today.”
It was a frustrating evening for Arsenal, but there was an irony in the way they worked themselves back into the game. The lack of penetration in wide areas was the source of their troubles for 85 minutes, but it was precisely through the wide channels that their equaliser was generated.
They will need to improve in attack if they are to progress through to the quarter-finals, but that single sequence from Madueke might be the blueprint to unlock the Leverkusen defence in the second leg.
