When Mykhailo Mudryk decided to join Chelsea in the middle of the last transfer window, the joke went straight to Arsenal. The league leaders had been left at the January altar and opposition supporters reveled.
But who’s laughing now?
Throw in the doomed bid for Moises Caicedo and Arsenal failed to land their two main goals in the window. It was undoubtedly a hit. There is an alternate timeline that bears unfortunate parallels to last season, where this could have become the defining narrative of the second half of their campaign.
Instead, Arsenal responded in a practical, proactive manner. Once it became clear they would not sign either Mudryk or Caicedo, they acted decisively to bring in Leandro Trossard and Jorginho. This pair were instrumental in Arsenal’s recent win, a 1-0 win over Leicester.
In his post-match press conference, manager Mikel Arteta admitted he was “very pleased” with how quickly Arsenal’s turning point in January paid off. “We were very clear about what we wanted to do, we couldn’t do it and we had to adapt. You have to do that in the window. Don’t feel sorry for ourselves. Everyone on the board – Edu, especially with (Director of Football Operations) Richard Garlick – was really strong in doing what we needed to do and we were the first to be there, to get what we wanted.”
Mudryk could become a star later and Caicedo will have suitors again in the summer – Arsenal possibly among them. The benefit of signing Trossard and Jorginho, however, is that they arrived as ready-made plug-and-play Premier League players.
“These are two players who already have experience in our league and fit our style of play very well,” added Arteta. “Really intelligent to understand what we’re asking to do certain things and they have the personality to play the way we played. That is what is required at this level.”
Jorginho applauds fans after Arsenal’s win over Leicester (Photo: Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
Soccer intelligence is a key factor. Arsenal’s game model is complex and it has taken Arteta years to refine it. Trossard and Jorginho seem to have settled into it in no time.
The ultimate compliment for Trossard is that he was tasked with one of the more challenging aspects of forward play against Leicester: acting as a false nine. Arteta has experimented with Emile Smith Rowe and Willian in this position, but this was by far his most successful iteration.
Trossard knows the role well, having played through the middle for Brighton on a number of occasions. “We probably knew what the intent was because we like to push forward,” Brendan Rodgers said. “Mikel probably put him in the #9 position so he could fall under it, so he’s giving you that extra man in there.”
That’s partly true – but this tactical change was more about what it added to Arsenal than what it took away from Leicester. Playing Trossard through the middle is the best Arteta can achieve to replicate the role of Gabriel Jesus. Eddie Nketiah tends to stay in central attacking spaces, but Jesus frequently drops deep and wide.
Gabriel Martinelli has suffered from not having his fellow Brazilian on the left to combine. In that game it was a position change between Trossard and Martinelli that ultimately won the game – the Belgian took the ball down the left wing before slotting through Martinelli with a nice pass to score.
It could have been an even better day for Trossard. A great shot from the edge of the box was ruled out for a foul by Ben White and he was also involved in setting up a Bukayo Saka goal, which was narrowly saved for offside.
“He was really good,” Arteta said. “He was involved in a lot of situations that could have led to many more big chances. He’s so good in tight spaces with that creativity to open people up. I’m really glad we have him.”
Perhaps in previous seasons, Arteta would have felt compelled to throw the fit Thomas Partey into the fray. Instead, Jorginho’s form meant he could name Partey on the bench.
Trossard has performed well since joining from Brighton (Picture: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Considering how Arsenal dominated possession, it came as no surprise that Jorginho made more touches than any other player on the field. He completed 68 passes – more than Leicester’s starting midfield three from Wilfred Ndidi, Kieran Dewsbury-Hall and Dennis Praet combined. Jorginho is known for his ability to keep the ball, but not all of the sideways passes have been – 21 of the 68 completed passes landed in the last third.
His game also has another side. The Italy international gained ten possessions during the game – again the highest tally on the pitch. He was successful in seven matches – only Saka prevailed in further one-on-ones for Arsenal.
Mudryk and Caicedo are aged 22 and 21 respectively and have limited experience at the highest level. Trossard and Jorginho, aged 28 and 31, have brought a streetwise edge to a youthful squad.
The global pool of elite players is relatively small and it is inevitable that there will be intense competition for their signatures. Arsenal found this out with their attempts to sign Mudryk, Lisandro Martinez, Raphinha and others. In such an environment, it is all the more important to be flexible and reactive when planning – having alternative goals and reacting accordingly.
There were a few dark days in Arsenal’s recruitment department when Mudryk chose Chelsea. They loved the player, had spent months chasing him and believed he was theirs. But there was no sulking, no panic. As they have been for a number of years, Arsenal are behaving like a smart club.
They have to go back to 2020 and the signing of Willian for the last time when Arsenal seemed to be making an obvious mistake in the market. That’s some time ago. Since then, the club has spent more money than most – but few have spent it better. The idea that Arsenal is more of a scattergun than a strategic one is outdated. It belongs to another time.
In January, Arsenal were mocked for failing to implement Plan A. But they should be applauded for the speed and intelligence with which they switched to Plan B. It was crucial to maintaining their title challenge.
(Top Photo: Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images)