Arsenal were baffled by *one* single tactical switch in League Cup final defeat

We all have routines. In a universe that is essentially a random combination of colliding atoms, routines give human beings structure and a semblance of meaning.

The morning commute, from your coffee order to knowing exactly where to stand on the platform to ensure a seat, is a routine.

Jake Humphrey’s world-class basics are a routine, habits and an attempt to stop the screaming inside his own head.

And Premier League defenders are used to playing out from the back, baiting the opposition press and fast-tracking the ball to their midfielders.

But what if those routines were disrupted? Can the human brain overcome the inconvenience and respond to the situation at hand?

In Arsenal ‘s case during Sunday’s 2-0 League Cup final defeat to Manchester City , the answer was a firm ‘no’.

Flummoxed by City’s decision not to press their backline, instead choosing to block passing lanes into midfield, Arsenal’s centre-backs and goalkeeper looked visibly confused as they passed the ball cautiously between them.

Most Premier League teams sit in more compact mid-block, daring for opponents to attempt over-the-top passes. City’s version was this on steroids, something Arsenal were clearly not prepared for.

William Saliba and Gabriel are fine defenders, but neither had the ingenuity or wit to break out of their pre-programming.

While Kepa Arrizabalaga, chosen over David Raya and destined to become the post-match talking point, resorted to punting the ball towards Hertfordshire on more than one occasion.

It was a cool tactical move from Pep Guardiola, demonstrating there’s life in the old dog yet. The Manchester City manager celebrated both goals with real gusto.

That this one move exposed Arsenal so thoroughly must reflect badly on Mikel Arteta.

There was no attempt to bring Declan Rice or Martin Zubimendi deeper to collect possession, nor was there a switch to jolt City out of their own tactical plans.

But there was also the refusal by Saliba, Gabriel or Kepa to take a single risk with the ball. A slightly different input to their algorithmic patterns saw all three glitch out.

That is surely a consequence of the manager’s tactical choice, drilled into his players on the training ground.

Compilation of Man City’s tactic to not press Arsenal’s backline by u/RedIrishDevil in soccer

The Gunners are nine points clear in the Premier League title race, but looked one-dimensional here.

“Painful, especially for our player and supporters because we really wanted to lift that trophy today,” Arteta said afterwards.

“It was two very different halves, especially the first half when I think we were better than them and had the best two chances of the game. We didn’t capitalise on that.

“Credit to them for what we have done. A really sad day.”

Arsenal’s long unbeaten run, stretching back to mid-January, is now over. There are two weeks for Arteta to reflect on this humbling loss before the run-in starts with the FA Cup quarter-final at Southampton.

“We had eight amazing months with this team,” the Gunners boss said. “Today is a disappointment.

“We need to use that fire in the belly for the next two months to have an incredible season.”

It’s certainly the biggest test of Arteta’s man-management to date; it’s one thing to lose a final, another to lose one while never looking like you could win.

We’ve written before about Arsenal’s rudimentary attacking patterns and over-reliance on set-pieces. They should still lift silverware this season, but will need more strings to their bow than this.

Perhaps Arteta should inject a little more ingenuity into his pre-rehearsed phases of play. Routines bring stability, but it’s easy to become too reliant on them.