Defence win you titles: How Arsenal’s backline is the backbone of their title challenge

With seven games to go, the Premier League title race is as close as it can get. Arsenal are on top but just on goal difference against Liverpool with Manchester City just a point behind. After losing out on the title, Arsenal are determined to end their two-decade trophy drought. The Gunners have managed to build a squad that has challenged for trophies on multiple fronts.

The majority of the plaudits have gone on to the team’s attackers, such as Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Ødegaard and Leandro Trossard. However, the team’s defence has been as good, if not better. Sir Alex Ferguson once said ‘Attack wins you games, defence wins you titles’. And Arsenal have been the perfect embodiment of this quote.

Last season, Arsenal lost the title by five points, but they also conceded ten more goals. Mikel Aretat said last season, “We are conceding too many simple goals.” This season, though, has been a different story, and we analyse how the Gunners have become one of the stingiest defences across Europe.

Arsenal 2023-24 defensive stats 

With seven games to go, Arsenal conceded 24 goals, which is the least in the league. This is already seven less than what they conceded last season at the same stage. However, Arsenal also conceded 12 goals in the last seven games the previous season which does not appear to be the case with this season.

The club have conceded 260 shots, the second-least in the league. However, only 73 shots were on target, the best-record in the league. Arsenal’s improved defensive record is a collective effort of the backline and Declan Rice who has not been a great player but also a great leader.

Gabriel and William Saliba have been at the heart of the defence, keeping the opposition at bay. They are one of the major reasons why Arsenal have only conceded 491 touches in their box, the least in the league.

Arsenal have also improved upon their high-pressing skills. The Gunners currently are the second-best team on the Buildup Disruption Percentage (BDP). The BDP is a metric that measures how often a team disrupts the opposition’s buildup either through tackles, dispossession or interceptions.

Arteta’s men also dominate on the Field Tilt, which measures the percentage of possession a team has in the opposition’s half. Arenal are the second-best team in the league after Manchester City in the league.

This high pressing style allows the opposition less time on the ball, giving them fewer opportunities to create chances. Opta in their analysis recently found that Saliba and Gabriel were one of the best centre-back partnerships in the league winning 17 out of the 24 games they played giving them a winning percentage of 70.8.

Former England international Matthew Upson also acknowledged the brilliance of Gabriel and William Saliba. The centre-back, who represented the Three Lions at the 2010 FIFA World Cup (where he also scored a goal) gave an interview to Betway where he lamented praise on the centre-back duo. On being asked whether Gabriel and Saliba were the best defensive partnership in the league, Upson said, “I would say they are, and I think that their record would tell you that. They’ve got the defensive record in the Premier League in terms of conceding goals, I think they’re three goals better off than any other team.”

“That’s usually generally a good marker, isn’t it? To say that you’ve got one of the best centre-back partnerships really does give you a chance. I think the midfield has a lot to do with it. Declan Rice has had a huge say; playing behind him is a dream in terms of what he brings. He can instinctively fill in,” he added.

Upson also talked about the importance of Rice who has provided the physical presence in the midfield. He said that Rice’s role as a centre-back early in his career has helped him to work in tandem with his centre-backs.

“I love it when the centre-back steps out with the ball, Declan has got that instinct, that centre-back instinct, which he played through under-18 and even in under-21 football. He played a lot at centre-half, so he really understands the role.”

Last season, Saliba missed the last 11 league games due to a back injury. This coincided with Arsenal’s decline in form where they relinquished their grip on the title race. And Upson stated that the availability of the Frenchman for the entire season has helped Gabriel massively.

“But I feel that Gabriel is more confident when he has Saliba alongside him, and he makes clearer decisions. When Arsenal lost Saliba at the end of last season, I felt Gabriel was a little bit more distracted. He wasn’t as focused on his own game and what he brings in being physical. I love the way he stood up to Haaland on Sunday and how he went about that. I thought that was a real show of confidence,” Upson said.

He also stated that with the way Saliba was playing, he was almost as good as Virgil Van Dijk, who he stated was the current best defender in the league.

“In terms of the Premier League at the moment, it is between Virgil van Dijk and Saliba. I think it is difficult. I think van Dijk is in a different stage of his career, he has more of a presence and aura around him because of what he’s achieved, because of his stature at that club,” Upson said.