Six Arsenal open-play goal fixes after Arteta turns to AI despite Wenger ‘dangers’ warning | OneFootball

Never shy of an eccentric means to extract the extra one per cents at Arsenal, whether that be hiring pickpockets, squeezing juice from a lemon or blasting ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ on the training ground, Mikel Arteta has now revealed that he’s turned to AI to aid the Gunners’ title tilt.

He said last week: “It’s a tool that is super powerful if you use it in the right way and you ask the right questions. It’s in use already for many things and many processes that can help not just a team but an organisation as well.

“It will improve and it will give us good insight, or things at least to think about. I’m not an expert but it’s a valuable tool. We have developed certain things that in our opinion can help us to understand ourselves better and evaluate what we do and what we can improve.

“And then we will explore using it in many other areas of the club.”

While admitting that AI could indeed be used for good, like a grandad questioning the use of a satnav when they’ve got a perfectly good A-Z from 1998, Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger warned “what is dangerous is if the science dominates the decisions.”

We doubt Arteta is asking ChatGPT how Arsenal can score more open-play goals, but we have and is somewhat alarmingly detailed if also comically out of date with regard to personnel. Using either Emile Smith Rowe or Fabio Vieira as a ‘higher interior 8’ might be a problem, for a problem. But jeepers, it knows what a higher interior 8 is.

How can Arsenal score more open-play goals?

Good question — Arsenal are an elite team under Arteta, but one of their main challenges over the past couple of seasons has been converting control and territory into more open-play goals. Here’s a structured breakdown of how they could increase those numbers, tactically and personnel-wise:

1) Increase central penetration

The issue: Arsenal often dominate the flanks but can become predictable when trying to break low blocks. Much of their chance creation comes from cut-backs rather than incisive central play.

Possible solutions:

– Use more vertical combinations through the middle. Encourage Ødegaard, Havertz (or Trossard), and the striker to rotate more fluidly, pulling defenders out of shape. – Deploy a higher interior eight (like Smith Rowe or Vieira in certain matches) to create overloads between the lines. – Encourage riskier line-breaking passes from Rice or Saliba — Arsenal’s buildup can be too safe at times.

2) More unpredictability in wide zones

The issue: Saka and Martinelli are outstanding but often isolated against two defenders. Teams have learned to double them.

Possible solutions:

– Full-back inversion rotation. If Zinchenko steps infield, the opposite full-back (White or Tomiyasu) can push wider and higher to stretch the pitch. – Occasional use of a true winger/full-back overlap pairing. When Arsenal used Tierney or Tomiyasu overlapping, it freed Saka/Martinelli for cut-ins and shots. – Quick switches of play to exploit the far-side winger before the defense resets.

3) Get more from the striker role

The issue: Neither Jesus nor Nketiah (or Havertz when used there) consistently posts high xG per 90 in open play.

Possible solutions:

– Rotate between profiles: Use Jesus for pressing and link play, but give a more poacher-type forward (Toney, if signed, or Nketiah) minutes against deep blocks. – Encourage near-post runs and second-line arrivals. Too often, the penalty box is underoccupied when crosses come in. – Train timing of runs off Ødegaard’s passes — many of his through-balls go unconverted due to mistimed movement.

4) Quicker transitions and second-phase attacks

The issue: Arsenal tend to reset possession instead of attacking immediately after regains.

Possible solutions:

– Attack the moment of recovery. Push Saka/Martinelli centrally during transitions rather than wide. – Let Rice carry forward more after regains; his athleticism can open unstructured defenses. – Emphasize “third-man” runs — e.g., Ødegaard to Saka to Havertz, breaking through before defenses reform.

5) Tactical variety & set triggers

– Occasionally play more direct (long diagonal to Martinelli, knockdowns for runners). – Introduce automated rotation patterns — e.g., Havertz swapping with the left winger mid-possession. – Encourage late box entries from midfielders — something that made Aaron Ramsey so effective in Wenger’s era.

6) Personnel or system tweaks

If open-play conversion remains low:

– Consider a true striker signing (Ivan Toney or Viktor Gyökeres profile) for more box presence. – Rotate Ødegaard with a slightly more dynamic 8/10 hybrid to vary tempo. – Allow Rice and Partey to play together more often in certain fixtures to free creative players.