Inside Information where you can start adding

Report proposes 'self-funding' insurance model for export industries

Inside Information where you can start adding

Brought to you by The Lead Agency,

9 November 2022

Arsenal’s 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday was slender in terms of scoreline, but considerably more convincing in terms of performance.

Mikel Arteta’s side scored the winner from a set piece. But their dominance in open play was obvious — and, in a subtle way, the winner was perfect.

The goal itself was an inswinging Bukayo Saka corner, missed by everyone and turned into the net from precisely a yard out by Gabriel Magalhaes. But if you work backwards, you find the key to Arsenal’s performance. The corner came from an Edouard Mendy save, from a Gabriel Jesus shot, and the move for that shot started when Thiago Silva was tackled by Jesus.

By now, we’re accustomed to the idea that a team’s centre-forward must play a significant role in regaining possession, but few take that as literally as Jesus. The Brazilian isn’t merely someone who starts the press, he’s a proactive ball-winner.

The best pressing centre-forwards don’t necessarily win lots of tackles. It’s more about understanding passing angles and which direction to press from, about tempting the opposition in a particular direction so team-mates can win the ball.

For example, a common way a striker will contribute to a successful press is by forcing a centre-back wider, giving his team-mates the cue to shift towards that side. The centre-back will play the ball into a full-back who is being closed down by a second attacker, the full-back will hurriedly offload the ball, and a third attacker will collect it. The striker has contributed to the press, but he won’t be regarded as having literally won possession himself.

See also  What are the most common types of commercial insurance?