Behind for seven minutes, Arsenal let their bench break Leeds' back five.
The numbers
| Arsenal | Leeds United | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 58% | 42% |
| Shots | 13 | 11 |
| On target | 6 | 5 |
| xG | 2.33 | 0.62 |
| Corners | 2 | 4 |
| Pass accuracy | 85% | 78.2% |
| Caught offside | 7 | 4 |
Result the chances deserved: Arsenal 76% / 16% / Leeds United 8% (Poisson).
Starting line-ups
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Raya, White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Ødegaard, Madueke, Havertz.
Leeds United (3-5-2): Trafford, Justin, Elvedi, Muharemović, Bogle, Tanaka, Ampadu, Stach, Gudmundsson, Okafor, Calvert-Lewin.
Leeds subs: Wilson & Aaronson (71', for Tanaka & Okafor), Nmecha (79', Justin), Bijol & Bahoya (85', for Elvedi & Bogle). Leeds manager: Daniel Farke. Leeds' shape is listed as 3-5-2 (FotMob, Sports Mole) or 3-4-2-1 (WhoScored); it was a back five without the ball. Bookings: Tanaka, Ampadu, Muharemović, Justin and Farke (Leeds), Ødegaard (Arsenal).
Key moments, move by move
- Okafor plays the ball down the left channel and Gudmundsson stretches to reach it.
- Gudmundsson slides a low cross across the six-yard box. Calvert-Lewin can't connect.
- Justin, the right-sided centre-back of Leeds' back three, has run on to the back post.
- His right-foot shot flies into the far corner; Gabriel can't clear it off the line.
- Madueke, wide on the left, swings a deep cross over Leeds' back line.
- White has arrived at the far post and heads it back across the box.
- Calafiori, the left-back, is unmarked in the middle and turns it in from close range.
- Guimarães, on for seven minutes, wins a free kick near halfway and Arsenal take it quickly.
- Ødegaard plays the ball forward to Rice at the top of the box.
- Rice flicks it first time into Guimarães's path.
- Guimarães arrives at the edge of the area and drives it first time into the bottom corner.
Leeds shut the box; Arsenal's bench opened it
- Leeds' block: a 3-5-2 that became a five-man back line without the ball, compact and quick to cover for each other. Leeds United's own verdict says they took away crossing and shooting space rather than pressing high. Arsenal had no shot in the first 20 minutes.
- Runs too early: Arsenal kept running beyond the last line and were caught offside seven times to Leeds' four (Sky Sports stats). Opta Analyst had them on 0.41 xG from four shots before half-time; Arteta said they "didn't capitalise on the spaces" (Sky Sports).
- The left side was the way in: Madueke, picked ahead of Eze with Tzolis injured, was Arsenal's only player to complete a cross, five of six (Sky Sports). His deliveries made Havertz's header at Trafford, a low Ødegaard shot and the equaliser.
- The triple change at 63': Timber, Gyökeres and Guimarães came on straight after the equaliser. Arteta wanted "goal threat, players that can win duels" (BBC). Arsenal had five shots in the 15 minutes after going behind, as many as in the first 55 (Premier League). Seven minutes later Guimarães won the free kick near halfway that started the winner.
Tactical scenes
When Leeds won the ball they went quickly down their left. Okafor or Stach found Gudmundsson wide of Arsenal's right-back, and midfielders and even a centre-back arrived late in the box. It was Leeds' clearest route all afternoon.
Evidence: Leeds United's report puts Gudmundsson at the start of three of Leeds' best moments: the cross for Stach's volley (blocked by Bogle), his own drive that Raya parried before half-time, and the cross for Justin's goal. Leeds finished with 11 shots and 0.62 xG (FotMob). Leeds United match report · FotMob match stats
Leeds' back three guarded the middle of the box, so Arsenal's best space was the far post. Madueke, wide on the left, kept crossing deep to it, where Havertz or a full-back arrived. It produced Arsenal's first real chance and the equaliser.
Evidence: Leeds United's report credits Madueke's crosses for Havertz's header at Trafford and Ødegaard's low shot, and his deep cross started the equaliser (Sky Sports: 5 of 6 crosses completed, Arsenal's only successful crosser). Arsenal had 37 touches in Leeds' box to Leeds' 17 in theirs (FotMob). Leeds United match report · FotMob match stats · Sky Sports report
Recreate it in FM26
Arsenal · Arsenal's far-post crosses against a back five · 4-2-3-1Show cardHide card
Arsenal's far-post crosses against a back five
| Pos | Player | In Possession | Out of Possession |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Raya | Ball-Playing Goalkeeper | Sweeper Keeper |
| RB | White | Full-Back | Full-Back |
| RCB | Konsa | Centre-Back | Stopping Centre-Back |
| LCB | Gabriel | Ball-Playing Centre-Back | Covering Centre-Back |
| LB | Calafiori | Inside Full-Back | Full-Back |
| RDM | Rice | Box-to-Box Midfielder | Pressing Defensive Midfielder |
| LDM | Lewis-Skelly | Half-Back | Defensive Midfielder |
| RW | Saka | Inside Winger | Winger |
| AM | Ødegaard | Attacking Midfielder | Attacking Midfielder |
| LW | Madueke | Winger | Tracking Winger |
| ST | Havertz | Centre Forward | Centre Forward |
Team instructions
In Possession
- Passing DirectnessShorter
- Attacking WidthWider
- Progress ThroughLeft
- Crossing StyleHigh Crosses
Out of Possession
- Line of EngagementHigh Press
- Defensive LineHigher
- Defensive TransitionCounter-Press
The idea: Madueke stays wide on the left as a Winger and crosses deep to the far post, where the right-back and the Inside Full-Back on the left arrive late against a back five that guards the middle. You need a winger who crosses early and full-backs who are happy to finish in the box.
What FM26 can't copy: The winner came from a quickly taken free kick, which FM26 does not let you set as a team instruction.
Our reading of this match in FM26 terms, not an exported tactic file. Role names as in FM26.
What if? Replay it with a different plan
Our best alternative plan: Formation 4-3-3, Guimarães on at 46' (for Lewis-Skelly), not 63', Gyökeres on at 46' (for Havertz), not 63'. An extra passer from the start, and the hour-mark changes brought forward to half-time: Guimarães's tempo and Gyökeres in the box after a first half of about 0.4 xG. Arsenal won anyway; this plan just gets there sooner. It moves Arsenal's win chance from 76% to 83% (xG 2.33–0.62 becomes 2.73–0.57). Try your own changes to formation, pressing, approach and substitutions.
The game-changer Arsenal needed
Bruno Guimarães
Arsenal had no shot for 20 minutes and little xG before half-time. Guimarães changed the speed: he won the free kick near halfway, Arsenal took it before Leeds were set, and he arrived at the edge of the box to finish Rice's flick. Starting him gives that drive for the whole game.
Erling Haaland
Leeds' back three guarded the middle and left the far post. Madueke completed five of six crosses, but Havertz's header went straight at Trafford. Haaland attacks exactly the gap between a centre-back and a wing-back, and his presence would push Leeds' line deeper, opening the edge of the box for Arsenal's midfielders.
What the analysts said
“The timing, the connection and the execution of it, it was a beauty.”Mikel Arteta on Guimarães's winner (BBC, via Yahoo Sports)
“We bring a lot of leadership on in those three players. Goal threat, players that can win duels…”Mikel Arteta on the triple change (BBC, via Yahoo Sports)
“Perhaps we were over-shifting too much and didn't spot the run quickly enough.”Daniel Farke on the equaliser (leedsunited.com)
“First half was on a really good level, didn't allow any chances.”Daniel Farke (leedsunited.com)
“I felt in the last game against Brighton we were not at the level. Today the mentality was bouncing back.”Bruno Guimarães (TNT Sports, via BBC/Yahoo Sports)
Leeds had Arsenal stuck for an hour, and the bench got them out.
What's happening. Leeds led through Justin after 55 minutes at the Emirates. Calafiori equalised seven minutes later, and Guimarães, on for only seven minutes, scored the winner. Arsenal bounced back from Brighton and are second, three points behind City, who also won this weekend.
How it works. Leeds defended with five across the back and three in front. That shape guards the middle of the box and the space behind, so runs in behind tend to end in offside flags, as Arsenal's did. The gaps are elsewhere: at the far post, where a deep cross beats the back line, and in the seconds after a restart, before the block is set. Both Arsenal goals came from exactly there.
What the shots say. FotMob's xG gives Arsenal a clear edge for the match, and most of it came after the hour. Read one way, Arsenal deserved the win and were just slow to start. Read the other way, Leeds held the champions to very little for 55 minutes and forced Raya into several saves. Both readings fit: an even first hour, then a one-sided last half-hour.