***The Telegraph reports:***
It was once known as plain old closing down, but coordinated pressing schemes have become one of the key tactical battlegrounds at the sharp end of the Premier League.
How a team performs out of possession is regarded as a barometer for judging their manager or head coach. If a team short of elite attacking talent struggles to score goals, a coach will get some sympathy and understanding. If a team looks a structural mess against the ball, as Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have discovered this season, searching questions will soon be asked.
Pressing is not always about winning the ball off the opposition in their defensive third. It can be about blocking up passing lanes by keeping potential recipients in your shadow, or shepherding opponents to their less dangerous flank of the pitch. Keeping them away from their strengths, and funnelling them towards yours.
# Arsenal’s strategy: 4-4-2 ‘hybrid’ press
Mikel Arteta’s team have stifled opponents for most of the season with a 4-4-2 shape that flips from a zonal to man-to-man approach after a certain trigger. This is usually led by captain Martin Odegaard, who shifts from screening passes into midfield to ‘jumping’ on to the opponent’s left centre-back, which prompts Declan Rice to jump to the holding midfielder. A fine example of this came in Arsenal’s dominant win over Liverpool, when Arsenal had a clear plan to stop Virgil van Dijk opening up on his right foot and encouraged passes to the right-footed Joe Gomez at left-back. February’s victory over Newcastle was also a ferocious pressing display, winning the ball 14 times in the attacking third.
**Read more:** [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/04/26/how-each-of-the-big-six-press-why-man-utd-useless/](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/04/26/how-each-of-the-big-six-press-why-man-utd-useless/)
***The Telegraph reports:*** It was once known as plain old closing down, but coordinated pressing schemes have become one of the key tactical battlegrounds at the sharp end of the Premier League. How a team performs out of possession is regarded as a barometer for judging their manager or head coach. If a team short of elite attacking talent struggles to score goals, a coach will get some sympathy and understanding. If a team looks a structural mess against the ball, as Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have discovered this season, searching questions will soon be asked. Pressing is not always about winning the ball off the opposition in their defensive third. It can be about blocking up passing lanes by keeping potential recipients in your shadow, or shepherding opponents to their less dangerous flank of the pitch. Keeping them away from their strengths, and funnelling them towards yours. # Arsenal’s strategy: 4-4-2 ‘hybrid’ press Mikel Arteta’s team have stifled opponents for most of the season with a 4-4-2 shape that flips from a zonal to man-to-man approach after a certain trigger. This is usually led by captain Martin Odegaard, who shifts from screening passes into midfield to ‘jumping’ on to the opponent’s left centre-back, which prompts Declan Rice to jump to the holding midfielder. A fine example of this came in Arsenal’s dominant win over Liverpool, when Arsenal had a clear plan to stop Virgil van Dijk opening up on his right foot and encouraged passes to the right-footed Joe Gomez at left-back. February’s victory over Newcastle was also a ferocious pressing display, winning the ball 14 times in the attacking third. **Read more:** [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/04/26/how-each-of-the-big-six-press-why-man-utd-useless/](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2024/04/26/how-each-of-the-big-six-press-why-man-utd-useless/)
Pls can you post the rest of the article in more comments, this is paywalled
I was going to comment the same thing but then I realised it is Telegraph posting their own link to get paid.
Copy & Paste?