UEFA Women's Champions League Performance Insight: How Arsenal rallied at Wolfsburg

UEFA's Technical Observer panel analyse how Arsenal, after conceding two early goals in Wolfsburg, bounced back to earn a 2-2 draw that sets up a riveting return match in London.

An improvised Arsenal defence was sliced open in an opening phase dominated by the home side, with a defensive error while playing out from the back allowing Wolfsburg to double the lead established by Ewa Pajor's eighth goal of the campaign. The visitors, however, fought their way back into the game with a goal on the stroke of half-time and then equalised through Stina Blackstenius.

Goals

1-0: Ewa Pajor (19)

Wolfsburg won the second ball after a clearance by their goalkeeper. Sveindis Jónsdóttir neatly controlled a long pass and fed a through-ball for Pajor to finish with a low cross-shot.

2-0: Sveindís Jónsdóttir (24)

An error while attempting to build up from a goal kick allowed the Icelandic winger to tap past Manuela Zinsberger from close range.

2-1: Rafaelle (45)

The left centre-back, up for a corner on the Arsenal right, headed in at the far post.

2-2: Stina Blackstenius (69)

Lotte Wubben-Moy threaded a pass to Victoria Pelova and Blackstenius slid in from close range to convert her low cross from the right.

Player of the Match: Jen Beattie

The Arsenal centre-back was named by the Technical Observer Panel not only for secure, error-free defending and aerial power, but also on account of her organisational and leadership qualities at the heart of the visitors' defence.

Team formations

Wolfsburg

With Alex Popp and Lina Lattwein injured, Tommy Stroot's 4-2-3-1 formation featured Jule Brand operating in the wake of striker Ewa Pajor. With Dominique Janssen dropping back to central defence, Jill Roord operated as companion to Lena Oberdorf in the pivotal midfield roles.

Arsenal

Faced with an injury list featuring six international players, Jonas Eidevall was obliged to shuffle his pack – and made only two substitutions (both in the 89th minute). He opted for a 5-2-3 structure with Victoria Pelova and Katie McCabe accompanying Blackstenius in attack.

Features

Arsenal’s key wing-backs

"Arsenal set up their game by attacking in a 3-4-3 formation with transitions to 5-2-3 when they defended in a middle block and, when they defended deep, 5-4-1," the Technical Observers noted. "When you play that system, the wing-back positions are key. And the two Arsenal players did a great job, understanding the correct height of their positioning in all phases of the game."

Steph Catley (7) and Noëlle Maritz (16) worked unflaggingly to be influential in their team's possession play by stretching the opposition and, in addition, providing defensive balance.

The first clip shows how they stretched Wolfsburg across the pitch to create central spaces for team-mates, notably Katie McCabe (15) who was a positional free spirit in attack and Frida Maanum (12) who astutely looked for spaces between lines, dragging opponents with her and opening passing lanes to the wing-backs.

Arsenal worked on attracting Wolfsburg to one side and then using the wide centre-backs and the goalkeeper to execute a rapid switch of play. With a couple of short passes, Arsenal also opened play with diagonal passes to the wing-backs who, with quick support from team-mates, created danger with triangular passing moves – one of which generated the corner that gave the visitors their crucial opening goal.

The second clip shows the wing-backs' defensive positioning in relation to the opposition’s wide players, stepping up to press a short pass, but also close enough to act as a support defender if the ball was lofted over her.

Marking territory

Svenja Huth (10), described by the Technical Observer as "a long-distance player", had an important role in Wolfsburg's response to the Arsenal set-up. She occupied the right side of the support trio in her team's 4-2-3-1 attacking structure but was required to track back to control Catley's upfield work. This was vital work as Wolfsburg's right-back Lynn Wilms (2) was tasked with the individual marking of McCabe – a role she fulfilled with discipline and firm defensive qualities.

As the second clip illustrates, Arsenal looked to capitalise on her individual pursuit by dragging Wilms out of position and exploited the spaces she vacated, notably by Blackstenius (25) who made a string of penetrating runs in the first half. Huth worked hard to plug the gaps but the video shows a situation where she and Wilms are both drawn out of position, allowing Maanum to make a solo run.

The Wolfsburg counter-press

The German team made twice as many passes as Arsenal in the attacking third, partly due to their aggressive counter-pressing after losing the ball in advanced areas and when the opponents tried to play out from the goalkeeper – as illustrated by their second goal. When in organised possession, they attacked in numbers, allowing them to press collectively when the move broke down.

Three highlighted situations showcase rapid responses to ball-loss with five or six players swarming around the opponent in possession and blocking short-passing options while centre-backs and at least one holding midfielder offer security against a long-ball solution. Well-coordinated collective pressing paved the way for high regains and frequently pre-empted Arsenal's attempts to build from the back.

The versatility of Roord

The Technical Observer remarked that Roord (14) had been an impressively valuable asset during the match against Arsenal, not only covering a lot of ground but also providing creative solutions while linking Wolfsburg's middle-to-front play. Two situations illustrate her positive contribution to the team effort. The video shows how she finds space, while Wolfsburg are building from a goal-kick, to use her vision and technical ability to open play to the wings.

In the second clip, she is supporting her back line and, once the ball has been played further upfield on the right flank, she offers herself as a passing option on the edge of the box to combine with team-mates, take the attacking move into the penalty area and, in this case, executing a dangerous goal attempt.

Wolfsburg coach Tommy Stroot and Ewa Pajor at full-timeGetty Images

Coaches' assessments

Tommy Stroot, Wolfsburg coach: "It's half-time and the second half will be in London. We knew that it would be a close game and our 2-0 lead flattered us a bit. We were very clinical at the start. The goals we conceded came from a set piece and a counterattack which we should have been able to deal with."

Jonas Eidevall, Arsenal manager: "It was amazing to see the resilience, the attitude and the work-rate that the players had. We were happy with the performance and the result. But it's only half-time and it’s all to be decided in London. There's a very good chance of a sell-out crowd and we need everyone to support the team and give us that something extra."