Why Kieran Tierney is the key piece in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal revolution

It has been a long time since Arsenal had a manager who employed tactics quite as complex as Mikel Arteta. Arsene Wenger relied on creative expression within a loose structure, while Unai Emery….well, no-one quite worked out what the plan was there.

But Arteta is ploughing through multiple formations in single matches, allowing his side to adapt to changing circumstances and making them tougher to beat. 

To do that, though, you need those on the pitch to carry out your instructions – and that is why Kieran Tierney is arguably Arsenal’s second most important player behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with the Scot’s return to fitness ahead of Monday’s trip to Anfield vital to his side. 

Tierney is unique because no-one else in the squad has his ability to play at centre-back, full-back and wing-back, often in the same match. His adaptability allows the left side of Arsenal’s team to play in a completely different way to the right, and also gives Arteta the option of having a different system both in and out of possession. 

Without the ball Arsenal have been lining up in a relatively conventional 3-4-3 formation, with Tierney on the left side of a back three. But when they have the ball the team – and Tierney’s role – changes completely, with the side switching to a 4-3-3 setup, with right wing-back Hector Bellerin dropping slightly. Tierney is then asked to play as a conventional left-back with the left wing-back – either Ainsley Maitland-Niles or Bukayo Saka – pushing forward or tucking in to act as a third central midfielder, with Alexandre Lacazette also dropping deep to appear as an extra body in midfield. Granit Xhaka is also given the option of drifting towards a left-back role with Tierney then pushing even further forward and given licence to cut inside and break into the penalty area if he sees the opportunity. 

With the 23-year-old able to bomb up and down the left flank, and Aubameyang also staying wide, it generally means Arsenal have an overload of players down that flank. Of their five Premier League goals so far this season, four have come from the left showing how difficult it is to defend against. 

The system relies heavily on Tierney’s adaptability and Arsenal keenly felt his absence against West Ham last weekend after he withdrew in the warm-up with a hip injury. Sead Kolasinac was drafted in but is a far more limited player, and Arsenal’s build-up play was stodgy against a side that were well set up defensively. That said, the tactic still worked to an extent with Saka playing a key role in both Arsenal’s goals from an infield position rather than his nominal wing-back slot. 

Arsenal will have fewer chances to get forward at Anfield on Monday night but Arteta will undoubtedly have noticed that Liverpool look vulnerable down their right, with Leeds United exploiting that potential weakness on the opening day of the season. If Liverpool commit too many men forward then expect Tierney to look for Aubameyang over the top, as he did to great success in the FA Cup final. If they sit deep then Arsenal will try and overload that side. 

The challenge for Tierney will be knowing when to commit forward and when to sit back. Liverpool’s speed on the counter-attack is well documented and Arsenal will obviously have to be at their best defensively. 

But one of the many reasons for optimism under Arteta is the development of a clear plan and structure based around the qualities of the players at his disposal. In Tierney he has recognised an opportunity and has made the Scot a key part of his Arsenal revolution.