Women's Champions League tactical analysis: Little wonder as Arsenal recover at Lyon
mardi 29 avril 2025
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UEFA Technical Observer Martin Sjögren highlights how Arsenal pressed high and dominated defensive duels in their UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final decider at Lyon.
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Arsenal's victory over Lyon in the second leg of their UEFA Women's Champions League semi-final underlined the importance of both individual and collective defensive discipline. After losing 2-1 in the first leg in London, Renée Slegers' side produced an excellent performance to secure a 4-1 win in France and a 5-3 aggregate success. The key was winning individual duels and working as a cohesive defensive unit, with exemplary defensive midfielder Kim Little named Player of the Match for her display.
"Many Arsenal players shone in this game, but Little was brilliant and played a major role in Arsenal winning," explained UEFA Technical Observer, Martin Sjögren. "She controlled the central midfield throughout, both offensively and defensively. She won a lot of duels and always made sure that the balance between offence and defence was kept equal. Her experience was decisive in this match."
Little crucial to Arsenal's high-press approach
To disrupt Lyon's rhythm in possession, Arsenal adopted a high-press approach with the aim of locking the French team on to one side of the pitch and isolating individuals in possession. To do so, the visitors had to be coordinated, disciplined and proactive.
In the clip above, we see how Arsenal's players regularly did two jobs out of possession – covering both their opponent and space. As Lyon's players rotate positions in order to find space to receive, Arsenal's players are communicating effectively in order to pass players on to their team-mates.
Little was crucial in communicating with her team-mates and orchestrating her team's press. At the appropriate moments, the Scottish international also set an example in how to press the player with the ball while also protecting a pass to the player she had left. This type of press requires excellent game understanding and the physical capabilities to press the opposition.
"If you want to be as good a No6 as Kim is, then you need to have a great understanding of the game," noted Sjögren. "You need to have full insights of the total framework of the team and a high understanding that your role is crucial for the team.
"Also, to be able to play as a No6 at this level, you need the physical ability as a central midfielder," he added. "You need to be able to move your feet, be able to run and put yourself in good positions to win the ball, and to also make yourself playable."
Arsenal turn defence into attack
All four of Arsenal's goals can be traced back to their well-executed high press or individual defensive actions. For Arsenal's second goal (second clip above) Little demonstrated her game understanding and defensive efficiency in regaining the ball twice before Mariona Caldentey's strike from distance.
The 34-year-old also showed the importance of excellent technical skills as well as positional awareness when it comes to transitioning seamlessly from defence to attack.
"To be that No6 player who is kind of in the middle of everything, you also need to adapt so you can find the different type of cues from the other players' roles, so that you always stay in a good position," continued Sjögren. "The No6 must keep the balance offensively and defensively. Kim has great experience in the game and she can use that to even develop this type of quality even more."
Arsenal's determined mindset
Arsenal's defensive performance had many impressive features in France. The English side held a high back line allowing them to squeeze the space in front of them, while also keeping cover at the back with a spare player. They also remained compact throughout and limited Lyon mostly to set pieces during their attacks.
Underpinning all this was a determined mindset. In the final clip, we see how Arsenal's players were willing to cover large distances at high speed as well as engage in physical contact in order to disrupt their opponents.
Coaching considerations: How to develop game understanding like Kim Little's
Little's Player of the Match efforts were the perfect blend of defensive discipline and attacking control. To develop such game understanding, coaches must enable players to make their own decisions within a tactical framework, says Sjögren.
"I think the coach's role is to guide the player," he explained. "There has to be a clear tactical framework, but do not put too much detail into the framework. The players themselves have to make the decision within that framework.
"The player needs to work out how to solve the problems out there on the field. Then as the coach you can give them feedback on those types of executions. Too often coaches want to give the players all the answers about how they should do things in the game."
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