We’re back in Europa League action on Thursday when we play the second leg of our last-32 clash at Ostersunds.
Ahead of the game, tactical expert Michael Cox examines our Swedish opponents in more detail.
THE MANAGER
Englishman Graham Potter has rightly received plenty of plaudits for his job at Ostersunds, taking the club from the fourth division into the Allsvenskan, then into the Europa League this season – after overcoming Galatasaray in the qualification round. This is Potter’s first managerial job, and might well be in-demand from clubs in his homeland after this impressive run.
FORMATION
Potter used a 5-3-2 formation in the reverse fixture, with the wing-backs playing deeper than he would have liked, which contributed to Ostersunds being pinned back in the opening stages. Both left-sided Denis Widgren and right-sided Samuel Mensah are capable of bombing forward into attack, and will hope to show more attacking flair this time around.
STRENGTHS
Ostersunds didn’t show their true potential in the first leg, and boast a technically talented three-man midfield, who switch the ball rapidly from flank to flank. Forced to take the initiative this evening, we’re likely to see a more positive performance from the Swedish side.
DANGERMAN
The star of the three-man midfield is Ken Sema, who was relatively quiet in the first leg, but is capable of dominating matches. He’s also an expert set-piece taker – Ostersunds don’t particularly depend upon set-plays for goals, but it might be one of their more promising approaches here.
AREAS TO TARGET
Ostersunds sat very deep last week and barely pressed in advanced positions with their wing-backs sitting back. Arsenal should receive space to play possession football.
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