Martin Zobimendi: Is the midfielder Arsenal’s best player?

Arsenal players rotate positions to make it difficult for opponents to pick them up. They aim to keep the team balanced while playing in this flexible way. Zobimendi, like others, vacates his position based on the movements of his teammates.

By dropping back into a deep position against Chelsea, Bukayo Saka opened up space on the right flank to allow Zobimendi to penetrate this area. Rice, a wide midfielder, occupied the defensive midfield, ensuring Arsenal’s shape remained similar, with only different players arriving into each area.

It is unusual to see a defensive midfielder make such adventurous runs off the ball, but this appears to be the next step after the more common use of roaming full-backs, such as Riccardo Calafiore, Nuno Mendes and Mark Cucurella.

The logic is that players often tasked with marking defensive players are unlikely to defend them closely. Finding defensive players with the attacking quality to contribute in the final third is rare, but Zobimendi has the skillset to punish teams in this way.

Defenses set up in a low block often drop deeper when facing a winger or striker trying to run in behind. It opens up space in front of the defence, not inside the penalty area.

Arsenal spend large parts of the game trying to open up deep defences. This allows Zubimendi to get into a position where he can receive a pass, without being picked off, before immediately executing the idea in his head. This could be a precise through ball or a neat shot over the top – passes that are more dangerous and pose new questions for deeper defences.

Instead, when Zobimendi sits at the base of midfield, Rice is free to press and rotate with the attackers, knowing there is protection behind him.

The Englishman is likely to feel safe playing freely after seeing his 5ft 9in teammate beat 6ft 6in Newcastle striker Nick Woltmad with a header earlier this season.

Meanwhile, Zobimendi’s willingness to shoot from distance provided Arsenal with a much-needed opener against Nottingham Forest and Sunderland, after which more space opened up for Arsenal with their opponents forced to play more adventurously.

“If space isn’t in one place, it’s going to be somewhere else,” Arteta said – and against deep defences, long shots have become an increasingly viable tactic this season.

Hence, the signing of Zubimendi came at the right time.