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Beesotted contributor Jacob ‘The Gowler’ Gowler (@BeesBreakdown) gives us the tactical and statistical lowdown of Brentford’s draw against Arsenal.

Thomas Frank deployed his typical starting XI with Ajer, Collins, van den Berg, and Keane Lewis-Potter on the backline. The double pivot consisted of Janelt and Nørgaard joined by Damsgaard in a slightly different role than usual. The dangerous and pacey front three consisted of Mbeumo, Wissa, and Schade. A strong bench for the Bees, including Rico Henry and Gustavo Nunes, with multiple players back from injury.

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Mikel Arteta’s side came out in a 4-3-3 with a few key players resting for their match against Real Madrid. Saka and Ødegaard started on the bench, while Partey, Saliba, Kiwior, and Tierney started on the backline. Zinchenko, Jorginho, and Rice made up the midfield trio, while Nwaneri, Trossard, and Martinelli the three up top.

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Overall, not too many chances for either side, with both teams recording under 1 xG. Brentford only had three shots but impressively worked through Arsenal’s press with Flekken’s distribution.

Arsenal also showcased their buildup, also incorporating Raya to gain a numerical advantage. Arteta cleverly disrupted Brentford’s hybrid pressing system by forcing van den Berg and Collins out of position.

A subtle change for the Bees out-of-possession, with Schade joining Wissa up top, allowed Damsgaard to drop further back and easily get on the ball. Brentford reverted to their typical positioning in the second half after a relatively ineffective press.

Thomas Frank’s coordinated and compact defence prevented Arsenal from scoring until a counterattack took advantage of a transitional moment. Arsenal scored off a Brentford corner kick, but the Bees quickly showed how this aggressive approach can pay off by scoring after a corner later on.