Why Frida Maanum is fast becoming Arsenal's midfield lynchpin
How the Norwegian midfielder has already affected and changed Arsenal's midfield
Arsenal’s start to life under Jonas Eidevall has truly been remarkable and probably not what most people would have envisioned. They go into the game against Barcelona as underdogs but also as a team who by far have made significant strides in their development from last season. Many thought the former Rosengård coach would take time to adapt and instil his vision on the squad though they seemingly did have a longer pre-season of sorts.
Eidevall has produced some exciting football and the team already have the aura of serious title challengers after beating both Chelsea and Manchester City in emphatic fashion. When Manchester City visited Arsenal last season, they ran out 2-1 winners. At that point, Arsenal once again failed to beat a title rival after losing to Chelsea. These early tests would have been a cause for concern but as Eidevall put it, he prefers it.
“Personally, I prefer to have a little bit of a harder start because that means we have to be sharp from the beginning. It helps because the players also know we have some tests pretty early in the season, so we don’t think we have too much time.”
Jonas Eidevall for The Athletic
While it might be too early in the season to point towards an exact answer, it’s undeniable that the addition of Frida Maanum has been key to this resurgence.
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On the basis of their games against Chelsea, Reading, and Manchester City so far, there is enough to suggest that he has made them a more clinical outfit. The team has struck a balance between defensive acumen and attacking flair without sacrificing one for the other. The first game against Chelsea saw them concede twice but they still didn’t succumb to the pressure.
Arsenal have gone from playing a predominantly 4-2-3-1 / 4-1-4-1 formation to a 4-3-3. This has given them more numbers in midfield and given license to their talented wide players to play closer to Vivianne Miedema. The full-backs have been much more involved, especially in the final third. There was a moment against Chelsea with Manuela Zinsberger played as an auxiliary central defender, allowing Katie McCabe to push up as a winger. There is a wider discussion to be had on Arsenal’s tactical changes which require a deeper analysis, but on the surface, there is more about this Arsenal team than meets the eye – especially in midfield.
Arguably their biggest transformation has come in midfield. Arsenal have excelled in the transition thanks to the arrival of 22-year-old Frida Maanum from Linköping. The midfielder’s primary responsibility is to drive Arsenal forward whilst supporting Lia Wälti in a defensive capacity. Replacing Jill Roord in midfield, the Norwegian midfielder has shown a great propensity in her positioning, but more importantly, in her tactical intelligence as well.
Maanum is an option at defensive midfield or as a right-sided central midfielder. Her game is derived from her tenacity and ingenuity on the ball that has given Arsenal so much energy and drive, but crucially she is a player who is adept at the defensive side of the game as well. With a good passing style, she aims to pass the ball quickly, which can affect her accuracy, but overall is a dynamic force. However, what stands out most is Maanum’s discipline which is the fundamental foundation of her role as a midfielder. Knowing when to push up and when to hold position is a feature of her game, especially at her age.
Already we can see her movement patterns in this heat map that highlights her drive and diligence from midfield. The area Maanum covers are at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield and a place from which she can control play and influence proceedings. By being heavily involved in the centre of the pitch, you can see how she’s able to make decisions to push up or hold position. It’s this decision-making that has been such a factor in how Arsenal have been able to be so positive going forward.
This energy and drive have given Arsenal a platform going forward, bringing equity to what was at times an unbalanced equation. It’s her quick bursts from midfield that opposition defenders find difficult to contend with. Take this example against Reading where Maanum receives the ball after Leah Williamson who wins it back in the middle. The Norwegian accelerates forward and plays the ball into the feet of McCabe all while making a direct run into the 18-yard box.
Steph Catley’s overlapping run and pass meets Maanum. Though Roord was an excellent attacking player last season, her runs were more from a number 10 position than as an attacking 8. Coming in from a deeper position means Maanum is much more unpredictable and tends to stay away from Miedema’s preferred space in and around the box. As a result, she’s able to interchange with the players in the half-spaces and create new goal-scoring opportunities.
The way the 22-year-old creates space and moves into it ready to receive the ball is impressive. Such is her ability that Maanum has displayed numerous counts of this movement in the few games she’s played in. She’s already shown signs of how integral she is to the midfield setup to both create space for the attackers to thrive and to become an extra supporting body in the box.
Maanum’s constant requests for the ball at her feet combined with identifying ideal spaces in between the lines means Arsenal have an out-ball when trying to progress possession through the thirds. Here against Reading, she was able to pick up a position just behind the midfielder and she dribbles forward with purpose. Though she gets dispossessed, Maanum’s energy and determination to push forward are evident.
Last season, she averaged 6.40 dribbles per 90 minutes with a 42% success rate, combined with 11.64 attacking duels per 90, winning 32.5% of them. This means she’s frequent in her positivity with the ball. With an average of 3.2 touches in the penalty area that ranks her 23rd and dribbling ranking her 11th in Sweden’s top flight, Maanum can be seen as a very effective ball carrier. Most interestingly, she ranked sixth for second-assists per 90 and fifth for total. The graphic indicates how influential the midfielder was in Damallsvenskan last season by being ranked in the top performers quadrant for assists per 90 and progressive runs per 90. This is indicative of her influence in the final third and how she’s been such an asset going forward for Linköping.
So far, Maanum has displayed good attacking instincts but also a decent range of passing from midfield. Considering her playstyle, this means her tenacity and running will be more effective and with better overall passers in the side, the primary responsibility won’t fall on the Norwegian. Maanum’s strength in passing will come in distribution against low blocks using her long-ranged passing. She’s shown a propensity to quickly identify free players and send accurate passes to relieve pressure and keep the ball moving.
This was shown in their game against Reading where they sat back and denied Arsenal spaces between the lines. Notice the number of players in the middle third denying Maanum of any obvious passing options. The midfielder quickly sprays the ball out wide to the wide player which creates more time and space.
The other side of a box-to-box midfielder’s game is their defensive acumen and understanding. This is key in bringing the balance to the midfield. What Maanum has shown so far is an understanding of defensive positioning – especially in transition. The Norwegian number 8 has taken up good defensive positions to counteract turnovers and not only intercept and break up play, but conversely win it higher up the pitch.
Arsenal’s defensive system should improve as a result of Maanum’s inclusion – even if not by the numbers – her sheer presence should give them a chance to have better cover in defensive transitions. Last season, they lacked this sort of energy which made them very slow in their own third.
Though Manchester City were completely off pace thanks to Arsenal’s intense pressure and constant pressing, they still tried to play out from the back. Maanum didn’t want City to progress through the thirds and once the ball goes out from Alanna Kennedy to Georgia Stanway, Vicky Losada makes a run through the middle to get in behind Arsenal’s double-pivot. Maanum spots the run and instead of following the Spaniard, she steps forward and blocks off the pass.
Her interceptions frequency has gone up from 3.1 to 3.37 with a comparable sample size which means she’s still able to keep up her defensive duties. Sitting next to Wälti gives the duo the ability to interchange roles and positions, enhancing the Swiss player’s best attributes and dictating play from deep. When you have one energetic midfielder in conjunction with a deep-lying controller, the team’s control becomes a lot more certain.
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Although Arsenal still have three-quarters of the season to go, their performances so far have proven their title credentials and though tactical changes have been at the heart of their impressive form, the introduction of Maanum has no doubt played a pivotal role in their uprise.
Although there is plenty of competition in Arsenal’s midfield, cementing her place as a first-choice option isn’t out of the question. Maanum is only 22 and each aspect of her game still needs to be honed and sharpened, but Eidevall’s faith in the Norwegian means he believes in her talents so Maanum must show she can maintain the high standards.
Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images