ShareArsenal stand on the brink of their greatest-ever season with PSG the only hurdle left for Mikel Arteta’s team to clear.By Graham RuthvenMikel Arteta does things a certain way. Some neutrals wish he didn’t, such is the cautious approach frequently employed by Arsenal, but nobody can question the effectiveness of the Spaniard’s methods after the Gunners ended their 20-year wait for Premier League glory this season.Everything Arteta does is geared towards control. He wants to eliminate every opposition threat in every match Arsenal play, and he has been successful in this effort. Indeed, it was the Gunners’ defensive strength that played the biggest role in them becoming Premier League winners.On Saturday, though, Arteta’s obsessive focus on control will face its biggest test. Paris Saint-Germain also like to control matches, although they do so in a very different way. While Arteta sets up Arsenal to limit opponents, Luis Enrique’s PSG side are built to expose the teams they come up against.Arsenal boast the most clean sheets (nine) in this season’s Champions League. PSG, however, have the highest average possession share per match beyond Bayern Munich, who the French champions brushed aside in the semi-finals. On top of this, PSG are averaging 547.6 accurate passes per match compared to Arsenal’s tally of just 389.4 per match.In the past, Enrique has been criticised for favouring possession for the sake of possession. His Spain team were too easy to play against because they lacked the natural creativity to do anything with the ball when they had it. They were too risk-averse in the biggest matches in the biggest tournaments.As PSG manager, though, Enrique has the likes of Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué as final third difference-makers with Joao Neves and Vitinha as natural ball progressors behind them, driving the reigning European champions forward from midfield. PSG’s movement and rotations will stretch Arsenal. They must find a way to keep the gaps between their defenders compact without being so compact that the Premier League champions can’t get out when they win possession. Arteta must strike the right balance between the two.Arsenal have the best defence in the Champions League, but only rank ninth for goals scored per matchNo matter what happens in Budapest on Saturday, this season has been a success for Arsenal. Winning the Premier League title was the culmination of a long process that started when Arteta was appointed manager back in 2019. Sunday’s parade around North London will be joyous even if the Gunners have just one trophy to show off.And yet Saturday’s match is an opportunity for Arsenal to further highlight how far they have come. They have already proved themselves as an established member of the Europe elite by making the final, but a victory over PSG would be momentous and the ultimate vindication of Arteta.“We need that energy to flow and going against that, I think it will be a big mistake,” said Arteta when asked whether Arsenal will carry their title celebrations into the Champions League final. “We already talked about what we have to do in Budapest, how we’re going to use all the incredible energy that we’re all carrying towards that final, and tomorrow we’re going to start to prepare for it.”Arteta will have options to utilise against PSG depending on the state of the game. Viktor Gyökeres has proved himself as a physical focal point capable of roughing up opposition defenders and running the channels. Kai Havertz, meanwhile, is more tactile in the way he performs the number nine role.Eberechi Eze could offer goal threat with his shooting from the edge of the box while Martin Ødegaard is a more nimble creator through his use of the ball. Gabriel Martinelli has the skill set to provide some verticality down the left with Leandro Trossard effective through his box-crashing runs and general eye for goal.This is another area where Arteta has moulded Arsenal into a team capable of competing against, and beating, the very best. The Spaniard pushed for his squad to be strengthened when other managers might have targeted flashier first team figures. Arteta knew he needed options in every position on the pitch.Ultimately, it might not matter against PSG. The French giants have already seen off Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich on their path to this season’s Champions League final and they will have ideas on how to disrupt Arsenal too. Nothing in Budapest will faze Enrique and his players. They have complete belief in what they are and what they do, and with very good reason.The same could be said of Arsenal, though, who have been building to this moment for a long time. Arteta and Enrique exist on the same spectrum, but at opposite ends to one another. The teams they have moulded in their own image are proof of this and Saturday’s Champions League final could be more compelling for it.(Images from IMAGO)You can follow every Arsenal game on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.Arsenal stand on the brink of their greatest-ever season with PSG the only hurdle left for Mikel Arteta’s team to clear.By Graham RuthvenMikel Arteta does things a certain way. Some neutrals wish he didn’t, such is the cautious approach frequently employed by Arsenal, but nobody can question the effectiveness of the Spaniard’s methods after the Gunners ended their 20-year wait for Premier League glory this season.Everything Arteta does is geared towards control. He wants to eliminate every opposition threat in every match Arsenal play, and he has been successful in this effort. Indeed, it was the Gunners’ defensive strength that played the biggest role in them becoming Premier League winners.On Saturday, though, Arteta’s obsessive focus on control will face its biggest test. Paris Saint-Germain also like to control matches, although they do so in a very different way. While Arteta sets up Arsenal to limit opponents, Luis Enrique’s PSG side are built to expose the teams they come up against.Arsenal boast the most clean sheets (nine) in this season’s Champions League. PSG, however, have the highest average possession share per match beyond Bayern Munich, who the French champions brushed aside in the semi-finals. On top of this, PSG are averaging 547.6 accurate passes per match compared to Arsenal’s tally of just 389.4 per match.In the past, Enrique has been criticised for favouring possession for the sake of possession. His Spain team were too easy to play against because they lacked the natural creativity to do anything with the ball when they had it. They were too risk-averse in the biggest matches in the biggest tournaments.As PSG manager, though, Enrique has the likes of Ousmane Dembélé, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Désiré Doué as final third difference-makers with Joao Neves and Vitinha as natural ball progressors behind them, driving the reigning European champions forward from midfield. PSG’s movement and rotations will stretch Arsenal. They must find a way to keep the gaps between their defenders compact without being so compact that the Premier League champions can’t get out when they win possession. Arteta must strike the right balance between the two.Arsenal have the best defence in the Champions League, but only rank ninth for goals scored per matchNo matter what happens in Budapest on Saturday, this season has been a success for Arsenal. Winning the Premier League title was the culmination of a long process that started when Arteta was appointed manager back in 2019. Sunday’s parade around North London will be joyous even if the Gunners have just one trophy to show off.And yet Saturday’s match is an opportunity for Arsenal to further highlight how far they have come. They have already proved themselves as an established member of the Europe elite by making the final, but a victory over PSG would be momentous and the ultimate vindication of Arteta.“We need that energy to flow and going against that, I think it will be a big mistake,” said Arteta when asked whether Arsenal will carry their title celebrations into the Champions League final. “We already talked about what we have to do in Budapest, how we’re going to use all the incredible energy that we’re all carrying towards that final, and tomorrow we’re going to start to prepare for it.”Arteta will have options to utilise against PSG depending on the state of the game. Viktor Gyökeres has proved himself as a physical focal point capable of roughing up opposition defenders and running the channels. Kai Havertz, meanwhile, is more tactile in the way he performs the number nine role.Eberechi Eze could offer goal threat with his shooting from the edge of the box while Martin Ødegaard is a more nimble creator through his use of the ball. Gabriel Martinelli has the skill set to provide some verticality down the left with Leandro Trossard effective through his box-crashing runs and general eye for goal.This is another area where Arteta has moulded Arsenal into a team capable of competing against, and beating, the very best. The Spaniard pushed for his squad to be strengthened when other managers might have targeted flashier first team figures. Arteta knew he needed options in every position on the pitch.Ultimately, it might not matter against PSG. The French giants have already seen off Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich on their path to this season’s Champions League final and they will have ideas on how to disrupt Arsenal too. Nothing in Budapest will faze Enrique and his players. They have complete belief in what they are and what they do, and with very good reason.The same could be said of Arsenal, though, who have been building to this moment for a long time. Arteta and Enrique exist on the same spectrum, but at opposite ends to one another. The teams they have moulded in their own image are proof of this and Saturday’s Champions League final could be more compelling for it.(Images from IMAGO)You can follow every Arsenal game on FotMob – with in-depth stat coverage, including xG, shot maps, and player ratings. Download the free app here.Add FotMob as a preferred news source on Google by clicking – here.