If there is one country that epitomises football’s shift in emphasis from defence to attack, it is surely Norway. Once a home to dogged defenders, stoic centre-halves and full-blooded full-backs, this is now the nation of Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.
It is a testament to the technical development of the game. But it is only natural there are those in Norway wondering whether the balance is wrong. For all the attacking talent now being produced, they have been unable to replicate the success of the past.
Under Egil Olsen, affectionately known as Drillo in his homeland, their direct style helped them eliminate England in qualifying for the 1994 World Cup and then go on to reach the knockout stages at France ’98. They have not been to the tournament since.
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In conversation with Thomas Brantsaeter, Norway’s head of player identification, he lays out the problem – and the efforts being made to solve it. “We are doing a lot of work at the federation on raising the focus on defending,” Brantsaeter tells Sky Sports.
“We are more into just passing and the technical skills now, so we are developing different types of players these days, for sure. But defending was crucial to our success under Drillo and it seems maybe that we have forgotten the art of defending a little bit.”
The game has undoubtedly changed. Over the course of the previous decade, the total number of passes per season in the Premier League increased by almost 50,000. Meanwhile, the total number of tackles per season decreased by almost 4,000.
Brantsaeter is blunt about the scale of the problem. “We get players coming into our national teams and they are blank when it comes to defending.” These are Norway’s best young players but he talks of almost having to start their education from scratch.
“We have a project now, going to the regions, doing presentations and practical sessions about defending – zonal defending, in particular. That is our tradition from the Drillo era. We think that with small adjustments it can still be the Norwegian way.
“In particular, we are focusing on defending inside the box. Arsenal have been tremendous at defending their box for quite a long time now. This is where games are decided and it can seem we are not training it at all or at least not enough.”
The top teams still have the top defenders. Pep Guardiola’s success was built on their defensive record, albeit rooted in the principle that possession was the best form of defence. It is Manchester City’s vulnerability at the back that has undermined them.
Consider how Real Madrid stood firm against Guardiola’s City both this season and last, a reminder that while world-class defenders tend to operate on the halfway line in the majority of matches, they are able to protect a box better than the rest if they have to.
As Brantsaeter suggests, Arsenal are emblems of that. They had the best defensive record in the Premier League last season and are on course to repeat the feat. Their rearguard away to City with 10 players in September showcased that desire to defend.
The Gunners were once famous for it under George Graham, of course. One-nil to the Arsenal. Alan Smith, the winner of the Golden Boot in both of their title wins under Graham, knows this success was built on the solid defence operating behind him.
“It will be different methods to George Graham, I would imagine, back in the day,” Smith tells Sky Sports. “But I am sure that (Mikel) Arteta has worked really hard on that defensive team shape, put the time in with the back four and the goalkeeper.
“It is that kind of attention to detail from the management that is key and I think it has been one of his best achievements, if not the best. Of course, so much of it is about recruitment. But once you have those players, it becomes about coaching them.
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“We have seen many other clubs bring in expensive defenders and they do not gel into a unit. So much of it is about positional sense, that positional work, making sure you know where your man is, know where your goal is and you have all got your bearings.
“But it is also that willingness to attack the ball and be aggressive with it. Not everybody does want to put their head on the ball. They might find ways of getting around that. But Arsenal have certainly got those type of players who want to put their head on the ball.
“Look at Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure, two out-and-out defenders who just loved that unspectacular side of the business. I think you have got to have that mentality as a defender, that you enjoy it. The club lost that resilience somewhere along the way.”
They have rediscovered it now.
Gabriel is a defender in that mould, relishing that physical contest. William Saliba is different but still excels in one-against-one situations. “You want defenders to be good on the ball and Saliba is,” says Smith. “But his priority is shutting out the opposition.”
There is something almost unnatural about great defending, even Smith admitting the odds can be loaded against them. “It has always been the case, defenders react and strikers anticipate. Sometimes, you have immediately got half a yard on that defender.”
Partnerships are key, whether it is Campbell and Toure or even Tony Adams and Steve Bould long before that. “That understanding comes with playing together over an extended period,” says Smith. Arsenal’s record with Gabriel and Saliba bears that out.
It is similar at full-back. “The emphasis is on getting forward to overlap or inverting to join in. But managers will soon complain if a full-back does not stop the cross and it is curled into the box and somebody scores. A defender’s job is to stymie the opposition.”
The underlying statistics show that Arsenal do that better than anyone, particularly on transition. They have faced fewer shots on transition than any other team in the Premier League, although it owes as much to their dominance and structure as the individuals.
That is because Arsenal defenders find themselves in one-on-one situations far less frequently than those of other sides. Strength in numbers is not just for the weak. Arteta’s side prevent those counter-attacks before they happen – by fair means or foul.
“City did it down the years, that tactical foul, which you can learn to do without getting a booking sometimes. There is an art to it, stopping the counter-attack, ticking down the clock a little bit. It winds up the opposition and their fans but it is all part of the game.”
Arsenal will come up short in the Premier League this season, Liverpool outscoring them so heavily. But there is still that chance of glory in the Champions League. “If you are hard to beat,” says Smith, speaking from experience, “one goal might be enough.”
It is a point well worth remembering. Over in Norway, it is now uppermost in their thoughts. “We still believe defending is important and we are working hard to educate both attack and defence,” concludes Brantsaeter. “It is not a case of either or.”
