How Arteta is helping Calafiori thrive in attack

Riccardo Calafiori is a defender who loves to venture forward, with his ball-carrying ability being one of the main reasons Arsenal decided to add him to their squad. His willingness to attack from deep made him an attractive option for the Gunners.

At Bologna, Calafiori was a superb player who regularly moved forward from defence and caused problems for opponents. Arsenal recognised that their squad lacked a defender capable of offering that threat, which encouraged them to push for his signature.

Calafiori given freedom to attack

However, not every manager would allow Calafiori to continue making those forward runs, even though they can be one of the best ways to take advantage of his qualities. The defender needed his manager to trust his instincts and allow him to play with the freedom that suits him.

Mikel Arteta has given him that licence, and Calafiori has revealed that he spoke with the Spanish manager about his desire to attack. Arteta agreed that the defender should make those moves when he believes he can have an impact.

That freedom has given Calafiori opportunities to contribute in the final third and even score goals for Arsenal. After scoring his first goal for the Italian national team, he discussed his approach to joining attacks and the conversation he had with Arteta.

The defender explained that he had to understand when to make those runs and how to balance his attacking instincts with his defensive responsibilities. He also made clear that the freedom from Arteta allows him to express himself more naturally.