Maximilian Arnold – Wolfsburg’s set-piece genius
Maximilian Arnold has spent more than a decade with VFL Wolfsburg as he made his debut as a 19-year-old attacking midfielder, playing with the likes of Diego Ribas, Ivica Olic, Ivan Perisic and Kevin De Bruyne. He has developed a cult hero status of his own as a gifted set-piece taker with a shooting technique that he attributes to pure genetics as he said his sister also has a great shot. He was an astonishing prospect at U19 level, winning two U19 Bundesliga titles against a Norbert Elgert coached Schalke side which included Max Meyer, Sead Kolasinac, Kaan Ayhan and Philipp Max. His talent was so evident as a 19-year-old that former VW CEO, Martin Winterkorn described him as a ‘jewel’ as he is now a midfield tyro, controlling things at the base of midfield.
In recent years, Arnold has had to play under different managers, adapting to different styles and positions which greatly affected the formative years of his career and prevented him from hitting the heights he is capable of. In the 2016/17, a talented Wolfsburg side finished 16h despite having a squad stocked with the likes of Luiz Gustavo, Mario Gomez and Arnold, haemorrhaging some big losses to Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. For instance, in a 5-1 loss to Dortmund, Dieter Hecking deployed a midfield three of Yannick Gerhardt, Jakub Blaszczykowski and Arnold, offering little defensive solidity which was exploited by their opponents. It was a season where Arnold began to play in a deeper role despite being impressive as a central attacking midfielder or an inverted left winger.
Hecking was replaced by Valerien Ismael who insisted on utilising Arnold as the deepest-lying midfielder in a side that attacked in a 3-2-4-1 shape but defended in a 5-4-1. Arnold responded by controlling the game from the deeper areas against Werder Bremen, creating 3 chances and completing 89% of his passes in a game that his side lost. In this game, it was apparent that his creative intelligence and skill would be better suited to a higher role where he could be more integral to the creation of goalscoring opportunities. Andries Jonker would replace Ismael and begin his tenure in trying to create stability in a classic Dutch 4-3-3 with a double-pivot of Riechedly Bazoer and Joshua Guilavogui so he could push Arnold into a more attacking role.
Arnold would press the ball next to striker as he would string things together from the left flank whenever he was in possession while his ability from set-pieces began to earn his side points. In a 3-3 draw against Bayer Leverkusen, where Wolfsburg had to claw back level twice, Arnold’s corner was headed in by Gomez for the second goal as a side who won the DFB Pokal a few years earlier were careening into chaos. After securing another season of top-flight football in a relegation playoff, Arnold would join up with the German U21 side in the 2017 U21 European Championships.
He would then play in a deeper role again, bringing the ball out to great effect and creating opportunities while in the latter stages he would assume his roving playmaker role as Germany would win the tournament. It would be a year before Arnold would begin to hit the high levels he is capable as under Bruno Labbadia, after another season where Wolfsburg burned through three managers to be saved by a playoff win after finishing in 16th for a second consecutive season, they found stability with clever acquisitions and an astute Bundesliga-hardened manager.
Labbadia deployed Arnold in the roaming playmaker role on the left flank with Jerome Rousillion overlapping him and it greatly aided his development. Against Schalke, at the beginning of the season, he moved to the left to aid build-up play, then received a pass in the pockets before teeing up Guilavogui to shoot over the bar. He then had a magnificent corner delivery for John Brooks to head in at the back-post. Arnold crosses to Brooks at the back-post from corners would be a staple for Wolfsburg as it would not be the last time that the German would assist his American teammate from a set-piece.
Labbadia imposed a system where the fullbacks stretched play, facilitating Arnold in receiving the ball to work connections in the pockets as the creative hub of the team. Arnold also had the freedom to drop deep and receive passes from Guilavogui in the deeper areas, using his vision and incisive distribution to move his side forward. Labbadia’s side also pressed incessantly allowing the German to have possession in situations where he could work intricate moves against disorganised defences as he fully announced himself as one of the premier set-piece takers in the Bundesliga. Arnold finished the season with 2 goals and 6 assists before Labbadia was replaced by Oliver Glasner.
Under Glasner, Wolfsburg have used a 3-4-3 and 4-4-2 with Xaver Schlager and Arnold as his first-choice double-pivot when both are fit. Glasner’s Wolfsburg are a team that reacts to pressing triggers, sit back and have a lethal counter-attack. Arnold and his gold-plated left foot have been critical as with his long-range passing and ability to work accurate switches, the 26-year-old midfielder can transition defending situations into attacking situations. Schlager has the mobility to cover for him defensively allowing Arnold to move into the higher areas to work combinations.
In the deeper areas, Arnold’s ball-progressions are awe-inspiring as he normally plays the ball that allows a chance to be created while stretching the opposition. He mostly prefers receiving the ball with his left foot but is as comfortable in receiving the ball and pinging accurate long-range passes with his right. His speed of thought upon receiving the ball from a pass from a teammate or a turnover, allows him to create opportunities quickly and set his team on rapid attacking moves.
In the last week, he has managed three assists from in swinging free-kicks, two for Marin Pongracic against Bayer Leverkusen and one for Kevin Mbabu against Frankfurt. He also had the time to score a poor free-kick against Die Werkself as his set-pieces normally lead to the creation of good goalscoring opportunities. His corner kicks are well-lofted and consistently drop in the middle of the box as with rehearsed timing and movement which is coordinated within games, he could have more assists this season. In the deeper-areas, his distribution with accurate through balls and consistently breaking lines makes him one of the more astute ball-progressors in the Bundesliga.
Defensively, he moves into spaces to make crucial interceptions while once he regains possession, he can work connections to construct breaks. If a teammate regains possession, then he is available to receive the ball, knowing when to work a one-touch pass to evade the counter-press or when to hold the ball for longer so he can drive the ball forward before crafting a through ball for a goalscoring opportunity. In the last two seasons, under two coaches with a clear philosophy and identity, he has been able to thrive as he has managed to beat both his goal and assist tallies this season, accruing 4 goals and 8 assists.
Arnold’s impressive performances are made all the more impressive with the fact that he has been nursing a knee injury since March last year. Arnold has been touted as a candidate for the Olympic team as he said he would like to play in Tokyo, but he could also be a candidate for the German National Team at Euro 2020 as a deep-lying playmaker. Under less organized managers, his talents were wasted in a deeper role as the side would lack his creative nuance in the final third but in a more cohesive and organized side, his intelligence in the deeper areas can be transformational.
