Entering on the strong side of a defense, overloading the strong side, makes more sense to me than attempting to play through the opposition’s weak side because you want the final action to take place on the weak side.

Real Madrid did the opposite in their match against Arsenal yesterday. Arsenal had a stronger right side of defense, made up of William Saliba and Jurrien Timber, and a weaker left side, made up of Jakub Kiwior and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

When Real Madrid entered Arsenal’s half, Kylian Mbappe moved closer to left center-back Jakub Kiwior, avoiding right center-back William Saliba.

The natural progression has the ball move from the center of the pitch out wide to the right-winger, Rodrygo. Then Mbappe drifts over to combine and play past Kiwior down the right.

If you can generate high-quality shots from that wing, it works, but when it doesn’t, you will have to play the ball from right to left either on the ground or through the air.

Playing from right to left is more difficult than left to right because if you run out of room or options on the right, you have to switch to Arsenal’s stronger side, and those players on the left will be isolated.

I think playing left to right, entering on the strong side to isolate the weak side, is a safer play if you have players, like Real Madrid has, that can play through Arsenal’s strong side. It is safer because now you are isolating the weak side of their defense. The side that will be more likely to be less positionally aware, less adept at organizing their defensive shape, and worse in the duels.

Trap the strong side in a small quarters battle and then either play through them to cross to the isolated weaker side or switch to the isolated weak side with more space to attack the box.

Arm wrestle the opponent’s strong arm, and then when they tire, take on their weak arm.

Two obvious scenarios where I think attacking the weak side would be more advantageous are if the opposition has a greater offensive counter-threat on the weak side. If you overload the weaker left side, that pushes the defenders, midfielders, and forwards further back to defend against the overload. Those players are now not part of the initial counter. The players on the strong side would lead the counter if you were to turn the ball over.

Of course, if there is an obvious qualitative advantage difference between the left and right sides of your attack, attack down your attack’s strong wing, but if both wings have close to equal quality and the impact players are within reach of either wing, attack the strong side of the opposition’s defense to isolate the weak side.