Arsenal's Arsene Wenger finds breaking down so very hard to do

Normally, when faced with a defensive triangle that sits deep there are three things you can do to get the ball into scoring situations in the box.
1) Cross from the touchline, high, aimed to the back post or top of the six-yard box for someone to head home. Arsenal have no crossers other than Emmanuel Eboue - more importantly we have no headers in attack or midfield and are not encouraged to cross. Crossing is deemed wasteful since it often results in possession being lost.  Thierry Henry's winner against Manchester United was a rare headed goal from him or anyone up front.

2) Take shots from distance when the ball is at someone's feet with space opening up in front of him. Arsenal have few players who can shoot from distance adeptly other than Tomas Rosicky and Henry who is usually in the box and plays deeper (when he bothers to play at all) as opposed to outside it. Rosicky has not been shooting that much this year as he is not encouraged to and has also been strangely off balance when he does. Shooting from long distance is deemed wasteful since it often results in possession being lost. Rosicky's strikes against Hamburg and Liverpool and Henry's goal against Blackburn were exceptions.

3) Try to barrel through, running at pace with the ball at one's feet looking to shoot as soon as space opens up.  Patrick Vieira and Dennis Bergkamp were very good at this. Again, Arsenal currently, have few players who can do this as it involves having a low centre of gravity and the ability to ride challenges while maintaining one's balance. Only Adebayor can do this somewhat but he is not encouraged to. This too is deemed wasteful since it often results in possession being lost. The development of Neves Denilson and Vassiriki Abou Diaby will be critical and interesting in this regard.

So Arsenal revert to two other approaches that maintain possession and use it to their advantage.