Arsenal Tactics Talk

[dashsnow17]

This must be sort of how Liverpool fans have been feeling for a while: we could be so strong in attack with Auba, Laca, Mkhi, Özil & Jack, but we just don't have the necessary defensive balance.

It's all about the DM imo. We need one or two better defenders & a GK for sure, but a really good mobile DM would allow those 5 offensive players to play much better. Fabinho/Danilo Pereira/Ndidi/Zakaria could all potentially do that.

But I really want to see AMN in that role between now and the summer. We'll only know how good he really is in midfield by playing him there. Xhaka has been given chances, Elneny has been given chances, now AMN needs some.

 

[Zyrth]

Just saw Nigel Winterburn use the Sky Sports Arsenal team selector to pick his lineup with the new players. Here's how he thinks they should line up (probably is the best option if they're going to stick with a single striker):

That’s exactly the same lineup I’ve had in mind.

 

[Zyrth]

The area which we need to address most right now is the DM and CMs role. We are far too weak in transitions. The CMs don’t offer themselves as passing options to the fullbacks which results in the fullbacks back passing. Our CMs also have a tendency to pass backwards when pressed, which is baffling to say the least. This just allow our opponents too much time to get back into shape without busting a gut. Our attackers are forced to attack without time and space, prolly the reason why lacazette seems so slow at times. But honestly if it weren’t the brilliance of Özil and Sanchez and to an extend Ramsey, we would be in a terrible situation back then.

As of now, wilshere is our best CM because he’s capable of beating his marker and making forward passes. He also makes quick one touch passes to link up early with our attacking players. Elneny is our best DM. Maybe inferior to Coq when it comes to the tackling department but he does the job. And he’s always reliable and able to pick a forward pass. Definitely not the best in the business but he represents what we really need.

The question is, do we really still need Ramsey and his forays forward now that we have a mobile and technically polished attacking unit (our fab 4)? If either he disciplines himself and stay beside his midfield partner or Wenger stops asking him to run forward every time, he can still be a good option to rotate with wilshere. I’ve seen Ramsey played a solid B2B role to know he’s well good at it. It’s him playing as an AM that irks me.

 

[DanDare]

Would be strange to play a striker that’s 1:1 goals/assists/game through the middle on the left hand side where he hasn’t played (?) before

 

[field442]

Just saw Nigel Winterburn use the Sky Sports Arsenal team selector to pick his lineup with the new players. Here's how he thinks they should line up (probably is the best option if they're going to stick with a single striker):

That’s a complete waste of Aubameyang. Also, Lacazette is better on the ball so I’d rather have him out wide. What I’d worry about with that is his ability to help out defensively.

 

[Zyrth]

Would be strange to play a striker that’s 1:1 goals/assists/game through the middle on the left hand side where he hasn’t played (?) before

It’s not much that he’s gonna be a left winger or a left midfielder, but he’s gonna be deployed in a lopsided structure where’s he’s penned as a left wing forward/striker ala cristiano Ronaldo in Madrid. His role will be a striker but starting on the left wing like How Henry used to operate, coming from the outside.

 

[Zyrth]

Lacazette is slower than auba so he would be wasted outside. Auba can sprint from out wide into poaching positions in the box to latch onto through balls from Özil and mkhi and also lacazette.

 

[cloista]

I'd prefer a 442/424 with Özil/Mkhi on the wings more as wide playmakers/inverted wingers with Auba/Laca playing as a proper pairing. We could almost do a mirror-image of how the Invincibles played, with the focus more down the right flank, Özil taking on the Pires role.

 

[dashsnow17]

I'd prefer a 442/424 with Özil/Mkhi on the wings more as wide playmakers/inverted wingers with Auba/Laca playing as a proper pairing. We could almost do a mirror-image of how the Invincibles played, with the focus more down the right flank, Özil taking on the Pires role.

That's exactly how I see the team being best deployed. It's just the DM position that worries me. Xhaka is nowhere near mobile enough for that, while Elneny is but probably not the requisite quality. I'd like to see either Elneny or AMN used as DM in that system till the summer, if neither look like the solution then we'll need to go into the market.

I'm not holding my breath for Wenger to change the team's shape that radically so quickly though.

 

[cloista]

AMN/Elneny would be my picks for the Gilberto role as well. Wilshere is the closest we've got to Vieira these days in role, it's always been the case that Vieira was underrated as a technical player, and Wilshere is more than willing to scrap as well, it's just the size/power that's different. Rambo can take Parlour's role of picking splinters out of his arse, as can Xhaka with Edu's (very similar players).

 

[Zyrth]

I'd prefer a 442/424 with Özil/Mkhi on the wings more as wide playmakers/inverted wingers with Auba/Laca playing as a proper pairing. We could almost do a mirror-image of how the Invincibles played, with the focus more down the right flank, Özil taking on the Pires role.

Özil taking on the Pires role is a good shout. I like that alot too.

The only problem is how are we going to emulate that? Özil is closer to Bergkamp compared to Mkhitaryan. I would guess Mkhi's play style is a bit like Rosicky more than Ljungberg.

Either way, our Fab 4 looks tantalizing right now. We just need to fix the way our midfielders play to bring the best out of that unit of 4.

 

[DanDare]

It’s not much that he’s gonna be a left winger or a left midfielder, but he’s gonna be deployed in a lopsided structure where’s he’s penned as a left wing forward/striker ala cristiano Ronaldo in Madrid. His role will be a striker but starting on the left wing like How Henry used to operate, coming from the outside.

With that you hope our midfielders are diligent enough in defence to fill in on the left. Not sure I back us to manage that

 

[Zyrth]

With that you hope our midfielders are diligent enough in defence to fill in on the left. Not sure I back us to manage that

Yep, me neither tbh. Though Ramsey is a good shout in that regards with his stamina. Only if he would be disciplined to remember to cover areas rather than going up top to look for goals. We don’t need him for that now with our front 4. I’ll bet Özil and mkhi would be given quite a free role to move around and mess opponents about. We need Ramsey to play as a b2b more than an AM.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

Music is a bit annoying.

 

[nick gould]

That’s exactly the same lineup I’ve had in mind.

Kos plays on the right of centre of late, he should know that. And I think Aubameyang will play as a central striker. You don’t spend £60k on a lawyer and convert him into a chef or something lesser.

 

[nick gould]

What are we benefiting from having Bellerin play so high up the pitch- ahead of the ball all the time. It’s not as if he is Alves who will cause a lot of damage with his final ball. Why don’t we have 3 of our back four defending behind the ball and Free our offensive play to do the damage up front.

I believe fullbacks do more damage with late runs that gives them the element of Surprise. Gary Neville was that good offensively, but the Number of assists he had cutting inside and crossing with his weaker foot is quite staggering. Patrice Eva made runs on the inside and caused a lot of trouble that way. Lahm, who played in a team that dominated possession would stay in his position and make a very late run, make a telling pass or cross. Bellerin is fast turning into a Gibs. Good attributes but pointless. We need a new coache sooner than 2019.

 

[YeahBee]

Kos plays on the right of centre of late, he should know that. And I think Aubameyang will play as a central striker. You don’t spend £60k on a lawyer and convert him into a chef or something lesser.

In What world is a Lawyer more worthy then a chef?

Chefs bring food and joy into the world

Lawyers bring pain and misery

 

[YeahBee]

Class movement, best season since 2013.

Still abandons the midfield a lot, but high risks = high rewards!

Our whole team is setup like that

I answered that in Ramseys thread but it is not about Ramsey really

If I had any editing skills I would edit a video together about this whole mentallity

I think it shows in several areas, Look at when Theio nearly scored

Mustafi was way way of before he managed the tackle - and he must be allowed by Wenger to do that, easy to see why Holding and Chambers have fvcked up on occasion because CBs are asked to do stuff they normally don't really do in England

Xhaka has been exposed when pushing forward but it is down to tactics and organisation

It shows in our general passing aswell. we way more often than other teams pass into player who are covered or semi covered, even when an obvious easy conventional pass is available. and don't get me wrong it can of course be a good thing.

but when the unconventional because the norm it becomes convential.

Against lesser teams it works obviously, but if they totally park the bus there are no opportunities

against better teams we are at a high risk of being punished for it

We most definitly play a high risk high reward type of ball. but I would like us to have an option to play otherwise to.

We might not have the players to play more conventional because I feel the difference in us and those teams is the level of athleticism. they have players who can work harder and faster so they will end up after working the ball around with a clear cut chance, or when they play more unconvential they can have one guy beat one guy and have a scoring chance

we have to rely on our technique to beat one guy and perhaps get a scoring chance. motivation beats class, lesser technique can beat better technique but a lesser strength speed can't beat more strength and speed

 

[Impact]

Mobility is hugely important to playing under Wenger, irrespective of the tactics used.

Xhaka, for all his strengths, does not fit that mould. We should be looking to move him on for someone else.

In defence too, we should be targeting players with greater athleticism. That has been the secret behind Koscielny's success in such a chaotic defensive system. I'd be happy to see Mertesacker, Chambers, Holding and Mustafi leave over the next few seasons if we can find players who fit better.

 

[YeahBee]

Mobility is hugely important to playing under Wenger, irrespective of the tactics used.

Xhaka, for all his strengths, does not fit that mould. We should be looking to move him on for someone else.

In defence too, we should be targeting players with greater athleticism. That has been the secret behind Koscielny's success in such a chaotic defensive system. I'd be happy to see Mertesacker, Chambers, Holding and Mustafi leave over the next few seasons if we can find players who fit better.

but being a manager is about getting the most out of every player you got. getting them to perform and setting up the team so they can achieve that

wenger cares more about doing it his way than winning and it is infuriating that it is still allowed