4-2-3-1 and DenilSong is Growing on Me.

[banduan]

It makes me wonder, why didn't we do this earlier?

In the parts of the season when Cesc wasn't around, Song + Denilson were supposed to both be box-to-box CMs in a 4-4-2 and they sucked badly. Denilson does not have the creativity and Song did not have the pace.

It improved when we played 4-5-1 with Cesc as the added CM, but then we lacked wingers and we couldn't fully utilise our enviable array of strikers.

4-2-3-1 hits everything at the right spots.

Now Denilson harrasses and passes, and Song tackles, both just do the simple distributions leaving Cesc to create and drive the attack. And we use our strikers on the flanks in a more withdrawn role, suiting quite a few better: Arshavin, RVP, Edu etc.

With Arshavin around Bendy's improved as a point man, and Ade's returned with a vengeance now his favourite supplier is back.

So why didn't we use this sooner? Even before Arshavin, we had the players for this.

 

[Unforgiven]

We need to see this formation more and against different teams. I think it is really effective against defensive teams but I am not sure if it will work in the CL etc.

 

[banduan]

We need to see this formation more and against different teams. I think it is really effective against defensive teams but I am not sure if it will work in the CL etc.

CL was when we first started using it properly.

 

[Captain]

It's less about the formation and more about the internal improvements in player performance we have seen since xmas. Denilson and Song are bother better, as are Toure and Sagna.

 

[Unforgiven]

What game did we play the formation? When I mean in the CL I mean against very strong teams, best in the world. Possibly villereal, I don't know I have not really seen them play enough.

I sometimes doubt the formation because I feel it will either lack too much width upfront (Arshavin and Walcott having to come in to support Ade) or it has too much width with just Adebayor in the box.

 

[banduan]

It's less about the formation and more about the internal improvements in player performance we have seen since xmas. Denilson and Song are bother better, as are Touré and Sagna.

I used to very much subscribe to the philosophy that formation is not a major factor. But this recent formation change has made me change my mind.

I really don't think DenilSong would have improved so much if we didn't change formations. Doing the simple stuff really freed them up.

 

[Captain]

they haven't improved that much though; not in the sense that some people subscribe to because they were never completely useless players.

They are more experienced and understand their roles better, that has come from the number of games that they have played. In a 4-4-2 or in a 4-3-3 their performance is pretty much the same now.

 

[graham_ka]

Too defensive. We'll see it from time to time when we need some structure, but for the most part, as long as Wenger is here, it'll be few and far between.

 

[patrick42uk]

When Cesc plays I dont see it as a 4-2-3-1 at all. Its 4-5-1. I like the look of it too based on the Man City game where we kept their chances minimal (relative to our previous games) and kept the ball better than we have done. Its also easier to sacrifice a striker when you have Theo and Arshavin wide.

 

[General]

NO, just NO. 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 (with two strikers) has always been the founding basis of Wenger’s successful teams over the years. I’m wholeheartedly against adapting formations just to accommodate players, especially when it’s at the expense of an extra striker. If Denilson has made the needed progress to forming a solid defensive barrier his advocates are claiming, then by all means give him a run next to Cesc.

4-2-3-1 will work in Europe and in the big games but for the most part, we should be thinking 4-4-2 (4-4-1-1) and the park the bus jobs we will often come across (80% of fixtures). Sunderland and Stoke to some extent rendered the formation useless and we’ve only excelled when teams come to play, like Roma and City just gone. The formation also involves playing Cesc as an AM and this has proved extremely ineffective in the past, again, especially when teams refuse to play. Cesc is at his best when he's in the middle of the park dictating play and that's how it should be.

 

[Clrnc]

We only introduced this after Arshavin joined. I think is more of because he is a winger forward, and Theo fits this formation perfectly as well.

But with 3 CMs and we only have 5 in the squad, we need one more.

 

[Raider]

We only introduced this after Arshavin joined. I think is more of because he is a winger forward, and Theo fits this formation perfectly as well..

Exactly this.

With Theo and Arshavin not being Wingers, nor strikers at the moment, I think a formation with two wide players whos main focus is on being able to obviously provide, but also score goals has got to be the best way forward.

Then with everyone fit, we can interchange so well with the players at our disposal, it will be unreal at times.

Central positions will be battles out between Song Denilson and Diaby.

and the attacking/creative midfield will go to Cesc, Rosicky and Arshavin.

Wide positions are Nasri Rosicky Theo Arshavin and at times vPersie or Vela

Up front will be the normal three of Bendtner, Ade and Eduardo

I can seriously see us attacking on every front going next season, I'm actually looking forward to it already.

 

[hackajack]

We only introduced this after Arshavin joined. I think is more of because he is a winger forward, and Theo fits this formation perfectly as well..

We've been playing it for nearly 3 years now, it just looks more obvious if a midfielder plays in the hole rather then a striker.

 

[True Gooner]

We only introduced this after Arshavin joined. I think is more of because he is a winger forward, and Theo fits this formation perfectly as well..

We've been playing it for nearly 3 years now, it just looks more obvious if a midfielder plays in the hole rather then a striker.

True, last season Cesc and Flamini played in midfield while Hleb played in the hole.

Something like

Adebayor
Diaby* Hleb Eboue*
Fabregas Flamini

 

[Raider]

Yeah, but that was on the rare ocassions.

I'd prefer the fomation to be the norm, and we revert to a 442 in the odd games.

I'd assumer we'll use a 451 come 4411 in tonights game too.

 

[HollandGooner]

Song and Denilson are looking much much better in a 5 men midfield then in a 4-4-2, they let Cesc play free its the same that Liverpool are dooing with Gerrard.

 

[DOUBLE-YOU]

4-2-3-1

who is in the 3? Who plays wher?

I don't know how this works. Formations are just there to tell players where to go when they haven't got the ball. What's the real difference between that and a 4-5-1.

What's the role of the fullbacks?

 

[Big Poppa]

I could swear blind we played this team and formation away to Sunderland. We were absolutely atrocious. As someone pointed out earlier, I think its got more to do with improved quality and confidence of the said individuals than the formation.

 

[Raider]

4-2-3-1

who is in the 3? Who plays wher?

I don't know how this works. Formations are just there to tell players where to go when they haven't got the ball. What's the real difference between that and a 4-5-1.

What's the role of the fullbacks?

As far as I know, ( and assume )

The three would be Arshavin Cesc and Robin, and thats the reason Denisong ?!, would be in the 2.

 

[Timleaf]

The system we're playing now, and have been playing frequently for the last couple of years, is not all that different from the system we played in our run to the CL final. At that time a lot of folks on this forum were having kittens because we were supposedly playing the dreaded 4-5-1. Dun-dun-duh!

8))