Ainsley Maitland-Niles: Midfielder or in deNile?

[tactica442]

AMN needs to stick to RB. He can play up and down and read game moments. I recall watching some of his moments in midfield. Some awkward movement he had. It will might take 20-30+ games (if not 2-3 seasons) to learn his trade in CM/DM. Why waste his own game time in there?

 

[Rex Stone]

I am hoping Lokonga takes a hold on the position while Xhaka is out these three games. So Thomas-Lokonga.

We'll see though. Unfortunately Xhaka-Thomas might still be our best pivot.


I think Thomas should be fit for the Norwich game, though, no? If not I would go with a 3-4-3 similar to the one chosen for City (but with better players now), with fluidity between who occupies the second midfield position between Ode and ESR of (with a more offensive formation, with Tierney in that LCB position which turns into LB in possession, and Saka and AMN helping out in possession in midfield, that is an interesting and balanced lineup):

Auba
ESR-Pepe
AMN-Lokonga-Ode-Saka
Tierney-Gabriel/Holding-White

Not sure if he’s back but hope he’s not rushed in as he’s so important to us this year.

I get what you’re saying about Ode and ESR but I think they’re way too slight to be in a midfield two imo.

So as Xhaka is out and depending on if he plays it safe with Thomas I’d want to see an AMN - Sambi midfield. I cannot stand watching Elneny and it hurts the team having him in.

At least with AMN there’s a possibility of pumping his value.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

I get what you’re saying about Ode and ESR but I think they’re way too slight to be in a midfield two imo.

Yeah, that's why I'd put AMN and LWB and Saka at RWB, to supplement the midfield work. In a home game against Norwich this lineup should be very viable and tbh I'd be interested to see how it works for further games like this (switching Thomas for Lokonga), because it's probably the lineup that maximises most our potential (switching Tomi when he's ready and trained with the team a bit for either AMN or Gabriel/Holding).

 

[akhil]

Yeah, that's why I'd put AMN and LWB and Saka at RWB, to supplement the midfield work. In a home game against Norwich this lineup should be very viable and tbh I'd be interested to see how it works for further games like this (switching Thomas for Lokonga), because it's probably the lineup that maximises most our potential (switching Tomi when he's ready and trained with the team a bit for either AMN or Gabriel/Holding).

People don't learn from the past do they. Saka at RWB and AMN at LWB. That was done last season and we sucked.

The whole 3 at the back was done the first half of last season, we had 14 points. If we can't beat Norwich with 4-3-3/4-2-3-1, we should just call it quits. Play AMN and Sambi there and make Ødegaard sit a little deeper to form flat 3 is better than anything to do with a back 3/5. It's one game Thomas is back after that, he probably on the bench for this anyway.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

People don't learn from the past do they. Saka at RWB and AMN at LWB. That was done last season and we sucked.

Totally different personnel. We had no one capable of playing in between the lines. Now we have Ødegaard and ESR.

The whole 3 at the back was done the first half of last season, we had 14 points. If we can't beat Norwich with 4-3-3/4-2-3-1, we should just call it quits. Play AMN and Sambi there and make Ødegaard sit a little deeper to form flat 3 is better than anything to do with a back 3/5. It's one game Thomas is back after that, he probably on the bench for this anyway.

The reason I like that 3-4-3 / 4-5-1 hybrid formation is because it a) gets all of ESR, Saka, and Pepe into the lineup and b) avoids playing our 2nd best midfielder of Xhaka or Lokonga, which is a weakness area.

It's definitely something Arteta should explore to see if it can work.

 

[akhil]

Totally different personnel. We had no one capable of playing in between the lines. Now we have Ødegaard and ESR.

That set up has very little goal threat. Any lineup that has Saka at wingback is not an option unless we have a major injury crisis. He's our best player by a mile and I want him on the ball and close to goal as much as possible.

ESR, Saka, Pepe and Ødegaard shouldn't all be on the pitch at the same time for the sake of fitting them in. One will always miss out, unless Pepe's used up top. or ESR drops to an 8 or something.

 

[The_Playmaker]

Totally different personnel. We had no one capable of playing in between the lines. Now we have Ødegaard and ESR.


The reason I like that 3-4-3 / 4-5-1 hybrid formation is because it a) gets all of ESR, Saka, and Pepe into the lineup and b) avoids playing our 2nd best midfielder of Xhaka or Lokonga, which is a weakness area.

It's definitely something Arteta should explore to see if it can work.

I think Artetas downfall will his insistence on positional rotation. It is also a case of trying to fit all the players in. In your system you are proposing that Saka is a rwb, Ødegaard the right side of a double pivot and AMN at lwb. It looks lovely on paper when we are in possession, but it isn't balanced and part of the problem is the amount of rotation that has to occur.

Tierney has to move from lcb to Lwb. In broken play he doesn't get back. Ødegaard doesn't stay ina double pivot, so lokonga or Partey would be alone in midfield and then you have 3 left footers on the right. So we cant actually offer a threat down the right side of the pitch as everyone occupies the same half space.

The best teams have team shape when they lose the ball. We are all over the place. The lb is at lw, rb inverted, midfielder at lb. It's a mess. We need pitch coverage, physicality in the right areas and we need the correct balance of scores and playmakers. So that players can come in and out and the formation stays the same.

When we think about where players do their best work, this is where they like to operate. The only players I have left out are Saka, Lokonga, Partey and ESR. The reason is they can be effective in both half spaces. Although Pepe can, it limits his shooting if he is on the left

Martinelli-Auba-----------------
-------------------------Laca------Pepe
Tierney-----------------------------------------AMN
----------------------------------------Ødegaard
-------Xhaka--------------------------
--------------------------------------White---Tomiyasu
--------------------Gabriel------------

So when you look at that, to me the best fit is a 352. You change the midfield based on the opponents formation and strength. 3142 or a 3421.

To be more defensive:

----------Martinelli/Auba-----Pepe/Saka
------------------------ESR/Ødegaard
Tierney------Lokonga----Partey--------AMN

-------------Gabriel-----White---Tomiyasu

To be more adventurous:

------------------Auba---------------Pepe
-Tierney-----Saka---------ESR/Ødegaard---------AMN
----------------------------Partey
----------------Gabriel---White---Tomiyasu

There is also the option to go 343, but I don't think it suits Ødegaard.

I like the adventurous option, as it requires intelligence, but works with positional rotation.

Attack down the left:

Tierney-----------Auba-------Pepe--------ESR/Ødegaard
-------------Saka-------------------------------------
------------------------Partey------AMN
-----------------Gabriel---White----Tomiyasu

Attack down the right:

Saka------------Auba--------Pepe-------------AMN
----------------------------------------ESR/Ødegaard
-----------------Tierney-----Partey
--------------Gabriel----White-----Tomiyasu

Genuine width at all times, 5 up 5 back. Arteta needs to allow Tierney to tuck in to push the rb or RWB forward and that only works if Saka or Pepe play on the left as they can hold the width as Tierney tucks in. It also only works if ESR or AMN are on the right has they can both hold the width with their right foot.

 

[Get These Hands]

And we are at the bottom of the table ?

So we're bottom because Özil isn't in the team? #Logic

 

[Batman]

Xhaka was our best CM last season and coming off a great Euros. Awful comparison

And the truth is revealed. Another Manberg variant. Get help.