Formation 20/21 Season

[DanDare]

#MakeArsenalAttackingAgain

 

[Batman]

#MakeArsenalAttackingAgain

#Build(from the)BackBetter

 

[Hleb's Sirush]

I notice a lot of fans calling for a switch to 433. I just don’t think we have the personnel for it. In order to make that system work effectively a out an out holding midfield specialist is imperative. Don’t think Partey is suited to the role, Xhaka and Ceballos are suspect defensively and Elneny is too average.

We probably don't have the personnel to play 433 effectively. Don't think a specialist holding midfielder is crucial though. Liverpool for example play often without one. Fabinho is probably the only player in their squad who can be described as a true holding midfielder. He played only 4 of Liverpool's 14 games this season in midfield, the rest he played in defence or out injured. Last season he missed about a 3rd of the season. Henderson and Wijnuldum with either Keita or Jones or Milner are usually deployed in midfield. Don't see anything those players can provide defensively that Partey can't. At a push even Elneny can match them with defensive contributions.

 

[The_Playmaker]

Really like that 442 lineup.

Currently Arteta is scared of playing 2 at the back. Why not play 2 at the back with the best 1v1 defenders we have in the team.

Say we attack down the left in a 442:

-Tierney--------Auba----------Pepe----------Nelson

-------------Saka--------------Willock

------------------Partey-------AMN

------------------Gabriel------Saliba

Who is realistically transitioning on that box of 4? Then you add recovery pace of Saka and Willock. It's simply not happening.

Saliba = can pocket Saint Maximin, deal with Aouar and Depay.
AMN = Fast enough to track Mane in to the box and take the ball off him.
Gabriel = We have seen wit hour own eyes he is our best 1v1 defender.
Partey = can give Pogba the ball and take it back off him when he wants.

Like wtf is Arteta doing?

Stop leaning into Bellerin, Holding, Ceballos, Xhaka, Elneny, Willian and Lacazette. Those are the players who lose their 1v1 duels. Who can't dribble. Who are slow, who are not there mentally. Drop them ffs.

 

[Tourbillion]

Currently Arteta is scared of playing 2 at the back. Why not play 2 at the back with the best 1v1 defenders we have in the team.

Say we attack down the left in a 442:

-Tierney--------Auba----------Pepe----------Nelson

-------------Saka--------------Willock

------------------Partey-------AMN

------------------Gabriel------Saliba

Who is realistically transitioning on that box of 4? Then you add recovery pace of Saka and Willock. It's simply not happening.

Saliba = can pocket Saint Maximin, deal with Aouar and Depay.
AMN = Fast enough to track Mane in to the box and take the ball off him.
Gabriel = We have seen wit hour own eyes he is our best 1v1 defender.
Partey = can give Pogba the ball and take it back off him when he wants.

Like wtf is Arteta doing?

Stop leaning into Bellerin, Holding, Ceballos, Xhaka, Elneny, Willian and Lacazette. Those are the players who lose their 1v1 duels. Who can't dribble. Who are slow, who are not there mentally. Drop them ffs.

Don't know why our managers always insist on playing useless, washed up, slow, nothing players no matter what.

 

[DanDare]

Theres no point predicting exact teams but I'm going to list a couple examples just to explain the two potential systems we should play, the personel (eg. in the midfield) should be chosen based on the opposition and toughness of the game.

4231 - For breaking down low blocks, we saw how effective it was against Sheffield for that period where we saw a glimpse of some attacking football:

Leno
Bellerin Luiz Gabriel Tierney
Ceballos Partey
Pepe Willian Saka
Aubameyang

Can play Elneny or Xhaka in there if the boss wishes but its all about the front 4, they can actually link up and put some pressure on the opposition for once. If they press well we can squeeze them higher up the pitch too.

433 - For the tougher away games. With this its important to actually play a dynamic midfield, not the dross we saw against Leciester, and they shouldnt be leaving the centre CM so isolated.

Leno
Bellerin Luiz Gabriel Tierney
Willock Partey Ceballos
Pepe Aubameyang Saka

Willock will make those interesting runs into the right channel of the box, it could help Pepe a lot. When Willian maybe picks up some form Arteta can try a Ceballos Partey Saka midfield with Willian taking the LW spot.

What we are doing now is so one dimensional. Aubameyang has locked down the LW spot which means Laca and Eddie have the striker spot who are quite average players (laca is shocking actually), with Auba up top we get to play an extra creative player in the side and maybe it can help pick up some form for the likes of Willian and Pepe if they play with other creative players and can link up more. The freeing up of both wing spots rather than just the current 1 means there is more space for Pepe to start and Nelson to get minutes too. I wouldnt mind selling Laca and having Martinelli as understudy to Auba, with maybe a lower PL side loan for Eddie if no interesting offers come in.

Yeah I don't know why. We don't have technicians but we can at least win the physical battles. It's not like we play beautiful football. At least play aggressive, quick football with physical dominance.

We're doing nothing right except defending backs to the wall. A useful skill but not a long term strategy

 

[Trilly]

Just learn to defend with a back four tbh. Everyone else does it ffs.

 

[GoonerJay24]

It will never happen but sometimes I feel our talented youngsters should be played consistently to get the necessary first team experience to yield their development

Leno
AMN Saliba Gabriel Tierney
Partey
Willock Smith Rowe
Saka/Pepe Aubamayang Martinelli/Nelson

I would accept a couple more seasons of finishing outside the top four positions if we fully embrace this approach whilst working towards a system that can dominate in a few years.
Of course they'll be setbacks and bumps in the road, but personally I think it's worth trying.

In a couple of seasons replace Auba with Nketiah, Balogun or another young striker; afterwards groom Azeez to be Parteys replacement long term and maintain the likes of Holding, Nelson and Elneny as useful back-ups. This is all doable, just requires smart management and a vision.

 

[Big Poppa]

Theres no point predicting exact teams but I'm going to list a couple examples just to explain the two potential systems we should play, the personel (eg. in the midfield) should be chosen based on the opposition and toughness of the game.

4231 - For breaking down low blocks, we saw how effective it was against Sheffield for that period where we saw a glimpse of some attacking football:

Leno
Bellerin Luiz Gabriel Tierney
Ceballos Partey
Pepe Willian Saka
Aubameyang

Can play Elneny or Xhaka in there if the boss wishes but its all about the front 4, they can actually link up and put some pressure on the opposition for once. If they press well we can squeeze them higher up the pitch too.

433 - For the tougher away games. With this its important to actually play a dynamic midfield, not the dross we saw against Leciester, and they shouldnt be leaving the centre CM so isolated.

Leno
Bellerin Luiz Gabriel Tierney
Willock Partey Ceballos
Pepe Aubameyang Saka

Willock will make those interesting runs into the right channel of the box, it could help Pepe a lot. When Willian maybe picks up some form Arteta can try a Ceballos Partey Saka midfield with Willian taking the LW spot.

What we are doing now is so one dimensional. Aubameyang has locked down the LW spot which means Laca and Eddie have the striker spot who are quite average players (laca is shocking actually), with Auba up top we get to play an extra creative player in the side and maybe it can help pick up some form for the likes of Willian and Pepe if they play with other creative players and can link up more. The freeing up of both wing spots rather than just the current 1 means there is more space for Pepe to start and Nelson to get minutes too. I wouldnt mind selling Laca and having Martinelli as understudy to Auba, with maybe a lower PL side loan for Eddie if no interesting offers come in.

Excellent posting sir.

 

[Football Manager]

Stop playing with f*cking three centre backs and five defenders.

————————Martinelli—————————
—Willian—————————————Pepe—
————Saka——Partey——Ceballos————
—Tierney—Gabriel——Saliba—Bellerin——
——————————Leno——————————

 

[The_Playmaker]

With all the talk of formations and buying creative players, I thought I would bump this with this excellent video. Everyone thinks we need to buy or change our formation.

Creativity can be accomplished through intelligence and movement. We need to play the players who make runs off the ball, rather than those who stand on it and wait for the ball.


The movement by, Willock, AMN, ESR and Nelson I a perfect example of what the first team lacks.

Xhaka, Ceballos, Willian, Lacazette. They are all static players when we are on the ball.

 

[Football Manager]

With all the talk of formations and buying creative players, I thought I would bump this with this excellent video. Everyone thinks we need to buy or change our formation.

Creativity can be accomplished through intelligence and movement. We need to play the players who make runs off the ball, rather than those who stand on it and wait for the ball.


The movement by, Willock, AMN, ESR and Nelson I a perfect example of what the first team lacks.

Xhaka, Ceballos, Willian, Lacazette. They are all static players when we are on the ball.

No. Only direct defensive teams will have runners running all around the pitch.

Look at 07-12 Arsenal. 00 Brazil. 10 Spain. 09-12 Barcelona, and then Bayern, City.....They have skillful players that pass the ball around. Slowly progress the ball up the pitch, controlling possession, making great passes. It is the opposite of having non-technical runners to run and make direct passes to bypass the build up.

The video you have posted is way to direct and not entertaining. Your video is just about counter attack, not possession control/beautiful patient buildup.

 

[DanDare]

Leno
AMN - Saliba - Gabriel - Tierney
Partey - Willock
Nelson - ESR - Saka
Balogun
​

Let the kids play until the end of the season

 

[teamsoutheast]

I think long term, we need to look at the 4-3-3 formation. We need to get our attacking players in more 1v1 situations especially the likes of Pepe and Aubameyang. I would like us to try this at some point this season:

============Leno===========

==Bellerin==Luiz==Gabriel==Tierney

==Ceballos===Partey====Ødegaard===

===Saka====Aubameyang==Smith Rowe


The only problem is that it will omit Xhaka and the coaches seem to really like him. We need more mobility in midfield. Some tough decisions will be made in the summer IMO. I think we will see a serious overhaul in midfield to accommodate Arteta's favoured 4-3-3.

 

[Abhishek Arora]

Should Arteta continue with 3 at the back??I think yes but should play with an attacking game plan instead of sitting back

 

[GoonerJay24]

It will never happen but sometimes I feel our talented youngsters should be played consistently to get the necessary first team experience to yield their development

Leno
AMN Saliba Gabriel Tierney
Partey
Willock Smith Rowe
Saka/Pepe Aubamayang Martinelli/Nelson

I would accept a couple more seasons of finishing outside the top four positions if we fully embrace this approach whilst working towards a system that can dominate in a few years.
Of course they'll be setbacks and bumps in the road, but personally I think it's worth trying.

In a couple of seasons replace Auba with Nketiah, Balogun or another young striker; afterwards groom Azeez to be Parteys replacement long term and maintain the likes of Holding, Nelson and Elneny as useful back-ups. This is all doable, just requires smart management and a vision.

Should've done this all season

 

[Maybe]

Should Arteta continue with 3 at the back??I think yes but should play with an attacking game plan instead of sitting back

we've had some dire results with that formation and definitely shouldn't base our formation on a fluke win against Chelsea

 

[Abhishek Arora]

we've had some dire results with that formation and definitely shouldn't base our formation on a fluke win against Chelsea

We’ve had similar results with 4 at the back as well..not to forget the Liverpool game at home.

 

[Abhishek Arora]

Should arsenal go for a back 3 or back 4??
The team has players more suited for back 3

 

[GoonerJay24]

Should arsenal go for a back 3 or back 4??
The team has players more suited for back 3

I've thought the same thing recently. We could be a real dangerous counter attacking side in a 343 formation.