How important is width to our game?

[Big Poppa]

This question, when often asked, makes people think only of what our team and players do with the ball (for example I often hear it said that it doesn't matter if x player starts out wide as they can drift inside etc etc), yet perhaps the biggest conundrum thrown up by selecting players such as Wilshere and Ramsey to play on the wings is the impact of the workload off the ball that this asks of them, and how much that detracts from their ability to influence our offensive game to the best of their strengths.

As Arsène said, nearly every footballer you ask will say he prefers to play centrally, however, I feel that some players say that because they are know that their strengths are on the ball not off it. There are players - I give you Di Maria, I give you Walcott, who would probably say that they prefer playing centrally but the fact is that they have the raw physical attributes required to provide pace, off the ball movement and penetration while there are others who do not.

My reason for making this thread is to get your views about how important you think this issue is to us making that final step. I feel we have a fantastically creative team, and with the addition of a couple of impact players (Theo / Podolski) we will be a devastating counter attacking team. I look at Bayern Munich's performance away at City, and just in general, I imagine how much weaker they would be without two players with the pace and directness of Ribery and Robben. It is, what I feel has made them able to play without a properly world class CF for so long. Their ability to cover the ground so quickly is critical to Bayern's transitions of play.

So what is your view and who do you see as our preferred wide options with everyone fit? Do you feel the addition of a new wide player in January is required or can we achieve success this season with just Walcott, Miyaichi and Gnabry?

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

You forgot to mention Chamberlain, who has it all to become a world class winger.

I did think we needed a wide player in the summer, but signing Özil changed that. Cazorla can be quality off the left for us. We have Santi & Poldi for LW, and Ox & Theo for RW, I'd say we have some quality options. Plus we have Gnabry who's shown encouraging signs.

Down the years we've had some top wide players, but in regards to Wenger's preferences I can't see us having to genuine wingers. He usually likes one direct winger, and one playmaker type winger to help our possession game.

Santi-Özil-Theo will devastate before long, just need to get them fit and keep them fit!

 

[MrBump]

Pace is more important for us than width. Something we lacked last night.
We don't really have wingers. Theo and Pogoalski are like an inside forward, ox and gnabry are just quick and tricky cm and Santi is a blessed technical am.
It's going to be interesting how Santi plays in with Özil there.

 

[Jury]

Width is very important even if you aren't using it properly. The presence of players staying wide creates space, as they have to be marked by the opposition. You stay wide, you keep the space open, and a good passing side will exploit it.

Whenever we get lulled into going narrow, we struggle because we're easier to defend against. Look at Barca--ALWAYS wide options even if they're doing **** all when they get the ball.

 

[Jury]

The fact that our attacking fullbacks are crud means we aren't operating as well as we should be.

 

[Taylor Gang Gunners]

This'll be fantastic. Question is Flamini or Arteta for me though... Hmmm.

 

[redanddread]

All teams need width. Lets hope Theo and the wide boys get back soon.

Ryo aside, their wasn't one real winger in squad today.

 

[redanddread]

The fact that our attacking fullbacks are crud means we aren't operating as well as we should be.

Gibbs has been excellent this season and often provides much needed width on the left. Jenks looked positive today but without any natural wingers to assist them and help them create space they are less effective.

 

[mavelous]

jenks always has been **** going forward, and his crosses are overrated. not even giroud can outdo 3-4 talentless cloggers waiting in the box, so crossing shouldn't even be considered a big part of our game.

it's just that he seemed out of shape and a bit lazy/naive in positioning. it used to at least mask his deficiencies when he played his heart out, with engine and physical prowess. but even defensively he was shown up today.

long way to go till he touches sagna's best - even then, bac was only functionally useful going forward, AT HIS BEST. made up for it in a lot of other ways though. perhaps jenks can be described as a very poor man's gibbs, only slightly less injury prone.

 

[DJ_Markstar]

All teams need width. Lets hope Theo and the wide boys get back soon.

Ryo aside, their wasn't one real winger in squad today.

Is this some sort of 90's rap group I haven't heard of yet?

 

[akhil]

Finding people with Theo's pace and directness is rare as it is. Its probably why Wenger's going to have a lot of patience with Ryo.

More than width its necessary to have pace to give the option to stretch the defences. West Brom pushed up on us pretty comfortably knowing there's no real threat in behind. It worked against Napoli since we played with risiculous tempo in the first half but its going to be hard to ask this lot of players to play at that tempo regularly as most of them have barely had a rest since the season started.

We get a reasonable amount of width from our full backs, although their end product is questionable. Both of them seem to want the ball to feet 95% of the time which is where the problem comes from. When we have Flamini and Arteta play we can afford to have them overlap and get to the by line a little more. Our entire midfield can slip anyone in behind, Gibbs ,Jenkinson/Sagna just don't make the runs often enough. Not sure if they are instructed to be conservative or not. But we can't be playing most of the football in front of their defence, we need runners in behind from somewhere.

Finding a top class proven winger who needs to be specific to our setup is going to be hard to find even if we are willing to spend a lot of money. I can only think of Reus and every big club in Europe will be in for him if he becomes available.

 

[GunnerGetYah]

I blame either Wenger or Giroud for the Brom performance. Fact is Giroud didn't roam like he did in the Napoli game. When we are static it makes us much more predictable and easier to track.

Just look at the Özil goal vs Napoli. Giroud is on the right touchline. Flicks it to Ramsey on the right wing.

So either Wenger told them not to be as a fluid, or Giroud was being lazy? When Giroud is static the other players also stay more static.

I believe this is the main reason for our poor performance. Same players, different tactics.

 

[scytheavatar]

We brought Özil precisely because he's a center mid who drifts to both of the flanks often and can provide us width the way we didn't have last season. The problem comes when we play narrow, expect our fullbacks to be a one man army and to defend the flanks all by themselves. Gibbs is one of the best left backs in the world ATM and can handle anything thrown at him, but Jenkinson obviously wasn't up to the task yesterday. Our tactics yesterday was completely wrong, knowing that Jenkinson isn't on the same level as Sagna we should have gotten someone like Gnabry to help him defend the wings.

 

[TheGlitch]

There is a thread about what's our best line up. After a good couple games without walcott or genuine width some posters here format there line up with all sorts of midfielder packed line up.

We could still struggle with width but its important to have atleast one outlet on the wings. Teams cant just tuck in anymore. Our best line up, one that utilities the overall balance quality of the team.

 

[TheGlitch]

We brought Özil precisely because he's a center mid who drifts to both of the flanks often and can provide us width the way we didn't have last season. The problem comes when we play narrow, expect our fullbacks to be a one man army and to defend the flanks all by themselves. Gibbs is one of the best left backs in the world ATM and can handle anything thrown at him, but Jenkinson obviously wasn't up to the task yesterday. Our tactics yesterday was completely wrong, knowing that Jenkinson isn't on the same level as Sagna we should have gotten someone like Gnabry to help him defend the wings.

Özil is AM that will always roam about taking up any position he sees fit. If you play am its just what happens. Its no substitute for winger long term.

 

[Giroud]

I blame either Wenger or Giroud for the Brom performance. Fact is Giroud didn't roam like he did in the Napoli game. When we are static it makes us much more predictable and easier to track.

Just look at the Özil goal vs Napoli. Giroud is on the right touchline. Flicks it to Ramsey on the right wing.

So either Wenger told them not to be as a fluid, or Giroud was being lazy? When Giroud is static the other players also stay more static.

I believe this is the main reason for our poor performance. Same players, different tactics.

Yeah we really hammered Napoli down the flanks with Özil and Ramsey attacking the space around the fullbacks (Zuniga especially) along with Giroud drifting and holding the play all over the front line. If we do that there is no reason why we can't play with midfielders out wide but natural wide players with pace are more effective at doing that on a consistent basis as there always is that tendency to drift inside when a midfielder is out on the flanks. We saw that against West Brom where our midfielders didn't attack the wide areas like they did against Napoli. I don't think you can really expect CMs to play in that manner every week.