Mole_Toonfan

Got a feeling we will see something like this..... Krul Raylor Tav Williamson Ferguson Gosling Anita Obertan Amalfitano Marveaux Shola

Think we might see Tiote used in a Essien like b2b role winning the ball and driving forward with Cabaye how he played against Stoke and Anita in front of the back 4 dropping back to get the ball of the CB's and dropping back into a CB when Colo runs forward. At least that's how i imagine the long term plan of the team being anyway.

the good thing is we have players who fit perfectly into either formation so even changing it during the game doesn't disrupt us. You have to give Spurs alot of credit yesterday though, the pressed us high up the pitch and made it difficult to get our passing game going. It showed it well on mOTD last night, we were struggling against them then all of a sudden we clicked for the goal, twice in the move we took 3 Spurs players out the game. We find it difficult to get a passing game going when ever we use 4-4-2 though it's just not a system designed for a passing game.... We still get results in it because we have so many players that can make a difference but it's not really suitable for that type of football. Also another thing if we are going to stick with 4-4-2 then Anita signing seems a bit pointless.

Thing about Spurs team is they simply have no replacement for Lennon. They might have better players but the width and pace he provides the team is so important in how they play. Don't mean to turn this into a Lennon wankfest but i do like him and think he's extremely important to Spurs.

Haha class, don't even have to like football to enjoy Hatem

Lennon isn't very flashy but he's very effective and what he does works, bit like Valencia in a way except Valencia has a more consistent final ball, stronger and better technique. Quite frankly over the last 2-3 years when we play Spurs he concerns me a lot more than Bale does.

I agree with him, i think Spurs will get 6th though.

The pace on Barca's flanks is ridiculous Alba, Alves, Tello and Pedro

Clyne was impressive, sorta wish we pushed through with that now with Debuchy being up in the air and all.

I think Arsenal could get away with the lack of physical power if they pressed properly and focused more on off the ball organisation. Arsenal's problem is system based not personnel based.

Exactly, he hasn't been a holding player for at least 2 years, Arteta is miles better than him at that job i'm not sure why people label him as a DM. He hasn't been one for ages.

Song was a CM last season though..... Arteta was the player doing the Busquets role in front of the back 4. Arteta-Sahin-Cazorla is basically a poor mans Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta in style and ability but if the press properly and improve their overall defensive organisation it will work. I'm assuming Arsenal are hoping bringing in Steve Bould as assistant will improve them defensively.

When we beat Chelsea next week we will be back in it

Not sure I agree, they've lost RVP and Song but gained Podolski, Carzola, Giroud and Sahin. If those signings work out then I think they'll do pretty well. Exactly Podolski than anyone they played on the left season, Cazorla is better than Ramsey or Rosicky, Sahin is better than Song. Ok RVP is better than Giroud but the rest of the team is much better. As for a stopper, that only is relevant if they play direct and back to front, but if they play a possession game they don't need one. If you look at the majority of the best teams most of them don't have a destructive force in front of the back 4, it's simply not where football is going. Arsenal's problem is organisation, pressing and overall off the ball defensively as a whole team not any individuals IMO. If they can improve their organisation, pressing and overall off the ball defensive work as a team they will do well, but that's been the case for years. They have good individual defensive players but Wenger just doesn't seem focused on making them work as a unit and no player will magically fix that IMO.

Well Hazard has started well then

Not really. Have Oscar in the middle, with Mata and Hazard roaming around him. Yeah that's what i expect but there's too many factors at Chelsea which means i can't see it working very well, at least at first.

Brilliant

Quite shocked Ryo ( the Japanese lad from Arsenal) isn't even on the bench.

Or they are just setting up with a free roaming system........i dream of this at night for us. Possibly a attacking midfield trio of Hazard, Mata and Oscar would be good but the work rate would be god awful and they would need fullbacks to push up a lot and play a very good pressing game which i don't think Terry, Cole, Mikel and Lampard can do. We will see, Chelsea a definitely a mystery it could go really well or really bad.

Think Bertrand starting is more due to the lack of genuine width than anything else. Which quite frankly makes the Oscar signing a bit silly.

Seems Di Matteo has realised that Mata is ineffective outwide.

Really? that's absolutely pathetic.

Good signing, interesting to see how Moyes spends the rest of the Rodwell money.

Would hope so Bimby but i can't see tbh, if we buy Pieters we will move Santon to the right and end any chance in Debuchy IMO. I would love to see us sign Debuchy and Pieters for the reasons you mentioned but i can't see it at all.

Was watching his post-match interview and he seemed to be saying they played well in the 2nd half. Apart from the goal which was given to them on a plate, did they actually have any sort of actual chance? Can't remember Krul having anything else to do, at all. Agreed they had a lot of shots and hit the post and bar in the first half but really can't remember Krul making a save. Having said that i don't remember Friedel making one either was a strange game.