Cronky Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 The current Arsenal team is the answer to a specific question: how can you break down a team that puts players behind the ball and plays as deeply as possible? This was necessitated by the failure of the counter-attacking 442 they previously played to get through teams which never committed numbers of players forward when attacking. The problem is that they haven't quite found the answer to that problem. The current way they play reminds me of the worlds most popular formation, the 2-5-3. The most popular formation, that is, in terms of table-football. The way they advance down the pitch is incredibly inflexible, especially with the 5 players in the middle who have a tendency to stand in a plane across the pitch from the position of the ball carrier. This is much worse when the ball is brought forward down the left. At least when Walcott plays there is still some quick movement down the right to counter-attack. The consequence of this style of play is that the arsenal midfield and full-backs never try to get past the midfield line of the opposition (shit mspaint picture provided below), leaving just the three front players to run the channels in a very congested area of the pitch. http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/4558/arsenalxg.jpg There are a few consequences of this: The most glaring problem is in the full back area. The full-back's habit of remaining square of the ball (especially Clichy) rather than going ahead of it slows down attacks and pushes the ball across the defence rather than behind it, but most crucially it allows the opponent's defence to remain positionally rigid. One of the main roles of the attacking fullback is to push the fulcrum of the attack to the extremities of the pitch, either pushing towards the byline of being available for a switch of the side of play. The defence is disorganised when it has to adapt to the new attacking disposition, and gaps could be exploited by the kind of ball carrying / channel running players Arsenal have. When this ceases to be a utilised option the defence can retain an optimum state of organisation an penetrating it, once fixed, becomes rather difficult. The midfield three also become static, standing to the side of the ball carrying player. Shifting the ball amongst themselves does little to advance the the attack, and the tendency is to try a through ball,often at inopportune moments. The 'best' Arsenal midfielder at the moment, in terms of looking creative, is Diaby, because he is willing to try and run past opponents, though he is the least composed player they have when in possession. The attacking triumvirate become predictable, each revering to a 'default' reliance on their own particular skill set i.e. Arshavin to 'street football', Van Persie to shifting the ball sideways and shooting etc. The centre backs, isolated behind play, become exposed to counter attacks once the flat line of 5 across the centre of the pitch is penetrated. This leads to them having to make risky decisions when overloaded and has established the hyperstitionally problematic reputation as being error prone (the Arsenal defence reminds me of the Aberlardo and Nadal at millennial Barcelona). The solution to the impasse Arsenal seem to have found is difficult to pin down to one factor, but the thing they have to get back is a bit of dynamism when in possession, and a bit of unpredictability. I'd say: 1) forget the goalkeeping mistakes, which are a real red-herring. The keeper of a top team is just a machine for distributing the ball quickly and accurately. Take 5 mistakes a year on the chin, a good keeper will set up tens of goals in that period. 2) Get some attacking instincts in the full backs, have them go past players and commit themselves. Eboue is better than Sagna for this reason. Clichy is way too conservative. 3) Rake the midfield a bit, have them shift the ball more up-down than left-right, have someone run from deep. 4) Stick with the forwards, they're pretty good. That's a very zonal-marking-esque analysis, in the sense of using more complicated language than is needed. Arsenal have always placed an emphasis on playing through a defence, rather than around it. They don't seek many goals from crosses from wide positions, so if there's a sense that the full backs don't contribute as much as they should going forward, it comes from there. I actually don't think there's much wrong with their midfield, or their full backs. What they lack, compared to their better days, is a really tricky striker like Henry or Bergkamp, who can add that bit extra and make their system productive. The very top strikers are now at other, richer clubs. They could also do with a really dominant centre back, like Campbell or Adams, but again I think they're now losing out to wealthier clubs. It would have helped if they could have kept Toure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Summary: They pen the opposition in rather than penetrate/hurt them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I would prefer the record Venger has, then the record the clowns have given us at this club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinho lad Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I thought it was quite funny seeing his reaction to Bolton's first goal yesterday..... as if it was an unusual thing for Arsenal to concede from set-pieces this season. Still think he'll prove a lot of people wrong. And I admire his determination for sticking to his footballing philosophy.... kinda like me on FM. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bengenufc Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Wenger always has been a joke! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gash Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Aimed at nobody in particular but if you think Wenger is a joke, you are a joke. He's making some silly moves and being stubborn but he's certainly not a joke. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Tend to agree. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Aimed at nobody in particular but if you think Wenger is a joke, you are a joke. He's making some silly moves and being stubborn but he's certainly not a joke. HE'S BORDERING ON PARODY. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 No Gash, he is definatly a joke, i would go as far as saying he's a comedian about the same level as french mimeming artist Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Wonder if we have a pretty good chance of finishing above them next season? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parky Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Wonder if we have a pretty good chance of finishing above them next season? THAT'S BORDERING ON PARODY. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Would be funny if they didn't even finish 3rd now. City will be 5 adrift with a game in hand if they hang on. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Summary: They pen the opposition in rather than penetrate/hurt them. So in essence, wengers current team are a bit like a prison rapist with no chiv....he can pen one of his fellow male prisoners in a corner but cant ....i'll get me coat Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Aimed at nobody in particular but if you think Wenger is a joke, you are a joke. He's making some silly moves and being stubborn but he's certainly not a joke. I agree with you gash. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Summary: They pen the opposition in rather than penetrate/hurt them. So in essence, wengers current team are a bit like a prison rapist with no chiv....he can pen one of his fellow male prisoners in a corner but cant ....i'll get me coat Fuck them. Aye. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Wonder if we have a pretty good chance of finishing above them next season? THAT'S BORDERING ON PARODY. It's not parody to point out that the last time you predicted the downfall of Wenger and Arsenal they finished that season just four points off the title, with pretty much double our points tally and +60 goal difference superiority. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 champions league every season? positive transfer turnover in his tenure? you've got to be joking me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 NO, Wenger is the joke I agree his coat is a joke. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 nah- its just too hard to ridicule him, or laugh at Arsenal when I would give almost anything a canny bit to see us where they are. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Wenger is a class manager, if people think he's a joke they are mad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 NO, Wenger is the joke I agree his coat is a joke. Gotta love the walking sleeping bag coat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Wenger is a class manager, if people think he's a joke they are mad. Yep, he is just stubborn. I'd have him at NUFC in a flash. One for ponder raptor... "if wenger is a joke, then what is sam allerdyce?" Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cp40 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 If Venger is a Joke. what is derek lamby-arse? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cajun Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 If Venger is a Joke. what is derek lamby-arse? A cunt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6970/ifarsenewengerisajokewh.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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