There is much chatter at present about who we should buy mixed in with depression that Wenger will class Diaby and Rosicky as new signings. Most seem to want a new defensive midfielder to replace/challenge Arteta. Many want a physical box to box Vieira style beast to replace/challenge Wilshere and Diaby. Lastly everyone wants a new goal getting striker to challenge/replace Giroud. Well now we are clear on all that STUFF today’s blog will ignore all of it and deal with the reality of the existing squad we have now virtually all fit and what we might do tactically and rotationally during the forthcoming busy fixture jam staring with the visit of the Champions.
You all know this is going to be a 442 piece don’t you?
Well it sort of is but perhaps will a difference and I have covered this ground once before when I reviewed our tactics in defeating Spurs 5-2 in February. What I am keen to assess it the ability of our squad/team to morph from 4231 our generally expected (by all opposition teams!!!!) starting formation into a fluid 442 in certain games. This happened against Spurs and it certainly happened recently against Reading.
The key to this for me is to have wide players who are equally effective in the 3 behind the 1 or in a 4 behind the 2. Let me elaborate and use this example. The likes of Pires and Ljunberg could play wide in 4 as they did but could easily have adapted to play wide in the 4231 we play today. However from the same squad Reyes could not have done the same. The Spaniard was a striker/winger rather than a right/left midfielder.
In the present squad we equally have those who can adapt to both roles and those who cannot. When it comes to playing right of left midfield or right of left winger the following players can adapt with ease: Podolski, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain and even Cazorla at a push could do either job. Walcott and Gervinho can play effectively as wingers but I personally do not see them as adapting to playing wide in a 4 man midfield. Ramsey I feel could play right midfield but have seen nothing to suggest he can play effectively as a winger, although Wenger seems to disagree.
So why is this important and what might it mean in practice? This of course is only relevant if we look to change tactics during the match as we have on occasion, but not often enough for my liking.
I guess what I am driving at is that if we set up as 4231 and would like to be able to switch temporarily or permanently during a game it is fundamental that one of our wide men can move seamlessly to striker and the other can tuck into a conventional wide midfield role. So for example if we set up as we have with Giroud centrally and Walcott and Gervinho either side we would struggle with this tactical transition because in my view neither can play right or left midfield in a 4 at the required level. Conversely setting up with Theo right wing and Podolski or Rosicky left wing makes the transition easy, because both, particularly TR7 as he did in 07/08 are effective at left midfield.
The absolute best example of this is action was the fabulous second half display in February versus the old enemy. It worked precisely because we set up with Theo on the right wing and Yossi on the left. The game turned as we morphed to 442 with Benayoun tucking to left midfield, Rosicky moving right and Song and Arteta sitting centrally. This intelligent transition saw Walcott unleashed alongside RVP to devastating effect.
Yossi dropped in to left Midfield from left wring to unleash Theo v Spurs
There is little doubt that in a slightly different way we morphed during the match with Reading with Cazorla advancing into a 10 role behind Theo and Podolski and Ox shifting to left and right midfield respectively.
So where does this leave us for the next few weeks and a busy schedule beginning at the Emirates on Sunday? Well for me if we are to surprise our opposition, particularly as I fee City will line up as a 442 it would be useful for us to be able to do the same either from outset our during the game.
Assuming Giroud is passed fit tomorrow the starting 11 arguably picks itself, with possible exception of which 2 centre backs. (For me leave out Per who was left for dead to often last week and can’t seem to jump without a Pogo stick!)
This could well be the starting team and how it is conventionally set up at kick off:
This however is how it could look at times during the match given the intelligence and experience of our midfield. Whether it is the players themselves who make this decision during attacking phases of play. Or whether Wenger instructs this subtle change, both Podolski and Santi, like Rosicky and Benayoun on that superb day against Spurs in February, can handle the LM and RM roles.
Now as I hinted earlier in this article it is my view that we are blessed with several players who can adapt or play either wing or wide midfield. This being the case with a tough playing agenda I can see Rosicky playing in the Podolski role on occasion and he also gives her the ability to make the transition.
What is also possible of course is that Ramsey to Oxlade-Chamberlain could start as right wing instead of Theo and the transition would involve Podolski moving up front alongside Giroud, Santi moving to Left midfield and Ramsey/Ox to right midfield.
This conventionally set up would start as such:
The in game or permanent transition would morph to this:
The key of my message here is not the actual team selection as I am sure many will have other thoughts. But more the fact that we have a quality core of players who can play well in slightly different positions and we should use this to our advantage. Both in during games and for certain matches
Ironically this system change could even allow Santos to show us what he is actually capable of at left midfield, although I am far from convinced he will get the chance. I feel strongly that Rosicky should have a key role to play in the coming weeks as he above anyone in our ranks is comfortable and to my mind effective anywhere across the midfield in either formation. If Giroud does fail his fitness test I would love to see TR7 drafted in. This would allow us to start with Rosicky and Podolski right and left wing with Walcott up front but easily allow us to push Lukas alongside Theo if Plan. A is not effective.
Little Mozart could be key to the formation flexibility in coming weeks
I have referred to it before I know but I am convinced it is our predictability of formation that allows teams to plan and counter us so well. A greater utilisatiion of the transition from 4231 to 442 in games or for certain teams can only benefit our results. Not only because it has worked already to powerful effect and that we have the intelligence and flexible players to take advantage but also because of the element of surprise.
Whatever Wenger decides for the City match I am confident result and is we do demonstrate the flexibility and fluidity of formation we should have too much for a 4 man midfield. likely to be made up of Milner, Silva, Garcia and Barry. Don’t shoot me on Monday but I am having a free punt on 3-1 and make your money go further with free bets on offer at many bookies at the moment. Checking FREEbets will give you the best latest options.
Until next time thanks for reading.
Like what you read? Agree/disagree? Leave a comment below or follow me or comment on this blog on Twitter – goonerdave66
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Great read! I believe we have seen this occur now a few times with now Walcott floating into the central position, whether it is Walcott making the shift on his own, or part of the boss’ plan is still to be determined.
Great read like always Dave! Morphed is a funny word. Ha!
Not much to say really other than that I agree and hope to see this more often. We’re very predictable and this fluidity could really give our creativity a boost.
Couldn’t agree more. Id like to see m’villa in the centre with jack. If only wenger would take a gamble on him. They could be as good as viera and petit. Then all we would be missing is rvp up front with Walcott in the 442 formation. It was never meant to be though.
Nice work Dave again, back to your best with 4-4-2
With the players at our disposal, we certainly should be trying this formations time to time. I’d personally take Santi out at right wing and Podolski on left with Giroud and Theo up front. The worrying thing is Poldi, Theo and HFB are our recognisezd strikers, and we will be using all of them at once.
Enjoyed the blog thoroughly and as you know I am always of the opinion about changing formations in the games when things aren’t working together. 4-4-2 is the perfect option for the players we have. Recently I read a blog comparing Podolski and Santi with Freddie and Bobby, now the formation you have suggested will drive them ever closer in comparision.
I am dreadful in writing myself , so sorry to point out few odd things. You might have found out already, “Conversely setting up with Theo left wing and Podolski or Rosicky left wing makes the transition easy”. In another place you’ve mentioned ” Rosicky playing in the Podolski role on occasion and he also gives her the ability to make the transition” Her? I didnt get it. And one last thing, in the sentence starting with If Giroud fails his fitness test,……I guess its “if” plan A isnt successful.
Completely agree on the matter of changing formations time to time in order to make our opposition keep guessing what are they going to get.
Interesting article. It annoys me just how tactically inflexible we are. 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-1-1 aren’t exactly worlds apart, especially since we already defend in a 4-4-1-1 formation. But will Wenger under any conditions consider Giroud behind the striker and Walcott up front? No. I think it would be very interesting playing Wilshere-Arteta-Diaby-Cazorla in midfield, Giroud as second striker/target man and Theo up front. The combo of Arteta and Diaby would offer a bit more power than Arteta-Wilshere. Wilshere and Cazorla on the wings could interchange positions and thread balls through for Walcott. Podolski as second striker would be interesting, but I don’t feel his movement in behind is good enough to player as the number 9. In general I am skeptical of Podolski-Giroud up front, but for all I know it might work…
On the button Dave…
Any blog which mentions a 442 and Rosicky so many times will always be supported by me..
On the transition, i think Theo was doing that last week without telling the manager he was doing it,the way he kept drifting in and almost blocking Giroud’s path, but totally agree that even slight alterations would make us way less predictable and keep the opposition guessing,therefore unable to relax and be comfortable as a lot of them do against us at the mo..
It looks like Giroud is missing, but i feel that Theo’s pace up front will scare people, and defo think we need to get Podolski getting his touches more centrally more often,so it could work a treat, and with Rosicky included i feel even better again, as he can play the through balls we need to allow Theo run onto/into open space, but also if there’s no movement in front of him he can quite easily put the head down and take them all on himself…
Great post, Dave. It’s a devilishly simple shift in formation that probably most footballers could accomplish. I say ‘most’, because there are a few in our squad who sometimes seem unable to grasp even their primary roles – although perhaps being played out of position may be a contributing factor.
I’m not a great tactician (as you know) – but I think you give Wenger too much credit in suggesting that we have shifted to a real 4-4-2 in recent games.
Theo slipping into the second striker role alongside OG without the midfield shifting to the right created a void in front of Sagna that left him exposed and optionless in attack. When he was fed the ball out right during a buildup in attack, he had nowhere to go with it – and instead of drawing 2 or 3 players to defend our traditional two-man flank attack, he was easily man-on-man marked, leaving other opposition defenders to smother our attacking midfield.
A huge contributing factor is the fact that our current ‘strikers’ aren’t particularly good at coming back to assist the midfield by collecting the ball (as RVP did) – something that is vital without a Diaby or Rosicky in the team. Wilshere, at present, has the heart and urge to drive box-to-box, but seems to continually run into a static frontline, and the momentum is lost.
My other concern: although I love Cazorla, and am a member of his fanfare horn-blowing entourage… I’m not sure he could function in the wide midfield position of a 4-4-2. He seems unwilling (or unable) to receive the ball on the run – much prefering ball-to-feet and a ‘pivot’ role. I also have yet to see him make a cross from out wide, drive to the corner, pincer in from behind – all functions of that role in a 4-4-2 as I understand it. Perhaps I’m wrong – both about Cazorla, who is often touted as being a capable winger, and the duty of those wide midfielders… Please correct me in either/both case(s).
As I said: I’m not a tactician: I often seem to see stuff that probably doesn’t exist. (The obvious conclusion, when I’m the only one seeing it!!)
Great blog, again. Nice to see you back in the driving seat after some classic guest posts.
Thanks.
I guess I am walking a line here and bowing to others with knowledge to suggest Santi could play wide and has in Spain for years. Agree we have not seen it. If I said what I actually think I might be certified and that is that our most effective 11 right now might not have him in it. Or if it did he would be the 2nd striker as I highlighted he was v Reading
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