How to Use Pepe and Who Will Make Way: 4-4-2/4-4-1-1?

TotalArsenal

This is a quick and dirty discussion post. Say the Pepe deal is done, where and how will we play him?

Admir wrote in the previous post:

“As for Pepe, like every other YT scout, I have become an expert on him and noticed that he is (too) reliant on his left foot, including moments when using right foot would be, er, right. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing – Robben, a benchmark for a world-class winger, used his right foot only for driving. Pepe’s shooting technique is not exactly a mouth-watering but his ability to properly perform a counter-attack is. That sort of defending – pin down opponents’ full-backs so that they soil themselves before they dare to overlap – might be important in the Bellerin-less weeks, especially at Anfield where we have lost 4-0 and 5-1 respectively in the last two seasons.“

The comment shows what a weapon we are getting with Pepe (subject to contract completion), and we need to use it properly. It would not surprise me if we play a variant of 4-4-2/4-4-1-1 this season. With Laca as the more centrally based CF and either Auba or Pepe being the free runner around him. Yes there will be games we will play all three of them but I would expect Emery to play mostly two of them in a game. And that could just as well be both Auba and Pepe together.

Something like these options could well be our best starting 11 this season (as per Emery’s motto of outscoring the opponents is all that matters…):

Just some ideas there, and not necessarily my favourite ones, but how would you use Pepe and who would make way?

By TotalArsenal.

 

 

31 thoughts on “How to Use Pepe and Who Will Make Way: 4-4-2/4-4-1-1?”

  • WHY NOT USE 433 ?
    AUBA/LACA/PEPE
    XHAKA/TORRERIA/CEBALLOS
    TIERNAY/SOKRATIS/HOLDINI/BELLS
    LENO

  • 4-2-3-1. Leno. Bellerin Holding Sokratis Tierney, Torreira AMN. Auba Ozil Pépé . Laca.

    Bench / Cover / Rotate / Cups – Martinez . Jenks Mustafi ( cough) Monreal Kolasinac .Gendouzi Xhaka. Iwobi Willock/Miki Nelson/Saka . Martinelli/Eddie

    We need another CB….
    AMN as the pivot : I think he could work there.
    Happy to see ‘douzi or Willock starting. Rather that than Xhaka tbh.

  • I’d go with 4-2-3-1

    Leno

    Bellerin Holdini Chambers Tierney

    Torreira Ceballos/Xhaka

    Özil

    Pepe Laca Auba

    This team would be good enough to emulate what Klopp’s Liverpool had done prior to Van Dijk’s and Alisson’s arrival and Coutinho’s departure – a lot of pace down the wings, enough creativity down the middle with a shaky defence that will guarantee that other side has fun as well.

  • Facepalm moment…. meant to include Ceballos as the pivot, with AMN as an option. Managed to mess up whilst editing.

  • bbb, yeah why not. I assume you would play Ceballos in the hole? Mesut for me of course, but I too would like to see how our new Spaniard would fair in that starting 11..

  • SNP, that is a big shout for AMN. I don’t think he is ready yet but it would be good to see him play in central midfield this season. But then I really, really liked how Willock played there…

  • TA,

    Sok is more like Mustafi than our fans are willing to admit. OK, maybe Mustafi switches off more often but only a bit.

    Chambers is still young HG defender that knows to play football. I’d like to think Holdoni and Chambenaro are our Twin Towers in the heart of the defence, at least until Saliba takes over.

  • Though Admir?
    Papa next to Holding was good last season. Up and until the match vs MU the D was, at times bumpy– it was solid enough during the 22-match unbeaten run. You don’t do 22 without some measure of solidity.

    After that it was irreparable– with the dizzying ‘he-who-shall-not-be-named’ almost always on the pitch.

    +++

    Sky Sports gossip: Juve’s Daniel Rugani on a 2-year loan being circulated.

    jw1

  • 4312
    —————–Leno———————
    Bel—-Chamb—Hold—Tierney
    —Ceball—-Torreira—-Guendz—
    ——————-Ozil———————
    ——-Pepe——————Auba——

    Ozil or Laca

    3 CMF to allow us play slightly deeper to create more space for Pepe and Auba to run into.

    Douzi because of his excellent line braking passes..

    Holding and Chambers best for building play from the back. Playing slightly deeper would suit the pair as they are not known for their pace.

  • Sorry Admir but now we are not in agreement. Sok is still my first defender on the teamsheet. Only Holding can change that. I reckon Chambers is much more like Mustafi… a chancer per excellence. 🙂

  • OT: scoured the club’s official site and saw a new development – Arsenal have put up a video (complete with Audio) detailing Nicholas Pepe’s arrival at the London Colney, all through the corridors and into the medical room for (the process of) his medicals, including the use of a syringe on him for the blood test. Then, there was the tour of the facility, retrieval of his kits, a behind-the-scenes take of the photo shoot, shirt signing routine, his first interview, etc.

    Seemed strange as those details were never made for public consumption and largely treated as confidential stuff before now. Are things changing…..or are things changing?

  • Well Eris? Used to be the things we did were cutting edge. Maybe a reason to cloak our operations. Then. Now, I’d ponder there are few secrets as far as facilities go anymore. However, on the digital side? Personally would love to observe some of the things the club do.

    jw1

  • Yeah. I actually felt a sense of even greater closeness to the club, just from viewing some of the internal workings. It’s a shift of some sort. We even have videos of aspects of training put out these days…..

  • Yes a great video, Eris. It makes you a bit quiet. Oh what an attack we are going to have: Ozil feeding the PALs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Ah, TA. Why do I get the feeling you are “cooking” up a New Post? 😉

  • Bielik to Derby for £10M.
    Please stuff some of that cash into Neil Lennon’s yammerer– and get Tierney here ASAP.

    jw1

  • Nice to see Arsenal finally making some noise in the transfer market. My main concern is that the layered payments will reduce our, already meager, budget in later years. But kudos to them for their current achievements – still time for more to happen before the 8th.

  • Hey GN5, how are you doing and good to have you here. Please bring your mates BR and Chas too! 🙂

    Yes it is a good move and it remains to be seen how it will affect our budgets in years to come. Part of me expects Auba to be sold for a lot of money before the TW shuts. Hope not though.

  • I agree ^^… We’re gonna need more writers around here if the blog is to make it through…and ‘Eris tends to talk sense…

    There are other regulars out there who do likewise… And then there are those who tend to go up and down with the news (results), but, of course, their opinions are as valid as anybody else’s…even if it’s not to my taste to declare that Arsenal are complete sh*t one week–and then the greatest thing ever, the next–based on a bounce or three…

    Due to some back-channel discussions, my guess is that TA won’t have quite so much time on his hands… I’m hoping to be in a similar situation, too… And, I’m SURE my downbeat attitude isn’t what’s best for the site…

    For example… 😉

    I really don’t know how folks get excited about formation (and line-up) ideas that have little chance of happening (you know, in the real world)…

    In my view, we’re gonna play a back 6 (or 7) though at times it might appear (sorta/kinda) like two lines of 4 with a couple of fellas (half-heartedly) chasing at the front. Also, given that we’ve played 3 CBs A LOT, why is it that NOBODY thinks we’re gonna keep at it? Of course, that’s the back 7 I’m talking about, or maybe lines of 5 and 4 with one (truly despondent…) forward guy running around a bit. Where’s does Pepe fit in? Wherever Emery tells him he must… He thinks he’s coming to a big club… Hmmmm…

    Like I say, others should be writing the posts… 😦

    … 😀 Happy Friday!!! .

  • … 🙂 Happy Friday!!! he sez.

    Don’t Bring Me Down (Electric Light Orchestra)

    You got me runnin’ goin’ out of my mind
    You got me thinkin’ that I’m wastin’ my time
    (Don’t bring me down, no no no no no)
    I’ll tell you once more before I get off the floor
    (Don’t bring me down)
    Don’t bring me down, groos
    Don’t bring me down, groos
    Don’t bring me down, groos
    Don’t bring me down…

    I’ll keep trying nonetheless HT!!! 🙂

    jw1

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