No Theo but start for Rosicky, Coq-Flam in pivot? Line-Up and Preview

January 1, 2015January 1, 2015TotalArsenal

Very short match preview, as I am busy and the game starts in just two hours.

We will need lots of New Year's magic to beat the solid wall of the Saints defence: Can Alexis do it one more time? — We will need lots of New Year’s magic to beat the solid wall of the Saints defence: Can Alexis do it one more time?

It is the third time we will meet the team surprise of the season, and no doubt this will be a tight one. The Saints really know how to defend and it will be hard to get into their box today. No team, other than the horrible Chavs perhaps, operate the double-DM pivot system better than Southampton, but they will miss the constantly very impressive, Wengeresque, Schneiderlin today. One of the disadvantages of having two DMs in the pivot is the potential lack of connection between defence and attack, and Schneiderlin plays a very important role in this.

Against the Chavs the Saints managed to keep their opponents out of their box, allowing only one shot on goal in the whole match. At the end they tired though, and had their opponents been sharper when they finally penetrated the Saints’ box, they could have taken all three points. They always have a threat going forward from both full backs and wingers, and we have to play disciplined today if we want to go home with a result.

A win will be hard, very hard, given the quality of the opposition and the tired legs of those who will have to create the magic (Santi, Alexis, Welbeck, OX, the full backs?).

It looks like Wenger will not battle against the Saints with his very own god of speed, Theo. It has all become very precarious with regards to Theo’s return to the team, but this is just the sort of game we need him in. Our senior players need a lift: some fresh and dynamic support and that is just what Theo would offer. Let’s hope we will see him at least come off the bench: time to jump in the deep end TW14!

Luckily, we can field a reasonably fresh and complete back-five today. It is key though that we give them the right support and another stint of junior and senior French duo of CoqMini in front of the back-four is highly likely, and preferable imo. Can Cazorla do another battling performance in the hole and are Danny, Alexis and Alex still capable of squeezing another ninety minutes out of their tired legs? Will Rosicky add freshness? We will see. I reckon Wenger will go for his strongest available (and fittest) team and not worry about the FA cup game yet, as this is a very important game to not lose, or, of course ideally, to win.

The mind says a hard fought draw with none or two goals, but the heart is hoping for more. Both teams have had a few good games in a row and confidence is starting to return…. It is not just three – or indeed six – points up for grabs today; the even bigger reward of further/increasing momentum is at stake as well. Can we do it?

This is the predicted team (am pretty sure though I wont get them all correct today):

Ox might well play instead of Rosicky or Le Coq, and Welbeck might not start due to fitness, in which case Alexis could play up top…. Let’s wait and see.

Come You Rip Roaring Gunners – Let the Cannon Roar!

Written by: TotalArsenal

Wishing you all a healthy, happy and prosperous Gunners 2015!

Rosicky Start, Santi feeding the WAGs, Same Back-Five? Arsenal v QPR Preview & Line-Up

December 26, 2014December 26, 2014TotalArsenal

Quality Performance Required!

Time for Rosa and his smile to return to first team?

The so called easy games always make me a bit nervous. QPR at home might be regarded as an easy one, especially with tough ‘top-four away games’ coming up, but only if we put in a quality, committed performance today will we be able to bag all three points.

Losing two points late on against Pool will have helped the team to remain focussed for this one during the week. Defenders will want to make amends for the badly defended late, late corner. Our midfielders will want to re-establish balance on the pitch, and our attackers will simply want to keep up the good form (scoring 10 goals in three games is pretty impressive by anyone’s standards, although they were helped by a defender or two as well).

I want to see more leadership on the pitch: calm, organisation, structure, focus. Arteta and BFG offer this to some extent, but the former is injured and the latter is looking a bit lost at times (Koz’s imminent return will do him a world of good). As the defence picks itself more or less, it is important to strike the right balance both in midfield and attack, and leadership is a key component in this.

In midfield, I would introduce the now fit again Rosicky. Everybody loves Rosa and he can play a key role as our B2B midfielder today. Tomas can defend (with a fine tackle), can take the ball forward and take on a player if required, AND he has a good eye for the throughball. On top of that, and most importantly, he has experience… and knows how to lead the team; and in a period of four games in just ten days, he is exactly what we need right now. I would play Flamini as our deepest midfielder and Santi or Ox in the hole.

Up-front we have plenty of options, now that Sanogo is also back again. Key is here whether Wenger will want to give one or two players a rest. I have a feeling he will want to play his best team to secure the three points as quickly as possible. If we find ourselves three up after 65 minutes, we might see a few changes, but that is a big IF. So, for me it is WAG up top: Welbeck, Alexis, Giroud, with the aim to take Alexis and Giroud off as soon as possible. I have a feeling Ox, although apparently still fit to play, will get a rest today, but it could also be Santi who gets a well earned rest. We could also see Wenger continuing with Flam as our sole DM and play Rosicky with either Ox or Santi ahead of him.

It is hard to predict what Wenger will do, but here is my predicted line-up:

I cannot wait to see the boys play again and let’s hope for a good win and brilliant atmosphere at the home of football.

COYRRG!

Merry Christmas everyone! 🙂

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Debuchy CB, Theo Starts, Coquelin for Ox? Liverpool Preview & Line-Up

December 21, 2014December 21, 2014TotalArsenal

Let’s get cool in the pool: Preview & Line-Up

After two great results and fine attacking football, in Istanbul and THOF, confidence levels are high and so are our expectations. Pool are a shadow of their former self and have become a team without bite: last season they scored for fun and now they hardly get more than one goal per game. We could be on the up now and Liverpool are struggling. Losing out to Basel for the CL will have hurt them badly and their league position is even worse than ours (given expectation levels at the start of the season for both clubs).

Yet, I am nervous about this one. I guess the ‘good’ thing is we got an awful hiding from them last year, which will help Wenger to point out the importance of defending well in this game. We remain vulnerable at the back though, especially with Koz still unavailable. In a way, Liverpool have nothing to lose and will still have the sweetest of memories of last year’s encounter. This combination, further fuelled by a loyal and vociferous home crowd and a good away win mid-week, could be a dangerous one for us. Let’s pray they don’t score early and the team suffer from a horrible deja-vu experience.

I have seen Arsenal a few times at Anfield. It is a great, traditional stadium with a fantastic atmosphere, and there is a lot of respect for Arsenal, both for our football and the way the club is managed. It was at Anfield where I first saw Cesc Fabregas in action. He played next to Vieira and opposite of another great midfielder, Gerrard. I will never forget that game for Vieira’s and Gerrard’s goals, and especially for Fabregas’ incredible ability to read the game and anticipate where the ball would be in the next few seconds. I knew straightaway he would become a great footballer.

I also will never forget how Thierry Henry got a standing ovation from the Pool and away supporters at the end of the FA cup game that we won there (1-3). He had scored the last goal in real style, out-pacing and out-smarting Jamie Carragher from the centre of midfield with a fabulous run and a very composed finish. It was so great to witness this with my own eyes.

Liverpool is a fine football city and nowhere in the country, other than the good parts of North-London, is there more respect for good football – and therefore Arsenal – than in Merseyside.

But tomorrow we will play there a very important game and for ninety plus minutes there is no time for sentimentality. A win would put a lot of distance between them and us and would be a perfect start to the congested Christmas schedule. We have a bit of momentum now and it is important to keep it going.

In order to do so, we need to stay cool in the pool. I reckon Wenger will opt for 4-2-1-3 or even ‘6-4’, with a split in responsibilities between the ‘6’, mainly responsible for defending, and the ‘4’, mainly responsible for attacking. Only the FBs will have a bit more freedom to support the attack – one at a time – but the rest of the ‘6’ will be tasked to keep it tight – at least for the start of the game. Wenger really does not want to give Pool any encouragement that we will leave a lot of space for them to attack us. We want to control that game, and with our superior strike-force we can and should be patient, as our chances will come.

My predicted line-up is:

I reckon Le Coq will play instead of Ox, unless the latter is fully fit. Even then Wenger might opt to play the Frenchman next to his fellow countryman, Flamini, against Pool. Arteta is still not available and Ramsey is out too, and Coquelin comes closest to Arteta’s style of play (and has more experience that the popular options on this blog of Chambers or Hayden).

At the back, I reckon Wenger will stick with Debuchy as CB partner to the BFG, with Chambers (available again) replacing Bellerin as RB. With Chambers, BFG, Szczesny and Gibbs we have four out of five players playing in their best positions, and only MD is out of position. Debuchy is versatile and experienced and I reckon he is the better option at CB than Chambers (or Hayden). It is not ideal but it will have to do…

Up-front is where it really gets exciting. Theo could be back, but I don’t think he will start. It would be great to see him on the bench though. Cazorla picks himself for the hole position and I reckon it will be Welbeck and Alexis on the wings, with OG in the middle.

Wenger will pick his strongest team after they all had eight days of rest and this surely is the biggest test of the festive season (with the Hammers away game coming close though). He is also likely to opt for the above mentioned initial division of a defending and an attacking team, in order to keep it tight and calm, whilst waiting for our opportunity to pounce. Not everyone will like a more defensive approach but I reckon anything else is likely to cost us badly.

I expect it to be tight with one to three goals, unless one of the teams scores early….. and let’s hope it will be us if this were to be the case.

Come On You Rip-Roaring Gunners – Let The Canon Roar!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Ox – Welbz – Alexis to Haunt Terry & Cahill | Rosicky to Nullify Cesc: Preview & Line-Up

October 4, 2014October 4, 2014TotalArsenal

What will Arsene have up his sleeve for this one?

So, we’re going into a match that certainly will be marked as one of the most important matches this season; certainly, it is the sternest test we have had to face so far. Most gunners, me included, have doubted our own team’s ability to hold up the current league leaders. However, I have no doubt in my mind that the boys can exceed our expectations and get a good result against the men in blue.

However, the Blues will not go down without a fight, especially with a certain Jose Mourinho involved. Mourinho’s tactical acumen is adapting his team to counter the opposition’s set-up, and this is one of the main reasons for Chelsea’s recent success. This is in direct contrast to Le Prof”s tried and tested formula, regardless of the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses.

Although we worry about the injuries to our key players, I believe the enforced changes to our line-up will provide some unpredictability to our style of play, and possibly help us against Chelsea. While Chelsea are indeed undefeated, they are not invincible: far from it. Their games against Schalke and Swansea have given us a hint of the brittleness of their defence. If we can sacrifice some of our traditional passing game build-up for some direct-pace approach, Chelsea can be unsettled.

Alexis, Welbz and Ox should focus on using their superior pace against the technically brilliant but slower duo Terry and Cahill. For this game, we should play Ox on the right and Sanchez on the left. While Ivanovic is a good, in-form defender, he is slow on the turn and who else but Alexis to cause him a few headaches with his fancy footwork? Ox is put on the right because Azpelicuta, or however you spell his name, is perhaps the best man-marker other than Koz in the PL. The only way we are going to expose him is through sheer pace.

Matic is a tougher nut to crack. He is usually so solid against good teams. But Chelsea’s match against Schalke has shown opposition teams how to expose him. In that match, he was up against Draxler. Draxler got past him with absolute ease with his sublime skill and forced Matic to foul him countless times. Which is why I want to give Alexis a free role on the left, interchanging positions with Ozil regularly. If anyone will replicate Draxler and finally break Matic, it has to be Alexis.

Another major threat for this match will be the Costa-Fabregas partnership. Costa will be hard to stop but I trust Koz and Per to nullify the threat he brings. Most importantly, we must stop our former talisman. We should deploy Danny to man mark Fabregas. We should deprive him of the ball and that will undoubtedly slow him down, or hopefully shut down – their source from midfield. Or we could drop Ozil and deploy Rosicky to harass and abuse Fab.

Alongside that, I sincerely hope Gibbs and Calum don’t venture too far forwards in this match. We should go for a more cautious approach, and by keeping back Calum and Gibbs we can blunt the pressure given by the Chelsea wingers.

Most importantly though we mustn’t concede within the first five minutes, like we did the last time. And even if we do, I hope we won’t be pushing everyone forward to get an equaliser. Stay calm, pass the ball around and slowly gain momentum from there. This may not be a blueprint for success but if done right, we might be able to salvage a point or even go on to win the game.

Predicted starting XI

PS- VCC, if I get the line-up completely right, I’m expecting 20 points for the UMF league 😛

Written by: Shrillex

Bergkampesque has a number of regular bloggers from all over the the world, and at times it might look we are all very familiar. However, we will welcome new bloggers who like to add to our debates in a constructive way with open arms. Just place a comment and join the debate – It’ll be fun. 🙂

TotalArsenal.

Ospina in goal, Alexis back, FlamShere to protect? Match Preview

October 1, 2014TotalArsenal

Very little time to write a preview, and what is there to say anyway?

Cannot wait to see mini-hulk in action again!

It is a must-win game, and what happened on Saturday and what will happen on Sunday is totally irrelevant. We had a bad start in Dortmund and were outclassed. But they still have to come to the home of football in the penultimate game of the group. Before that happens, we will play Galatasaray at home and Anderlecht home and away. We can get nine points out of those three games which should get us in a strong position to qualify for the next group; and maybe even win it.

I don’t know much about the current Galatasaray club or their players. UEFA.com have the following likely line- up for Galatasaray: Muslera; Semih, Melo, Chedjou; Tarık, Selçuk, Sneijder, Dzemaili, Alex Telles; Burak, Olcan. I know Melo a bit, and Schneider quite well. The latter is a fading force, but in a free role he is always capable to do something special. He is actually quite a lazy and limited player, but the few strengths he has are of the highest calibre. He is brilliant at set-pieces, corners as well as free-kicks and we should be wary not to give too many of the latter away. He also has an eye for a quick pass and has a great shot. Other than that he is rubbish! 🙂

Maybe other bloggers who are a bit more familiar with Turkish football can fill us in….

I think we will play a similar team to the one we finished with on Saturday. Furthermore, I reckon Arsene will want these players to come through well and uninjured, so they can take on the Chavs as well. As others have mentioned, we need some consistency now and the team more or less picks itself.

My predicted Line-Up sees Alexis start on the left and Ospina getting a chance in goal. The latter is a gut-feeling, as I believe Wenger will slowly ease Ospina into direct competition with Bond’s favourite villain. Alexis is needed for his goals AND fitness/willingness to work his chilli-peppered nuts off. At the moment, and judging on last season’s goal per game ratio, we do not have many regular goal scorers in the team with Ramsey, Theo and OG out, so Alexis has to be a must. No doubt we will also see Pod play a part in this game, especially if we have not scored (enough) after seventy minutes or so.

Jack appears to be fit, so I reckon he will play as per the importance of this game. He is likely to sit back a bit more in 4-2-1-3 line-up, although we will surely ‘officially’ start again with 4-1-4-1. Ozil in the hole, Alexis and Ox (or very possibly Santi) on the wings and Danny-boy to lead the line.

Predicted Line-Up:

COYG – Let The Canon Roar!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Ozil LM – RamShere Central – Alexis & Danny to Mash: Ars v Spuds Preview

September 27, 2014TotalArsenal

Ooh I love devouring the Spuds. I like them chipped, I like them boiled with gravy, I like them in a salad with some garlic mayo on top, I like them flattened into hash brownies, or even better, mashed with butter and a hint of mustard. And the Spuddies are tastiest when gulped down at our very own home of football. 🙂

TIme to play with the heart but with a cool mind.

Today’s NLD comes early (again): the teams still have to find their stride, and Pochettino is still finding his feet at the club. You just cannot take count anymore of how many managers have come and gone, and for that, predict what we can expect from the miscreants this time round.

We need a win to build further on our away win at Villa and to get the momentum going for two more big games this week: Galatasaray and the Chavs. I would say let’s treat this as an OGAAT and not worry about what is to follow. But I feel this a big moment for Arsenal this season: the time for experimenting is over as the next three games will shape our season to a large extent. We need a win against the Turks and we need a result against the Chavs.

So now it is time to put out a formation and team that will have the best chance to get us there, give or take a couple of tweaks over the next eight days. Wenger’s plan for this season will be confirmed today/this week, I am pretty sure.

We can talk about it forever, but the only thing that matters is what happens on the pitch come 17.30. I have not seen enough of the Spuds this season to form an opinion about the strength of their team. After a late goal by Dier they clinched all the points from the Hammers on the opening day, and then they brushed aside QPR at home; but after that they just got one point from playing Liverpool and West Brom at home and Sunderland away, giving away a lead twice at the Stadium of Light.

So they are lacking form and the first doubts whether Pochettino is the right man for them, which I reckon he is, will have started to surface, no doubt. Clearly, they need to bounce back and will not need motivating for today’s NLD. We have not had the best of spells ourselves in recent weeks and could really do with a win.

I expect Arsene to set out with 4-1-4-1 but with one of the central midfielders to sit back a lot, especially during the start of the game. The only real risk we have is playing too much attacking football, leaving our back-four – especially the BFG – exposed in the process. The Spuds will love to play counter football against us and they have the weapons to hurt us. Some might call for 4-2-1-3 with two of Ramsey, Wilshere, Arteta and Flamini (or even Chambers), and I reckon they will get their wish effectively.

Many believe it will be either Ramsey or Jack next to Ozil in midfield, but I am convinced Wenger will incorporate all three. I reckon Ozil will be moved to the left, with licence to roam where he thinks he can add value (with Gibbs playing a more conservative role – and Sanchez and Ozil are likely to swap sides as well).

The defence picks itself and Szczesny is likely to be back. Danny on top and that is about it for me.

So predicted line-up:

I would be tempted to replace the captain with Flamini, but it is a good game for him to prove he has still got it. We need all eleven Gunners to be up for this and fire from all cylinders.

Will they be? Will I ever ask a more stupid question?

Let’s mash them Spuds! COYG!!

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Theo in – Jack or Aaron out? Yeah right!

September 25, 2014TotalArsenal

How will Wenger fit Theo in?

The time for experimenting with our attacking line-up might soon come to an end. As soon as Theo returns, I reckon Arsene will start lining us up with DAT attack: Danny, Alexis and Theo. If you are not excited about seeing these three heading our attack, it is time to pay your GP a visit, or simply book a one-way ticket to doctor GLIC in award winning Cornwall.

The return of Theo the final piece in the jigsaw?

Danny – Alexis – Theo: DAT Attack to Conquer the PL

We all know what a fit Theo brings to the team, and we have missed him a lot since he was carried off the pitch sticking two fingers up to the Spuds supporters. Theo adds thrust and fast counter football and of course goals and assists.

But he is not the only one: both Welbeck and Sanchez are also fast and direct, and the three together will be a threat to any team in the PL and Europe.

Of course, an abundance of pace works best with plenty of space, and when we play the park the bus teams all that pace might become less influential. There is no doubt in my mind that Alexis can work in both attacking scenarios (pace and space or intricate and tight) and that Arsene will further develop Danny to become a fully rounded attacker – and the first signs are very encouraging. Theo, we know, is less effective when we face park the bus teams, but with the likes of Mesut, Jack or Santi spreading the balls, he could still be effective even in those situations.

But, just to illustrate the depth we have now in attack, if Theo does not hack it in such a game, we can bring on Santi, Ox, or eventually, Campbell who can all operate well in tight spaces. We are simply blessed with attackers.

If we start with ‘DAT attack’ will Arsene change the formation?

It would make sense to revert back to 4-2-1-3 and play either Ozil or Jack in the hole, and for now, play a combo of Flamini, Ramsey, Arteta and Diaby (or Jack) in the double DM-pivot.

However, it looks like Wenger will stick with his 4-1-4-1 formation, which means that either Theo or Alexis gets the free role, either supporting the striker or the ‘nr.10’ a lot. With Danny or, eventually, OG playing CF, we would have just three spaces left. And as per my post a few days ago, I would not be surprised if Aaron – or as 17HT suggested, Jack – is moved into the deeper DM role, leaving the two central midfield roles for either Ozil, Rambo and Jack.

So a midfield and attack of:

————–Rambo/Jack—————

Theo—Jack/Rambo—Ozil— Alexis

——————Danny——————

Many will argue that Flamini or Arteta will play in the deeper midfield role, and that either Jack or Rambo will be benched. But I just cannot see that happen. Once Theo is back, and all midfielders and attackers are fit, Wenger will have to make a choice, and I reckon the above will become Arsene ‘best six’.

But what do you think, FFGs: what will our team look like once Theo returns?

Written by: TotalArsenal.

Arsenal v Saints almost certain line-up: Ajayi, Akpom, Sanchez, Hayden to start

September 22, 2014September 23, 2014TotalArsenal

Arsenal v Southhampton

Capital One Cup

The provisional squad was announced early, possibly to encourage Koeman to reciprocate with an equally youthful squad? But barring late injuries, illness, or a Southampton ‘A’ team, this is it.

So for once, I do not have to make too many difficult decisions on our team, as it will be, no, seriously, it WILL be the following:

Or to get a proper 4-1-4-1 formation, see:

http://sharemytactics.com/26560/

Why am I so certain? Just a brief run through:

Ospina is a given, Bellerin is a given because Chambers is going to be needed as cover for the CB’s, with Monreal out for 4 games, so he needs his CB hat on here. Gibbs, not certain, but unless Flamini drops back there, there isn’t another LB in the squad.

Hayden, in his best position, and AW tells us he is ready for this level (I concur). Flamini a given, as Arteta played in Saturday’s game, and Coquelin with Hayden would be too much of a gamble, and the Frenchman is a useful sub. Cazorla plays central, because he will not start next Saturday?

Rosicky deserves a start in his favoured right side, Campbell on the left, but expect a lot of movement between these three. Akpom up front because ….err, there isn’t anybody else? Nah, not even Poldi as CF.

Bench: Szczesny; Arteta, Coquelin, Diaby, Wilshere, Podolski, Zelalem.

How will this pan out in the game, using the much vaunted 4-1-4-1 formation?

My guess is the DM role will alternate between Hayden and Flamini, but I expect Hayden to be the more advanced of the two, leaving Flamini to clear up should he need to. Hayden is an excellent ball player, and has the physical strength to brush past the formidable DM pairing that Southampton have, should they both play? He would be an ideal player to have deep if a long range shot is on, such is the Podolski like bullets he can provide.

However, his primary role going forward will be to provide Cazorla with passes, and be available for the return.

It will be Cazorla’s job to feed the wide players, Gibbs and Campbell one the one side, and Bellerin and Rosicky on the other. I think these wide partnerships look to be very complimentary, and should prove an exciting blend of pace and shooting power, and equally good at picking out Akpom.

Akpom’s movement in and around the box will be key. It is his big chance to show just how much he has developed since those pre-season games of last season (2013). Not only is he big and strong, and has quick feet, he also has alarming pace for a striker. He will frighten any defence into mistakes, so penalties long before shootout time are very much on the cards. Because of his pace, somebody will have to try and stop him if we get a quick release from a turnover. That could bode well for Campbell to become the second striker, and we have seen just how effective he can be when given the space?

That is the positive side going forwards. Things will not be quite so rosy on the defensive front?

Without Per Mertersacker to organise the defence, a rookie CB alongside a very competent, but still a rookie partner, I think it will fall to Ospina and Hayden to set the cover at set pieces, and Flamini and Hayden to sort it out in open play. On the positive side, Ajayi is solid enough to hold his own against a physical assault; and Chambers is quick in the ‘Koscielny’ role, and two very pacey wingbacks to make last ditch tackles, should our lines be breeched. Providing they keep calm and don’t get too fired up, the Flamini-Hayden brick wall in front of the CB’s should keep most threats at bay, but I think Ospina will have his World Cup credentials well and truly tested?

What we will not know is just how many Academy graduates will appear in the Southampton ranks, as they too will want to test the depth of their squad to some extent? They also have some key injuries: Yoshida, Ward-Prowse, Rodriguez, Alderwerield, and Under-21 player, Gallagher. Listening to Koeman talking ahead of this game, he seems to be taking it a little more seriously, which is understandable if they haven’t got other midweek games to worry about.

We may see the return of Boruc in goal, or Davies, but it is the defence where they are likely to be strong. They have lively full backs in Clyne and Bertrand, and the very solid Fonte, who will probably partner Gardos in the middle. Again, in midfield they are strong, despite departures. Wanyama looks certain to start, but Schneiderlin could be given a break, as they have Mane, one of many good signings they made, who is back from AFCON knockout games and could be a real threat, along with the lively Cork and Tadic, and that without troubling regular, Steven Davies. Up front they can choose between Long, Mayuka, and Pelle. I suspect they may go for a 4-4-2 setup, as this is a knockout game

It will not be an easy game to win; that is for sure. But it will be fast and furious.

Unless Arsene changes the squad he has announced, then the team is unlikely to be much different from what I have set out. Argue about it by all means, I am only going with what has been announced.

Above all, enjoy the game; the players, as you can bet your life, will be doing their very best to carry it off.

Keep the faith

Written by: Gerry.

Do Arsenal already have their own ‘Schweini’?

September 22, 2014TotalArsenal

If the events on Tuesday night and the previous weekend tell us anything, it is that a result should never be taken too seriously. Yet we all love to draw big conclusions from single events; and it’s even better when two single events have the same outcome…. it might lead to a fine theory; or it is often the conception – or the reinforcement – of our very own hobby horse(s).

The Dortmund loss does not make us doomed for winning the CL this year; and beating Villa comprehensively does not make us strong candidates for claiming this season’s PL title. Cups and titles are won by the OGAAT approach: one game at a time, leaving the past behind.

The season has only just begun, and it is hard to draw any conclusions on how it will end for Arsenal. The player purchases have been good to fantastic, although we left ourselves potentially a bit vulnerable at the centre of defence and midfield (DM). The late return of WC stars/relatively short preparation for the new season, the two CL qualification games and the international break – just when the PL got started – have all hindered Arsene in putting his stamp on the team and properly implement his chosen style of play, formation (4-1-4-1) and team tactics.

He clearly is still working on getting his new 4-1-4-1 formation to become the footballing machine he has in mind. The combos of Wilshere, Ozil, Ramsey and Sanchez, or Ox, Rosicky, Santi and Diaby/Campbell – or any combination as you see fit – have great potential. With the right man in front of them – OG, Welbeck, Walcott, Akpom? – and a solid player behind them, this could become a deadly, all concurring midfield foursome.

The notion that Arsene is compromising the effectiveness of the team in order to fit Ozil, Wilshere and Ramsey in, is incorrect. In my opinion, it is actually the other way round: he had a plan and got the players to execute it: and the signing of Alexis has been the icing on the cake.

I am starting to like the idea, advocated by the likes of Gerry (who partly inspired this post) and others, that Wenger is actually after a ‘footballing DM’ – a Bastian Schweinsteiger type, rather than a classical ‘destroyer’ type – but is either undecided who this should be, or has not been able to get his man as yet. However, after years of waiting for a DM, I do not know what to believe anymore.

He might, of course, also be working behind the scene to get one of his current midfielders to adapt to this role. I have no doubt that Diaby could be our ‘Schweini’ but we all know it would be mad to bank on this. Whoever plays the sole, deeper laying midfield role will need to be super fit and able to play (almost) every week. With the best will in the world, this is not going to happen for Abou this season, if at all.

Arteta and Flamini have each been played in the deeper role but they both have limitations, and are best used as back-up going forward. Arteta is the sort of player who initially gets better the longer he plays, and he might now enter a good spell. But I seriously doubt whether he can be our fulcrum in midfield for the whole season. I believe it would be a big mistake to bank on one of Arteta (sorry 17HT 🙂 ), Flamini or Diaby to fill this very important position, or indeed to simply believe that between the three of them the role will be covered this season. In the big games, we need a big player in the Schweini role.

An interesting sub-development is the imminent re-emergence of Theo into the team. Once fully fit he is likely to get a starting role in most games. It will either be as our sole CF, which I very much doubt, or as our (free-to-roam?) right (or even left) ‘winger’. If the latter is the case, one of Jack, Mesut, Alexis and Aaron will have to move…

And I reckon it could be Rambo: not to the bench, but, here it comes….. in the Schweini role. He really has everything in his locker to make it there. This is predominantly a gut feeling, just based of having seen both players in action. But looking at ‘Whoscored’, both players are rated with the similar strengths (both, notably, have no weaknesses, indicating their ‘all-roundness):

	Strengths – Very Strong	Strengths – Strong	Style of Play
Ramsey	Passing, Defensive Contributions	Key passes, Holding on to the ball	Likes to do lay-offs, likes to dribble, likes to tackle
Schweinsteiger	Passing, Direct Free-Kicks	Key passes, Long Shots	Likes to do lay-offs

Ramsey has a slightly inferior passing accuracy (this season 85.9%) than Schweinsteiger (last season an incredible 89.9% – he has yet to play this season), and also wins les aerial duels per game (0.8 v 2). The latter could be explained by the height difference or the positions both have been playing in – Ramsey is half a decimetre smaller. But then, Ramsey scores and assists a lot more than Schweinsteiger: 10 goals and 7 assists in 20 PL games v 4 goals and 4 assists in 22 Bundesliga matches last season. The latter could be explained by Ramsey playing in a more attack-minded midfield role than Schweini.

When you read ‘Whoscored?’ valuation of Ramsey you cannot help but think that sounds like a good all-round, defensive minded midfielder to me: defensive contributions, holding on to the ball, likes do lay-offs, likes to tackle…

Clearly, Ramsey’s ability to make clever, timely runs into the box as well as finishing off chances should also have been added to Ramsey’s strengths by Whoscored?. And the question remains whether playing Aaron deeper would deprive us too much of his goals and assists this season. But I would like us to try Ramsey in the sole, deeper laying midfield role a few times and see how he will do. He has the stamina and the passion, and all the necessary skills; and let’s hope he can stay injury free this season.

I have a feeling he would be a revelation and might even become our very own Schweini.

What do you think, fine fellow Gooners?

Written by: TotalArsenal.

How to beat Villa: 3-5-2 with Sanchez and Campbell up-front and Chambers DM

September 19, 2014TotalArsenal

A short term reactive change of tactics instead of long term unwavering stubborn genius – is it too much to ask of Wenger?

My analysis of the match and how we approach it:

How do Villa line-up and how do they play?

Villa line up in a 4-3-3 which morphs back into a 4-5-1 when they don’t have the ball, they are comfortable defending and will rely on this to initiate their greatest strength in the counter attack.

How do I think we should line up and play?

For most people this is a given: the 4-1-4-1 is a formation well documented as having success against the 4-3-3 and it would make sense to turn up ready to play using it, especially since it is what Arsene has been trying to develop recently and that this would be a perfect time to see a much needed good example of the formation performing well.

I am definitely not most people though lol. I would plan to do two things; surprise the opponents with something they wouldn’t have planned for, and secondly (with such an obvious villa counter attacking game plan), play to their weaknesses rather than their strengths.

Instead of playing possession football high in midfield which is what Villa expect and what they will be waiting to break down to create counters from, let us sit deeper as a team and draw them out and onto us, and then attack at pace with our own counter attack. It is something that is quite the reverse of what we have been trying to do as of late, but with Villa playing at home straight off the back of a win against Liverpool it wouldn’t surprise me if (especially in the first half) they completely obliged us and committed a lot of resources up the field.

So what formation do I suggest to implement this tactical surprise, and do we have the personnel to pull it off?

You are a bunch of lucky buggers as the wonders of google have saved you the torturous endeavour of reading the novel I had planned for you regarding the formation I want to use, and how it can be used to destroy the 4-3-3. It was on the seventh!! page of google results (yes I like to do my research lol) that a result popped up using the exact example I was using to demonstrate my theory.

It was Italy vs Spain in the confederations cup in 2013 – “Steve you muppet” I hear you say, Spain playing 4-3-3 went on to win that game on penalties. Yes that’s true but for any of you who watched the game you would have seen a very different picture than the score line suggests. Spain were obliterating everyone, but against this Italy side they were completely subdued and outplayed through formation and tactical play. With the higher level of attacking threat Arsenal have over Italy, and when used against a team like Villa, the result could be the high scoring game we really need to kick start our season.

Now instead of reading two pages of writing explaining my reasoning behind this, you can simply watch this video J

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnxJ_p_ssYo

Yes it’s a 3-5-2 (Gerry will be pleased lol)

But do we have the personnel to make it work?

Actually due to injuries, drops in form, rotation of players and square pegs in round holes, I really think that now more than ever we do.

Firstly who do we leave out?

Szczesny – I would rest from CL match to give others a chance at starting

Ramsey – dropped in form lately

Ozil – dropped in form lately

Arteta – looks off the pace

Zelalem – still too inexperienced at this point

Diaby – AWOL

Debuchy – Injured

Wilshere – injured

Gnabry – injured

Giroud – Injured

Sanogo – Injured

Walcott – Injured

That’s 12 players out from the squad of 30 (if you include Bellerin and Hayden, which I do).

30 – 12 = 18 players left

18 – 11 (starting XI) = 7 (named subs)

Perfect, at least my maths add up, even if the rest of my plan doesn’t lol.

Who’s left then?

Ospina – I would give first choice

Martinez – I would use as cover

Bellerin – Not really a defensive RB, perfect as a wing back though

Chambers – Great ability and potential looks like he could bring the freshness and composure we need in DM

Monreal – Looking a little off the pace atm but still defensively sound so maybe take the crazy running up and down the pitch out of his game and watch him flourish as left CB

Gibbs – Back from injury and looking fast and sharp as usual, this kid was born to play as a wing back.

BFG – The big guy looks out of place playing off side traps in a stretched team but in any other situation he’s still solid as a rock so a deeper sitting compact defence may help him shine in this instance.

Koscielny – First name on the team sheet

The OX – Looks fit and raring to go, fast and able to battle

Rosicky – Desperate to prove he should be in the team and I feel with good reason

Cazorla – Hasn’t really been given the amount of time that Ozil has to try and prove his worth so this could be his chance

Flamini – Proved he still has it in him to hold the line at the mancs and now fully rested he provides tried and tested experience at DM

Coquelin – Unproven but I want to see what he can do, could also be an excellent choice to shore up midfield if we actually find ourselves with a healthy lead

Hayden – Unproven but bags of potential and provides cover for a number of positions: right wing back, DM, CM or at CB, an excellent option to have on the bench if something goes wrong

Welbeck – Shows good movement if not absolute clinical finishing yet, let’s get him on the score sheet

Campbell – Performed in preseason, unproven since and deserves a chance

Sanchez – Hungry and determined as always

Podolski – World class striker

Put it all together and what does the team look like?

Starting eleven and subs (on the right)

Do you think this could work and win without the Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshere trio? I will leave it up to you to comment, but please mention your preferred line up also.

Btw I rang Arsene to discuss this line up and the response was:

“Take a break Steve ffs, its Villa not Barcelona! Stop calling me on this number, and stop that Cockie Monster bloke from poohing on my front door step!”

That was the boss’s response, what’s yours?

Remember this is a formation for a one-off game in which we have a host of injuries at the moment, this is not a long term change.

Written by: Steve