Right...my first main thread - under the guise that the glass is half empty (it's a fans right to moan no matter what!).
Is it me or have Arsenal changed the style of play from the first couple of months of this season?
More and more they seem to be playing a kind of 5-4-1, with one striker playing diagonally down from Adebayor. Maybe this is down to the continued absence of Van Persie but it seems detrimental to me (bizzarre thing to say considering how high in the league we are I know, but bear with me).
The football we were playing from August - November was about as good as I have ever seen any team ever play, whether English, European or national. It was fast, very skillfull, confident, sexy and for once all players were not shy of taking a pot from various angles (no more only trying to walk the ball in balancing it on their heads). But since November ish time we have gradually become more reticent in shooting - I am Hleb's biggest fan but even I have to admit he doesn't need much invitation to pass when scoring would seem so much easier and make me so much happier. Even he had got over that but now appears to have returned to his old habits.
I don't know if this is a conscious thing based on percentages or soemthing but I think it coincides with, as said, VP's absence and a shift towards playing one up front. And playing Eboue instead of Hoyte (bad move IMO). Fortunately of course we are still plenty good enough to get through most games by far the better team and with the points to boot.
But it makes me worry that small technical, tactical musings such as this might be behind some of the more lacklustre and/or disappointing games recently (e.g. Spuz and Birmingham at home, Portsmouth and Burnley away).
Arsene knows, and there are reasons why he manages one of the biggest clubs in the world and I sit here commenting on it at my PC, but what do you think - have the tactics noticeably changed, are we less potent because of it, should we go back to a more direct 4-4-2, where did I put my car keys, will Carol Voderman ever marry me?
It does, of course, rather undermine my argument when we go and win 3-0 away just a few hours beforehand.
Bring it on.
4-4-2...5-4-1...0-0-11 - What Do You Think?
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donkeywinsthe derby
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:20 pm
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donkeywinsthe derby
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:20 pm
Of course if we had 11 Denis Bergkamps...then we would only need to play 0-0-2.
The story goes that Denis once boasted he could beat Spurs on his own. So, for a laugh, the rest of the team let him run out first before the next match with the hated enemy and then sneakliy buggered off down the pub to let Denis fulfil his boast.
With thirty minutes gone Patrick Vieira turns on the Ceefax in the pub and sees the score:
Arsenal 1 Tottenham 0
(D. Bergkamp 12)
Everyone cheers (well, you would) and returns to their drinks. An hour and a half later Denis walks into the bar looking very despondant.
"So," Patrick says, "what was the final score?".
"1-1" replies our hero.
"1-1...but you said you could beat them on your own"
"Well" says Denis "be fair - I got sent off just after half time !!".
The story goes that Denis once boasted he could beat Spurs on his own. So, for a laugh, the rest of the team let him run out first before the next match with the hated enemy and then sneakliy buggered off down the pub to let Denis fulfil his boast.
With thirty minutes gone Patrick Vieira turns on the Ceefax in the pub and sees the score:
Arsenal 1 Tottenham 0
(D. Bergkamp 12)
Everyone cheers (well, you would) and returns to their drinks. An hour and a half later Denis walks into the bar looking very despondant.
"So," Patrick says, "what was the final score?".
"1-1" replies our hero.
"1-1...but you said you could beat them on your own"
"Well" says Denis "be fair - I got sent off just after half time !!".
I agree with rebel that 4-5-1 away from home in Europe otherwise 4-4-2 everytime.
Donkey you are so right, the football we played at the start of the season was sublime with goals coming from everywhere and everyone seemed happy to shoot. It's a shame it didn't last but as you quite rightly point out we are joint top of the league so cant complain to much.
Donkey you are so right, the football we played at the start of the season was sublime with goals coming from everywhere and everyone seemed happy to shoot. It's a shame it didn't last but as you quite rightly point out we are joint top of the league so cant complain to much.
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donkeywinsthe derby
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2008 5:20 pm
