I've noticed a shift in our playing style of recent, it's become a lot more direct than before. Also our players seem less reluctant to shoot than before. Is Wenger changing the way we play in future? Has he decided that we need to be more direct, maybe reverting to our Invincibles style? Also is this to accommodate our new, faster players in our squad eg. Walcott, Gervinho, OXO, Miyaichi, Campbell etc? Either way, i'm enjoying this new direct way of playing!
I think Wenger realises that in order to finish in the top 4 this season he needs to go for broke which is why I think we've seen this change in play - I also think the players have had it drummed into them how important it is to finish top 4 so we've seen a change in mentality from them too. I hope we keep it up into next season but I think it will all depend on who we bring back into the squad and who (if) we buy.
I think you are just seeing a little more confidence from team in general. Arsenal have always looked to get the ball forward fast, but in order to do that you need everyone working together. That takes practice and a settled team. It also needs a player in the middle with sufficient class to pull the strings. I hate heaping all the praise on one player but Rosicky has been outstanding and seems to be able to find a seam and turn up the field. I think also that the players don't seem to be as scared about losing the ball. You have to be prepared to make a bad pass every now and again in order to make good ones. Also don't underestimate Walcott and Oxo. They are stretching the field and creating space, for everyone else. Sagna returning is also key. You can see how much more of a threat Walcott is with Sagna helping him. As always , not one big thing, but a lot of little things, and a team effort. We need to get the left side functioning as well as the right side. Hate to say it but Gervinho or Oxo/Gibbs/Arteta are not clicking like Sagna/Rosicky/Walcott.
Nah, Arsenal haven't looked to get the ball forward fast and this has been one of my main gripes and people like Jayram and Bergkamp Dutch Master have been complaining about it for ages. When we had Fabregas the quick ball forward was a long ball to Adebayor or Henry, but the last time we played a quicker passing game was when we had Hleb because he would attack at pace, we didn't go side to side as much as we do now. Chelsea and Man U couldn't just sit back and let us play in front of them, like they do now, because we didn't play that way. I think with Rosicky and Oxo, the ball ends up going straight down opposing team's throats quickly and it is a breath of fresh air. Ramsey who many vilify for slowing the game down too much caught the pace of the Newcastle game quickly and he ran with the ball at pace and passed it quickly, it was good to see. Even the usually slow Arteta sped his passing game up and looked to get the ball moved quickly. I think a reason why the ball doesn't go to the left much is because of how you have to strike the ball as a right footer. To go to the right as a right footer its easy and safe, you can allow natural bend and avoid opponents, but going to the left you'd need to strike it with fade or the outside of the boot. If Wilshere was playing I think the ball would go left more often seeing as he is left footed, in fact if I think back thats where you see Wilshere all the time, on the left side of central midfield.
We're playing more direct like we used to circa 2000 era. We somehow started passing the ball more sideways and backwards which is fustrating to watch. See how many times we've come from behind this season because we've been more direct? Before, we would've settled for a draw in a match and instead of going for the win, we would've just passed it around the box in the 90th minute. I'm happy to see this belief in the Arsenal team.. it has been a disappointing season but now we've gotten rid of 'Barca DNA' and some mercenaries and hopefully some deadwood this season, a new era can begin.
True i think Wenger has done it to get results. However, i can see us moving to this style with players like Wilshere and OXO pulling the strings in midfield. They are more direct and faster players.
Thank you Hothead.... Sometimes the few of us who (are brave enough) point out issues with our club, our Manager, our playing style - DO have a point. Sadly so many like sheep merely abuse us as plastic = whatever that is supposed to convey, or not TRUE (?) fans. We do want our beloved club to prosper - but the lemmings can't think for themselves.
I don't think you are plastic, I just think you find life more fun if you believe things are dramatic. Thinking that someone with a passing knowledge of football, or running a club is going to know more about it than people who are trained and have been managing in football all their lives is not very sensible. As always, the line between bravery and stupidity is very narrow.
It is true what you say about right-footers and at the lower levels of football I would agree with you. If this really is the case then this is a far bigger failing. I am suspicious, though that this isn;'t the case. Even when we do get the ball down the left we don't seem to create as much space down there. Going in the other direction Sagna and Walcott seem to be able to cotain mini-breaks down there better than Gibbs etc down the left.
TT- well I'm sorry but I do think Wenger was wrong not to buy a keeper when all we had were poor. I do think Wenger was wrong not to buy a better defender when all we had was TV. I do think Wenger was wrong not to buy earlier and not struggle to find players until the very last day, including probably losing interest in good players over just £2m more he refused to pay. I do think Wenger has been wrong concentrating on tippy-tappy (by that I mean pointless slow passing across the width, and backwards putting our CBs under silly pressure. I do think Wenger was wrong not to plan for losing Fabregas and Nasri - when all the media could see it was most likely. I won't go on. But to suggest I find these last 3 or 4 years FUN witnessing our club struggle and go downhill is ridiculous. Most sheep call be a moaner - yet YOU think I find it fun.. Odd that.
What I love most about your posts is the absolute confidence you have in yourself. There is absolutely no doubt in your own mind that you are smarter, and know more than everybody. Most normal people, when faced with something they think is obviously wrong, try to rationalize why people took decisions and realize that life and football are not simple. There are very few 'absolutes' in the world and things are rarely obvious. You also seem to have absolutely no appreciation for money and it's worth. I have tried to explain how an auction works and how the highest bidder is always only just higher than the bidder that wins, but you don't seem to grasp the concept. Similarly you don't understand that you can't buy players with money you don't have, and that you need to finish selling players before you can be certain that you have that money to buy new ones. Because you are so certain that everyone else is a moron and you are the brave messiah leading us to the light, there really is no chance you will learn or change. As you deal in absolutes, you are either absolutely right, or absolutely wrong, and so are entrenched fanatically in your opinion. It is quite pointless trying to debate anything with you.
TT actually many of our friends on here do appear to be morons - haven't you noticed? Opinions are usually held strongly, else why pronounce on here? Its ironic that YOU talk about ME having absolute confidence in myself. Try looking at yourself mate. If anyone's holier than thou - its you. I do have a sense of humour, but most of the time I respond to rubbish and pathetic attacks, and I often think I do know best...... the 'Wenger can do no wrong' is cult worship. Megalomania at its best ......I do try to reach it.
Generally with a normal side of the foot pass it's easier to go to the left (if your right footed) if its a straight to feet pass, or if your curling it around a player as youll naturally get the curve to the left the ball would curl towards the player rather than away/infront of the player like it would when playing it to the left
So what about all the pundits who have played at the highest level that say THE SAME THINGS that many of us non sheep say ? Your argument falls flat on it's face. None of us have said anything that ex pros and managers haven't said !
Did you notice how many times against Newcastle Song and Rosicky turned and went straight over to the right. For the first 20 mins I didn't even know Oxo was playing. I said it before, I have NEVER seen Song kick the ball with fade EVER, so he rarely ever goes to the left, he'd rather turn back into trouble and play it to the right, Arteta rarely goes to the right either. We don't have anyone who can strum 50 yard balls cross field accurately to switch play in midfield, like how Scholes does, Rooney does it often too when he drops deep.
Well, it was just two weeks ago when at Anfield we seemed outplayed but in taking the spoils from that match and then going on to threaten ACM at home and then fight tooth and nail till the final minute against Newcastle, I feel we have a revitalised urgency about our side. I hope it lasts all the way to the end of the season. The 10 most important games of our EPL life for a while. One game at a time, one win at a time would be a good approach I think. If we get one better than Spuds and keep ahead of Chelski and this could be done by at least matching them, we could have 3rd place and a guaranteed passage to the group stages next year. I'm really hoping Arsene and this board will have learned their lesson as they approach the summer transfer season.
I'd have to look at that map the guardian's diagram of passes to be certain about that, and even then you could probable still make excuses for them, saying the left side weren't getting away from there markers. I hear what you are saying, but at the start of the season Santos and Gervinho were getting forward pretty well. Even Arshavin was getting the ball, it was just he was giving it away again. If it is the midfield's fault then it seems to me to be something that has developed over the season. I think that's pretty unlikely. More likely that Oxo is better with the ball than he is without it. And we are missing a good left back , just like we were missing Sagna down the right.
Ah some reasonable debate from Hothead AND TT - seems to me they both make good points. ( can't be!! - TT insists I know nothing).
