With M'Vila, Arteta and Wilshere we will have 3 very CREATIVE midfielders who all know how to pass and defend well. We really don't need a traditional AM with those 3. Walcott and Podolski are also going to be cutting inside plenty anyway, and RVP drops into the AM sometimes too. The attack will be very fluidic.
This is what I am saying. It will be M'Villa/Song/Wilshere/Arteta deeper with Rosicky/Ramsey further forward for example.
Mate nobody knows if song is told to shield the back line. If he isnt then wenger is an idiot. If he is then song is really really bad. We had 3 on 2 breakaways for norwich IN THE FIRST 15 MINUTES OF THE GAME! TWICE! I doubt man utd or chelsea have EVER had that happen without chasing the game. It is a scandal. Wenger needs to wake up and play someone in an out and out holding role or we will NEVER win ANYTHING. The reason we won with arteta is because arteta played this role. He is experienced enough to realise that someone needs to sit to let us win games. I doubt wenger told him to sit (as we are seeing now wenger plays ramsey and song who both just bomb forward even when both our fullbacks are forward), and I suspect arteta just played the crucial role in our team off our his own back
I see where you are headed but I think the problem with that is that our wingers are pushed too far up to effectively play any variation of a 4-4-2. Podolski is not going to help this much either, unless we are going back to a 4-4-2, in which case we need a few more left-sided players. We can push Gibbs forward as a left Wing and play Santos at LB. You can make it work, but I honestly don't think that is where Wenger is headed. I think he is looking to recreate the days when he had 2 of Vieira/Gilberto/Petit sitting deeper in a 4-3-3 Midfield.
All of your fancy pants formations aim to solve a simple problem - as a midfielder it is easier to pick up a player who always goes forward, they are far easier to mark. If you have 2 players in the same position who can go forward the opposing midfield have to "react" to movement because they don't know which midfielder will be attacking them next. You don't need to have a defender who sits, you simply have to have 2 midfielders who communicate - when one goes the other sits and vice versa. Having 1 player who only sits limits options, it works for some teams but fails in others.
So the people who think your way: you, HH and Wenger are correct. And yet EVERY other top football manager who plays a holding midfielder (sometimes 2) is wrong?
Arsenal4Life - how on earth do you think teams played football before having a DM became fashionable ? I play as a CM and I can tell you, its difficult enough having to have 360 degree vision but when you have to keep your eye on multiple players its very difficult. If I only have to keep an eye on one player it is far easier to stop him than when I have to keep an eye on 2 players who may not be close to each other. Like I said, the DM role has its benefits to some teams but it doesn't for others and whether you agree with me or not, the fact is you limit yourself if a CM can only defend. 3 at the back has been working for little Wigan, so why doesn't everyone play 3 at the back ? Why doesn't every team just pack out midfield and play one up top ? What works for one team won't necessarily work for another. Liverpool tonight are playing 4-4-2 and battering Chelsea and they are not playing with a DM - Shelvey and Henderson are both getting forward
Not what I'm saying. I'm saying play M'Vila, Arteta and Wilshere because they're all box-to-box midfielders who do their job in defense and attack. They're creative, pass well, and can defend. They would take turns getting forward, just like Vieira and Petit used to do. Obviously Wilshere would be the most attacking of the 3. Rosicky can't defend, Ramsey can't defend, and Song doesn't want to defend, so they would be on the bench. Wilshere is more creative than anyone there too. Podolski and Walcott are basically forwards, so it is pretty much a 4-3-3 as it is.
[video=metacafe;3998895/rosicky_sliding_tackles_specialist/]http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3998895/rosicky_sliding_tackles_specialist/[/video]
Dont like how you all write rosicky off when in reality he is amazing and will get alot better next year with a proper pre season.
That would be my first choice midfield also You'd have to start with M'Villa and Arteta passes the ball better than Rosicky - the role of "ball mover around-er" is vitally important in my opinion. Offensively Wilshere is better than Rosicky and he is also better defensively so you would have to play him in front of Rosicky. Thats how I come to that conclusion
Yup, and Rosicky will play until Wilshere is fully fit and back to his best anyway. Also, Rosicky would be the first guy to come into the team if Arteta or Wilshere are out.
I got shot down for this the other day but imo rosicky is better than wilshire. Particularly as wilshire has to come back from a whole year out and rosicky is finally fit.
We are saying the same thing position-wise. You have it in for Song and you have traction here, but out in the real world Song is immensely respected. If he goes it will be a massive loss. Worse than losing RVP in my view.
Oh purlease ! Song is basic and very easily replaced. More important than RVP - you really are a sick man Toledo, if I knew where you were I would persuade the men in white coats to remove you from the public !
Toledo - you cannot be serious - Song has been responsible for so many open spaces in front of our CBs this season. We could replace him with many others -no problem. He may have curbed the wild lunges, but he does charge off without any thought to defence.
