Artetaball Tactics Thread: Page 18 - The Arsenal discussion community: One More in the Tolly

Artetaball Tactics Thread

Clrnc

banduan Kinda good shout. Might be onto something.

But then again after Arteta left Pep was the one who decided to do with playing 4 CBs and moving Stones to midfield in a revolutionary move

goon

Since our fab four have been back together, we've generated an average of 2.6xG per game and the eye test also suggests we're playing better football. The first halves against Wolves and Lens were probably comparable to what we saw last season.

So what's everyone saying now? Are we still maintaining that it has nothing to do with personnel and we've been instructed to be boring and not create chances?

QuincyAbeyie

goon Are we still maintaining that it has nothing to do with personnel and we've been instructed to be boring and not create chances?

Is the alternative that we're incapable of creating chances and not being boring (your words) if one out of four players aren't playing?

Burnwinter

goon Are we still maintaining that it has nothing to do with personnel and we've been instructed to be boring and not create chances?

Hang on a second ...

Who's "we"? What's happening at the moment, with Jesus back, Havertz emergent and Øde and Saka starting to play reasonably well again, looks very much like what I've been expecting.

I'm more interested in whether we can avoid the jadedness that was such a feature of last season's downturn.

Coombs

goon we've obviously also given up a ton of control by attacking like crazy against Sevilla, Lens, and now Luton. Our CL tactics have bled into the PL, that's all.

Qwiss

goon we've clearly changed our tactical emphasis again having dropped Jorginho for rotation between Trossard and Havertz instead. I think Arteta realised it had become to stagnant and decided to throw more men at it.

Don Pacifico

I definitely observed a least one occasion early on where we had the opportunity to counter but the intensity in getting forward was really laboured with people jogging behind whoever was on the ball. This for me typified how I think we've evolved this season to not commit as much in transition in order to create more control.

I'd agree there does seem more fluency in the final third with the front four back but I do also think we're managing games differently as per the above. We also shouldn't be as reliant on all four playing to create chances so that has to be something to improve on.

goon

Still winning games without them (and topping the league) is what I would call not relying on them. I don't think you can lose several of your best players to form and fitness and then claim you should still be creative without them.

goon

QuincyAbeyie

Incapable? No, Just less likely. Even less likely when you're missing two, and moreso when all four are struggling with form and fitness.

This doesn't even account for the fact that Zinchenko has been out of form for a lot of the season and that Partey hasn't been available.

Don Pacifico

goon I agree that you should expect a drop in quality when the first choice players are out but let's not ignore the fact that a lot of our wins in the league this season (7 out of 11 to be precise) have been by a single goal. It's great we're still winning those games but it's precarious from where I'm standing. Yes, our late goals are a strength (resilience of character, superior fitness etc.) but for a number of reasons, we can't rely on that for a full season.

goon

Don Pacifico

The season Liverpool won the league, 8 out of 14 wins at this stage was by a single goal.

I look at it as a good quality rather than a bad one.

Mirth

Don Pacifico I view it with optimism as we can go up a level in the second half of the season which is what the likes of Man City always do. I certainly don't feel like the attacking football we've played for most of this season is reflective of our ability.

I'm also not concerned by our defenders, they're extremely organised and capable for the most part.

It's really just the goalkeeping situation and lack of depth that I can't think of a bull case for.

RowJimmy

Mirth It's really just the goalkeeping situation and lack of depth that I can't think of a bull case for.

I agree the goalkeeping situation is an unnecessary mess.
As for depth, I think we're actually in good shape - compare us to Newcastle, who have no subs available with any experience at all on a given matchday. I don't see how we could have recruited an actually good defender to come in and mostly sit on the bench as a one-year replacement for Timber. Jonny Evans type, really?

Don Pacifico

Mirth I view it with optimism as we can go up a level in the second half of the season which is what the likes of Man City always do. I certainly don't feel like the attacking football we've played for most of this season is reflective of our ability.

That's what I'm hoping. I think the reduced intensity is an intentional choice to help manage fatigue over the course of the season. As you say, hopefully it will allow us to peak 'when it counts'.

Mirth

RowJimmy with respect, I wasn’t really thinking of Newcastle. My concern is largely directed at Liverpool and City. We’re at a similar level to Liverpool, although they have a more experienced squad but City have comfortably the best squad depth in the league and we need to compete with that

Also we should have another defender in there - Tomi, Zinchenko, Timber, Gabriel, Kiwor, Saliba and White are not enough for 8 spots

goon

Mirth

Is City's depth that much better? I don't think it is. Have a look at their bench against Tottenham.

We're missing Partey, Timber, Tomi, ESR and Vieira and still had the likes of Zinchenko, Trossard and Jorginho on the bench.

I think the main difference is they have a first 14-15 players just have a lot more pedigree.

Clrnc

goon City have better depth because Pep is not afraid to throw in youth prospects like Rico Lewis and Oscar Bobb.

And the main thing is they seem to play the same no matter who plays, but if we miss one or two attackers we can't function.

goon

Clrnc

Half our first XI are Rico Lewis'.

RowJimmy

Clrnc
If you think from their point of view why they're behind us in the table:
-KDB out for season to date
-Rodri missing games due to red card
-as good as Alvarez has been, their balance was better with Gundogan in that role.
In the end it's always personnel.

Clrnc

goon Our Rico Lewis are Nwaneri, Ruell Walters, Myles-Skelly etc.

goon

Clrnc

Rico Lewis is 19, Nwaneri and Skelly are 16. Lewis is also very good, I'd wager he'd get at least comparable mins here.

Secondly, if Walters came into a title challenging side, he'd be playing with what is already the youngest squad in the league, one that's not won anything, not treble winners and winners of 3 consecutive league titles.

Lastly, when 18yr old Lewis came in last year City ended up 8 points behind us. Barely played a min in their run in. He played Lewis because he had no other full backs to speak of, they were playing Bernardo Silva at left back. Eventually Pep just decided he's better off playing 4 centre backs.

Clrnc

goon Pep dropped Cancelo for Lewis during that period.

goon

Coombs

goon All of this is hard to prove either way. But here’s my prediction, feel free to bookmark it. At some point we will start to see the fluidity return to our football this season and our xG will increase to expected levels. The assumption on here will be that Arteta realised the error of his ways and taken off the hand break. The truth will be closer to a combination of us adapting to our new environment and the return of form and fitness of our best players.

« Previous Page Next Page »