18 Apr 2017 08:37:25
Having secured a win last night, it will be extremely interesting to see what formation and team Wenger plays against City at the weekend. Is it wise to use a new formation in an F A Cup Semi-Final?
18 Apr 2017 10:20:37
I bet you had to rub your eyes last night RG, as you seen an Arsenal victory. that cracking win against the bottom of the league boro puts you back into Europa league qualification.
18 Apr 2017 10:59:29
It's​ going to be difficult which ever system we play Robbie because if we play the 343 against City it's a new system so mistakes will be made and I'm not sure we have the right mentality within the team currently to make it work 100% while on the other hand if we play our usual game the players are very familiar with it but unfortunately so are the rest of football and the wheels have been coming off a lot more often than they've​ stayed on lately playing our usual game.
Fortune favours the brave they reckon so I'd spend every minute on the training ground between now and the semi final working on the new 343 system and hope it was enough against a less than solid at the back City.
18 Apr 2017 13:28:40
The formation is important but what is equally important is the the players ability to play that formation and the ability of the manager to change it with his personnel when it isn't working. For the players to be able to, in our case defend properly and attack in the system they are playing. Last night was desperation at a situation we have beem put in by a failure of the defence and attack to get it right. Basic defending techniques are the same whatever the formation and we are lacking in that and a change in formation won't change the way we defended the goal last night, it was typical poor arsenal defending. Wealso got lucky on more than one occasion with equally bad defending. We will see how our brave soldiers get on in the next few games because we certainly have bigger tests than last night coming up.
18 Apr 2017 15:00:24
We do indeed Steve but whatever we do it will take time to get it right and to find out if it does or doesn't work, one unconvincing victory proves nothing but niether would yet another sloppy defeat against City.
It's not wrong to try something different when what your doing so obviously just doesn't work anymore, what's wrong is to continue to keep doing the same things over and over again that have failed repeatedly in past seasons and somehow expect a different ending, now that is plain daft.
3 at the back isn't new by any stretch of the imagination it's very old hat but it's effective and always has been, Sir Bobby Robson used it to achieve England's best ever achievements on foreign soil at Italia 90, George made us the most effective unit in English football using it. We weren't as pretty to watch then as we were with Arsene's invincibles were but we were every bit as effective under George.
Football goes around in circles and like the old 442 system Arsene's​ way has gone out of fashion simply because both became to predictable to play against, Arsene's way will work again in the future at some stage as will big old fashioned centre forwards​ without much pace but the circle doesn't come around that quickly unfortunately it will probably be another 30 years before Arsene's way becomes the successful way again.
I personally think Arsene has done the right thing but unfortunately he's left it at least 7 years to late to do it.
18 Apr 2017 16:21:14
442 343 451 352 the basics stay the same and we don't do the basics, so a change of formation won't change that, a coach is needed who can drill the players and that's not something a coach can do if it isn't in his armory or phylosophy.
18 Apr 2017 17:50:19
To use a gunner type quote, if you have a tatty car with a rubbish engine and you give it a respray. It looks better but still has a rubbish engine.
18 Apr 2017 17:55:22
I tend to agree with you on the discipline needed is not in Arsene make up he is more of a negotiator than an enforcer and confrontation within his squad is something he has worked hard to avoid.
But having said all that he has very little to lose by giving something different a go because his own philosophy on how to play just doesn't work anymore which he has at least recognised for now, whether or not once he had new contract safely in his hands would see him go back to his old ways is yet to be seen but one thing is for sure and that is right now he is willing to try anything to turn things around.
18 Apr 2017 18:43:52
Gunner you can't make a history teacher into a maths teacher and that's the same in coaching.
18 Apr 2017 19:51:57
Steve we both agree 100% we need a different manager and watching Arsene and his do the same old stuff getting the same old results or worse is extremely unenjoyable but as long as he is manager I'd rather see him try something different and fail than watch him continue failing in the same old way.
I want change as much as anyone but until that happens i 100% support trying new things rather than watching the same old tried and failed way over and over again.
Will 3 4 3 beat City? Unlikely but it will more interesting to watch than our usual inevitable meltdown when it matters most in time honoued Arsene fashion.
" It's a long shot chuck but it might just work "
18 Apr 2017 20:12:32
Agree gunner I just hate the too little too late, after the horse has bolted actions instead of leading with our actions.
18 Apr 2017 20:32:49
Steve Arsene is fixing the long broken door catch now that the horse has well and truly had it on his toes mate just incase the horse should should turn up of its own accord with a heard of unicorns in tow, but what's the harm in him getting his spanners sticky back plastic out and doing his best to screw the door secure with them?
What's he got to lose?
18 Apr 2017 20:45:27
Oh one more thing Steve i don't think the likes of me you and Derby are Arsene's​ target audience mate I'm pretty sure he's given on winning us back over as much as we have given up on him, it's the people who has finally decided enough is enough this season he's looking to get back on side mate, and you can't knock the man for trying no matter how much you doubt his ability.
18 Apr 2017 20:49:07
Hes a desperate man trying to cling on to a desperate situation.
18 Apr 2017 21:15:06
He is indeed but i can't​ knock the bloke for trying Steve even though it's difficult to understand why he left it until it was basically impossible to turn round before he tried something different.