Formations, Tactics, Analysis, and Statistics

[theHotHead]

For me ESR needs to play, no ifs ands or maybes, he gives drive from midfield and was our second highest scorer last season.

[Rastayouth]

Am I in the minority in seeing little issue with the game tactics and formation yesterday? Player mentality looks to be a big issue. Get a psychologist in or something as these youngsters easily lose focus.
Scored the second after we finally calmed down, strung some passes together and hit them on the transition. Subsequently we regained composure and remembered to press.

In hindsight, a different formation may have helped us out yesterday.

Considering our start to the game, though, I think poor in game management by Arteta wrt the players playing in the center midfield area of the pitch was more so our problem yesterday. If it’s not one player that’s the problem in this area then it’s someone else. Surprisingly the player of the day yesterday was Odegaard and not Xhaka. We need more consistency in this area of the pitch so we’re not losing control for large portions of the game. Arteta should have noticed this and found a way to strengthen the middle just like how Vieira reacted to our start to the game

Fair points. I don't understand his and Wenger's reluctance to sub players. We're allowed 5 subs this season and our first one was at 83 mins in.

[coolaa]

For me ESR needs to play, no ifs ands or maybes, he gives drive from midfield and was our second highest scorer last season.

He was our second highest scorer means how poor was our team last year. This guy is a good squad member, but not yet a starter that a top defender from teams like City and Liverpool would be scared of. We need go sign one more Winger as good as Saka and Martinelli if we aim to challenge for the title.

[alexafc12]

I think ESR himself admitted he needs to clean up his diet and sleep.

He can't last more than 60 minutes in the PL and doesn't work half as hard as Odegaard.

Great prospect but he shouldn't be starting games right now. Only just turned 22. Lots of time for him still.

[theHotHead]

For me ESR needs to play, no ifs ands or maybes, he gives drive from midfield and was our second highest scorer last season.

He was our second highest scorer means how poor was our team last year. This guy is a good squad member, but not yet a starter that a top defender from teams like City and Liverpool would be scared of. We need go sign one more Winger as good as Saka and Martinelli if we aim to challenge for the title.

The only midfielders that scored more goals than ESR in the entire Premier League were KDB, Mason Mount and Maddison. He is EXACTLY the type of player defenders would be scared of because his game is simple he finds spaces and can find the back of the net. Defenders don't like players that come from deep or late because they don't want to come out to engage and lose their shape.

He scored against Spurs, Man U and Chelsea last season, so you are wrong to say defenders from top teams would not be scared of him!

[TedLasso]

I tend to agree. I firmly believe ESR and Odegaard playing off each other would be sublime. ESR can bring more of that second striker skillset while Odegaard is more the distributor. Let's just get Emile healthy and confident and turn him loose.

[NovaGB]

25 man squad in fluid 343/4231/433

Jesus
Gabi Odegaard
Zinchenko new CM Partey Saka
Gabriel Saliba White
Ramsdale

Nketiah
ESR Vieira
Tierney Xhaka Elneny New RW
New LCB Holding Tomiyasu
Turner

Hein
Nelson
Lokonga

[Est83]

For me ESR needs to play, no ifs ands or maybes, he gives drive from midfield and was our second highest scorer last season.

Second highest scorer who got most of his goals in the first half of the season before losing game time. He was killing it.

[UFGN]

For me ESR needs to play, no ifs ands or maybes, he gives drive from midfield and was our second highest scorer last season.

Second highest scorer who got most of his goals in the first half of the season before losing game time. He was killing it.

And yet Odegaard is now club captain so he's unlikely to play very often unless Arteta sees him covering multiple roles

[Zenith]

[DiamondGooner]

We played 4-3-3 today finally and it looked much better.

Partey in the centre of the 3 anchoring the midfield with Ode and Xhaka having licence to go box to box and also ready to help out Partey if we're under the cosh.

Much better going forward than the 4-2-3-1.

Less hold up passing through 4 tiers rather than yesterday's 3 tiers, we threaten quicker.

[ag6789]

Having more technical players helps in switching to different formations as per need. Makes it even easier when we have versatile players able to adapt to multiple roles.
Bou were poor in the first half, hence committed more into atrack. Against more tough technical opponents, we'll need to graft more and adopt a different system, like 4-4-2 or even 4-5-1.
With Zinchenko, we have more options.
Expect him to play fully in midfield when Tierney and Tomi are fully fit, at the expense of Xhakha.

[thebigbangtheo]

I think it might be a good tactical manoeuvre in acknowledging Fulham's arial threat and front foot style, to bring in Tomiyasu and Tierney at right and left back as a counter measure that shouldn't cause any disruption to the team's flow, rhythm.or momentum.

[Zenith]

[CrimsonGunner11]

The trend suggests third. I’d concur at this point of the season