2017-18 Squad analysis and Tactics

[Arsene Nose]

Earlier in the week U23s tonked United 4-0. Nketiah and Nelson looked real good. Only a matter of time before they become first team regulars.

[Arsenal Tone]

I can see us sticking with 4-3-3.

Ozil and Mikki behind Lacazette.

Midfield three of Xhaka, Wilshere and Ramsey (which won’t work cos none of them can do the DM role). We just need to keep one of the three injured so Elneny is the DM.

I think wenger has wanted to play rambo and jack in front of a deeper CM for ages and sees Xhaka as a DM (which he isn’t).

[CrimsonGunner11]

For games where it's an easy bet for us to win:



Else:





Just hoping we can get you-know-who through the door

[Arsenal~Fanatic]

lacazette will not be an automatic starter if we sign Auba. Auba will be our first choice through the middle with Mkhitaryan and Lacazette fighting for a spot on the wings. We will not have a strict positional employment so the front three will invariably switch through the game. Ozil and Auba will be our first two offensive names on the team sheet.

[CrimsonGunner11]

lacazette will not be an automatic starter if we sign Auba. Auba will be our first choice through the middle with Mkhitaryan and Lacazette fighting for a spot on the wings. We will not have a strict positional employment so the front three will invariably switch through the game. Ozil and Auba will be our first two offensive names on the team sheet.

Agree with everything you said. However I think our best lineups will be the ones featuring at least two goal threats up front which is why I have lacazette over Mkhitaryan in my second lineup. Could easily have dropped lacazette instead but I think lacazette will be one of the few who benefits the most from having Aubameyang in the team. Just my initial feelings

[thebigbangtheo]

I am in complete agreement that a central midfield pairing of Super Jack and Rambo in it self would be a bit 'Hail Mary' if not downright naive and likely to get overrun given that the defensive capabilities of both are only moderate at best, and not aided by the latter's eagerness to advance forward like a Panzer tank over the Maginot line. However, unless I am mistaken, the consensus on here is that we do not have a midfield worthy of the name, so how do you detract from nothing? Unless my understanding of maths is wrong I thought you couldn't take away from nothing.

Given what this thread is about and where we are at at this stage of the season, to simply dismiss the notion as folly reminds me of the initial reaction to Wenger moving Santi and pairing him with Le Coq as our central midfield. I believe madness was the most printable adjective used. Sweet and sour shouldn't work but somehow it does. Many a mad alchemist have stumbled upon a formula that works and I often hear that you can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket.

I too would be reluctant to look at this pairing without having a proper defensive midfielder behind them but as I have said previously, I am in eff it mode now. With that in mind, for the remainder of the season I would play Elneny as dm behind them and revert back to a 3 man defence of Mustafi, Kos and Monreal but have no wing backs.
Lacazzette would replace Sanchez as left wing forward, Mkitaryan on the right, Ozil central at the pinnacle of the midfield and Pierre Emerick in front of him. Given their level of movement and familiarity they all possess in wide areas, the need for wing backs going forward is not essential and if we are going to lose any significant defensive stability by sticking Bellerin, Kolasinac and Maitland Niles on the bench then I am clearly missing something. I am not arguing that we may look more like a basketball team but damn it man, lets get our attack sorted for next season and prepare for a WHOLE new defensive set up with proper defenders.

[Luzh 22]

We literally have zero tacklers in this squad. Quality opposition simply waltz through our side.

Abysmal

[thebigbangtheo]

@Luzh 22 - like I said, although we do have some half decent defenders as individuals (who if they were part of any of our rivals defensive set ups would probably be unrecognisable to us) we do not have a defence worthy of the name, so why bother pretending we do if we are fooling no one but ourselves? At least by changing our emphasis solely to attack, the opposition would have to change from what is their normal set up to deal with our 5/6 attackers which should therefore unbalance them and upset their normal game. Advantage us then isn't it? Teams go the other way (park the bus, false number9, 5@the back, defenders in midfield etc) all the time so why not think outside the box, because the only way I can see us conceding less whilst scoring more and god forbid winning, is by keeping the ball at the other end of the park.

[Luzh 22]

@Luzh 22 - like I said, although we do have some half decent defenders as individuals (who if they were part of any of our rivals defensive set ups would probably be unrecognisable to us) we do not have a defence worthy of the name, so why bother pretending we do if we are fooling no one but ourselves? At least by changing our emphasis solely to attack, the opposition would have to change from what is their normal set up to deal with our 5/6 attackers which should therefore unbalance them and upset their normal game. Advantage us then isn't it? Teams go the other way (park the bus, false number9, 5@the back, defenders in midfield etc) all the time so why not think outside the box, because the only way I can see us conceding less whilst scoring more and god forbid winning, is by keeping the ball at the other end of the park.

I thought about replying seriously to this, then I just laughed instead.

[thebigbangtheo]

@ Luzh 22 - not sure if you have taken me the wrong way as I am in actually agreement with your comment. Our situation and season is laughable so why not go all the way and be absolutely hilarious 'cos the Joke is already on us.

[Luzh 22]

@ Luzh 22 - not sure if you have taken me the wrong way as I am in actually agreement with your comment. Our situation and season is laughable so why not go all the way and be absolutely hilarious 'cos the Joke is already on us.

As much as an idiot AW is, he isn't about to go full r***rd and lose every game 11-5.

[Arsenal Tone]

We need three players. A CB, a DM and a GK imo

Aubameyang-Laca/Mkhi
Ozil
Kolasinac-Wilshere-???-Bellerin
Mon/Kos-???-Mustafi
???

The problem atm is nobody is suited to that CM place next to Jack. Wilshere, Ramsey and Xhaka are all best as the more attack minded CM.

[PairyGrows]

Our squad needs an extensive (and expensive) rebuild.

Thr first priority is to sign a defensive midfielder. If we don't manage to pull it off, we can write the season off - it's that simple. Also, we'll need a winger or two, a right back, a centre back, a striker and a goalkeeper. All in all, we'll need 5-7 signings in the summer.

Surely that will cost an arm and a leg, you may say. That's where the outgoings enter into the conversation. The sales of Lacazette, Xhaka, Mustafi, Chambers, Ospina, Welbeck, Perez and Jenkinson should bring in at least £75 million. Add Ramsey or Mkhitaryan into the mix, and we'll have made £100 million.

If we manage to pull all this off, we'll have allocated our resources a lot more effectively. The squad will be more balanced, giving us a better chance to compete for top four next season. It's vital we won't fail.

Then again, I doubt much of what I've laid out will actually happen.