2017-18 Squad analysis and Tactics

[Sims]

I'm pretty happy with the 3421 but I can see why Arsene would wanna go back to a back four. Especially at home, think we can safely put out Xhaka - Rambo and be comfortable against lesser opposition tbh.

Maybe Arsene wants to play a flat 3 and thinks Lemar can do a Cazorla-esque role or at least transform him into a central player? Özil staying on the right, Alexis on the left with Laca up top. That'd be pretty safe and secure if Lemar is able to adapt to that role. Not many better sides in the Prem if we line up like that

[ESR10]

I'm pretty happy with the 3421 but I can see why Arsene would wanna go back to a back four. Especially at home, think we can safely put out Xhaka - Rambo and be comfortable against lesser opposition tbh.

Maybe Arsene wants to play a flat 3 and thinks Lemar can do a Cazorla-esque role or at least transform him into a central player? Özil staying on the right, Alexis on the left with Laca up top. That'd be pretty safe and secure if Lemar is able to adapt to that role. Not many better sides in the Prem if we line up like that

Xhaka and Ramsey with just 2 CB's behind is quite vulnerable, even against lesser sides. Ramsey's positioning and Xhaka's slowliness expose us in counter attacks. If we bought someone like Nainggolan, I'm all for returning to 4-2-3-1 in most games. With our current CM options, it doesn't make sense to me.
I think Wenger would play Lemar in a Cazorla-esque role too, if we got him. Maybe he will be great there, but a natural CM would be the safer play though.

[Angelito]

Re: 3-4-3

If it's Xhaka in the midfield (with Ramsey no less), in Dumbledore's voice, "That is the only way."

[ESR10]

According to Ornstein we won't buy any new players after Laca, unless more players leave. As Wenger stated in June that we will sign 2-3 players at maximum, it is realistic.

Current squad:
GKs: Cech - Szczesny - Ospina - Martinez
RB/RWB's: Bellerin - Oxlade - Maitland-Niles - Debuchy - Jenkinson
LB/LWB's: Kolasinac - Monreal - Gibbs
CB's: Koscielny - Mustafi - Holding - Mertesacker - Gabriel - Chambers
CM's: Xhaka - Ramsey - Wilshere - Cazorla - Coquelin - ElNeny
(R/L)AM's: Alexis - Özil - Perez - Walcott - Iwobi - Campbell - Jeff
ST's: Lacazette - Giroud - Welbeck

I'm assumung that there will be minimal changes, so I'll just leave out players who could leave and have no impact on new signings:
One of Szczesny and Ospina (hopefully the later) - Debuchy - Jenkinson - Campbell

Cech

Holding - Mustafi- Koscielny

Bellerin - Xhaka - Ramsey - Kolasinac

Özil - Alexis

Lacazette

Backups in order:
GK: Szczesny - Martinez
CB: Mertesacker - Chambers - Monreal - Gabriel
LWB: Monreal - Gibbs
RWB: Oxlade - Maitland-Niles
CM: Cazorla - Wilshere (both never fit) - Coquelin - ElNeny - Oxlade - Maitland-Niles
AM: Perez - Iwobi - Welbeck - Oxlade - Walcott - Jeff
ST: Giroud - Perez - Welbeck - Walcott

I would trust this squad to achieve something with a better manager and with fit Cazorla and Wilshere. Assuming that Cazorla and Wilshere are staying fit would be dumb, or we return to Coq/Neny, so a CM is much needed.
Another annoying point: we have plenty of CB's, but most of them are mediocre, only Koscielny is very good. Holding and Chambers' lack of experience, Mustafi's overconfident passing, Gabriels rashness, Mertesackers and Nachos non existent pace makes all of them not the greatest starting option. Replacing two of them with another world class CB would be great, but the good thing about 3-4-3 is, that it helps our not so great CM and CB options to not be exposed that often.
Keeping Perez and playing him is essential in case we won't buy a new attacking midfielder. We need a good backup technician, in case Özil or Alexis can't play. Iwobi isn't ready yet.

How would you feel with the current squad, if we are done with transfers these windows after Laca?

[Alexis]

wenger out

[Sims]

Back-up CM is the only weakness seeing as Santi's practically dead. Xhaka or Rambo go down we're f***ked

[Sims]

Usually s Debbie downer regarding Arsenal but we sign a CM I'm genuinely very optimistic about the season. Our squad will be so so good as long as we keep Alexis & Ozil

[Arsene Nose]

Twitter going crazy with our LMAO attack: Laca, Mahrez, Alexis, Ozil

[BS221B]

Ramsey-Xhaka will never work out in 4-2-3-1.

[BS221B]

------------------Cech
-------Holding-Kos-Mustafi
-Bellerin-----------------Kolasinac
-----------Ramsey-Xhaka
-----------------Ozil
------Lacazette-Sanchez

-------------------Cech
Bellerin-Mustafi-Kos-Kolasinac
----------CM-Xhaka/Ramsey
-RW------------Ozil--------LW
-----------Lacazette

Depends on who we sign; Carvalho/Seri on CM, Gelson/Mahrez on RW, Lemar on RW

I would rather second team tbh. Technically strong team that plays fast, flowing football. It reminds me nasri/arshavin/cesc/rvp. i have suffered a lot in recent years by watching the way we play, it was all because we had very limited players. I just want one thing for the next season and its watching a good football.

We will have strong bench next season as well. Iwobi, Coq, Ox/Perez, Ramsey/Xhaka, Monreal, Giroud, Welé etc. All of these players can be extremely useful in certain situtations.

[Sims]

[Losmeister]

"Watching good football..."
A-fkng-men!

[CrimsonGunner11]

Cech

Holding - Mustafi- Koscielny

Bellerin - Xhaka - Ramsey - Kolasinac

Özil - Alexis

Lacazette

Good to know we have a team ready to put out for the first game of the season. injuries during preseason and/or Sanchez leaving of course changes things but hoping we have a plan in place if worse comes to worst.

[Sims]

I believe Lemar will eventually join us. Think Wenger believes he can convert him to a CM to be flexible, really impressive defensive numbers from him last season from the left flank and has bundles of energy, would be more defensive than having someone like Seri in CM.

League

Against lesser sides and most home games:

Cech
Bellerin - Mustafi - Koscielny - Kolasinac
Xhaka - Ramsey
Lemar - Özil - Alexis
Lacazette

Against tougher teams and tough away games:

Cech
Koscielny - Mustafi - Nacho
Bellerin - Xhaka - Ramsey/Lemar - Kolasinac
Özil - Lacazette - Alexis

Europa League

Easy games:

Emi Martinez
Bellerin/Ox - Gabriel - Holding - Nacho
Coquelin/Elneny - Wilshere
Theo - Iwobi - Welbz/Lucas
Welbz/Lucas/Giroud

Tougher games:

Emi Martinez
Gabs - Mustafi - Holding
Ox - Coquelin - Wilshere - Nacho
Özil - Giroud/Lacazette - Alexis

FA Cup

Same as Europa but more of the first team the deeper we are

Carling Cup

Emi Martinez
Ox/Bell - Gabs/Mert - Holding - Nacho/Bramall
Coquelin - AMN/Elneny/Wilsh
Theo - Iwobi - Jeff
Whoever bar Laca

Think our squad is pretty deep even with the expected departures. Should be able to cope in all comps to a decent level imo whilst keeping our main stars refreshed. Absolutely imperative that Koscielny isn't risked in more than 1 game a week though. We desperately need him for the League and the League only.

[BS221B]

Mahrez will join this year, Lemar next year after Sanchez leaves.

i have been reading that Sanchez is going to honour his contract.