2018-19 Squad Analysis and Tactics

[Yago]

also the worst defense tbh

[DiamondGooner]

2 problems with this squad last season. We had the worst wide attackers in the top 6 and worst central midfield. Nothing has changed imo. It would be a miracle if we make top 4 imo

You don't think Auba is good? he's the best replacement for Sanchez we could of hoped for quite frankly, its a minor miracle.

Central midfield is helped greatly by Torriea? unless you feel it won't?

Emery was brought in to improve our players, we need to see who can't make the grade first.

[yadunoe]

I think torry has to play with xhaka or el neny because he needs a more physical presence beside him I still would of liked us to sell xhaka and get a more mobile defensive figure but lets see how xhaka does under emery

[jayramfootball]

2 problems with this squad last season. We had the worst wide attackers in the top 6 and worst central midfield. Nothing has changed imo. It would be a miracle if we make top 4 imo

I don't think we should be aiming for top 4. 5th would actually be a massive step forward give we'd have to overcome City, Utd, Spurs, Cheslea and Liverpool - all teams a long way ahead of us.
Given the destruction of the club over the last decade, just halting to freefall should be our goal. 6th again would be good.

[ag6789]

I think we can do better than 5th or 6th with this squad. Last year, our defense caused great problems, which Emery has addressed right away. New Central defenders and DM have been recruited and I'm sure more effective drills and strategies are being plotted. Wenger in his last years didn't have the energy or will to overhaul the system he had built over long time. Even though his system faltered, he carried on, just buying time.
With a pretty good forward line and decent midfield, I am confident we can do much better than some others in top five, as long as important players are in high spirits and hungry.

[Yago]

Honestly if we can't make top 4 with this squad then we should've recruited better/more. Top 4 is the bare minimum.

[ALLCAPS_]

I would like to (and expect to) see Akpom, Asano, Campbell, Ospina and jenkinson sold, with Holding and Iwobi going on loan, those two are promising but have struggled lately for consistent minutes, prem clubs would take them in a minute. If we are to bring in one more player I'd love for it to be a wide man but even if not, it appears that we have a decent squad. Fodder gone, promising and hungry players present with lots of experience also, a good mixture!

First Team

Lacazette Aubameyang Ozil
Mkhitaryan Ramsey
Torreira
Kolasinac Sokratis Mustafi Bellerin
Leno
Substitutes: Perez, Welbeck, Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Chambers, Lichtsteiner, Cech

Second Team

Perez Welbeck Nelson
Reine-Adelaide
Maitland-Niles Xhaka
Monreal Chambers Mavropanos Lichtsteiner
Cech
Substitutes: Nketiah, Smith-Rowe, Guendouzi, Elneny, Kolasinac, Sokratis, Martinez

Not arguing this is what we should play, or that all these would be fit but I like the options we have, both are quality sides, all players with a point to prove in particular. I'm really excited for this season and its nice to see that feeling radiating throughout the club for a change! In particular I'm excited to see the staple players the past few seasons e.g. Bellerin, Mustafi, Ramsey and Xhaka etc. How much will they grow under Emery, god knows they were highly rated when we bought them, if emery can even get 20% more out of those types, throw in the new signings, god knows where we might be.

We cant underestimate how distorted our vision of this team has been under the last few years of Wenger. So excited and glad for this new beginning.

[Luzh 22]

Stealing this from the Atletico thread:


with the ball:




What I noticed: The central defenders move out wide, almost into a wing back position, and use the defensive midfielder to work the ball. Defensive midfielder then looks to release the over lapping wing back or another central midfielder. If not, it goes back to central defender.

The other two midfielders work as a pivot. The deeper of the two running forward, whilst the more advanced looks for space to receive the ball from the defensive midfielder.


without:





The two CM's sit with the DM without the ball, but press the flank should opponent go wide. The DM presses if they go central, once the ball is in the final third, with the other two midfielders holding position.

The wide forwards don't drop back in front of the wingbacks like we're used to. Instead they leave that duty to the CM's, and they drop into the midfield. Once there, they harass the deep lying midfielders, then the DM presses when the play is forced, or the opponent makes a mistake.


This makes it hard for the opponent to build up play, without over exposing the back line.




I didn't see much, if any, high pressing. I assume this will come later.

[Yago]

Based on pre-season and his history, I think we can pretty confidently say he'll be going with some sort of 4-2-3-1. We can also conclude he sees Ramsey (assuming he stays for now) as one of the CMs, not a Nr 10 (duh, but lots of people were expecting a Torreira-Xhaka-Ramsey midfield).

Sokratis and Mkhi haven't been good in pre-season and Elneny hasn't been featured much. Lichtsteiner, Xhaka, Torreira and Welbeck still have to return to training, but reports seemed to indicate the latter wasn't part of any plans. Monreal also seems to be on the outs, with Kolasinac playing at LB in pre-season. He hasn't been too impressive, but still. On the bright side, Guendouzi looks like a very good signing and youngsters Nketiah, Nelson and especially Smith-Rowe have looked promising. Aubameyang has been played on the wing, indicating Emery might be interested in keeping his partnership with Laca intact.

If the season were to start tomorrow, I'm fairly certain the starting team would look like this:

Leno
Bellerin - Mustafi - Chambers - Kolasinac
Guendouzi - Ramsey
Mkhitaryan - Ozil - Aubameyang
Lacazette

The only uncertainty is the 2nd CB, and it may just as likely be Sokratis until he fucks up once again, or even Holding/Mavropanos.

We of course have to see how Torreira/Xhaka/Lichtsteiner slot into his plans.

Anyone disagree with that assessment?

[thebigbangtheo]

Based on pre-season and his history, I think we can pretty confidently say he'll be going with some sort of 4-2-3-1. We can also conclude he sees Ramsey (assuming he stays for now) as one of the CMs, not a Nr 10 (duh, but lots of people were expecting a Torreira-Xhaka-Ramsey midfield).

Sokratis and Mkhi haven't been good in pre-season and Elneny hasn't been featured much. Lichtsteiner, Xhaka, Torreira and Welbeck still have to return to training, but reports seemed to indicate the latter wasn't part of any plans. Monreal also seems to be on the outs, with Kolasinac playing at LB in pre-season. He hasn't been too impressive, but still. On the bright side, Guendouzi looks like a very good signing and youngsters Nketiah, Nelson and especially Smith-Rowe have looked promising. Aubameyang has been played on the wing, indicating Emery might be interested in keeping his partnership with Laca intact.

If the season were to start tomorrow, I'm fairly certain the starting team would look like this:

Leno
Bellerin - Mustafi - Chambers - Kolasinac
Guendouzi - Ramsey
Mkhitaryan - Ozil - Aubameyang
Lacazette

The only uncertainty is the 2nd CB, and it may just as likely be Sokratis until he fucks up once again, or even Holding/Mavropanos.

We of course have to see how Torreira/Xhaka/Lichtsteiner slot into his plans.

Anyone disagree with that assessment?

No.

[Luzh 22]

All the pre-season games so far he's gone 4-1-2-2-1 *shrug*

[Yago]

Nope. Ozil was clearly playing in front of the 2 other midfielders (almost second striker at times), same with Smith-Rowe although he came back a bit more to ask for the ball.

[Yago]

Nope. Ozil was clearly playing in front of the 2 other midfielders (almost second striker at times), same with Smith-Rowe although he came back a bit more to ask for the ball.

[KG3]

Really hope we play 4-1-2-1-2 diamond shape as putting Aubameyang who is a better player than lacazette is just a waste it'll be like the days when Wenger used to play RVP/Eduardo outwide with Adebayor leading the line

[Zenith]

Problem with diamond formation is you need your RCM and LCM to be extremely disciplined and athletic without the ball or your full backs will get annihilated all game having to play against a wide man as well as an overlapping full back.

You also need a high-energy CAM who doesn't mind dropping deep to support most central midfielder or your entire midfield ends up being overran by even the most average of sides.

We just don't have the personnel.