By 1970’s Gooner
“It is a big blow but Gilberto has a lot of quality and experience," Wenger told Arsenal.com "He can come in and help the team recover and focus."
If you are a regular visitor to this site you will know my views on Gilberto’s expected (low) efficiency output that will probably materialize at Old Trafford. If not then you can read my last posting “There are four ways to replace Flamini”
So let’s take it for granted then that Arsene Wenger does start with Gilberto.
I believe this creates the real danger of unbalancing the side especially if Wenger does not select another defensive minded midfielder and opts for the more creative players.
This is because Gilberto simply does not possess Flamini’s energy levels nor his tenacity and power. He used to but not anymore.
He will probably sit in front of the defence and try and play the protective role. However Manchester United are likely to deploy a three man midfield choosing any three from Anderson, Hargreaves, Carrick and Scholes in a 4 3 3 formation.
So Wenger has to make a decision whether to go like for like otherwise if he plays a 4 4 2 formation there is the real danger of getting outnumbered in midfield.
Especially when one of the two midfilders will be Gilberto.
And if the third midfielder in Arsenal’s 4 3 3 formation is going to be Hleb then this may result in unbalancing the side as he is a naturally a forward minded player.
In other words the side will contain too many creative players and not enough grafters. There will be RVP, Adebayor and say Walcott up front and Hleb and Fabregas alongside Gilberto in midfield.
So to my mind in order to cover for Gilberto’s deficiencies but also so that we play it a bit tight, at least in the first half, it may be prudent to include Song in the starting line up.
He will bolster the midfield with added defensive cover and help contain Manure’s forwards. In order to accommodate this additional defensive midfielder either Walcott or Hleb may be kept on the bench and RVP start on the left with Adebayor in the middle.
It could be that Walcott could play the role of supersub again.
This may not be such a bad idea: contain and stifle them for a large part of the game and then unleash that human thunderbolt called Theodore.
My starting 11 assuming that Gilberto will feature will therefore be:
Almunia
Eboue Toure Gallas Clichy
Gilberto
Fabregas Song
Hleb Adebayor RVP
Subs: Fabiansky, Senderos, Walcott, Bendtner, Hoyte
I have a feeling we may surprise a few people....
There are four ways to replace Flamini
Rafa’s tactics and Samuel’s “Times” writings, what utter rubbish
Look beyond the Anfield trees
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10 comments:
Ive been calling for this formation since last season when it became obvious that we cannot defend a lead and were leaking too many starter goals for some very poor opposition.
Before we lost Flams I had suggested the following until Arsene see's sense and buys two world class centre backs who are fast and can defend.
Almunia..Sagna Toure Gallas Clichy
Diaby
Fabs Flams
Walcott VP
AdeB
Yes its not relevant now, but had AW taken anyones advice including most fans....most old players like Big Tony & Frank McLintock...and bought the two class defenders pre 2007 that we needed, we would be defending our championship and probably the Champs league Cup from last year.
We need to press United so Flamini would have been ideal. Diaby could play that role and he is better on the ball than Song. With Song and Gilberto we wont have much going forward and will lose the ball for fun. Diaby in the middle with Cesc and Gilberto, Hleb and Walcott wide and Adebayor upfront is the best team in my opinion
lets get ready for a stuffing, whichever line up comes out - look at the overall difference in cost of players and it'll give an idea of who's the weakling in this. Even if the team play well, there'll still be the ref to turn a blind eye to some crunching tackles from them or to a blatant penalty, unless of course it's against the away side!
shouldn't have allowed the first racist comment from the pro Bendtner lobby
From the Editor:
can the racist comments be stopped please otherwise don't bother visiting this side again
who gave alf garnet a log in?
racist views aside, bendtner's strike rate of 1 goal every 230 minutes on the pitch obviously puts him ahead of adebeyor's 1 goal every 132 minutes of playing time.
possibly it's his selfless, hardworking attitude you like, his lack of ego and popularity among his team mates?
after todays result i would say gilb's time is up. his services have been great for the time hes been at arsenal..
i read something about there being dressing room problems in arsenal and esp with gallas. i am not too sure how much truth lies in it but gallas conceded the penalty today, very unfortunate yes but he should have set the example as a captain esp when arsenal tend to panic after scoring goals recently. i think we need a change in captaincy or have no captain at all.
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