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Tuesday, April 06, 2010

It’s tactics, not who starts, that will prove important in Barcelona

By 1970’s Gooner

Yes there are a lot of injured and absent players form Arsenal’s potentially most important game of the season.

There is Gallas missing from defence. Campbell is feared to be suffering from a hamstring strain and/or fatigue, Song and Fabregas are missing from central midfield and Arshavin from the offensive players. Van Persie is a long term absentee of course.

As a result most of the debate among Arsenal fans centres on the possible line up in the key positions where players are or could be missing.

Will Campbell play now that Song is out or will Wenger throw Silvestre in? Will Walcott start or will he be used as an impact substitute?

To my mind it’s what formation and tactics Arsene employs not who starts that will prove important in Barcelona.

Barcelona dominated possession for three quarters of the game at the Emirates and if we are to emerge victorious in Barcelona we simply have to stop them playing by denying them possession.

This is the single most important aim that has to be achieved if Arsenal are to have a chance.

And for this to be achieved in an Arsenal way (i.e not kicking the opponents to death as some other premier League opponents do against us) Wenger has to employ tactics that will thwart the opponent’s midfield and deny them the freedom to pass the ball around.

This can be achieved by adopting a more conservative approach especially in the first half because if Barcelona score first then it’s most probably game over.

A more conservative approach implies changing the formation from a 4 3 3 we have come to enjoy in the Premier League to a 4 5 1.

4 5 1 as played by the Arsenal will and should not be a defensive formation where players just stay behind the ball and defend.

4 5 1 will make life very difficult for Xavi to weave his magic and also deny space to their full backs when they try to roam forward as they did at the Emirates.

Two more things also have to happen.

Nasri who will be deployed centrally should not play as far forward as Fabregas did in the first leg. He should instead, when Arsenal are without the ball, drop back into the middle and mark Xavi denying him the space.

Bendtner should also not forget his defensive duties form the front. Indeed Arsenal should mark Barcelona’s defenders tightly when they have the ball and force them to distribute long rather than short (to Xavi for example). Arsenal will then have a much better chance to win the ball back.

Once all these are achieved then Wenger will begin to think about match winning substitutions. It is important not to play all your hands right from the beginning because if something goes wrong then there will not be a lot of room for maneuver left.

Walcott should therefore stay on the bench.

Almunia

Sagna Campbell Vermaelen Clichy

Eboue Nasri Diaby Denilson Rosicky

Bendtner



Subs: Fabianski, Traore, Silvestre, Merida, Eastmond, Eduardo, Walcott (to come on for Sagna, Eboue goes to right back)


19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Daz

I think your spot on mate!

lezuzius said...

Wenger will never leave his best man of the first leg on the bench...
But I agree with you on the tactic part.

Anonymous said...

Well aren't you the genius? Who would have thought, tactics could win a game? Blocking this from newsnow to add to the other 65.

Boris Godunov said...

Edu should start with Bendtner. You don't go to Camp Nou with one striker and expect a good result, it will only postpone the inevitable. I'd also throw in Vela on the left, but it's too much to ask.

gazzap said...

its way too much to ask considering vela isn't in the squad. he should have been though.

arsenal need to press high up. important not to sit back too much.

Anonymous said...

In my opinion, use Marida to kick Xavi Out. He has the ability to capitalize of deep tackles. Marida should play Song's normal position.

Nasiri should take Fabs position, provided all supply should not need Nasiri to intervene.
Play long, get Bendtner bounce around.. Rosciky/Eboue must be in and out the box.

Stop playing conventional game....
this is specific situation and need different tactics..

play five in the 5 in the defence.
Sol, Verm, Daiby, Glichy and Sagna
Neither Iniesta or Messi should not hold the ball. Foul them if need away from 30 yards.

Eboue, Nasiri, Denilson, Merida punch the Center.

Bendner as lone striker. After 50 mins (50 mins) send in Walcott for Denilson. and Eboue for Rosicky.

We dont have to know what game they intent...get ready for few yellows.. but stop them passing on the floor...

bluemoon said...

We loss to the best team ,that scores tell us about their hearts . The same story , players likes Denison ,Abu in the important holding and defensive midfields don't show how the brave heart they have in the crucial games so the team never win the crucial games anymore.Don't blame Mr centerback is the weakest link but look at the central role that arsenal let they have time and space to play is the question that Le boss should answer the club why he love the coward's hearts with the talent players.

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