Gilberto and 4 3 3 for Slavia Prague

By 1970’s Gooner

Arsene Wenger has hinted that Walcott may get a start tonight against Slavia Prague. Although there is no doubt that Theo has been playing well recently I doubt whether Wenger will go for this selection.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Eduardo should be “dropped”. His performance last Saturday was disappointing to say the least.

He has not yet adapted to the pace, tight marking from behind and in your face type of English football. He could not hold the ball up front with the result that he couldn't connect with Adebayor nor bring other players into the game.

Eboue should also be dropped. He was neither decisive nor penetrative enough. Rosicky who is now fit should take his place. So far so good.

But does Wenger go for 4 4 2 again and play Adebayor and Walcott up front?

Interesting; and a combination we would all like to see at some stage. This is likely to come sooner than later.

Walcott himself revealed in one of his very recent interviews on Arsenal TV On Line that his training regime involves him playing up front through the middle.

The other option is to play a 4 4 1 1 formation with Hleb behind Adebayor. Eboue or Walcott could be the other wide midfielder.

But in my opinion Wenger should select, for obvious reasons, the formation and the players he wants to go with in the next two crucial Premier League games coming up: Liverpool away and Manchester United home.

And you wouldn’t choose to start with Walcott for these games would you? I would also not start with the underperforming Eboue for these two games either.

Which leaves as the only viable selection option for the Champions League game the 4 3 3 formation and the recall of Gilberto in the line up.

Adebayor could then be flanked by Hleb and Rosicky. Fabregas and Flamini pushing forward in support as and when the occasion demands.

This formation would be ideal for the games coming up as we need to be compact in the middle of the field and additionally have the option of bringing impact players, Walcott and Eboue, off the bench if needed.

Prediction: Arsenal Vs Slavia Prague 3-0

Walcott and Clichy should be the wide players against Blackburn

By 1970's Gooner

This away fixture at Blackburn is the equivalent of a real fitness test for this young but maturing Arsenal side.

All the football pundits are expecting Arsenal to return to their old ways. Their first away fixture in the North with rain gushing down, a partisan crowd and an opponent prepared to stick it up your nose. This is where titles are won or lost.

And there is some merit in this logic.

Yes they battled hard against a physical Ajax in the Amsterdam tournament but that was a friendly after all;

Yes they came back to beat Fulham at the death; but Fulham surprisingly didn’t park the Fulham Broadway bus in front of them and it was a home game after all, in nice London summerish weather.

Yes they had to man the barricades against an intimidating Sparta and Tomas Repka in Prague which indicated that they are up for the physical type of games; but having watched the game live, Sparta did not produce the quality of football as say Blackburn could pose on Sunday.


So if Wenger’s babes can also pass this test then the football world will really sit up and take notice.

Hell, the players themselves will sit up and take notice!

So if you are Mr Wenger and you realise the enormous up side potential that an away win at Blackburn at this juncture will give to this side how should you approach this game?

I say this because injuries to Eboue, Rosicky, Diaby and Eduardo are likely to deprive the team of key players especially its wings. Without wings no one can fly. And fly is what Arsenal need to do if they are to have a chance of winning this game.

How Wenger decides to replace the loss of Eboue and Rosicky will, more than any other decision he makes for this game, go a long way in deciding its outcome. And there are two reasons for this.

The first is the need to have penetrating wide midfielders as this will be the only way to bypass what is likely to be a congested midfield; made even more congested by Hleb’s insistence to drop deeper than he should. May be on Wenger’s orders.

The second reason is that Blackburn themselves look likely to play with two wingers who like to go forward. The dangerous Pedersen and old boy Bentley. Exploitation of the spaces left behind them may prove their Achilles heel.

One way to (partly) solve the winger’s crisis is to change the formation and play 4 4 2 by bringing Bendtner or Eduardo in to partner RVP. The result will be that Hleb will move to one of the wide midfield positions.

But I don’t think that Wenger will want to change a winning team’s formation. And as he has said, Eduardo will probably be deployed from the bench. Bendtner he considers not yet ready to start.

The only viable solutions available to my mind are to play Clichy as a left sided midfielder with Hoyte brought in at left or right back.

Clichy impressed during pre season when he was tried in this position and also showed, during these first two competitive games, how dangerous he is going forward.

For the other wide midfield position the choice is between Denilson, who is now fit, and Walcott.

Walcott impressed when he came on against Fulham and he will be adding real penetration, an ingredient necessary if Arsenal are to exploit the wide areas.

The rest of the team picks itself.

Hleb is top scorer, Robin needs a Batman and Fabregas is the real captain

Fabregas has added a “Peter Storey” attitude to his vast arsenal of talents