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What formation should Arsenal play?

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With all the changes in personnel, there is fresh debate on what would be the most effective formation.  Many believe that Arsenal’s switch to 4-3-3 was solely designed to fit a team around the massive talent of Cesc Fabregas.  But that now Cesc is gone should we revert to good old 4-4-2!

Actually the debate has been around a while, even before the departure of Fabregas.  Playing a loan striker makes it very difficult to maintain the form of a second striker, blunting the attack when that second striker is called into action.

The debate has been given fresh impetus this week by the comments of Robin Van Persie that he enjoys the free role that he has in the Dutch team.  Some pundits point to the four goals Van Persie scored during the 11:0 demolition of San Marino as an example of what Arsenal are missing. Given San Marino’s record in international football I don’t see that this proves anything.

Equally unconvincing is any blog post contrasting Arsenal’s tactics with experience of a tactic tried out playing FIFA Football on a games console!

But despite these two rather spurious arguments, the debate is a real one.  Robin Van Persie does tend to drop deep, linking with the midfield.  Sometimes this means that we don’t have a player further forward in the box and some chances get wasted.

But is a return to 4-4-2 the answer?  If you look at how most successful club and international teams are playing, it isn’t 4-4-2.  Most are playing with one or even two holding midfielders and a lone striker.

The most successful formation at the last World Cup was two holding players and a fairly fluid group of four in front of them.  This is how Manchester City are set out now, with De Jong and Yaya Toure providing a tough shield and turning regained possession into forward movement.

It isn’t actually too far off what Arsenal had when the centre of it’s midfield was patrolled by Petit/Gilberto and Viera.

The challenge of playing this way, and incorporating two strikers, is that in the fast moving Premier League you will need attacking players athletic enough to roam all over the pitch to give you the width when you want it.

Using the Arsenal squad this way you could play something like this (injuries allowing of course):

_______ Walcott _______
_______ Van Persie ______
__ Gervinho ______ Arteta _
_____ Song ___ Wilshere __
Santos _ Verm _ Mert _ Sagna
________ Szczesny _______

What do you think?

If that’s too defensive for you, and expecting too much running from Arteta, how about:

_______ Walcott _______
_______ Van Persie ______
Gervinho __ Arteta _ Ox Cham
_________ Song _________
Santos _ Verm _ Mert _ Sagna
________ Szczesny _______

Either way you’ve got five contesting the midfield when possession is changing and that is where games are won and lost.  I  think that playing four across the middle against Chelsea, City and other top teams would see us being taken apart.

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Please note. The author has no idea whether these formations will help you win at FIFA Football.

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