It’s just my opinion… I think it’s about time Arsene Wenger to decide whether he wants to play attacking entertaining football all the way through every match regardless of the competitions… or to add a little Plan B to go for winning football - by that I mean, to WIN IT BY ALL COST, never mind if we could win it with STYLE.
Don’t get me wrong, I love to watch our current style of football, it’s definitely the BEST football I have ever withnessed. But if we want to win the Champions League, perhaps we need to add a little bit extra into our game.
NO, I am NOT crying for adding another player, or to replacing anyone of our current player. The key is not our players, but our GAME PLAN.
I have long stressed the significance of POSSESSION in the Champions League. Even a team like POAK or PAOK whatever did play their passing well, and didn’t lose the ball cheaply as many average Premiership did. So what does that mean?
That means our players, particular our midfielders, would need to spend more energy on chasing the ball back. In the Premiership, it’s easier for us to regain the possession, so our players could save up their energy and concentrate on attack. In Europe though, imagine the likes of Ljungberg had to chase all over the pitch trying to win the possession back, and when he did, our current style of play needs him to join in the attack right away, it’s unstandably that he couldn’t have performed as comfortably as when he’s facing the Premiership oppositions.
So that makes our DEFENCE even more important. I don’t blame our defence on Wednesday night’s draw. ‘Cos though our official formation was 4-4-2, yet when we had the ball, we were actually playing 2-6-2, with both full backs pushing up high on the pitch. If anyone has paid attention, you would have noticed both Kolo and Cygan were pulled to close down their wingers at our right/left back positions to cover up the hole left behind by our full backs when we were facing a counter attack from our oppositions. This had been the way we played all season. Sometimes we could get away from it, sometimes we might not.
What I am suggestion is: sometimes we could use a little bit of discipline. The full backs could be a bit more cautious when going forward. The wide midfielders could do a little bit more back tracking. And the central midfielders need to offer a better protection in front of our back 4.
DEFENCE is always the platform of a winning team.
Another thing is - let’s pay a little bit more attention on small details, such as set-pieces, both defending and attacking.
I know our current coup of players have class. Perhaps at times the manager or the players would feel they are too CLASS to rely scoring at set-pieces. How many times we had scored from a set-pieces or corner? Hell, or I should ask: how many times a Henry or Pires or Reyes’ corner cross had actually reached our players? They got to understand - the set-pieces is FREE. A free opportunity for us to score a goal. We don’t need to construct an attacking play, or create a brilliant pass… just cross the ball into the penalty area, and we would get a decent chance to score. Look how many times Man Utd saved their life from a set-pieces?
In crucial matches, sometimes a set-pieces could decide the fate of a winner and a loser - remember how France won the World Cup? How Man Utd won the Champions League? They didn’t score from a brilliant goal, they didn’t create a wonderful team passing movement.
Past experience tells me - a lot of times, in the crucial matches, when the stake are high, and players are nervous, it’s very likely the teams would be able to play to their nature tempo or rhythm. And one of our key problem is - when we fail to play to our natural rhythm, we would often end up struggling.
The further we advance into the Champions League, our oppositions would be trying even harder, and the quality of them would be even more capable on breaking our attacking rhythm. When that happens, when our attack are struggling, if we have a solid defence, at least we could still keep ourselves in the game, and try to turn the tide. If we keep giving away sloppy goals, be it individual mistakes, or a poor set-pieces defending, it would be a moral killer and we would make our life much more difficult than it should be.
So let’s work on the BASIC. If we can’t beat our oppositions with STYLE, honestly I don’t think too many of us would mind, as long as we could squeeze out a win, whatever it takes.
13 Responses to “Sexy Football or Winning Football”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
November 5th, 2004 at 10:34 am
I think this helps make the case that Arseblog was espousing the other day, in which he argued that Vieira needs to become more of a defensive midfielder. Cesc is developing into a great attack-minded midfielder. Rick has made the point that when Cesc is on the pitch, we score. Perhaps the flow through midfield should start with Paddy, but end up with Cesc, and then Dennis, either of whom can provide that pass to Thierry or Jose.
November 5th, 2004 at 10:56 am
Well… I think you are asking us to do something that we are not built to do, so in essence, you are asking to change players. (either getting players to do things they are not accustomed to, or good at, or replacing them with others that can)
If you can go 49 games unbeaten, there is not alot wrong with the way you are playing football.
Obviously, DEFENDING set-pieces has been a major problem. We have scored a fair number of goals from Henry free-kicks.
With Campbell out injured, it makes us a different team at the back, both physically and mentally (confidence)…
Cole going forward is a HUGE part of Arsenal’s attack plan… thats not going to change… nor would I want it too.
Its funny that you say Vieira should play more defensive… because for years, folks have been wanting him to go forward and score a few goals!
Again, add Gilberto into the mix… and the team is different physically with him ON the PITCH, and mentally (confidence with him shielding the back 4).
I am not sure if I want us to change how we play football… and I am not sure if we will be ABLE to change our style of play. We have had alot of success with the current players and style.
Having said that, Wenger often fielded a “different” squad against Man Utd, and in Europe, especially on the road. Parlour / Wiltord both played quite often. This added a dimension to our game that had less flair… more direct… if that is what you are hoping for…?? I am not against it at all… I’d just like to see us make changes a bit quicker and give the players coming on more time to influence the match when things aren’t working.
We aren’t going to change our philosophy and style in the middle of a season… immediately following a 49 match unbeaten run…
and I don’t think our players are going to change the way they play football over night… it would take a period of time to change how we play. I think the better option is getting Sol and Gilberto on the pitch… and if you want to make a change, then it will be done in the January Transfer window. I do NOT see BIG changes for the Arsenal, so I wouldn’t hold your breathe!
November 5th, 2004 at 11:57 am
Serious contenders for the Champions League have always placed great emphasis on their defence. AC, Inter, Juve, Barca, even last season’s Porto. People can moan and groan about it but dull, statistically efficient football works in the C.L
But it doesn’t have to be that way, Barca have done a decent job of combining a talented strike force with some defencive discipline and if their results with Milan (they hit the post twice in the 1st match that ended up 2-1) was anything to go by, they will probably lift the cup come May.
Arsenal need to find a balance, i think the 2-6-2 arguement was quite relavant. with so many players itching to get forward, oppositions have no choice but to sit back and play on the break.
We need to give ourselves more source of goals namely set-pieces. Everytime I see an Arsenal player being given a free kick I see us quickly restarting play instead of sending it into the box. Nothing wrong with that, expect oppositions are normally wary of our lightning fast attack. Its no shame to score from set pieces, I see it more like a clever tactic. Porto won it last season with Deco falling to the ground 3/4 of the time but they won it. I’m not saying to be like them but at least make our set-piece dangerous, not make it look like an opportunity for oppositions to counter-attack.
On defending set-pieces, the less said the better. Most of the goals conceded this season were just poor defending. If we can stop these, i think Chelski/Manure can put up an ad for a new manager.
We have some 60, 70 fixtures a season, its good to see Arsenal win ugly once in a while.
November 5th, 2004 at 12:21 pm
Sexy Football and Winning Football can be the same! We have proven that.
They are NOT mutually exclusive.
Barcelona and Real Madrid don’t exactly play the defensive cacoon mode… and I believe they have had their fair share of success in ALL competitions. Come to think of it…. When Manchester United won the CL… they didn’t exactly play a defensive style either…
YOU CAN WIN and PLAY GOOD EXCITING FOOTBALL! we have shown that to be fact.
November 5th, 2004 at 12:43 pm
Yes, Andez. We need to do whatever we need to do to win. I’m not advocating sinking to Manure levels, but there has to be a few gears added to the mix.
We can do it with any combination of the players we have. Any squad we field is ten times the Porto or Greek squads, and 99% of the rest. But we need to stop giving up and start being smarter when the chips are down. If every team is going to put ten men behind the ball, find a way to lure them out. Feign. Go sideways, backwards. They can’t stay there forever. Give them room and choke. I hate to say it but…
…do what Chelsea are doing. They concentrated on defense, looked as boring as the day was long, and now they’re putting together some flash of their own. Again, they’re able to buy the precise piece of the engine that they need to get it humming the way it is, but they ebb and flow as they need to. We seem a bit stuck at the moment…on the GROUND, to be precise.
Its obvious that we still threaten at will, still maintain the upper hand, even when down. Its those last few gears, that last bit of salt, that we need. No one will stay with us if we can find it.
November 5th, 2004 at 1:26 pm
Let’s sign Mutu for next year…
that’ll solve our problems!!!!!!
November 5th, 2004 at 2:39 pm
Don’t know if there’s any truth in the Shaun Wright-Phillips rumour but, if there is, it really sums up the point Andez (and I) have been making over the last few days. Don’t get me wrong: I love SWP - he’s been my favourite English player for a couple of years. But, God, alas, you can see exactly why Wenger might be tempted. It’s a disaster, I think. Wright-Phillips would be cover for both Freddie and Lauren. In other words we are buying a right back who, a little like Ashley, could also be a midfielder or a striker . . . Lovely, pacey, really sexy, etc., etc., which illustrates how Wenger undervalues the importance of creating a serious, solid defence. We don’t need Wright-Phillips, excellent and versatile though he is. What we need is a PROPER, DEDICATED DEFENDER. Actually, I think if we’re splashing out big money, we need more than one.
November 5th, 2004 at 5:28 pm
Oh Miranda!
We won’t be splashing out big money…
because we don’t spend big money on back-ups!
What Dedicated Proper Excellent defender wants to play ??? 1/3 of our games sitting while Kolo and Sol are in the middle. You want your defenders to foster a relationship… like our BACK 4… THE BACK 4…. they didn’t rotate much… did they? Adams, Keown Winterburn, Dixon??
Not sure who you’d want to bring in…. but HEALTH is the major issue…. no injuries = good defense!
November 6th, 2004 at 7:59 am
Stag, does your argument apply just to defenders or to players in every position? Should we not have bought Reyes (for fairly big money) because of the implied criticism of Pires/Dennis/Henry, or because he/they may, sometimes, as result get to rest on the bench?
Actually it looks as though we are interested in SWP, surprisingly, as he won’t be that cheap. He was interviewed yesterday on radio 5 about the rumours and, instead of the usual blandnesses - ‘it’s untrue, I’ve just signed a new contract, I’m very happy where I am’, etc. etc. - he said simply, ‘I don’t know, it’s other people’s decision’. This suggests talks are already in progress. As I say, I love him, so can’t help being thrilled at the prospect of having his gutsy pace on the right. But, equally, I think it’s a bad decision if funds are limited because he’s not what we need most.
November 6th, 2004 at 9:28 am
Well, it goes for anyone!
I wouldn’t suggest we buy SWP, if he is going to rot on the bench for the most part. If he is taking playing time from Freddie and/or Pennant and/or Lauren… then who do you sit. Pennant can’t get on the pitch NOW… should we transfer him now?
Young talent doesn’t wait long…. they want to / need to play and develop… it is a VERY FINE LINE.
November 6th, 2004 at 10:41 am
Andez, no matter how we try to argue and think of how this team can improve, the sad truth is that AW simply ‘didn’t see it’. He always thought that when we lose points, its either because we are unlucky ( he would tell you our shot on targets statistics), or because we are tired. When we lose the leads, it’s just because we didn’t kill off the game when we can. And when we concede silly goals, sigh.. he just promise you that the team will work on those issues in training.
I am not saying AW’s current concept of football is bad. As Stag pointd out, if that concept brought you such unbeaten run, it can’t be bad. BUT, football is beautiful because there is NO single approach that can win you everything. Our so-called English Samba football is no exception.
Arsenal’s football need these few things to work:
1.The players have to be fine-tuned to know each other’s movement VERY WELL. That’s why Reyes had very often been the point where our movement halted during his first season.
2. Those players also need to be at the top of their stamina. Our passing and movement tempo is crazy. That’s why we suffered in previous seasons during the hectic period of the season.
3. Those players also need to have focused mind. Again, it’s because of the frentic pace of the movements. That’s why the opponents defend deep and play rough against us. Once we are frustated, we are in trouble.
AW’s football is very difficult to play. If, as Andez and many others suggest, we don’t have plan B, namely learning how to score from setpieces (Henry’s direct free kick is NOT a sound argument to counter the fact that we are still the worst team when it comes to scoring from corners etc). What we are talking about is set piece that involve your team. Of course if it is really that hard for us to learn that, just learn how to NOT CONCEDE from set piece.
I am tempted to say we have to learn how to play wide and score from crosses too. But I agree with Stag that you can’t come up with perfect football. It takes a lot of training time to develop our current sublime passing football.
Anyway, having watched Barcelona vs Milan,I can tell you that IF AW want to learn, he can learn something from Barca. Their football is, IMO, effective and deadly. Too bad, AW just “can’t see it” at the moment.
November 6th, 2004 at 3:25 pm
Yes, I probably would sell Pennant now. I thought he looked exceptionally promising a couple of years back but not sure he has lived up to the early promise. He didn’t have a good season at Leeds, though he played virtually every game; like Bentley this year, he seemed not to make the best use of that opportunity to hone his skills. I much prefer Pennant to Bentley (who I don’t like very much) but if it was a choice between him and Wright-Phillips it’s no contest for me. However, WP versus Pennant isn’t really the point. I’d like to have both, funds allowing, because I strongly disagree that strength in depth isn’t essential. Lack of it cost the CL and the FA cup last year. The possibility of rotating when necessary - when players are injured, tired, out of form - is Chelsea’s main strength. Lack of that option looks like it’s going to cost even more dearly this year, as the jaded display against Palace made clear.
November 6th, 2004 at 4:53 pm
Absolutely! Barca and Milan both deadly and sublime. I’m convinced one of them is going to win this year. Hope it’s Barca, I’m besotted with Ronaldinho, who gets better and better, but Milan’s striking options are pretty formidable too. Not to mention the defence, of course. Note how much money they spent bolstering it in the summer. As did all serious contenders in the CL. The only consolation is Juve apparently made a move for Sol - their first-choice reinforcement - but - naturally - he turned them down.