Wenger talks about the new role of defenders at Arsenal
Football has changed alot in the Premier league since Arsene Wenger became the manager of Arsenal sixteen years ago, in fact the Frenchman can be seen as responsible for a large part of those changes. The old chant of 1-0 to the Arsenal and the famous Arsenal back four are things of the past. The role of defenders, especially centre halfs has changed considerably in the modern game, as they have to adapt to the new formations and styles of play.
Arsene Wenger and Arsenal mostly use a 4-3-3 formation with one central striker and a much more flexible role with players needing to be more versatile and drifting into different positions. Wenger explains that this means that defenders now need a different set of skills to the old style big and strong central defenders.
“In a 4-4-2 system, the full backs get the ball first because the two strikers are in the middle and the two centre backs are marked so the keeper’s first solution is to the full backs.
“In the modern game, the two full backs are marked by two wingers or wide midfielders and the first available players are the centre backs as they are playing two against one.
“Even if they are less good defensively, they have less to deal with than two against two. They are always in a two against one situation.
“The start of the game is with the centre backs nowadays. That’s why that technical ability has suddenly become important.”
Having said that, today’s opponents West Ham are something of a throwback. They may well start the game with two big Old School strikers in Andy Carroll and Carlton Cole. Mertesacker would probably have started anyway after Koscielny made a couple of mistakes, but the big aerial threat of West Ham makes it a certainty.
Wenger has warned his players that Carroll is starting to regain the form he had at Newcastle and he could provide a serious test for the Arsenal defence.
I must say Cazorla hasnt Enjoy tht much
Wilshere Amazing skills n passes 
Cox still Wilshere Rosicky are yet to come n thn He vl really enjoy when He see 2 footed Rosciky
He has yet to ENJOY real Arsenal
n he vl soon
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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gervinho gonna bang a goal!
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Whatever!!! We should juƨτ wipe them.
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Oh what a gem eden hazard that wenger missed on,I wonder how our team would have been perfect if he was here….coyg need the 3 points today
Opinions divided. What do you think?
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i dont know why koscienly hasnt hit top form yet, but i am confident he will soon. that been said, we need per today. against chelsea, torres dominated the air all through the game which is annoying, dat means cole and carroll will be even more of a treat aerially. i suggest we get per back into that defence and defend tight, dont commit our defenders forward too much (like vermalaen did against olympiakos) so that when crosses come in, they will be in good positions to stop them. i suggest a man marking technique when it comes to setpiece cos we cant use zonal marking against those two beasts they have as strikers. i wish us good luck today.
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Maybe we should start Giroud at CB. Nobody can win a header off him.
COYG. 3 points today!!
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We all love to see wengers great style of football – the world does ! But he isn’t renouned for his defence . Wenger and bould could build the perfect team – if stubbornness doesn’t cause friction . B4 people start havin a go bout the invincibles – the tony Adams legacy was still through the team at that stage and the defenders and keeper were different animals . This year is lookin so much better than last 5/6 yrs and I’m hoping Gibbs , jenks , bfg , verm , kos , Sagna can all stick together and keep improving whilst playing as a unit .
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