Arsenal should go with 4-4-2 against Monaco by MES
The midweek away game at Monaco is a very difficult one for Arsenal. Initially I had lost all hope for that game until I saw PSG and Shalke with their resilience in this weeks Champions League matches. The main problem with this game is we need to score 3 goals against a team that are very difficult to score against.
This is my team selection in a 4-4-2 formation to provide double the attacking power.
Ospina
Bellerin Koscielnly Monreal Gibbs
Ozil Le Coq Cazorla Sanchez
Giroud Welbeck
This is a game where Monaco will be happy to sit back and wait so we will have most of the possession. The only way I think we can deal with that is by whipping in crosses to our two big men rather than having Giroud as an only target. They will try to hit us on the counter which makes me want to replace Mertesacker for Monreal for speed issues we are all well aware of.
With Welbeck and Giroud we certainly won’t suffer from lack of height in set pieces against us. The choice of Ozil is based on the fact that I would have chosen the Ox if available – and recently Ozil has been more disciplined in defense.
What do you think Gunners? Is 4-4-2 the way to go.
Welbeck fr Ramsey,we are gud to go.
u guys are so funny….
Wat do u take monaco for?
seriozly, monreal as a center back??? wat r u smoking @ admin
3
1
3
3
That’s my formation
Or
2
4
2
4
Or
2
7
1
Ospina
Bell chambers boss gibbs
Coq rosicky
Ozil santi sanchez
G rude
In Monaco we need to work really hard and refuse to concede…We can do it but for me i think if they line up on a flexible 4.3.3 to 4.1.4.1 setup it would work
—————-Ospina
Bellerin Koscielnly Monreal Gibbs
Welbeck/Walcott, Conquelin, Sanchez
————–Ozil – Carzola
—————–Giroud
Sanchez and Walcott or Welbeck playing wingbacks and on defending an attack create a 3 man pivot with each covering both sides of Conquelin. However when we break or are in attack, they are wingers providing attacks channels from both sides. the game switches from 4.3.3 to defend and to 4.1.4.1 when we attack. Now sample the moment that one of the fullbacks makes a run upfront…
I’d go 4-5-1.
Control the midfield (& game) with Ramsey
And co (sanchez/Ozil/Santi) making runs from deep to create the 2nd/3rd strikers when the moment is right.
We can’t ho battering ram style as they will be expecting that and hit us on the break (again).
But if we control the midfield we control the game and will create enough opportunities..
We just have to take them!
i think admin is right in the sense that we need to play 4-4-2
we need pace and we need to take our chances and half chances
therefore i think playing Ramsey is better than Ozil for such game
we need to be physical and challenge them up in the pitch
my team
Ospina
Bellerin Gabriel Kosielny Gibbs
Coq
Sanchez Cazorla Ramsey
Giroud Welbeck
this team can score > 3 goals
It appears many of you have forgotten the main reason we lost the first leg.. Giroud played 6clear chances offtarget and you wanna start him again against the same opponents away. n about Ospina u dnt recover from conceding 3 at home against a particular UCL opponent over night
Szczesny
Bellerin-Chambers-Kosc-Gibbs
Rosicky-Ramsey-Santi
Walcott-Welbeck-Alexis
Has anyone not thought of playing 3 at the back? Bell Kos Monreal. We wont be as exposed as you may think with Coq playing in that anchor role. This is a game we need to constantly be in their half.
Bellerin can’t go forward enough…. And that might be deciding… because he is good going forward and also have developed himself at defending more…. Just having an extra partner with Boss would make me feel comfortable so that Bellerin and Nacho (or one of them) can go forward while CM pivot can slot back to their positions…
*might not
Bellerin may not be able to go forward enough however it allows Cazorla/Ozil/Ramsay to be MORE forward MORE of the game. I do see your point however, was just an idea
The other thing is i do not think Monaco’s game plan is to come at us so they will be compact in the back and look to protect the game through 90 minutes. They will be watching Arsenal’s and feel that if they study our side closely, we have a poor goal from attack conversion rate so they would fancy they can stay the game through the bus parking tactics…
Then in that case i suggest Wenger goes for the unlikely 3.5.2 formation with three Centre Backs and wing-backs. Welbeck and Sanchez have great fighting spirits and will give their all to defend as wing-backs in attack and provide width during attacks.
——————–Ospina
——–Konsienly Martesacker, Monreal
—————Conquelin, Carzola
——–Welbeck—Ozil—-Sanchez
——————–Rosicky/Ramsey/Walcott
———————-Giroud
First, The midfield of Carzola Conquelin and Ozil in the centre has really gelled in the recent past and served Arsenal through 2015. No need to change that. Complimented by Sanchez and Welbeck on both wiings has even made it more potent. So they take their places. The extra hole created for attack is what i still cant decide who to put among my three candidates. Rosicky has been playing like a 27 year old hitting form of his life…but rarely scores many…Ramsey seem to have recovered the form book he lost and has started reading chapter 1 of last season…he looks on the resurgence and he has goals in him if that’s the case. He knows how to be the guy that appears in spaces no one expects that the opposition simply never managed to cover and would be a good addition as the extra dimension against Monaco. But if that is not the case he could be burden you do not want in the field at times. Walcott, Walcott, Walcott…given a chance he can rip apart anyone, ask Barcelona. This could just be the kind of game his speed terrorism is made for and so close to goal it can force mistake Monaco have been known not to make…I go with Walcott…
Fans know best…Wenger should listen to the fans for players selection and tactics…
Hahaha
Ospina
Bellerin…bfg…boss…monreal
Le coq
Walcott ..santi..alexis
Ozil
HAFIZ RAHMAN
we can win 5-0 with the forward!!!easily!!
I would go with this line up
Ospina
Bellerin Gab/Mertz Boss Nacho
Coq Rambo/Rosicky
Walcott Ozil/Cazorla Sanchez
Giroud
Bench: Rosicky/Ramsey, Szczesny, Chambers, Gab/Mertz, Flamini, Welbeck, Cazorla/Ozil
If Ramsey is in good form, then he must start, we can replace Rosicky at half time or 50-55 mins… I would leave Ozil/Cazorla to Le Prof, though he might choose both, I would start Walcott, because he can make runs in behind defences, just like in the Monaco game, only if he can improve his finishing for that match, Sanchez should carry on the passing game, and as a true winger, should provide crosses to Giroud just like Waloctt, because Giroud has great heading ability…
We can think of this, when Bellerin goes forward, Nacho should stay at half line, and vice versa, so that our defending is balanced… plus Mertz/Gab and Boss must just be a liitle bit, and not too much forward, of our box…. so that we can be ready for counters…
Walcott would not be running behind anything as the bus will be well and truly double parked.
Another approach where wings and midfield dominance is required IMO.
ospina
bellerin gabby kos monreal
walcott le coq corzola sanchez
welbeck giroud
lets hit them with all we got 2 (this the game i feel that we should use the 2 strikers with nothing to lose it might surprise Monaco)strikers up top and pace on the wings with passion skill and luck we can take them we have nothing to lose just attack wave after wave i would rather lose knowing we did everything we could to score and win then whimper out quietly lets go gunners
with welbecks pace upfront and giroud holdup skills they will stretch the monaco defense and make space for walcott and sanchez coming in of the wings as added goal threat.
MES, morning. My WH game plan was Tactical Gunners Starts. Tactical in the sence that the boss has to tactically rest some Gunners for the Monaco game. But not at the expense of not collecting all the 3 points at stake against WH. Our Monaco game plan is Prolific Gunners Starts. Prolific in the wise that the boss MUST start all his prolific Gunners to prolifically overrun the Monaco defenses and win the game by scoring enough goals to qualify the Gunners for the UCL quaterfinal. MES, your starts is great. But it will not be prolific enough for my Prolific Gunners Starts. For his height, arm-reach for parring&diving and athletism, I will prefer the boss starts Szczesny ahead of Ospina for this Monaco game. And for his aerial power, I will start Rhinosacker alongside Koscielny at CB. But caution Rhino’ against any ducking&dodging by him. And I will prefer Bellerin and Monreal to start the game ahead of Gibbs and Chambers at fullbacks. Coquelin supported by Rosicky will I start at CDM. And my preferred 2 CAM are ofcourse Ozil and Cazorla. My striker starts are (still)>Walcott and Giroud. I decided to start Alexis on the bench because of his goal scoring dip. I am starting Walcott ahead of Welbeck because of his prolific nature. The boss should forget his WH match game rustiness and have faith in to start him for the Monaco game. He will jell at Monaco for Arsenal. I My Prolific Gunners Starts: Szczesny. BellerinRhino’KoscielnyMonreal. CoquelinRosicky. WalcottGiroudCazorlaOzil.
MES, pls ignore some typographical errors on my comment. I saw them as I read it again after posting it.
I don’t know why people are choosing Welbeck, he is not good enough, he does not score, not create etc, all he does is run like a headless chicken all games and tired in 30 minutes.
Play a strong midfield, as I keep saying if Ramsey is ready just play him in his the CM/B2B position and let Cazorla float around doing his thing. Ramsey gives us balance.
I still have high hopes of arsenal reaching the last 8, we have capable players, who can score, even with a very defensive monaco team we created several opportunities to score, but failed to do so .
In this leg we will have to be more clinical in order to go through
All I know is, everything is possible in football…. If the players are up for it, we will surely get a good result….
there is a good chance gabriel will be back for Monaco, in which case I would play him they know we will come at them and this suits their counter attacking style. we will have to hold a high line and absolutely go at them. forthis and to be able to get back, id chose gibbs and bellerin and kos as well.
Think Man Utd. No not how we played against them but think of their team. It has taken them nearly the WHOLE SEASON to adapt to a new playing style and formation. Why would you believe we could change to a 4-4-2 overnight and perform well?
Arsenal as a team play with a 5 man midfield. There are variations on that and ways you can alter the role of midfielders but at it’s core the Arsenal team has 5 in the midfield every game. In defence we play a bank of 4 with 1 in behind it. You can vary this and have 5 flat across the middle or 4 flat with 1 in front. We don’t. We play 4 and 1 behind. The concept of changing the 5 midfield or 4 and 1 defence will damage our ability to play as a cohesive unit because we are just not used to another system.
This means we NEED to pick the right players and utilise their roles correctly. For example we could play a very high press game, or a deeper game – we could allow our wingers to push on and overload from one side at a time or we could pile forward as three across the top and let 2 sit in behind. There are different ways to play but ultimately we NEED to attack.
My suggestion is for Wenger to go with the back four you suggested. It’s our most mobile back 4 unless we risk Gabriel or Chambers in the middle. I would choose the one you selected as it’s the most in form back 4.
Next I would play Coq in his normal role with Rambo beside him. This is our best midfield pair. Simples.
Ahead of them I’d have Cazorla, Alexis and Theo. Up top Giroud.
Theo has the best off the ball movement in our team. Giroud is the only player who makes runs at anywhere near the level Theo does. We NEED good movement and good service. Now you’ll notice I’ve not used Ozil. He isn’t dynamic enough for this game. Kondogbia will bully him out of it. Cazorla won’t get bullied – he’ll make the space.
The first half plan should just be to try and run their flanks into the ground. Press high, press fast, keep the ball wide and play tight triangles before spreading it and getting in crosses and runs to the byline for cut backs. We should not make any attempt to play centrally. It’s pointless. If we can fatigue their wings, pick up a couple bookings and get a goal, the second half then becomes interesting.
Bring off Coq for Ozil and go full out attack. Once Theo fatigues bring on Welbeck. If Rambo or Alexis start puffing bring on Rosicky. The ONLY reason we shouldn’t go full on attack to start is because we are good enough to win this game just by playing our game instead of going gung ho. Gung ho should be saved for when their defence is waning. The key is going to be making that happen.
Of course, if the players perform like last time…we stand no chance. BUT we looked like Arsenal against West Ham. If we can bring that forward into this game we can really cause damage.