Wenger and plan B. But is it 4-4-2?

Coach
By Boris Mellor
April 27 2005

Recently Arsene Wenger claimed he would never give up on 4-4-2, but as Myles Palmer suggested, in ANR today, he was using a plan B against Spurs. That Wenger was prepared to use more players in midfield, and not worry about there being less chances.

 

As Myles rightly says this is mainly due to personnel, no Henry, no Freddy, and a tired Bergkamp. Thus Wenger used plan B rather than rely on pace and open football. Nonetheless, Arsenal created more chances.

 

Three months ago Arsenal were incapable of winning 1-0, it didn’t’ matter when the weather was sunny, and pitches fine. They could always score more against the opposition, but the chickens came home to roost. Against Man U at Highbury they were incapable of holding a lead, and the demoralisation spread through the team and into the fans.

 

Total football includes good defending, and Arsenal did that against Spurs, and Chelsea, but they also created moves and passes that took the breath away. After the Chelsea game the Sky panel agreed that Arsenal had played the best football, so defending well does not have to compromise Arsene’s principles.

 

However, this maintaining of a stronger midfield did not start with the Spurs or Chelsea games, but in the FA cup away against Sheffield. Arsene was determined not be kicked out of games, and was prepared to defend as much as necessary. This was then repeated against Bolton and Blackburn.

 

But once again it was personnel that caused the changes, no Henry, suspended strikers, and an unfit Ljungberg all combined to force the changes.

 

In addition, Fabregas is adapting well to playing out on the right, true he does not overlap, but he frees up Lauren to play down the wing, and he himself turns into central midfield, or attacking positions causing havoc, as his pass to Reyes did against Spurs. Also Vieira is shielding the back four more than before, even though Gilberto has returned. Fabregas in turn can get the ball out of defence with positive runs and passes. I have argued for a long term that the future should be a holy trinity of Fabregas, Gilberto and Vieira. Not for every game, but for the anti-football brigade, the Bolton’s and the Blackburn’s, and away at Bayern Munich.

 

The future looks very exciting, maybe the sophistication of tactics we have longed for has arrived at last, Arsene has assesses the situation, and his personnel, and made changes. Why didn’t he do it earlier? Partly due to the chronic injury problem we faced, partly because he was entranced by the goal scoring, and by Henry’s form. He probably also did not realise how high the bar would be raised by Chelsea.

But the professor is on the case, the bar is about to be raised again.