Wenger’s tactics, Hector Bellerin & Back to the Future

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Tactics

One of the biggest criticism’s over the last decade or so about Arsene Wenger is his tactics and in game management:

  1. He does not consider the opposition enough when setting out his team
  2. He does not have a Plan B
  3. His substitutions are predictable

Last night, and over the last few games, he is possibly turning a corner.

On the first point, he has always been of the opinion that if he sets his team up to play how he wants them to play, and they play to his game plan and to the best of their capabilities, the team will win, no matter who the opposition are or how they set up. It is arrogant.

It means we do not expose other teams weaknesses, and are not prepared for their strengths. And time and again we have lost due to clear under preparation.

But last night was different. There was a clear game plan different from normal. Let Munich have the ball, and hit them on the break with our pass. Rope a dope. It was like watching us play under Graham in the early 90s.

It take’s some luck. Giving the opponents a lot of time on the ball means they will create chances. You need to hope your keeper is on form, and if one gets away, it go’s the right side of the post. And then up the other end, you need to take your chances, and get some luck going your way.

And we had that last night. For a striker in such great form, Lewandowski should have buried that late chance. But great work from Koscielny and a great save by Cech kept it at 1-0. On another day, Munich would have had an early penalty (Sanchez hand ball) and Koscielny would have clattered into the back of Lewandowski giving away a second penalty and a red card.

Up the other end of the field, Walcott had a great shot saved, and then our first goal had a massive element of luck to it as Neuer repeated Petr Cech’s error earlier in the season against West Ham by coming out for a ball and getting no where near. 2 World Class keepers doing an identical error. Shows we are human.

Essentially, Wenger got his tactics spot on yesterday. As he did against Manchester United. Hopefully he continues to look at the opposition when deciding his game plan, rather than resorting to type and wrapping himself up in the arrogant egotistical bubble he has been in for 10 years.

As for substitutions and having a Plan B, Olivier Giroud is quickly becoming Arsenal’s Super Sub.

Olivier Giroud was never bought to be Arsenal’s number one striker. He was always signed to be Plan B. Back up originally to Robin van Persie, he found himself leading the line. It should have just been for a season, but Arsenal’s failure to capture Higuain or Suarez meant he was up top for a second season.

Alexis Sanchez was bought in, originally, to do the same role he does for Chile. Striker.  It did not work, and for the 3rd season in a row, Olivier Giroud was our 1st choice striker. Then this season again, a failure to land Benzema left Wenger relying on the big man again. Until he decided to staqrt Theo Walcott upfront.

What that mean is Giroud began to do what he was bought for. An impact sub.

At 6 4 and strong as an ox (not the Ox, who for me is the most overatted player in England), he causes problems when he comes on against turned defences. He is able to bully them. Win every ball, and provide a great outlet. His lack of pace is not as exposed as much, playing up against two centre backs who have spent 65 minutes chasing Walcott. He is a great asset to have.

Whether it is to close out the game, or to chase the game, bringing on someone like Giroud in the last 25 minutes is a game changer. It is nice to finally have a Plan B.

Hector Bellerin

https://twitter.com/KeenosAFC/status/650987705753583617

What a star he is becoming. Way back in 2013 he first came onto my radar as someone who could make the step up from talented kid to potential first choice right back. Since then, he has come on leaps and bounds and has now established himself as not only Arsenal’s best right back, but the best right back in the league.

It is little more than a year on from his full debut against Borussia Dortmund where he looked shaky and out of place, to say the least. Last night he was the best full back on the pitch.

Yes, Douglas Costa gave him a few problems and did made him look a fool once, but that happens when you are playing up against someone with a bag of tricks. The importance is that after he does you once, you do not let him do you again. And for most of the game, Bellerin had Costa in his pocket. So much so that Costa swapped wings in the second half.

This season, with us playing Ramsey at right wing, Bellerin has had a big task on his hands. Both defending and basically being our right winger. And he has done well.

The last few seconds of yesterday’s game sums up his season. His ability to get forward at pace, beat the opposing full back, and put in a good cross is an asset to have. He did it against Watford as well. He is a talent.

I jokingly said that yesterday showed his naivety. In the last few minutes, winning 1-0, our right back is bombing forward and putting a cross in, rather than either sitting back so we don’t get exposed, or running for the corner. Obviously I was jesting (and got some abuse), what he did yesterday was class. To have that pace left at the end of the game and energy to get his head up and play the ball shows his brilliance. Just remember though, if he does it again, plays a poor cross, and the opponents go up the other end of the field and score, do not criticise Bellerin. You can not celebrate yesterdays brilliance then moan if it go’s wrong.

Hector Bellerin is secure as Arsenal’s first choice right back. Debuchy will leave this summer. If he continues in his current form, he will be starting for Spain at Euro 2016.

Looking in my crystal ball

So we are back in with a chance of Champions League qualification. Just 1 point off second, we are back in the game. So looking in my crystal, this is what will happen:

Arsenal will travel to Munich, and lose. Meanwhile, Olympiakos, having stolen a victory in Zagreb, will do the double by winning at home.

Bayern Munich 9
Olympiakos 9
Dynamo Zagreb 3
Arsenal 3

Up next for Arsenal is a home match against Zagreb. Surely we will not see a repeat of Olympiakos. 3 points to The Arsenal. Bayern Munich host the Greeks. A win for the German’s see them qualify, and get top, with a game to go. They will go all out for the win. And get it.

Bayern Munich 12
Olympiakos 9
Arsenal 6
Dynamo Zagreb 3

So that brings us to the last round of games. Arsenal away to Olympiakos. Winner takes all…

One thing is for sure, the club were struggling to shift tickets for the Dynamo Zagreb game before yesterday. I bet the sell out ASAP.

Keenos

Damn lie’s and false statistics – Arsenal a big club before Wenger?

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Arsenal Twitter is a fun place. One person makes a misguided comment and, like the butterfly effect, arguments and debates ripple throughout the online community, veering off into different tangents, with people arguing from different corners of the globe, but all tied in to that original, single tweet.

Yesterday was one of those occasions, where a single tweet started a debate about re-writing Arsenal’s history before Arsene Wenger took over.

https://twitter.com/Blackburngeorge/status/656142439145697280

Often I would not bother writing a blog over one tweet, usually debating on Twitter instead putting the mistake right. However, a ludicrous tweet like this needed a bigger platform and more than just 140 characters to put right.

So Let us look at the stats:

  • Since taking charge of Arsenal, Arsene Wenger has not finished below Spurs. That is 20 years. A remarkable achievement
  • Throughout the 101 seasons that Arsenal and Tottenham have existed, Arsenal have finished above Spurs 74 times, Spurs 27 times above Arsenal. That is 74.74%.
  • If you remove the “Wenger Years”, Arsenal finished above Spurs 54 times. That is exactly 66.66666666%
  • In the last 50 years, Spurs have only finished above Arsenal 11 times
  • Spurs have not finished above Arsenal in 2 consecutive seasons since the 1966-67 / 1967-68 season
  • Under George Graham, Arsenal’s average finish was 4th. During the same period, Spurs average finish was 9th
  • Since Spurs were last promoted to the top division of English football and Arsene Wenger taking over Arsenal (1978-96), Arsenal’s average finish is 5th, Spurs 9th
  • Since World War 1, Spurs have been relegated 3 times, spending 13 seasons outside of the top flight. Arsenal have not been relegated during that time
  • Since World War 1, Arsenal have finished above Spurs 64 times, or 81% of the seasons

So yes, whilst Arsene Wenger’s record against Spurs is remarkable, and better than any manager in our history, to say that before Wenger, “we finished below Spurs as often as not” is simply a lie and a writing of history.

No matter whether you are “Wenger In” or “Wenger Out”, let’s have a fair debate. Do not make up lie’s to support your narrative. You will get found out. And it will destroy any argument you have.

Glad to have cleared this up.

Keenos

Can Arsenal fans start to believe?

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Saturday was a tough game. Arsenal were off the pace. Watford were bang up for it. Despite the 3-0 score line, it was a game we could have lost.

In seasons gone past, it is not a game we could have lost, but a game we would have lost. The majority of our side being off on international duty, up against a physical side who towered over us, defended in groups, and ensure our players knew they were there.

Watford certainly had their chances, and it would not have been too unfair had they gone into half time 2-0 up. But we held firm – just, and as they wilted we took advantage.

The pressing game Watford were playing was brilliant, for 60 minutes. They were defending in 4’s, with 2 men putting pressure on the player on the ball, and the other 2 cutting out any chance of a short pass. It forced us to go backwards, or more often then not, to lose the ball. It was excellent defending. But as long as it stayed 0-0, you knew they would die, and they did.

After Sanchez’s goal, Arsenal showed the strength of their bench, brining on Giroud and Oxlade-Chamberlain. My pal turned round to me and said “Giroud is the best plan B in the Premier League” and he is correct. His power causes issues against the best of players, but when he comes on with  minutes to go against centre backs who have spent 65 minutes chasing Theo Walcott, he is near enough unplayable. I think he won every single aerial challenge when he came on.

So 3 points in the bag. 2nd in the League. 2 points off top. 9 games gone. It is too early to start dreaming the impossible dream, however, it is now the time we need to look at ourselves as genuine title contenders. We are in the race guys.

It is currently looking like a 3 horse race; with Chelsea’s poor form meaning that they are already a long way behind. Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United. 2 points separate them all, and looking at the games between now and the end of November, Arsenal have a chance of going into the winter top of the table:

Man City Arsenal Man Utd
Man Utd (a) Everton (h) Man City (h)
Norwich (h) Swansea (a) Crystal Palace (a)
Aston Villa (a) Spurs (h) WBA (h)
Liverpool (h) WBA (a) Watford (a)
Soton (h) Norwich (a) Leicester (a)

 

With Manchester City & Manchester United playing each other next Sunday, Arsenal have a chance at home against Everton on the Saturday to top the league, for 24 hours at least. And that will be a brilliant achievement after the disappointment of the transfer window and opening day defeat to West Ham.

I still struggle to see beyond Manchester City however. After back to back defeats bought them back towards the pack, to go out and score 11 goals in 2 games sends out a message. And when you consider they destroyed Bournemouth 5-1 without Sergio Aguero, David Silva or Vincent Kompany. It shows how strong their squad is. When their replacements (Bony, Otemaendi, De Bruyne) cost over £100m, and their entire starting 11 still costing nearly £250m, it should not be a surprise that they thrash newly promoted Bournemouth.

I guess it shows you get what you pay for, ad Wenger should take note of that.

Imagine Arsenal playing without Sanchez, Ozil & Koscielny. Add in a right back playing t left back. We would struggle. We certainly would not score 5!

Arsenal are contenders, and for that we should be happy, but we are further away from City then the 2 points in the league would suggest.

Keenos