Sanchez, Welbeck And Theo

Welcome to the Gunnersoresrse blog. Being blogged 918.74 kilometers (in a straight line) from the Emirates Stadium.

Instead of attempting to write a match preview for the game at Stamford Bridge I’ve decided to look at the exciting prospect of Theos return. The Chelsea game is beyond my capabilities because I think last years result would make me too negative about this afternoons game.

Special Weapons and Tactics………. our new forward line. I’m looking slightly into the future at the moment, when Theo will hopefully be back in the team after the International break. Whether he gets straight back into the team is another question but if he does we have a pacy formidable forward line. When it is deemed that he is fit to play it may take some time for him to get fully match fit but the possibility of him playing up front alongside Welbeck and Sanchez is mouth-watering.

The Ox has been playing well and as a bonus, has started to form a good understanding with Chambers on the right wing. If the relationship between the two gets better then both Theo and Debuchy could have problems getting back into the starting XI. However, many are excitedly anticipating the return of Walcott. The extra pace he’ll bring and the goal scoring potential which was starting to improve before his injury is something to look forward to. He was scheduled to return for the game against the Spuds but this has been delayed so I’m not predicting any return date but would hope it will be just after the International break.

So last season Liverpool had SAS and this season we will soon have  S.W.A.T. Just imagine that forward line, Sanchez on the left, Welbeck in the middle and Theo on the right, with Ozil orchestrating things just behind in central midfield. If you don’t start dribbling down your chin at that prospect then you have a serious problem. What we have already seen from Danny boy and Alexis over the last few games is what Wenger described as, “electric”. Add into that mix Ozils contributions and the possibilities are mind-blowing. I don’t think there will be many teams in the Premier League who will be able to contain such pace.

Welbecks trio against Galatasaray will clearly have given his confidence a boost and his recent comments would confirm such an assumption. I know people have been saying that it was against a very poor side but that is denying the fine performance by Danny and how well he took his goals. There is better to come and when Theo rejoins the ranks it will only improve the potential. With Gibbs and Chambers working well along the wings our attacking options are going to be awesome, something we clearly lacked last season. Counter attacking football has not been one of Wengers favourite tactics but I wouldn’t be surprised to see this used more often now that we have the pace up front and two skilled wingbacks adding to the potential. Ozil seems to be enjoying the speed potential of Sanchez and Welbeck as well, so with Theo on the other wing his options for play making and opening up defences will start to come to fruition.

I don’t know about you but I’m really excited about the next few months, todays game is the only fly in the ointment as far as I can see. If we can nick a draw I will be over the moon, if we come away having lost 1-0 I won’t be overly disappointed. But the most important thing is we come away from the game with respect, pride and heads held high. I don’t want to see Maureens smug and gloating face in the post match interviews.

I’m not even sure I will be able to bring myself to watch the match but I probably will…… just in case we have a blinder and win the game. At least I’ll be in a bar where if it all goes tits up I can drown my sorrows quickly.  After today’s match we have a fairly good run of games until Liverpool away in mid December. So bring it on and call S.W.A.T.

Right, time for a glass of wine and some spicy chorizo…… hope you enjoyed your visit. Until the next time. Enjoy the match wherever you are watching it in the world. COYG’s

à bientôt

GunnersoreArse, trying to look on the bright side of being a Gooner. Every Sunday at 9am GMT. Tune in for your weekend dose of sore arse.

Oh Danny Boy…… the pipes, the pipes are calling!

Welcome to the GunnersoreArse blog. Being blogged 918.74 kilometers (in a straight line) from the Emirates Stadium.

Being realistic, the possibility of buying a Falcao or Cavani was always going to be out of the question. But we all fantasised, didn’t we, come on, admit it? But there was no way Wenger would have paid the wages being demanded. He probably pulled out from trying to get Remy as well once Chelsea became involved and offered a wage which pushed the Arsenal out of the deal. Our wage structure is always going to preclude top players coming from teams such as Monaco, PSG and the like and being unable to compete with the wages offered by Man Utd, Chelsea and City. But Welbeck is a wise buy at £16m and United may well come to regret the sale. Whether Danny was a panic buy is open to question, on the basis that Giroud was injured late in the TW then perhaps he was, but who really cares! The interesting question with acquiring him, is will he displace Sanogo? I think he will, Danny boy has Premier League experience and goal scoring credentials. What I would like to see now is Campbell being played alongside Welbeck and with Theo just a few weeks away from returning we have a very exciting prospect of pacy football. Danny isn’t a Giroud, he has more pace and will be trying to get behind defences and waiting for through balls from Ozil and Ramsey and not necessarily laying the ball off to midfielders.

Will he be played in our next game against City, I don’t see why not. He has PL experience and he will probably slip quite easily into our way of playing. He’s a natural CF, unlike Sanchez. I imagine him adapting to our style similar to the way Chambers has seamlessly slipped into the team. An exciting prospect will be to see him up front with Campbell, when and if Wenger finally gives Joel a chance.

4-1-3-2 A truly pacy forward line with two CF’s.

 

Below is a possibility and could be the most exciting and attacking formation possible. Sanchez  and Walcott on the wings and Wilshere, Ozil and Ramsey in midfield supplying the  through balls. 4-3-3 isn’t a formation often played by Wenger but with Welbeck it could  be a viable option and can easily be changed to a 4-1-4-1 if needed by substituting Jack or Rambo for Arteta, Flamini or Chambers to drop into the DM role. Ozil being played on the wing recently hasn’t worked, putting him in the centre just behind the forwards would use his potential to the full.

4-3-3 When it’s really necessary to attack opponents

When defence is the priority, a 4-2-3-1 would be a viable option, with either Arteta and Chambers or Wilshere and Flamini just in front of the defence. The problem I see with using Chambers in this role is that he is the back up CB for Mert and Kos, so Wenger may be prudent and keep him on the bench, just in case.

 4-2-3-1 When defence is the priority

What’s interesting in these team selections is the ages of the players:

Szcezney: 24 Gibbs: 24 Chambers: 19 Wilshere: 22 Oxlade: 21 Ramsey: 23 Welbeck: 23 Ozil: 25 Walcott: 25 Sanchez: 25 Campbell: 22 Sanogo: 21 Koscielny: 28 Debuchy:29 Mertesacker: 29  Giroud: 27. A fairly young team being built for the future. With some older and wiser heads in Arteta, Flamini, Cazorla and Podolski.

As can be seen from these formations, our options are extremely flexible. Our only weakness at the moment is lack of cover at centre-back, but even then, we have Chambers and Hayden plus Flamini at a push. Hasn’t it also been suggested that Welbeck can play in defence? So flexibility is the name of the game in the current Arsenal team. But I’m not Arsène Wenger, I’m only playing at being a football manager. But since Welbeck has arrived I’ve seen most bloggers playing the same game. Wenger, as always will do what Wenger does, we’ll have to wait and see.

This is what our new Danny boy said about coming to the Emirates:

“I believe that with the manager’s style of play and with the magnificent players in midfield slotting balls through, I can run on to the end of those balls and put them away,” 

“I’d like to bring pace and power to the game. At Arsenal, we’re not short of combination football and I like to join in on that and get in behind defenders and try to get shots on goal.

It’s clear that he has been played out of his preferred position at Manchester United, Wenger will play him centrally up front, hopefully with Theo, Ox or Sanchez on the wings and furthermore, with Ramsey and Ozil just behind him we have an exciting prospect to look forward to, hopefully starting against City next weekend. It seems a bit strange to be bigging up Welbeck on the back of the injury to Giroud, but that’s football. If Welbeck hopefully does well then when Ollie comes back he will have some genuine competition for his place, which won’t be a bad thing.

Right, time for a glass of wine and some spicy chorizo…. hope you enjoyed your visit. Until the next time.

à bientôt

GunnersoreArse,  where tactics and team formations are played with like a new sex toy, you’re not sure how to do it but have fun in finding out. A Sunday supplement to get the juices flowing. Every Sunday morning at 9am GMT.