We play anti-Arsenal

[Martinhotspur]

We just need to stop playing Pony football.

 

[Syn_13]

We've kind of gone from a quick-paced, aggressive counter-attacking team that hits teams on the break to a mock version of a slow, methodical, possession team that tries to build up play and work openings. I don't mind being that kind of team but it is so bloody hard to do so and be effective. Also, I'm not sure if it can work in the Premier League as you're not afforded that much space and time. You've got to move the ball quick here and play with real urgency.

 

[InBlackAndWhite]

If he matched Giroud's one goal in 3 games average from last season whilst costing twice as much? Yes, I would say that is a shit contribution.

17 goals in your first season here is decent imo. Roberto would take your hand off for that tally right now, trust me.

 

[BorisTM]

We've kind of gone from a quick-paced, aggressive counter-attacking team that hits teams on the break to a mock version of a slow, methodical, possession team that tries to build up play and work openings. I don't mind being that kind of team but it is so bloody hard to do so and be effective. Also, I'm not sure if it can work in the Premier League as you're not afforded that much space and time. You've got to move the ball quick here and play with real urgency.

Yes, soaking up the pressure then as soon as we win possession we would move the ball across the entire pitch with few glorious passes while our front men would just "bombing forward", "here come the white shirts", as the pundits used to describe it, or "the lily-white tsunami" (that's me) and our opponent's defense would just go in a disarray, utter panic - it always gave me goosebumps. That's how we humiliated Arsenal 5:1 in that Carling cup semifinal, the Tottenham way.

I don't mind utilizing patient builds, there are many teams that would rather park the buss than try to play us in our own half, and that is what we need to use when we play them, also even some of the better teams and especially when it is in a knockout stage in a cup, they might sit back after scoring first. But to play the same way every game? Not only it is not the tottenahm way it makes it predictable, team will learn how to counter it eventually even if it is efficient at first and we are going to start getting the west ham, newcastle, man city results - at least 3 of the goals that Man City scored were the result of using the high-line against us.

 

[Syn_13]

Yes, soaking up the pressure then as soon as we win possession we would move the ball across the entire pitch with few glorious passes while our front men would just "bombing forward", "here come the white shirts", as the pundits used to describe it, or "the lily-white tsunami" (that's me) and our opponent's defense would just go in a disarray, utter panic - it always gave me goosebumps. That's how we humiliated Arsenal 5:1 in that Carling cup semifinal, the Tottenham way.

I don't mind utilizing patient builds, there are many teams that would rather park the buss than try to play us in our own half, and that is what we need to use when we play them, also even some of the better teams and especially when it is in a knockout stage in a cup, they might sit back after scoring first. But to play the same way every game? Not only it is not the tottenahm way it makes it predictable, team will learn how to counter it eventually even if it is efficient at first and we are going to start getting the west ham, newcastle, man city results - at least 3 of the goals that Man City scored were the result of using the high-line against us.

The high line has been a bit of a strange one. At times we've used it really well, and having a keeper like Lloris makes it work, but then at other times we're just too susceptible to a counter-attack, especially when you have slow lumbering defenders like Dawson (as much as I like him he can't work in a high line).

I agree about our predictability. That is why, as much as I loathe to admit it, Allardyce got his tactics spot on when he just stuck a wall of men in front of us and countered with the pace of Ravel and Vaz Te. The patient builds are all well and good but our movement up top is not good enough and there's nobody with the vision to provide that ball in the centre even if the movement is there. AVB wants to play a European style that requires cultured, quick-thinking footballers. We are starting to amass those players (I believe Lamela and Eriksen will come good and fit this) but the team as a whole isn't clicking into this.

I do wonder whether we're playing too high up the field. We're playing a passing game right in front of the opposition in their half of the pitch. All they need to do is keep compact and close use down when we try to move the ball forward. Perhaps if we were to play a little deeper and invite the opposition onto us it would create more space further forward to get in between. Unforunately, as seen against Newcastle, we fall apart when trying to play the ball in our own half and put ourselves under all sorts of pressure. We'd need creative players in the central midfield position to make this work, like when we had Modric. This is why I think losing out on signing Moutinho killed AVB's strategic plan for us. Instead we have bulldozers in the centre of the pitch and try to make the guys in front of them the playmakers, but in this league it's bloody hard to pull off and I don't think they've got the intelligence for it, bar Eriksen and Lamela who are still quite undeveloped as footballers.

I think we may need to take out 1 of our 2 holding mids and just leave someone like Sandro, who can be the protective shield, and in the place of the other have a playmaker. Not convinced with Holtby right now and not sure if Eriksen can drop into a deeper role. Perhaps it'll be a target for the January window. Sacrifice some of our "steel" for a bit of guile.

 

[Kingstheman]

We play anti-Arsenal? Does this mean if we lose to them, we really win?

 

[topper]

We play anti-Arsenal? Does this mean if we lose to them, we really win?

It doesn't anti matter

 

[ItsBoris]

Come off it, Arsenal have been wank for years. Now we laud them for not shooting until 12 yards out, but for the past 8 years they have been lambasted for exactly that. The famous Arsenal of knocking it around your 18 yard box and never shooting. They go out and spend £43 million on a world class attacking midfielder who sorts out all of their problems, and now they are the tactical geniuses of the league.

The only way we are 'anti-arsenal' is the fact that we are playing shit, and they are playing well.

Ozil is the secret to their success, not the way they play. They've played exactly the same way for the past 8 years and have won fuck all. But of course it's all just a coincidence that the upturn in their fortunes coincided with signing one of the best players in the world....

Oh and by the way, Giroud was shit last year.

Do you watch them ever? Ozil hasn't been close to their best player, he is clearly still adjusting to their team. Wilshere and Ramsey were both far more impressive today against Marseille. Ozil will quite likely be their best player in the long run but to claim that he solved all their problems is incorrect, their current form is an extension of their form in the run in last season.

 

[ItsBoris]

our squad is more suitable to playing a real madrid brand of football but avb seems intent on getting them to play like barca. what's the point in having 65% possession when the players you have aren't capable of doing any damage with it?

It's completely lacking the movement and tempo of Barcelona though. If he's really trying to get us playing like Barca then he's totally clueless. I don't think that is the plan though, there are just some similarities.