Arsenal have had territorial domination for most of their last three games, but the lack of goals has become a big problem and the main reason why we’ve taken just 2 points from the last 9.
It’s an issue that Arsene Wenger acknowledges, and he believes his team need to speed things up to make things click better in the final third.
There’s been a lot of pedestrian sideways passing, and the Arsenal manager wants his players to inject a bit more pace in their game.
“Maybe we have to speed up our passing and have more penetrating runs in the final third to create more chances,” he said. “Maybe we need support for our central strikers in the box as well.
“We want to continue what we do well and improve the finishing, be a bit sharper in our finishing. When you speak about the problem, it has to look natural to finish.
“At the moment, maybe we are in a position where we want to force the situation a little bit too much.”
The Frenchman has to choose between Olivier Giroud and Alexandre Lacazette for tomorrow’s game against Newcastle.
Having suffered a scare with his groin recently, there was an element of protection in the manager’s team selection for the midweek game against West Ham, but given his goalscoring record at the Emirates it would be a surprise if the record signing against Rafa Benitez’s side.
Laca must start, we need his pace and calmness. Should Giroud start too?
that’s a nice observation but it’s been happening for too many years
the slow, predictable build up
Teams park the bus against city as well. The difference is they pass and move with so much more confidence and menace.
I think this is overlooked, the move part. We are currently quite happy to pass and pass, but we can be devastating when we combine the passing with off the ball movement. Whenever you don’t have the ball, immediately think how to provide yourself as an option to the man on the ball or make little sprints and movement to give him options or move the marking shape around. City do this very well and consistently, so they top the league. Our players usually pass to Alexis so he can do *something* or to Ozil and hope he can cook… Read more »
100%. It’s painful to say but City are a joy to watch. We on the other hand really are Boring Boring Arsenal a lot of the time at the minute.
I agree, it really would be a surprise if.
I think we should be trying to stretch the play….longer balls aren’t a crime.
Everything is always so compact, as we’re ‘allowed’ to play up to the last third all the time.
Teams can catch us on the break easily.
A long ball to Lacazette, using his pace, would be a good way to mix up our very predictable ‘tactics’!
Blah blah blah…….of course he couldn’t have said this before the last two games against lower order fodder….
We have had our wing backs in 20 yards of space on at least 10 occasions in each game this season. But we keep turning back into the middle to thread a needle. Get around the packed defences by using the wings. Even Bellerin is starting to go in instead of outside & using his pace.
I don’t understand why Arsenal don’t cross more often during theese games when Giroud is up top. He certainly wins a lot of areal duels. We should definitely try out the 4-4-2 formation as well, with Giroud and Lacazette.
That’s only part of the problem. Our defence is a major problem, with no cover for centre backs and players playing out of position. It was continual panic stations against West ham at the back. It’s all down to Wenger’s refusal to add to the squad in the summer. We also needed another midfield player. Wenger must go asap.
I’m not sure I agree with the argument that Giroud makes us more predictable or that Lacazette adds pace to our attack. The latter will add pace on the break but if we are up against two banks of 5, I don’t see any difference. In fact the former adds a bit more bullying presence and a more direct option with his head. We had Lacazette up front before and have cone up empty. He isn’t able to assert as much presence as Giroud. We have also had Giroud cone on for an entire half in lieu of Lacazette and… Read more »
You don’t agree with an argument that no-one on the previous comments has made?
Sanchez elneny jack oz il’
Giroud Alex
Or rest Alex l. for Liverpool match
If Wenger wants to speed up the play start Welbeck and Laca and let Sancherz watch from the bench (nothing slows the match down like his holding onto the ball so long so he can do his one move of cutting right with the outside of his right foot). Certainly don’t start Giroud and bring him on late. We also need to be willing to bring the ball back to midfield to draw out the defense some and create more space, too often we are content to let them pack 10 behind the ball around the 18 and have not… Read more »
Yes, we need to attack by going down the flans and then pulling the ball back for the strikers. We play too many balls across their back line. The other tactic I have seen is for someone to lift the ball over the defense. Anything is better than the predictable way we attack!
next week it will be something else, wenger don’t know what he wants
We lack intensity. Too often watching Arsenal play reminds me of people taking a stroll in the park.