It is not usual for me to even take a second of my time to watch an international friendly, let alone 90 minutes.
However, yesterday I decided to be an acting football scout and do a reconnaissance about our South Korean striker Park Chu-Young as I haven’t seen much of his performances since the Carling Cup game against Shrewsbury.
Guess what! It turned out that I didn’t waste my time as the 26-year-old bagged 2 goals against Poland and a hat-trick in his previous international.
I believe our second choice goalkeeper, Lukasz Fabianski, was between the sticks for Poland last night and will/should most definitely have a word with Arsene Wenger about his new team-mate when they report back from international duty.
Having said that, I do think that our now-famous 4-2-3-1, or 4-3-3 formation, doesn’t really favour our strikers – most of them will remain largely unused and hence be unable to make an impact when called upon, if Robin van Persie ever picks up an injury.
I just wonder, who would really suffer if we reverted back to a 4-4-2 formation in the near future?
I do believe the chipping king – Carlos Vela – wouldn’t have been loaned out, the master of headers – Marouane Chamakh – wouldn’t be out of form, while the tricky forward – Park Chu-Young – would already be getting used to the Premier League.
Let’s just hope that Wenger will do something about this after the International break ends.
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442 may indeed suit our strikers more but wouldnt suit our wingers like Arshavin, Gervinho, Walcott – I can’t imagine them tracking back the way Ljungberg, Parlour or even Pires did when we were 442 in the past.
Plus in the old days we had more tough holding style midfielders in the middle like Vieria, Petit, Gilberto etc and always played 2 like this. No with the likes of Wilshire (even though he can tackle) Ramsey and Arteta we cant really play 442 with them in the middle.
The whole change from 442 came when Fabregas got into the team (funnily enough about the same time we stopped winning things.) I’d love to see us go back to 442 but at the moment we just don’t have the personel
Players don’t arrive as stars, but become stars at Arsenal, time and time again. wenger doesn’t mis-use talent you plum, he creates stars.
Of course we have had stars arrive ! Arshavin, Reyes, Wiltord. All of them played out of position … all of them went downhill. Vela, Bendtner, Eboue, Denilson (under 19) all of them played out of their national team position … none emerged as big talent at Arsenal. Chamakh played well and scored often in his 1st half season … NOTHING since.
Which young star defenders have emerged at Arsenal since Ashley Cole … ? NONE – unless you want to count Djourou ?? or Senderos ?? Or the unproven Gibbs ?
I am not sure you watch the same team.
mikel, and koz and Chezzer brilliant. And Gibbs.
Who I wouldn’t change for anyone in the WORLD…
Chezzer
Verminator
Sagna
Song
Wilshire
The OX
Ramsey
Gervinho
Van the Man
ALL top players wiv plenty youth
The guy was not scoring that way for S Korea before he arrived at the Emirates!
The guy was the captain of S.Korea before came to the Emirates.
I like this post because talent is and has been misused for a long time now. It keeps the squad size down if players can be used in other positions which also keeps down the wage bill.
It doesn’t however get us results. Bendtner would have bagged more goals if used more and upfront instead of wide. Denilson would have been an Arsenal favourite if used as an attack midfielder. Song would have been better in Central defense the whole time he’s been a DM, by now he would be better than Vermaelen. Arshavin would best be deployed as a second striker and so would Chamakh. Rosicky, Denilson and Diaby would be like a 3rd striker if played forward and centrally. These guys shine in there proper roles but Wenger wants everyone having a second role, and many get stuck in the second role which they’re never fully comfortable with.
Despite the wages, I also think it’s this expectation for players to adapt to unnatural positions which puts players off from joining Arsenal. Why bother, right? Especially when they’re noticed and shining in their natural role. Why bother when you can play in the role you’re comfortable with for more money elsewhere.
Players who can’t get in the team any other way because of better players in the pecking order are the ones who ‘adapt’ to new positions.
It’s insulting and frustrating for top players. Wenger got lucky with Emmanuel Petit, he got lucky with Thierry Henry, he got lucky with Song … what other success has there been?
Out of position fails = Rosicky, Arshavin, Denilson, Bendtner, Vela, Diaby, Nasri, Ramsey, Van Persie (should be deeper as a second striker).
Arteta and Wilshere are suited to the Cesc role, Ramsey is struggling way back there.
Very well said. One of the best replies I have read. Wenger has made far more failed positional conversions than successful ones. I think we should give Wenger Henry and Petit but I cannot think of any others at all … including Walcott (!)
Meanwhile some players he has ruined (eg. Arshavin) Others have never emerged as they might have done.
Big up Arsenal1.
Afternoon all,
Great post. I love being an Arsenal Fan and I love Arsene but this post has a valid point, his misuse of a players resources outweigh his good conversions.
Arshavin is getting stick and being on the left is not his real position. He even prefers to cut inside and shoot. Move him into the middle now and again, give Ramsey a break as I feel were putting too much pressure on him (Ramsey).
RVP seems so isolated lately (and hes still scoring-what does that say about our star man; unstoppable) as he gets no service from the wings. This is why he was pissed off about the AOC substitution, when he does start getting service the player in question is subbed.
Ramsey finds himself in great positions but cant apply the finish, I believe if we could get Arshavin into those positions we would see more goals.
Theo? How has he game improved over 6 years, he scores a goal here and there, but wasn’t he doing that at the start of his Arsenal Career? Yes he was, and just like now hes doing it inconsistently. Wouldn’t mind if his crossing improved, but his crosses are either in row Z or dont beat the first man.
When I read this post and see how many of our players have been played out of position over the years I now start to realise why were having so many issues, injuries aside. Doesnt it make more sense to play a player in respect of his strengths? If there are injuries, fine, but that’s the only reason to play someone out of position, unless they have the traits and specifically ask to play there?