Change formation, change our fortunes

As I wrote a month or so ago, I think Arsene Wenger needs to start being more flexible and imaginative with our personnel and our formations. Other top managers in the Premier League change their tactics and team set up from game to game and from opposition to opposition.

There is some evidence that ‘Le Boss’ is beginning to consider his options more.

He began the Shrewsbury Town Carling Cup match with a more traditional 4-4-2 system and reverted to this in matches when introducing Marouane Chamakh. Increasingly, I am feeling that RVP is being isolated, and neither Theo nor Gervinho seem to be comfortable in their current form and position on the wing. However, this is odd, as Gervinho excelled in the same formation for Lille and Theo did similarly for us in the early part of last season.

But with the form of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the run of games we have coming up, now has to be the time to accommodate his talent and his form. Right now I consider the best way to do this would be to revert back to the conventional four man midfield diamond and to push Gervinho or Walcott closer to RVP in a more central role. This would take us back to the 2004 formation with RVP pulling the strings in the Bergkamp role, with one of the two flyers attempting to step into TH14’s shoes. I really don’t mind which of Walcott or Gervinho get the nod here, as I think both have the attributes for the job. Walcott has pure pace and Gervinho I would suggest more guile in the timing and bending of his runs.

With those available, I would therefore like to see Alex Song sitting in the Gilberto role and Mikel Arteta slotting into Vieira’s advanced role in the central two. This leaves AOC on the right of midfield, where Freddie enjoyed so much success and I genuinely feel that the Ox will be a player to give us the double figure return of both goals and assists as the great Swede did. The tough one is, who to put on the left, as we certainly on the face of it do not have a budding Pires in our ranks, or do we?

So here is my flyer. I would like to see a left side with genuine pace and with proper left footers so I would love to see Gibbs at left-back with Andre Santos playing the left midfield role. From what I have seen, Santos has the Brazilian flair, but sadly I think he also has Brazilian defensive qualities – that is not many! Indeed Andre was only converted into an attacking full-back or wing back by Corinthians in 2008 at the age of 25 and before that he has spent his whole youth and early professional career as a left winger, with an excellent goals scoring record. In his last season at Corinthians, he scored 13 goals in just 17 starts. I see this as an exciting left flank in an attacking sense when we have the ball, but at the same time I see Santos more effective in working back to support Gibbs when we do not have possession.

The final decision is an easy one for me and that is to play Francis Coquelin at right-back ahead of Carl Jenkinson. The young Frenchman has played there before for Arsenal and whilst he undoubtedly has a very bright future as a holding midfielder, I just see him having more maturity and calmness standing in for Sagna than young Jenko.

So injuries permitting post international break, here is my team and formation to change our fortunes for the Sunderland match.

Szczesney

Coquelin     Mertesacker     Koscielney     Gibbs

AOC     Song     Arteta     Santos

RVP      Walcott/Gervinho

Who does not think that this team and line-up will spank the woeful Black Cats and get the confidence flooding back?

Give us your thoughts, would love to hear them

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