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Consistency Is The Next Key For Arsenal
At the beginning of the 2015-2016 season, even though Arsenal were winning they were not doing it convincingly. Their 1-0 win over 10-man Newcastle in mid-September was a perfect example of the kind of game Arsenal were playing at the time. Possession football without attacking drive, and thus wasteful play for the vast majority of each game. A fifth win from their last six games and fifteen goals in those wins would indicate that a lot has changed.
The slightly outdated system of possession football that clearly needed some tweaks has now turned into a well-oiled offensive machine. Players like Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud looked out of sync with the rest of their team at the beginning of the campaign. They are now two of the Premier League’s most in-form players.
Not only the attack is responsible for this drastic upturn in form, however. The Gunners’ three main center backs have begun to all click with one another, and they have only conceded one goal in their last four games. That one goal might not have even gone in if it were not for an unlucky deflection off Gabriel Paulista’s leg that left Petr Cech stranded against Everton. One thing is for sure: the Gunners’ cannons are firing on all cylinders at the moment.
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While this string of positive results has generated much talk about Arsenal’s title chances, this kind of thing has happened before. Arsenal will win three or four games on the bounce by a convincing margin. Then they lose an easy match against lesser opposition to halt their run. That situation presents itself right now. The next two matches are against Championship side Sheffield Wednesday and off-form Swansea City. These are games that Arsenal should be winning. However, to Arsene Wenger it sometimes seems as if must-win and should-win games warrant different levels of “commitment”.
Wenger has often chosen to significantly alter his team selection for cup games, especially ones against weaker opposition. Just two days rest between the Everton match and the upcoming game against Sheffield Wednesday might mean that the star players need rest in this game. However, one thing about the team selection is even more key than who plays: the system cannot be altered.
There are some managers like Leicester’s Claudio Ranieri who are very good at repeatedly tinkering with team selection and not compromising their system. Arsene Wenger is not a huge fan of altering the system itself – but too much possession retention is something the French tactician is guilty of against weak opposition.
There have been smash-and-grab wins against bigger teams in recent fixtures that sent a message to the rest of Europe that Arsenal could play a different style of football. However, the game last weekend against Watford proved that the Gunners could – even though it took them 55 minutes – put away weaker defenses with their possession-based style.
Arsenal have done something new with their attacking game plan and opted to attack through the middle rather than being forced out to the flanks. Due to Theo Walcott’s emergence as a talented frontman, they have been able to use options other than crossing and lofted through balls. They have been playing the majority of their passes on the ground and not settling for poor chance creation.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Even if players who have not been in the first team are given starts against Wednesday and Swansea, the system should not be altered to fit their specific playing style. Form is key for a charismatic team like Arsenal. They must make sure to not get cute with a lower-league side.
Next: Should Thierry Henry or Patrick Vieira succeed Arsene Wenger?