...sounds like an odd-yet brilliant Stephen King novel, I'll send it off as a working title...
Soooo, Barnet v Arsenal, the first pre-season friendly.I cant wait to have a looky on Arsenal.com later and watch the game.
The squad list can be seen here
Its a great opportunity for us to see the new signings stretch their legs for the first time and see if Arsene has any tactical surprises for the new season. Needless to say, much fun to be had prior to the game in the pub round the corner, us gooners usually mob it.
I am particularly looking forward to Chamakh...when I watched him last season for Bordeaux I thought he carried himself with an aura of confidence (that he backed up immediately by performing well) and he troubled every defence he played against. I like him a lot. He performed admirably up front in the champions league so I can't wait to see him pull on the shirt.
The formation will need looking at I think...I just cant see 4-2-3-1 this season...I think 4-4-2 will be back, something like this:
Keeper (hopefully someone new)
Sagna - Vermaelen/New CB - Djourou/Kosciely - Clichy
Arshavin/Rosicky - Fabregas/Ramsey - Song/Denilson - Nasri/Diaby
Bendtner/Chamakh - Van Persie/Eduardo/Walcott
Personally, I like the 4-4-2, its the most successful Arsenal formation under Wenger and I think he'll want it back. Its our identity and the way we play works very well with it. I just wonder whether its had its day in the Premiership. With many teams playing 4-2-3-1, we'd see our midfield outnumbered, space would be difficult and we would have to rely on the speed of our game and the triangles and combinations that we work so hard on in training.
Which brings us to the next problem, noone in the league fears us anymore, everyone wants to get in our faces and stop us from playing...so how will we be able to impose ourselves using 4-4-2?
Tactically, this season will be the making or the breaking of the Wenger regime. Its not just about personnel, its about fight, its about doing the dirty stuff whilst retaining our identity and our brand of football. Everyone wants to play like Arsenal, but noone does because to put so much faith in playing football against those that would rather turn it into a war can be foolish.
So is Wenger foolish? I don't think so. He's intelligent enough to know what needs to be done.
As always I put my faith in him, because without him I'm sure we'd be lost. It would take years to rebuild under another manager. There aren't many great managers out there, we've already got one of the best.
So, together gentlemen, once more unto the breach.
WG
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