this post was submitted on 16 Apr 2025
11 points (100.0% liked)
Gunners
1560 readers
15 users here now
Victoria Concordia Crescit
We are a community for supporters of the North London-based football club Arsenal F.C.
Sister Community: https://lemmy.world/c/arsenalwfc
Join our FPL with League Code: tt2t8e
If old posts remain pinned on other instances, comment on the Daily Discussion with a screenshot!
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Arsenal typically plays in a 4-3-3 that becomes a 4-4-2 in defence. It's almost always Odegaard that goes up top with the striker when they switch to that 4-4-2.
Because of that, I don't know if it would work very well to have what you're describing, basically a 4-4-2 in attack, that becomes a different 4-4-2 in defence.
Also, right now the midfield 3 is basically a #6, a left #8 who gets forward sometimes, but becomes part of a midfield defence when the ball is turned over (typically Rice) and a #8/#10 whose defensive contribution is mostly pressing opposing CBs and GKs (Odegaard). If you replace Partey with a player who sometimes plays as a striker, you might get caught out with nobody screening the back line. If you made Merino the left #8 and Rice the #6, it's less risky, but then you lose out on Rice's forward runs.
No. Was still talking 4-3-3 just with Trossard dropping deep sometimes and Merino stepping up to fill that space.
So, Merino playing Odegaard's position, half #8, half #10?
Nah, more like how Havertz played as the left 8. Often pushing forward into the centre forward position, particularly for the long ball, with the “striker” (Trossard/Jesus) dropping in. I mean, who knows what Mikel has up his sleeve. I just see this as being less disruptive to the relationships that already exist than moving someone other than Rice into the 6.