Hemed out - whats your formation for Arsenal?

[Gabbafella]

Personally I would replace Hemed with Jose and have a pacey, fluid front three that easily becomes a midfield 6 when defending but able to break quickly as they are all fast. I've wanted us to try this for a bit and actually think this is the ideal game to try it. It's a bonus game we're not expecting to get anything from where we will need to play on the counter and I think Arsenal's defence will struggle more with quick attackers.

Fully expect Brown to start instead of Hemed and to keep the formation the same though.

This, all day long.
I've wanted this for a while.
Soak up the pressure and hit them on the counter, it's a no-brainer to me with that much pace in the line up.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I was hoping that with their Europa League game tonight, we might see some rested on Sunday. However he seems to think we're a greater threat than the mighty BATE Borisov. Who knew?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41417665

Arsenal are set to name a weakened team for their Europa League tie against BATE Borisov on Thursday.

Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez are among the players unlikely to play in Belarus.

Summer signings Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac are also not expected to feature.

Danny Welbeck will miss out through injury as Arsenal look to build on the 3-1 victory from their European opener against Cologne.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he would field several young players, with midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles and forward Reiss Nelson expected to be among them.

First-team regulars Jack Wilshere, Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott could also return to the starting XI.

'A good test for the young players'

"I said on Monday that I would play an experienced team with a young bench - that's what I'll do," Wenger said.

"We have a tight schedule. It's an important game, only one or two young players will start.

"It's a good test for the young players. They will have to cope with that intimidating atmosphere. It will be very loud.

"Maitland-Niles' best position is central defensive midfielder," the Frenchman continued.

"He has great quality, he can steal the ball without making fouls. I believe he is ready to play. He has a great future."

Club captain Per Mertesacker added: "We see a lot of young players training with us. The have a good future here. To get an opportunity to play is big for a young group.

"It's a really good test to see who is willing to learn."

 

[pishhead]

It will be a like for like change. The team will work on shape and each player will have a role and responsibility within that shape. Brown is the natural change but he hasn't had any minutes since the City game so I can see Izquierdo starting even though it isn't his primary position. His pace will invariably force the Arsenal defence back and will stop us from being forced back deeper to defend.

 

[Machiavelli]

The problem with options 2 and 3 is that, to the best of my knowledge, Gross has never played as a forward and, in doing so, we'll lose too many of the qualities has shown to us already. Brown at least has played up there before, is strong for his age, and quite quick, so that's the likeliest option. I'd still like to see Izquierdo given a run-out, and he'll be a great option if we've managed to hold out for 60+ minutes, as they'll be going for it, leaving space behind their defence for his pace to exploit, latching on to passes from one of Dunk, Gross, Stephens or Propper.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

The problem with options 2 and 3 is that, to the best of my knowledge, Gross has never played as a forward and, in doing so, we'll lose too many of the qualities has shown to us already. Brown at least has played up there before, is strong for his age, and quite quick, so that's the likeliest option. I'd still like to see Izquierdo given a run-out, and he'll be a great option if we've managed to hold out for 60+ minutes, as they'll be going for it, leaving space behind their defence for his pace to exploit, latching on to passes from one of Dunk, Gross, Stephens or Propper.

This is what we've been led to believe, but its hard to deny that Gross has been playing as a forward for us so far this season. Can he play centre midfield either, and if not what do we do with him? - other than leaving him where he is with Brown in front. Thats what we'll do, I 'm pretty sure, but does seem to limit our options formation-wise.

 

[Biscuit]

With Hemed out we'll have no option but to resort to our tried and tested 1-2-3-1-3 formation.

Dunk
Stephens Propper
March Suttner Knockart
Gross
Murphy Murray* Izquierdo

*Maybe Hünemeier if Murray has a knock.

Anything other than this would be madness from Chris.

 

[DavePage]

Adopt the Trump formation, build a perfect wall in front of the goal
2nd time lucky

 

[kevo]

I've a horrible sinking feeling that CH will start with Murphy as the striker. Just NO.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

One thing this thread does say to me - whats the point of Jiri Skalak? Every other player in the squad is mentioned as a possibility somewhere, even jokingly, but not this fellow. If he can't even get into [MENTION=307]Biscuit[/MENTION] 's 1-2-3-1-3 formation, I feel for the lad

 

[Silverhatch]

We tried to keep Man City out all game and were doing well until Stephens' lapse. It'll be equally difficult to keep Arsenal out for a whole game especially at their place and especially if they go with Sanchez, Ozil and Lacazette. West Brom really pressed them first half and Rodriguez was all over Mustafi and Kosceilny and could have had a hat-trick. Same formation but get the quicker (than Tomer) Brown to really get in their faces way up the pitch. Solly and Knocky need to have worldies too. Not a lot to ask.

 

[studio150]

4-1-4-1-0

Keep Gross at number 10 spot, and bring Uwe in to play as sweeper in front of the back 4, with no striker

 

[Bob'n'weave]

A 4-3-3 with Gross slightly ahead of Stephens and Propper with the front 3 interchanging when we're attacking (we will have at least one attack right?)

Ryan
Bruno - Duffy - Dunk - Suttner
---- Stephens ------ Propper
-------------- Gross
Knockeart ----Brown-----March

My personal favourite. V exciting line-up.

 

[Machiavelli]

This is what we've been led to believe, but its hard to deny that Gross has been playing as a forward for us so far this season. Can he play centre midfield either, and if not what do we do with him? - other than leaving him where he is with Brown in front. Thats what we'll do, I 'm pretty sure, but does seem to limit our options formation-wise.

I don't think it's remotely hard to deny, and you seem to accept as much with the comments you've made in your OP -- "As we were, 4-4-1-1, replace Hemed with Brown". Gross roams far more than Hemed, and our default defensive mindset sometimes means that Hemed has dropped back behind Gross especially when the former is covering the latter. CH has characterised our formation as 4-4-1-1, and I really do think that not only is Gross an entirely different player to Baldock (with whom we did play 4-4-2), and we're set up very differently this season, when compared to last. Gross has also stated that his best positions are a number 8 and a number 10 so, yes, he can play centre midfield.

 

[Normski1989]

I'd go 4-5-1, with the added midfielder being Izquierdo, probably opting to move Knocky into the middle giving him freedom to roam from side to side. I think congesting the midfield might be a good idea to prevent Arsenal from playing their game.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

A 4-3-3 with Gross slightly ahead of Stephens and Propper with the front 3 interchanging when we're attacking (we will have at least one attack right?)

Ryan
Bruno - Duffy - Dunk - Suttner
---- Stephens ------ Propper
-------------- Gross
Knockeart ----Brown-----March

Subs : Krul, Schelotto, Rosenior, Hunemeier, Murphy, Izquierdo, Murray ( or Skalak)

 

[Maybank Holiday]

Virtually no mention of Murray ...... is he definately out, or just out of favour?

 

[Biscuit]

One thing this thread does say to me - whats the point of Jiri Skalak? Every other player in the squad is mentioned as a possibility somewhere, even jokingly, but not this fellow. If he can't even get into [MENTION=307]Biscuit[/MENTION] 's 1-2-3-1-3 formation, I feel for the lad

To be fair it's a specialist formation. No room for Duffy or Bruno either..

 

[GT49er]

The only other thing is if we're hanging on deep towards the end I hope CH instructs Izquierdo to lurk upfield as much as possible, worrying Arsenal with his pace and taking at least two of their players out of it.

Sadly that's the one thing you can guarantee CH won't do.......


Same formation for me, with Izzy replacing Hemed up top, to be replaced by Jose at half time or early in the second half (unless Izzy's on a hat-trick by then!)

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I don't think it's remotely hard to deny, and you seem to accept as much with the comments you've made in your OP -- "As we were, 4-4-1-1, replace Hemed with Brown". Gross roams far more than Hemed, and our default defensive mindset sometimes means that Hemed has dropped back behind Gross especially when the former is covering the latter. CH has characterised our formation as 4-4-1-1, and I really do think that not only is Gross an entirely different player to Baldock (with whom we did play 4-4-2), and we're set up very differently this season, when compared to last. Gross has also stated that his best positions are a number 8 and a number 10 so, yes, he can play centre midfield.

I think I originally just expected him to be tucked in with Stephens and Propper, supporting the striker when we were on the attack, so I was surprised against Man City how much he seemed to be leading the line, to be level with Hemed, It was certainly the kind of positioning you'd expect of someone with the label 'forward' as opposed to 'midfielder'. Anyway, yes, I'm sure he can play centre mid.

 

[Triggaaar]

None of those.

Push Gross up into the striker spot and play Solly, Izquierdo and Knockaert in a fluid three behind him. Why the hell not? I'd like to see what the pace of those three could do given the chance to run at the Arsenal defence.

Although they can be fluid enough to swap positions with each other, do we not basically need one on the left and one on the right, so they can continue to work with Bruno and Suttner, both in attack and defence?