Fortress Ashburton?
Jul 18th, 2007 by 'holic
There was an interesting piece on Arsenal.com yesterday as Arsene Wenger looked back at the first season at the Grove.
We have all I’m sure noticed a change in style that Wenger tried to explain. “The pitch is bigger so we needed to show more patience. We were used to getting from one end of the pitch to the other very quickly at Highbury so we had to adapt. In previous years we scored a lot of counter-attacking, direct goals, but at Emirates teams have more time to regroup behind the ball. Because of that we scored a lot of different types of goals last season.”
Whilst I cannot fault that logic I think Le Boss has missed the fact that the difference was also largely due to the change in personnel.
I cannot recall us having too much trouble getting from one end of the pitch to the other very quickly at big away grounds when we had Pires and a fitter, younger Ljungberg patrolling either side of Bergkamp (not forgetting a fit and ever-present Henry!).
There is no doubt that with Hleb and Rosicky on the flanks the style had to change to a more deliberate and precise build-up. Let’s face it, that is the reason a lot of us are crying out for a true winger to come in, or hope that Theo Walcott will step up to the plate this term.
I do believe that the move has had an effect, but it is more psychological than style related. Teams arriving there last season had no history of getting soundly beaten as they had done at Highbury.
Most set up in a similar fashion, with ten players behind the ball and one up top. Frustration followed frustration as the tactic proved annoyingly effective.
The signing of Eduardo is hopefully one of the solutions. His record of goalscoring in the box is just what we lacked so many times in the last twelve months.
At the other end of the park with no central defender yet signed there is a need for Gallas to gel with Toure far more effectively than he demonstrated last season, or make way for one of the young Swiss lads.
Despite the change in style there is no doubt that the quality of the football has still been outstanding. This promises to be a season when the Grove starts to become the fortress that opponents dread to visit, providing those last couple of pieces fit into the jigsaw.
7 Responses to “Fortress Ashburton?”
First h’ic!
Oh per-leeeeaaase, save that for the proper blogs. Besides, you’ll be waiting a long time for the second!
😉
I noticed exactly the same thing in his comments, Dave, when Wenger talked about the slower counter attacks last season. I agree with your personnel argument (Rosicky and Hleb), but I also think it might have something to do with the inexperience of the rest of the squad. They need that extra time to regroup and plan the best route to the other goal. I dont necessarily think its a bad thing, because we still created loads of chances. But as a surprise, Arsenal should still employ the lightning counters on occassion.
I will disagree on one point, about the tactic of putting 10 men behind the ball being successful. The end result of these games was a success for opposing teams but that was more down to Arsenal not taking their chances. Take the Blackburn FA Cup 1st leg at the Grove, when Blackburn defended for 90 mins. We still created a few chances, and can only blame ourselves for not scoring, rather than a ‘successful’ Blackburn tactic.
The reality is that this is a tactic going to be employed by several teams, and I for one, think that if we do not score, the problem is with our plan.
I’m sure we’ll see the 10 men behind the ball tactic used against us again this season and it will be down to Arsene and the team to find a way around it. Hopefully the change of personnel up front will help us to find more variety in our play.
I take your point prits, and it was well made, but at the end of the day so many teams escaped with a result of some description they will certainly be encouraged to repeat the tactic this season.
We need to improve at both ends of the park, and at this moment in time the opponents will say they just have to do more of the same.
I’ve a feeling we will give a few of them a damn good hiding this year.
And Pass, you’re right. If Eduardo isn’t the answer then RVP, Ade, and Bendtner (or someone else, it’s not 31st August yet!) have to take the chances that went begging last year. I’ve no doubt they will.
Last h’ic!
😀
Ricky, I appreciate it really, but let it go fella.
It isn’t going to happen.