Quote:
Arsène Wenger must alter Arsenal formation to get best out of Theo Walcott
Frenchman needs to address reasons why Robin van Persie is often so isolated in attack for Gunners
Striker light: If Arsenal play quicker on the break, Walcott cannot cover the ground from defence to attack to join Van Persie when the ball is delivered from the left-hand side. Photograph: Graphic
David Pleat
The Guardian, Sun 21 Aug 2011 23.22 BST
Comment
This has been a summer of change at Arsenal, although after the upheaval of high‑profile exits Arsène Wenger may now have to consider tweaking his system to get more from those key players that remain. The clamour at the Emirates, aside from that for new signings, has been for Arsenal to play at a quicker tempo, but if they attempt to do so while continuing to play with a lone front man, they will not score enough goals.
Theo Walcott is being asked to do the almost impossible. With the ball and hugging the touchline, he has to maximise his speed by attempting to stretch defenders. Against Liverpool he was admittedly given little service and when he did receive the ball, José Enrique used his experience to nullify him effectively. But in Arsenal's current system, Walcott also has to support Robin van Persie when the play is progressing up-field on the opposite flank and tear into the 18-yard box to sniff out goalscoring opportunities.
The problem is that, with the Gunners now attempting to play at a quicker tempo, the 4-5-1 system makes it too difficult for Walcott to make up the yardage from protecting deep, in front of his inexperienced right-back, Carl Jenkinson, to reach the 18-yard box to complement Van Persie. As the diagram illustrates, while the Dutchman may be running 30 yards to attack the penalty spot, Walcott, previously occupied by defensive duties while Liverpool enjoyed the ball, is asked to charge nearly 80 yards in support when Arsenal seek to counter. It is simply asking too much and, too often on Saturday, Andrey Arshavin's delivery from the left found Van Persie alone and outnumbered in the penalty area with support lacking.
The England winger is not doing much wrong. As the wide men in a five-man midfield, wingers are expected to drop deep when play is developing for their opponents on the opposite side of the field. This, in Walcott's case on Saturday, would be to deter passes to the opposition wing man, Stewart Downing. The problem when possession is regained is that, if Arsenal wish to break quickly before opponents regroup, the wide player has too much ground to make up to join the central striker in the penalty box. Conversely, if the build-up is over elaborate or slow, which has often been the case with Arsenal in the past, the opposition can then get players behind the ball comfortably, fill defensive space and block the penalty area.
There are solutions to the problem, though they would involve Wenger adapting his formation. He could conceivably sacrifice a central midfielder and switch to a 4-4-2 now that Cesc Fábregas has gone. Van Persie maybe needs a change of system and a partner to thrive, a Kevin Davies-type, perhaps: a short-term buy is sometimes necessary, assuming Nicklas Bendtner and Marouane Chamakh are, indeed, history. The switch would also allow Walcott to concentrate merely upon conventional wing play, chiefly running and crossing. Trying to become a second striker from wide positions in a 4-5-1 is a difficult task and, at present, it seems as if Walcott is trying to please everyone but ending up by pleasing no*one.
Not sure I agree with most of it. Though Liverpool were really well drilled and sat back deep. Maybe cover for jenko was his primary role. Would explain why he didn't swap flanks much with Arshavin. But he did suck with the ball with very few successful dribbles.
