Valencia 2 Arsenal 0
Wenger’s 4-3-3 experiment failed in the first half.
RVP was on the right, with Arshavin on the left, Bendtner in the middle. But it never looked like working. A middle three of Diaby, Song and Fabregas did not gell, did not function at all.
Having discussed this last week, I don’t want to bore readers rigid. I don’t don’t don’t want to sound like a broken broken broken record.
So I’ll just summarise it today : 4-3-3 is the exact opposite of the way Wenger’s Arsenal have been playing all these years, it’s another language, another discipline, a higher discipline. Not everybody who does judo is a black belt and not every professional footballer can play 4-3-3. That’s what I fundamentally believe.
Your central midfield player HAS to be one of the world’s smartest, most resilent, most experienced, most mobile achormen. He can be Xavi, he can’t be Song.
So I just don’t think 4-3-3 can work for Arsenal right now. Thierry Henry couldn’t learn 4-3-3 in one season and he is much brighter than most forwards in La Liga.
Therefore 4-3-3 will not be used by Wenger in serious games. He is a choreographer of improvisation and supportive, athletic movement, so 4-3-3 doesn’t suit him. It’s far too rigid. It allows some support and interchange, but it’s too fragile and risky. Barcelona can play it because they have no loose cannons. Guardiola would never employ Eboue, Diaby, Walcott or van Persie.
Any notable incidents in this 2-0 defeat on a wet night in the Mestalla?
After 5, Bendtner flicked on for Van Persie but he fired past the far post.
Diaby was through one-on-one and miscontrolled the ball.
Second half, wholesale changes.
Eduardo had a decent header which the keeper held.
When Fabregas set up Walcott, his shot was wide by almost a yard. Close to being a nice goal.
By now Arsenal were playing in a 4-5-1 pattern, where they had more play round the ball, more options and variations available
Djourou made a good tackle on David Villa in the box.
Fabianski saved a rubbish penalty by David Villa, after a Silvestre challenge on Michel on the box.
I thought Arsenal improved after RVP and Diaby went off. But when Walcott went beyond left back, he hit his cross tamely to the keeper. Fabregas had to head the ball off the line after Fabianski had flapped at a corner. Then Fabregas and Song were taken off and Gibbs and Merida brought on.
Then Valencia scored in 73 when Michel rifled home a right-foot shot from 14 yards after Arsenal hadn’t properly defended a Joaquin free-kick that was played square for Villa to shoot.The rebound broke to Michel, who scored an excellent goal.
On 90, deadly David Villa made a killer run, beating the offside trap, closed in towards the near post, eluded the covering defender, Silvestre, and drilled his left foot shot between the legs of Fabianski for 2-0.
VERDICT : 4-3-3 makes Arsenal weaker in central midfield, an area where they are already weak. It makes no sense.
Gunner 8 says : I was at this game and RVP did not play on the right with Bendtner through the middle. RVP was the central striker and Bendtner was playing wide right.
Myles says: Thank you for the correction.