I know there are lots of discussions on here about various formations, but since Liverpool have on regular occasion adopted this layout successfully, i have wondered how suited it would be to Arsenal, and specifically getting our best players on the pitch in their best positions.
Using 4 man midfield diamond has allowed Liverpool to maintain a strong possession based game, but also add directness and fit in both of their star strikers. Transferring this to Arsenal, wenger does insist, nowadays, on a possession based game, employing a three man midfield (centrally) to help constrol the ball in the middle of the park. However, the flexibility of a 4 man diamond is nearly unrivalled. When on the ball the diamond holds it shape, offering numerous passing outlets made up of lots of triangles, perfect for keeping possession. In attack, the two players on the side of the diamond push forward to imitate 1-3-2 attack. In defence, the sides of the diamond drop back and sit either side of the holding midfilder creating a defensive, flat 3 man midfield.
A lot of our players are not playing in their best position due to the formation we have, and the surplus of players in some positions. For example, the debate this year has been who plays out of ramsey and wilshere in the double pivot, as they can't play there together, but going forward into next season, they are so talented that you want them in the same team, developing a relationship.
Likewise, up top, Giroud and Podolski would be better suited playing as a strike partnership. Walcott, who wants to be a striker, can struggle and finds it hard playing with his back to goal. A Giroud - Walcott partnership would be pretty formiddable, with theo running on to girouds flicks, and the frenchmans hard work, hustling the CB's will keep lots of free for walcott. His pace through the middle will also push the defence back, allowing more freedom and space for young Mesut.
With the fullbacks providing width, as they currently do, and the addition of a tradtional holding midfielder (cough, Lars Bender, cough) we could look something like this:
...............Szeszny..........
Sagna....Mert......Kos.....Gibbs
.................Bender...............
Ramsey...................Wilshere
...................Ozil...............
......Walcott.........Giroud
With players like ox fitting in instead of Ramsey or Wilshere, Cazorla with Ozil and Podolski with the front two, what are your thoughts?
diamond Formation
posted on 21/3/14
I like the look of that. Especially since we don't really have any natural wingers. They're all either AMs or forwards
posted on 21/3/14
It only works against certain opposition depending on how they play. Brendan used it against Swansea and united as they're centre backs tend to drop off, this leave a gap infron of the back 4 that the player at the head of the diamond can exploit, having 2 strikers ahead of this player will pull the opposition defenders out of position so the player at the head of the diamond and the two "wide" players can run into that vacated space, it worked a treat v united as SAS were dragging the united defenders all over the place and Sterling, Henderson and Allen were able to get the ball and run at the vacated space, look at the pen Joe Allen won and you will see how it worked in that instance.
If Arsenal used the above team (personally I'd play Cazorla ahead of Wilshire who I think is ok but not on Cazorla's level) against opposition like united it would work well IMO, that's a decent line up, you need the 2 players playing "wide" to really put a shift in though, maybe Cazorla wouldn't do that? Or Wilshire maybe not disciplined enough to? yous woudl know who fits better then I would.
posted on 21/3/14
Cazorla, at the moment is arguably more talented, but as you said Kneerash, the two sides of the diamond have to put in a real shift, in a similar way to Vidal and Marchisio at Juventus. These players are key to the system, in essence they are the lungs of the team, with the holding midfielder the heart and the attacking mid the brain. Ramsey has one of the best engines in football, and Wilshere always puts in a shift. Both are happy to do some dirty work, with Aaron being one of the top tacklers before his injury, and Jack has a very aggressive side to his game. Their work rate and running allows the whole team to play. It also allows Ozil to play a free role without jeapordising the rest of the team.
with Jack and Aaron both being supremely talented, they can seemlessly interchange with Ozil, making it hard to pick up and mark the players.
Either way, Wenger will have to figure out how to fit those players into the first team, and the current formation wont cut it
posted on 21/3/14
I used to use the diamond formation when playing Champ Manager Italia. I was Juventus. I won.
posted on 21/3/14
not bad, i thought at first you were playing Bendtner as CB LOL
posted on 21/3/14
People say Diamond/4-4-2 outdated but if you have the right players on hand, no formation is outdated.
I think we are more suited to play a Diamond/4-4-2 than 4-2-3-1 because we don't have true wingers.
posted on 21/3/14
Not bad but you'd need faster to take Giroud spot.
The reason is working with SAS is because both players are relatively fast and keep on making run, which free spaces for the midfield.
Hence, it wouldn't work with an immobile striker.
posted on 21/3/14
We should play 3 CB's to allow the full backs to press forward more and focus more on attacking play. Then when the other team attacks we have more cover until they can drop back to make it a 5 man defence.
Wingbacks is the answer!!!!!
posted on 21/3/14
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