4-5-One Nil to the Arsenal
336 comments December 27th, 2005
Jose Reyes’ first Premiership goal since the 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough back in August gave Arsenal a crucial one nil win yesterday – only our second away win this season.
With a need for greater strength and stability in midfield, Arsene deployed a 4-5-1 formation, looking something like this:
Reyes was easily our man of the match; covering for Cygan’s failings, whilst looking a threat going forward and eventually netting our winner: a scrappy effort with his weaker right foot.
Personally, I’m all in favour of using this formation away from home. It allows us to play both Hleb and Fabregas, two creative players, in a 3-strong midfield. What’s more, it allows an unfit Thierry Henry to be used in a link-up role playing in two pacey wingers: he is no longer required to be the front-runner going in behind the defence.
Whilst I still have a lot of affection for 4-4-2, and believe it inspires a far more attractive playing style, at this stage in the season what we need is points, and 4-5-1 might be the way to grind those out.
We play again tomorrow night, and it’s Harry’s Portsmouth at Highbury. They’ll be without Linvoy Primus, Laurent Robert, and possibly captain Stefanovic, so it’s a good time to be facing them.
For us, Robin van Persie is still out, but Dennis Bergkamp is set to start, possibly along with Robert Pires, who may get a new contract after all (despite poor form and falling behind Alexsander Hleb in the pecking order).
Prediction? 3-1 to our boys.
