Arsenal have some massive games coming up between now and the end of the season, with the first of those major challenges and potentially pivotal clashes coming against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in a couple of weeks. We also have Premier League away games at Tottenham and Liverpool, not to mention the Champions League double header with Bayern Munich and hopefully a few more FA cup matches to get through.
First up the Blues though, and I wonder if Arsene Wenger, who is a keen student of the game, has been thinking about trying Arsenal with the three at the back formation that has been adopted by our title rivals Chelsea and Tottenham. Arsenal fans may feel confident about our trip across London in a fortnight after we beat Chelsea with aplomb in September, but it was that defeat which caused Antonio Conte to change to a back three and they have not looked back since.
The only setback that Chelsea have had since then was against the spuds who have also adopted that system, so should Arsenal think about doing the same? I certainly hope that the Frenchman has thought about it and had the players working on it in training as it would seem negligent to dismiss it when it has been working so well for others.
Even if we go back to four after the Chelsea match, do you think Arsenal should try to combat Conte’s new tactics by matching up the team formations? We4 certainly have the players, whether it would be with Mertesacker coming in or Gabriel, and with Bellerin and Gibbs free to get forward mo#re as wing backs we could be very dangerous.
Maybe it would even allow Wenger to play a front two of Alexis and Giroud as both have been on fire in front of goal and with Coquelin protecting the defenders I think it could be a good option to go with a starting line-up like this.
Cech
Gabriel, Mustafi, Koscielny
Bellerin, Ramsey, Coquelin, Ozil, Gibbs
Giroud, Alexis
What do you think Gooners?
Bob.