Arsenal ends the 2022–23 season with a game against Wolves tomorrow afternoon. With the PL title already won by Man City, Arsenal’s game this weekend is “let’s get this over with” in style moment.
Even so, Gooners will be expecting a win, and that’s just what Arteta and his boys should seek to give them, as Arteta revealed via Arsenal.com about the game: “Now it’s about finishing the season in style, providing a great performance, and getting a victory in front of our people. We want to show our gratitude and receive the incredible energy that they have given us throughout the season and start to build for the next season. We have to wrap it up in the best possible way.”
Wolves under Julien Loptegui have been decent this season since he arrived, and have avoided relegation. They aren’t a team you easily beat, but with a strong Arsenal line-up like this one below, it will be a frustrating Sunday for Ruben Neves and Co.
Aaron Ramsdale will, for sure, start in goal.
I am predicting Ben White, Jakub Kiwior, Gabriel, and Tierney will form the defensive wall.
As for the midfield, Partey may make way for Jorginho, so a Jorginho-Xhaka-Odegaard midfield trio could start. If the rumours doing the rounds have any truth, this could be Xhaka’s last game in Arsenal colours.
In attack, Saka and Trossard could be rested with minor injuries, with Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith-Rowe starting in their place. Gabriel Jesus would lead the attack. I am sure Saka will come on before the end to celebrate his new contract with the fans…
So here’s my predicted starting line-up for tomorrow’s game; what’s yours?
Ramsdale
Ben White, Jakub Kiwior, Gabriel, Tierney
Jorginho-Xhaka-Odegaard
Reiss Nelson, Jesus, Emile Smith-Rowe
Daniel O
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I also think Arteta will revert to his inverted-LB tactic with Tierney, after watching the inverted-RB tactics failing to break Nottingham Forest’s defense
But maybe he will make Nelson start the game ahead of Trossard, as a last attempt to convince Nelson for the contract extension:
……………….…… Ramsdale
…….. White ..… Kiwior ….. Magalhaes
………..… Jorginho …… Tierney
Saka . Odegaard . Xhaka . Nelson
………………………… Jesus
But inverted full is not Tierney’s strength…
He will struggle as Inverted LB
Arteta needs to have more than 1 plans with him because if Inverted LB fails then we don’t have anything else
If we can’t score, Arteta could replace Tierney in the second half of the game with Partey to play inverted-RB
I think Trosard will play information has it that Saka not fully fit. I also want to see Nelson. Nkethia should also be given a go imo the bench players all need encouragements. But it’s up to Arteta.
Trossard played awkwardly on the right wing, so I’d prefer Cozier-Duberry or Vieira there if Saka is unfit. At least they will be able to cut inside more often
Partey did better as inverted fullback than Tierney in many games. Yes, we lost to Forest but we had total domination aside of that unfortunate goal and Forest’s play or die attitude in a 5-5-0 formation.
Yes, Partey was better at passing and taking on opponents in that tight deep midfield spaces
Unfortunately, Jesus couldn’t do good hold-up and interchanging plays consistently. It made our midfielders and defenders reluctant to pass the ball to him, because of the high risks of getting robbed
This obsession with “inverted” full backs is becoming something of a problem for Arteta and certain fans who seem to forget that virtually all the sides in the Top Leagues in Europe play with conventional full backs or wing backs.There is element who believe we would not have finished second with conventional tactics whereas some oldies like me feel we could well have pipped City had we put more emphasis on improving our defence by deploying players who can actually defend.There is nothing to stop Arteta reverting to a straightforward 4-3-3 set up with no unnecessary complications, and who knows, we might even manage to keep a clean sheet which we have had difficulties doing of late.Personally, I would like to see young Walters given a start along with the likes of ESR ,Nelson and Nketiah.Let’s face it Jesus has not set the heather on fire since his return from injury.
I think that when our backs are against the wall, you’d want your best defenders on the pitch, but my understanding is that the tactics that arteta has employed are designed to help us to dominate the ball, and win it back as quickly as possible when we do give it away, so we needed different kinds of players.
I think it’s fair to say that worked really well for most of the season (I don’t think we’ve had so many *dominant* performances since 07/08), and I don’t think we’d have performed better employing conventional fullbacks – quite the contrary in my view.
However, I do think that when it wasn’t working at the end of the season, a change was needed, and a system like that you’re suggesting may have made the difference – certainly for some of the games.
Grandad
Agree at.times.MA should have mixed it up with a flat back 4 but I for one have season after season playing a flat back has got us no where
I am happy to carry on if this is how our playing style is
Football wise has to be up there for many a season
MA just needs to learn when to change it up at times
We have a system and player’s need to fit the system and not the system fits the player
Grandad I too am with you on your disilike of midfielders playing out ot position in fullback positions and then ABANDONING the fullback role most of thrtime ands thus leaving us too shallow when under attack .
I do however think we need various systems and to be able to change them as necessary within any one game.
I personally believe that, come next season when we will have many lesser players leave, please God and some other , better ones, replace them, that he will step up his attempts to give us a variety of sytstems with which to break down opponents , whilst at the same time keeping a proper and adequate number of PROPER DEFENDERS in place, who can, unlike Zinny, stop opponents attacks.
Play the second string let them have some game time ,first team have earned their stripes this season ,we go again next season 👏.
Arteta didn’t do much variations in formations because he lacked the players specialised in certain positions. Zinchenko is indispensable cause Arsenal were leading the table courtesy of total midfield domination with the inverted fullback. Once he injured, his able deputy Tomiyasu was already in sidelines. Along with Saliba, Zinchenko and Tomiyasu’s absence were the reasons Arsenal couldn’t hold on to the top spot.
Nah, we just ran of steam. Zichenko was still in the team for most part of the season. We missed saliba yes but I don’t think he would have made much difference. Tomiyasu also won’t have made much difference also.