Do we really need wingers?

to some this may seem like a dumb question since the team has been in great form for good run of games lately, but watching the team game in and game out i keep thinking that we'd be way more effective in a formation without wingers.


we get virtually no production from the left wing (gervinho is wasteful and loses the ball, when he does make things happen it's usually after he cuts in centrally. arshavin's not winger, and benayoun isnt really a threat). on the right wing theo has been a staple but has not been that consistent even though he is playing well of late. he is still not very creative and when he beats his marker he doesnt often attack the defense but just puts in crosses(which do seem to be more on target now) and again he's not really a winger either


i just feel like the width of the 433 is too much and we dont really benefit from it. when we have built up possession into the opponents third the 'width' that we should have isnt really there and we dont seem to make the types of off ball movements and passes to unlock defenses in those situations (like barcelona)


maybe im wrong but i think if we went 4312 i think we'd be a lot more efficient in creating chances and maintaining possession. some of you may be more tactically knowledgeable than i am so feel free to provide your input on my opinion

course we do...we have very little creativity in midfield, the fact that we song is playing killer balls say it all really .

Our strength is on the wings even Wenger says RVP has benefited from this.

Having players on the wings stretches the oppositions' defense. Take a look at that one-v-one chance that Walcott had yesterday. His run took him more centrally, but if he hadn't been on the wing then there would have been no space to play that ball in the first place

I do see the merits in a 4-3-1-2 and I think it is a formation that suits us. Perhaps it's something we should use more often in games.

However, the 4-3-3 is working at the moment so we really shouldn't fix what isn't broken. Yes, our current wingers are inconsistent and not your typical wingers - more like wide forwards - but it'll be easier to simply buy another winger to add some depth than to change to an unfamiliar formation.

Walcott + Gervinho have set up all of RVP's goals... so yes.

Maybe the formation is working BECAUSE they're not your typical wingers? With the way that RVP drops deep, having wingers that making the kind of penetrative runs that Walcott and Gervinho make are extremely helpful and effective. Mind you, if Gervinho had had his shooting boots on in these past few games, he could have easily had 3 or more goals.
Walcott was also very unlucky not to get on the scoring sheet.

Truth is, there is still a lot to improve on in this formation, and things can only get better from here, so why change?

Well, it's how a 4-3-3 usually works; the striker drops deep, and the two wingers come from out-to-in in the space the striker has left behind. We do the same, except we also play a more traditonal wing style at times on our right hand side, where Walcott maintains width and goes outside the fullback as well as inside. We don't usually have that on our left side. Perhaps that's something we should look into.

Hell yeah. We don't have Fabregas or Nasri anymore who were all central players with meh pace. If we have speed demons then let's use them, apart from them being very skilled and actual goal threats.

Since our midfield is more tactically sound these days, and actually very complete in that they can pass, run, tackle and help out the defense, it means less goals are leaked and more wins.

That our wingers have more offensive responsibility on their shoulders does not matter, because they are more than good enough for it.

Wenger tried turning Midfielders into wingers, that didnt work. I guess it did work with Pires and ljunberg but not anymore

He is finally using proper Wingers. Theo n gervinho followed by the likes of Ryo, Oxlade coming up

Yes, we need depth in wings, my favourite possible choice would be Reus. Plus a replacement for Chamakh.

my point was that our wingers are really one-dimensional and the opportunities they do create aren't really by virtue of them playing on the wings. the width that theyre supposed to give us doesnt really do us as good as it should.


something like a 3 man midfield of arteta, song, and ramsey with arshavin in front of them as a playmaker trequartista type and walcott and van persie as the two forwards would seem a lot more effective.



idk, maybe if gervinho wasnt so wasteful and sloppy on the ball and walcott was more multi-dimensional i wouldnt have brought it up.

I see where you're coming from, but as others have said, there's no need to change something that is working. The fact that Gervinho is sloppy and Walcott one-dimensional is the reason we want to add a winger to the squad.

Incidentially, I do see problems with the formation you're proposing. Considering van Persie's tendancy to drop deep, and Ramsey's/Wilshere's and even Song's tendancy to get forward, we may end up with too many players in the same space and suffer from a lack of width.

Sushi Master wrote:Hell yeah. We don't have Fabregas or Nasri anymore who were all central players with meh pace. If we have speed demons then let's use them, apart from them being very skilled and actual goal threats.

Since our midfield is more tactically sound these days, and actually very complete in that they can pass, run, tackle and help out the defense, it means less goals are leaked and more wins.

That our wingers have more offensive responsibility on their shoulders does not matter, because they are more than good enough for it.

Well said.

We used to get away with 4-4-2 when we deployed Hleb and Rosicky as wingers. Cesc and Flamini occupied the centre of midfield and we we're mercilessly devouring teams...till Eduardo had his leg broken.

Ironically, some will tell you that a 4-4-2 isn't feasible due to the formations used by opposing teams. However, it seems as though we've found the perfect remedy with our 4-3-3 as RVP can't stop scoring; and Gervinho and Walcott are providing many assist's.

Keep trying to figure out where all these assists are that people keep saying are coming from Walcot and Gervinho. These are from http://www.premierleague.com/page/Statistics and they have 4 each. The same as our CAM Song and 1 more than RVP.

Player Team Assists

1 David Silva Manchester City 7
2 Emmanuel Adebayor Tottenham 6
3 Gabriel Agbonlahor Aston Villa 6
4 Juan Mata Chelsea 6
5 Samir Nasri Manchester City 6
6 Charlie Adam Liverpool 5
7 James Milner Manchester City 5
8 Micah Richards Manchester City 5
9 Gnegneri Toure Yaya Manchester City 5
10 Ashley Young Man Utd 5
11 Sergio Aguero Manchester City 4
12 Gareth Bale Tottenham 4
13 Chris Brunt WBA 4
14 Chris Eagles Bolton 4
15 Yao Gervinho Arsenal 4
16 Ivan Klasnic Bolton 4
17 Frank Lampard Chelsea 4
18 Luis Nani Man Utd 4
19 Alex Song Arsenal 4
20 Theo Walcott Arsenal 4

Because Arsenal ONLY play in the Premier League and do not participate in ANY OTHER COMPETITION WHATSOEVER.

Find me a version of Gervinho 2. and buy him asap.

We need direct players on the wings.

Nah, not enough forehead.

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:Nah, not enough forehead.

Ask Mole what he thinks about foreheads.

Foreheads = Success

Yes u do

urbaNRoots wrote:

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:Nah, not enough forehead.

Ask Mole what he thinks about foreheads.

Foreheads = Success

Okay, no problem .

https://goallegacy.forumotion.com/t512p486-newcastle-united-fc#352593

Immaculate_Mole wrote:

beatrixasdfghjk. wrote:MOLE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT FOREHEADS?

I don't know where else to find you .__.

Haha, they are awesome and the key to our success

.