re: Arsenal 2014/15 Season Long Thread

I have some free time tomorrow, so I may do a tactical write up, but look how poor our defensive shape is. This isn't on a counter, really, just a quick build up from Liverpool that leads to a chance for Lallana.



Our back four (black line, and I use the word line very loosely) is terribly disorganized. Chambers has pushed up to deal with Markovic, the left mid of a 3-4-3.

Ox is tracking Coutinho, the left forward who has drifted in and is now running out. That run frees up all kinds of space, because Flamini is sitting deep because Per is slow as frick and terrified of Sterling's run, even though Debuchy has it covered.

Meanwhile, Alexis and Giroud (blue circles) are nowhere to be found in defensive coverage. Giroud, for some unknown reason, was often wide left in the first half, and it left us totally vulnerable down that side. Look how isolated Gibbs is. That's the space that Lallana ends up taking after Markovic's run, and more incisive work from Pool would have led to a goal here rather than a blocked shot.

If we're organized, Chambers falls back to mark Coutinho, Ox is coming from deeper to meet Markovic, Per is next to Debuchy, Gibbs is closer to Henderson, and Flamini is sitting in front.

Terrible organization by Per and Flamini, both of whom have been shite this year. Scez, who was good yesterday, also needs to take a role in this and get everyone organized.

ETA: And terrible instruction from Wenger. All this work on patterns of attacking play in practice, what we really need is defensive organization. Is Kosc really the guy that gets us organized? Are we that poor without him?