Arsene Wenger had to break his conventional construct this season to deploy Alexis Sanchez up front. Not the typical striker, the Chilean was ordered to play the false number 9 and he has done next to perfection till now. Barring a high-scoring defeat at the hands of Liverpool, Arsenal didn’t have to look back with the new tactics as Sanchez loved his job of hassling defenders and closing them down in the opponent’s half, which opened up space for Walcott and Ozil to score.
Things came to a closure when they faced a rigid Middlesbrough defence. The less spacious backline, who was more than happy to let Arsenal buzz around their D-box and clear any attack or crosses thrown at the centre. Arsenal looked out of wits to break it and with their anchor Santi Cazorla absent, the absence of midfield passes that penetrated the defence also added to their woes.
The frustrating draw stopped Arsenal’s chance to go to the top of the table. Wenger had two box to box midfielders who were very effective in intercepting and keep the ball rolling. The long balls, however, were very much absent and whatever got delivered in the box failed to reach a teammate’s header.
When the Sunderland match looked destined for a draw this weekend too, Wenger introduced his towering striker, Olivier Giroud. He scored 2 goals in his first 2 touches. The fact that Arsenal lacked height up front was very clear and Giroud’s introduction could not have come at a more suitable time for the Gunners.
However, what was revealed was the new instant tactical change, which came with Giroud on the pitch. Of course, Sunderland were not ready for it. Not many teams in the Premier League have the players who can the attacking dynamics so fast and effectively.
Wenger can now play an inclusive 4-4-1-1 and also a 4-3-3 quite effectively as and when needed. Giroud’s aerial ability and one touch playing skills make him a wall, who could bounce back the ball in the counter for speedsters Sanchez and Walcott. He is also able to head in Ozil’s mouthwatering chip-ins in the penalty box.
It would be very interesting to see how the tactics would work against a congested defence like that of Middlesbrough. Arsenal are yet to play Manchester United, who have similar defending tactics. The changing tactics could really be a test for the defending team.
