Solving our CF problem

[ArsenesNO1Fan]

We're not hearing for Sanchez at CF anymore? Many were high on it in the summer and fancied it to lead us to a serious league challenge.

More hopeful than anything. Was it the Everton game he played there and never made any runs into the box and we looked far improved when Giroud came on. He essentially seemed like a false 9 but we had no movement.

 

[Iceman10]

We're not hearing for Sanchez at CF anymore? Many were high on it in the summer and fancied it to lead us to a serious league challenge.

That was before Welbeck was signed and my main gripe before Welbeck was that we were changing up who was playing CF game to game which was not allowing our attacking unit to settle. Add into this that many felt that even if Sanchez was to be successful as CF it would require Theo back in the line up alongside him.

We need a run of games with Welbeck at CF and the players in the attacking unit start to gain more understanding of each other's runs and pass patterns. Also, tbf I wasn't in the "many" who were thinking we were among favourites for this season; instead more going for 3rd, and then among genuine favourites for 2015/16.

 

[Jury]

We're not hearing for Sanchez at CF anymore? Many were high on it in the summer and fancied it to lead us to a serious league challenge.

People realised he was pants there. Then we got Welbeck and saved their blushes. They don't speak of it now

 

[MutableEarth]

Sanchez as CF could still work IMO, but it's a long shot, and we'd require a lot of movement ahead of him. I could see it working though and there's no reason to completely abandon the idea.

 

[blaze_of_glory]

We'll see Alexis as CF again at some point. And it will be goooood. No blushes here, he did well there before Welbz came in (seem to recall some wins and a couple goals, no?) despite not really having much time to adapt to playing there for our team, and will do so again when called upon.

But when Welbeck is available and not needing a rest, there's no reason not to play him as the CF since Alexis is so good on the wing and Welbeck is doing well(beck) up front.

At this point I'd say Alexis is the third option at CF when Giroud is back. Ahead of Theo and Sanogo I think (barring a massive short-term improvement from Sanogo).

Also, does he not play CF for Chile? I swear I saw him lined up as their CF in a recent game.

 

[Iceman10]

We'll see Alexis as CF again at some point. And it will be goooood. No blushes here, he did well there before Welbz came in (seem to recall some wins and a couple goals, no?) despite not really having much time to adapt to playing there for our team, and will do so again when called upon.

Thanks for being the adult in the room as always Blaze, there's been a bit too much "I told you so" nonsense lately, based on inaccuracies I might add, which seems to have taken prominence over realising we all support the same club here :wink:

 

[Tir Na Nog]

I don't even get what this is about "hurr hurr... those who said Alexis would be a world class CF are quiet about it now, hurr hurr". Yes, because our manager bought another CF to play there and it's clearly less of a possibility that he'll play there consistently.

In his 3 games as a CF, though, he scored 2 goals. Hardly horrible there. To get into a bit more detail I believe he'd work well as a CF dropping deep and getting someone like Theo and/or Poldi to run in behind to space that he may create by dragging centre backs and causing gaps between them and their full backs. But who cares, he isn't going to be a CF option after all... what has people being right/wrong about that got to do with anything in regards to the progression of this football club. It was a bizarre comment for GDeep to make in the first place. I don't know maybe he likes this "oh I was right about player X being a -insert position X- better than...." or "I knew player X was rubbish, told you so I win", nonsense. I don't get it personally, I'm kind of old fashioned in wanting to see what's best for the team at the end of the day.

 

[ArsenesNO1Fan]

Wenger has said he may try 4-4-2 when Giroud and Welbeck are both available. Walcott and Sanchez as second strikers would also be interesting.

 

[Anzac]

Wenger has said he may try 4-4-2 when Giroud and Welbeck are both available. Walcott and Sanchez as second strikers would also be interesting.

I don't think we have the CMs to play 442 & I think a front 2 of Welbeck & Giroud would be poor.
I'd rather see 4312 with Welbeck & Walcott ahead of Özil at CAM, and Sanchez attacking from deeper.

That said IMO Giroud represents this current tiki-taka emphasis on midfield and numbers as he's ideal for that system. Consequently I'd rather have Welbeck as starting Cf and someone like a Gignac as cover if it meant we'd be more direct.

 

[ArsenesNO1Fan]

Wenger has said he may try 4-4-2 when Giroud and Welbeck are both available. Walcott and Sanchez as second strikers would also be interesting.

I don't think we have the CMs to play 442 & I think a front 2 of Welbeck & Giroud would be poor.
I'd rather see 4312 with Welbeck & Walcott ahead of Özil at CAM, and Sanchez attacking from deeper.

That said IMO Giroud represents this current tiki-taka emphasis on midfield and numbers as he's ideal for that system. Consequently I'd rather have Welbeck as starting Cf and someone like a Gignac as cover if it meant we'd be more direct.

Playing 2 CFs takes away the burden for either forward. Giroud would be better with a fast partner he could knock on for a play a through ball too. He probably wouldn't work as well with a Sanchez who drops deep as he may work with Theo or Welbeck who will run past him.

Welbeck is our best in a 1 CF system and could play with any of the other partners because of his runs, workrate and link up play.

Either Theo or Alexis would need a bigger man to play off.

We wouldn't play 2 CFs against another possession team with midfielders, we'd play it against teams sitting deep and defending, maybe while chasing a game, ala against Hull. So it doesn't matter that we don't have brutish midfielders when we do play it.

 

[Penn_]

I can't see us ever starting with 4-4-2, unless we need goals against lower opposition at the end of the season, more likely to be seen if we really need to go for a game. Didn't we use it against Wigain or Hull in the FA Cup?