UEL R16 1st Leg: AC Milan v Arsenal | March 8, 2018 18:00 GMT | BT Sport

[BobP]

What I found interesting today from Wenger that he didn't waste mkhi or Özil on wings Özil stayed in middle whole game and mkhi gone to wings when needed that's how he should play 4-3-2-1 is more suited for the players we got.

Milan had zero pace in wide areas and didn't attack us down the flanks like almost every other side. Which allowed us to do it. Ricardo Rodriguez must be slower than a parked vehicle.

It meant that our wide players could tuck in and create overloads which is what Wenger aims for with this system but against 99% of teams we face, that is defensive ****.

I actually think that had we utilised a pacey winger it could've been a similar result to the 5-1 against Inter in 2003. They were slow and played a high line.

You both raise good points here.

@yousif_arsenal is right to say that with the players at Wenger's disposal, a 4321 is best suited.

However @Big Poppa is also right in saying that it leaves the flanks exposed, something which Milan were unable to exploit on the night.

A tactical solution to the problem stated by @Big Poppa is to switch to a situational 4312, when the opposition are building play. Let us say that the opposition are set up in 4123. Our situational strikers here, Welbeck and Özil, could position themselves in the space between the two CBs and the two FBs, which effectively cuts off access to the wings. The only place the CBs could then pass the ball is to their DM who would here be picked up by Mkhi. They would continue passing it to one another, lose the ball, or be forced into going long.

Teams in the Bundesliga have been faced with similar issues as a few teams are playing in a 532-352 which leaves only one player on each flank. So they have to be inventive in denying their opposition access to the wings.