Time to recreate the 2007/08 European formation with Rosicky and Flamini together again?

Rosicky and Flamini: Time to reunite the old guard?

Come on you have to admit that I have not written a 4-4-2 article for ages and I have certainly not done one this season! I figured you might be getting worried or worse still have begun to believe that I finally accepted there is no place for the old ways in the modern Premier League. After all I have been told often enough haven’t I?

Well, maybe I have accepted that in the main, or indeed almost exclusively Wenger will play 4-2-3-1 and never change whatever the circumstance or whoever the opposition. Actually I sort of had as it happens, having to be content in the knowledge that our players are so fluid and that at times in matches when we lose the ball we almost morph into the old set up.

After reading the interview with Santi yesterday, how can I argue any more. Cazorla is our left winger of choice and Ozil is our CAM. Theo will our wide right first pick and Ox and Podolski will cover for Santi and Walcott. No argument to be had and you won’t hear me going on about it again.

Except hold on just one cotton picking minute – Cazorla, Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Podolski are all injured. Woe is me what does this mean? Surely not central midfielders like Jack playing wide again? Oh! Just a second that is already happening, Wilshere has been staring wide on the left, hasn’t he?

So what does this mean and what could it mean? In the absence of Walcott against Stoke City with Gnabry and Wilshere taking the wide roles, what it naturally or by design meant during the game, is that both wide payers tucked in. Neither played as wingers but just wide midfielders, and Serge in particular seem reluctant (or under instruction) to take on his full back on the outside.

When we weren’t in possession and for long periods at 1-1 when Stoke had a purple patch we settled back into 2 banks of 4 and it was Ozil left further up the pitch closest to Giroud. Natural you might say for a No.10. Yes natural for a No.10 in a 4-4-1-1.

So what of the next few weeks? Wenger has confirmed Rosicky, who can play wide, is back in full training on Monday and Santi himself has targeted the West Brom game the following weekend. I think Gnabry will be asked to start on the right again away to Swansea this weekend and Jack will reprise his flexible left sided role.

Both will switch with Ozil as he naturally drifts and both will tuck in when we lose the ball. Both players have the ability to run with the ball and have strength, but equally neither have the pace of a Theo or an Ox. This is sounding suspiciously like a 4-4-1-1 type of deal to me.

This can be debated but I am more intrigued with the next game which is the visit of Napoli on Tuesday who will pose a sterner test than Swansea for our depleted team. Wenger himself has told us Rosicky will be available and Santii has told us he will not be. In reality, therefore, for our toughest fixture of the season without doubt we are without all 4 of our first choice wide players in our customary 4-2-3-1.

Given the seriousness of the fixture and the quality of the opposition, it would seem unfair and reckless to ask Gnabry to play his 4th game in 10 days. Now if Rosicky is available, his experience and knowledge at even 85% fit would be preferable. Mozart has played wide for Arsenal in a 4-4-2 between 2006 and 2008 and also in the new system since his return from the long term lay off in 09/10.

Napoli will line up as 4-2-3-1 and it is likely that the wide players will be Callejon and the pacey Dries Mertens. If Mertens plays on the left having Rosicky supporting Sagna will be crucial. The right wide player may be Callejon – newly arrived from Madrid, Callejon has 3 goals in the first 5 league games already from the right flank. Wilshere will be needed to work back and support Gibbs to counter that threat.

It is just starting to feel as if Arsenal will end up playing more of a 4-4-1-1 next Tuesday leaving Ozil free to operate behind Giroud and defend when required. This is much down to the unavailability of our 4 first choice wide men. The reason I refer to 2008 in the title is that with the exception of 30 minutes either side of half time in the NLD this game next week could see 2 of our first choice midfield from 2007/08 reunited in the starting line-up.

Rosicky and Flamini would have last started together for Arsenal on the 28th January 2008 versus Newcastle in the FA Cup from memory. The day Rosicky left the field with a hamstring injury, not to return until September 2009, long after his friend had left for Milan.

That brings me to Flamini. However much I have supported Arteta as our deepest lying midfielder over the past 2 years the Napoli game is made for the French enforcer. Flamini may not have the distribution range or the vision of the Spaniard but sometimes we do need the DM to be a spoiler.

One such occasion would be when the opposition have a certain Slovak named Hamsik playing at CAM. I am not going to say stop Hamsik and we stop Napoli but it will surely help our cause is his creativity is stifled.

For those of you doubting the 4-4-2 variant, I should add that as early as 2005 Wenger had adapted that system in Europe, particularly away from home. He would often set up the team with any extra midfielder and 2007/8 was no different. In the Champions League the traditional 4-4-2 with 2 of Eduardo, Van Persie or Adebayor up front became a 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 in Europe.

One of the strikers was sacrificed and an additional midfielder brought in. Usually it was Walcott or Eboue deployed at right midfield where Helb might usually operate and Hleb moved to the head of the midfield behind a sole striker. For Wenger this was the origins of what is now our common system.

By way example this is the team set up for the away trip to Sparta Prague in out ECL qualifier in August 2007.

In the league Wenger was still playing a more conventional 4-4-2 and Hleb and Rosicky operated on either flank. The above system for me is the origins of the formation we have utilised for many years now but initially it worked more as a 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1 in Europe with 2 wide midfielders and not more attacking wingers. This was of course because only Flamini or Gilberto sat and there was no double pivot as we perhaps see today.

Much conjecture I know but the upshot is that this is the team we could play against Napoli using the 2007/8 away European formation with 3 of the same players. Partly this is driven by our 4 wingers being unavailable and my reservations on Gnabry and Ryo for a match against this quality, and partly by the fact that I believe it would be effective. Effective both in countering the opposition threat and going forwards giving Mesut Ozul total freedom and few defensive duties.

Having won a difficult away match in Marseilles, we are in s strong early position in this tough group. Napoli have dispatched Dortmund with ease and we cannot take their threat lightly. We do not want another home display like that of Schalke last season, which ultimately cost us the group and left us facing Bayern in the last 16.

Tuesday will be the severest test of our depleted squad and experience and concentration will be at a premium. Consequently the inclusion of Rosicky in his old role and Jack in his new temporary role will give us a solid feel when not in possession, whilst still giving us fluidity when attacking to play as we usually. A lot is dependent on the ability of Rosicky and Wilshere to work up and down their sides pitch. I hope they are both fit enough.

If we can beat Napoli with so many key squad members missing, including all 4 first choice wing men I think we can all start to believe that something is possible in 2014.