The 4-2-3-1 system in today's modern game

[The Tony]

Recently I heard someone on 5live describing the 4-4-2 as an outdated system but looking at Real and United last night it became clear that there are not many good proponents of the 4-2-3-1 who can perfectly execute the system. It relies on a more flexible midfielders who can do everything and anything that old school midfielders were required to do. The attacking midfielders are required to do more....the have to be mobile and strong enough to combine wing play with striking and defensive duties but they must do it in a manner that keeps the shape and direction of the team in check. This is where I'm seeing the breakdown. All too often last night both sides lost their shape and the game descended into a chaotic high stakes poker shoot out with two sides happy to accept what was taking place and let luck decide who would walk away with the best result.

I think this is where Arsene has the edge. He's slipped Arsenal under the radar but with a system where the executors are all players with the legs to keep the shape of the side whilst exploring the newer elements of the system they have to master. It's been a learning curve. The likes of Theo, Wishere, Podolski and Santi all understand this now and with results improving it will be fascinating to see how far this side can really go.

[The Tony]

[Luis Anaconda]

4
4
2

gottit

[Monty91]

Never gonna happen, you said....

[Alfred C. Jolibois, PhD]

It's clear that Arteta holds/gets us out of defense. He needs cover (an improvement or Frimpong or on Ramsey, more recently). But it's clear what you need in that position to play at Arsenal. Tough, no nonsense, and an excellent passer (which Frimpong is not). Arteta is consistently our most prolific passer. Ramsey was when he played in the role. (His tendency to lose the ball because he hangs on to it for too long would be a problem long term).

It's also clear what the front four need to do, and that by now, they have learned to do it well together. We now play with an orthodox CF, who can play with his back to goal, is terrific at getting the first ball in the air, creating changes for the wing players to cut in. Perfect system for Giroud, Theo, and Podolski. Santi plays the advanced midfieler to perfection, and gives us that technical virtuosity that we thought we had lost with RVP's departure. He can also be the winger and let Jack play the attacking center mid role.

Where the system is still in flux to me is the second central midfielder (where jack plays now, or where Diaby can also play.) When compared to Real, or even ManU, our second midfielder plays in a much more attacking way, often leaving Arteta to fend for himslef. Compare that with Khadira/Alonso or Cleverly/Carrick, who work definitively much more of a pair than Arteta/Jack. Indeed, jack's privileged relationship is with Santi, not Mikel. This is great going forward. Not so great when defending, especially counter attacks. Diaby is the same--even less disciplined in his defensive duty (though useful against tall teams, i admit.) If jack is not there, the system actually falls apart as neither Cocquelin nor Diaby can play that in between role too well.

Over time, it may be that jack fine-tunes the balance, or that he moves one step up, pushing Santi to the wing. but for now, that is the little imbalance that I see in our emerging (and by and large, super promising) 4-2-3-1.

[Luis Anaconda]

I was very very wrong about that then and you were right

[barrybueno]