The Premiership’s two free-flowing clubs are set to collide with Arsenal looking to come out on top against Chelsea’s diamond midfield.
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They say diamonds are a central midfielders best friend. Or at least the saying should be, as in an increasingly bureaucratic game it’s the greatest indication the coach is ready to play to your strengths. Carlo Ancelotti may not have made much changes to the personnel but he has introduced a new system looking to get the best out of his sides central strength.

While Chelsea’s diamond system was born out of goal of getting the best of the players at their disposal, the origin of the formation or its variants,  is less explicit. However due to their obsession with the enganche (playmaker), the set-up is more prevalent in Argentina and in a bid to cater such a player, it seems the diamond ensured a self-conscious symmetry in which to build their play around. And indeed it is at the tip of this diamond where Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Feguson feels this current Chelsea team lacks.

“Chelsea use the same system that Ancelotti operated in Milan,’ said Sir Alex. ‘The difference is he had Kaka there. Kaka made a hell of a difference to how well the system worked, and Chelsea are still looking for someone in a forward role to balance their team better. They tried Lampard there, they tried Deco. They have even tried Florent Malouda and now they’ve brought Joe Cole back in. It’s not the finished article at the moment, though they have the experience to cope with it.”

Although, Ferguson’s United side ultimately fell to defeat earlier this month, they successfully stifled the threat of Deco behind the two forwards.  The midfield pairing of Carrick and Fletcher were quick to close down the Portueguese midfielder denying  any room to manoeuvre. Indeed the consequences of Holland in ‘74 continues to ripple through South American football – the pressure the Dutch put on the ball, depriving the enganche any time and space to choose his options – mean some feel the position can have a dangerous effect on those who use it. “The word Enganche is dangerous,” says former Argentina midfielder Diego Simeone. “But, I like enganche, although with some variations. More like the playing style of Zidane, call it a prototype of enganche? That evolved into the enganche roles today of Kaká, Totti, Pirlo, Ronaldinho and Robinho. I believe enganche today must come from another sector, there must be wider variety of options.”

But done well and the role could be of great damage. Much like the system, much depends on the movement of the players which was part of the reason why Deco was nullified. Only when Anelka dropped deeper, towards the end of the first half from his forward position and double up did Deco move more around the pitch to cause greater unpredictability and drag the opposition out of position. In fact, movement is a necessity in the system. The biggest flaw, the lack of width must be manufactured either by players taking up vacant space or the full backs bombing forward.

Ancelotti has played Malouda to the left of the diamond and that could create width although it may become predictable if starting inside then going out. But that has not been a problem for Chelsea, who have been particularly devastating with their movement and along with the marauding full-backs, posed grave problems to their opposition. “They were a bit predictable when they were 4-3-3 but Chelsea’s new diamond formation is very difficult to play against,” said Sunderland manager Steve Bruce. “It’s hard for opponents to work out who to pick up when. The system makes life very difficult for opposing full-backs as, a lot of the time, they’re not sure exactly what to do. Chelsea are the real deal.”

The carrileros (shuttlers or to use a more exact definition, lanes) arguably have the most important of roles as a double function, both providing an option to the left or right and also defending the zones they operate. “The system is good because we have more possession and have the ball all the time,” said Deco. “We have four in midfield and we can play better than when we had the three. When we defend it’s more difficult because we have to go both sides. All the time we have one more player in [central] midfield than the other team.”

And so on to the big game, with Arsenal looking to make up ground on their rivals. The Gunners big test will be whether they can cope with the movement of Chelsea because while they have produce great approach play, have inevitably left gaps open to exploit and at times have looked suspect in dealing with sustained pressure. Because of this, Arsene Wenger is likely to start Denilson, who should offer more balance and protection alongside Song. On the right of Chelsea’s diamond, Ballack likes to tuck in and allow Bosingwa and Anelka to profit from the space afforded so with Denilson slightly elongated to the left, will look to counter that threat.

Wenger’s biggest tactical choices will be who to start at left back and who to play right-wing. Silvestre offers height advantage against Traore (jump and aggression in air) while his cautiousness should be an able shield for such late threat Chelsea provide. On the right-wing, Samir Nasri had a strong game against Standard Liege and his cutting inside freed up space for right back Emmanuel Eboue to bomb forward although it is likely Sagna is set to be recalled. Theo Walcott is also an option as his directness could pin back the opposing full backs, similarly on the left with Arshavin.

The Gunners have conceded possession more recently in big games which could be to their advantage also; whilst it theoretically means more to defend it could also allow the team to play more direct and be a threat on the counter. Nevertheless, the combinations with Eduardo will be key. If the Croatian drops and roams around the pitch, it will mean Arsenal can match Chelsea in the middle and can pin back the full backs due to the higher presence of the wingers. Expect Arshavin to assume the central role in some moments of the match and his low centre of gravity and dynamism could prove a strong weapon on the break.

Predicted teams:
Arsenal (4-3-3): Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Silvestre; Song, Denilson, Fabregas(c); Arshavin, Nasri, Eduardo. Subs: Fabianski, Eboue, Traore, Senderos, Ramsey, Walcott, Rosicky, Vela.

Chelsea (4-4-2 diamond): Cech; Ivanovic, Carvalho, Terry, A. Cole; Essien, Ballack, Malouda, Deco; Drogba, Anelka. Subs: Hilario, Belleti, Alex, Mikel, Kalou, J. Cole, Zhirkov, Lampard.

Samir Nasri and Denilson were in amongst the goals as Arsenal strolled past Standard Liege to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League.
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For great crime fighting double acts read Batman and Robin, Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse, Crockett and Tubbs, and now you can safely add Alex Song and Denilson to that list. When everyone else attacks, these two resist all temptations and hold up the fort behind them. 14 games had passed since the duo lined-up together and their selflessness as the double-axis in front of the defence was part of the reason for Arsenal’s scintillating football, particularly in the first half.

Song even had time to get forward in that period as the Gunners produced wave after attack and with only twelve minutes on the clock could have scored three. As it, was Arsenal needed a little help from Standard Liege’s left back Landry Mulemo to take the lead, misjudging a long ball from Thomas Vermaelen to let Nasri in and he tucked the ball past Turkish U21 goalkeeper Sinan Bolat. Denilson wrapped things up in the last-minute of the half with a Ronaldo-esque dipping shot which swerved all over the place before finally landing in the middle of the net. By the time the Brazilian was replaced, Arsenal had taken their foot of the pedal but such was the expertise of the midfielder, his substitute Tomas Rosicky looked to be asking his colleague for some pointers before making his way on the pitch.

Carlos Vela surprisingly got the nod ahead of Eduardo and the forward produced a lively display if not having the individual effect he would have wanted. His movement off the ball and combinations with others pleased the manager and overall, the side had more variety and dynamism than the display at Sunderland. In a sense it was easier for Vela to adapt because of the personnel on show, allowing the side to play a more quicker game than at the Stadium of Light. Nasri on the right looked to support Vela by coming inside as the Mexican drifted usually towards the left which freed up space for Emmanuel Eboue to drive forward. The midfield shield of Denilson and Song, the former slightly elongated to the left allowed Cesc Fabregas to provide support higher up as the interior.

But Arsenal’s evening was overshadowed somewhat by the unfortunate injury to Kieran Gibbs who could be out for three months with a metatarsal injury while Gallas hobbled off with a boxer’s bruise above his eye and an ankle injury.

Arsenal 2-0 Standard Liege: Nasri 35, Denilson 45
Red Card: Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez 83

Arsenal (4-3-3): Almunia (7), Eboue (7), Gallas (7) (Silvestre 6), Vermaelen (7), Gibbs (7), Fabregas (7), Song Billong (8)*, Denilson (8) (Rosicky 7), Nasri (7) (Walcott 6), Arshavin (7), Vela (7).
Subs: Mannone, Sagna, Eduardo, Traore.

Standard Liege (4-5-1): Bolat, Camozzato, Sarr, Felipe, Mulemo, Goreux, Witsel, Mangala, Carcela-Gonzalez, Dalmat, Mbokani.
Subs: Van Hout, Victor Ramos, Rocha, Traore, Gershon, Nicaise, Gohi-Bi.

Referee: Konrad Plautz (Austria)

Darren Bent secured a shock win over Arsenal who lacked the dynamism to open up the Black Cats’ defence.
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Was this the realisation of the importance of Robin van Persie or were Arsenal just missing a certain amount of cutting edge in the starting line-up? Certainly there was a case for both sides of the coin as the Gunners fell to their third defeat of the season at the Stadium of Light.

As ever Arsenal showed their frailties from set-pieces, the goal resembling a game of hot-potato as Frazier Campbell found himself unmarked at the back post to inadvertently knock the ball back across goal for Darren Bent to poke home. Before that Arsenal enjoyed a glut of possession particularly in the first half but were only able to fashion two clear-cut chances in that period. Rosicky’s volley from an acrobatic Cesc Fabregas knock on was saved by the body of Fulop while Eduardo linked up well with Alex Song before his shot went inches wide.

The ghosts of seasons past were certainly out as while Arsenal stroked the ball about with relative comfort, Sunderland were able to stifle their approach play by remaining compact and organised. The key to Arsenal’s style this season has been the angles created in support with the central forward but in this instance their was little interchange between the front men. The half-wingers in the 4-3-3, (or closer to a 4-1-4-1 and not just in a temporary attacking/defensive phase) played deeper than the Gunners have been accustomed to this season and as a result the side missed the dynamism to get behind the defences. “ I believe that going forward especially we lacked sharpness and desire to go behind the defenders,” rued Arsene Wenger. “We had chosen the easy part of the game, that is always come to the ball and not to be exposed then with our pace in behind. In football, if you want to score goals, you have to go behind the defenders.”

Indeed once Vela, Arshavin and Walcott all came on their was an added directness and interchangeability about the play but that could be attributed to the urgency of the situation and freshness of the players. Two cross-shots were flashed across goal with no-one to get to the end of it and of course no Eduardo who at this time, was sacrificed. In the second instance, Carlos Vela made himself available on the left-side to drive past the goal and Wenger would have hoped his main striker had produced the same movements in the earlier periods of the game. Maybe Eduardo’s more orthodox style didn’t compliment the style of the wide-men he started with and would have done so with Arshavin and Walcott either side of him. Indeed, it is maybe Arsenal’s unorthodox style which has seen them not receive a penalty this season since the central forward tends to operate in different areas and when Vela was tripped in the box, referee Alan Wiley was having none of it.

Has Robin van Persie become Arsenal’s most important player or is it the dictating abilities of Fabregas which is still tops? Or even the dynamism and ingenuity of Arshavin? The three Arsenal defeats this season have seen at least one of the key trio missing and the task for the side to breed more cohesion all-round. Slaven Bilic feels the modern game is about “the movement of ten players” while Dunga has stated teams must be more dynamic to open up sides. This balance Robin van Persie gives in conjunction with his supporting cast is already looking more and more important and the ball is in now Eduardo’s court to show that he can do the same – starting with key games with Standard Liege and Chelsea.

Sunderland 1-0 Arsenal: D. Bent, 71.

Sunderland (4-5-1): Fulop, Bardsley, Da Silva, Mensah (Ferdinand 82min), McCartney, Malbranque (Campbell 66min), Cana, Richardson, Henderson, Reid* (Zenden 78min), Bent.
Subs: Carson, Nosworthy, Murphy, Healy.

Arsenal (4-3-3): Almunia (6), Sagna (7), Vermaelen (7), Gallas (7), Traore (6), Song (7), Ramsey (5) (Arshavin 6), Fabregas (7), Rosicky (6) (Walcott 5), Eduardo (6) (Vela 6), Nasri (6).
Subs: Mannone, Denilson, Silvestre, Eboue.

Referee: Alan Wiley (Staffordshire)

Eduardo’s instincts in the final third should ensure he endures a seamless transition to centre forward in the absence of Robin van Persie.
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No sooner did Robin van Persie get the hang of this goalscoring lark, he became the latest player in Arsenal’s history under Wenger’s tenure to fall foul to the November injury jinx. The Dutchman has been in sparkling form at the tip of the 4-3-3, scoring seven goals and providing seven assists and it’s this double role that has seen him become a key figure in Arsenal’s newly found system of cutting edge.

But van Persie’s self-analysis before suffering ankle ligament damage should mean his replacement, Eduardo endures a seamless transition into the central role. “The weeks before, I was constantly taking defensive actions, hunting and pressurising,” said van Persie. “In the same games I missed some good chances. When I listed them, I came to the conclusion that, through all that work and bustle, I had missed the primary focus of my role. The coach thought the same thing. He said I had my moments to make better choices. In recent weeks, I think it is all better balanced.”

Although predominantly thought of as a goalscorer, what Eduardo brings to the Arsenal side is more than just goals. His calm demeanor is infectious as one of the captains of the team, his expertise in the craft instills confidence to those around him but most crucially he makes things happen. “It was a good team performance, ” Wenger enthused after Eduardo’s comeback last season in a 4-0 win over Cardiff. “Dynamic, convincing, the kind of game we like to play, with added drive going forward and Eduardo played a big part in that.”  Since that victory, the club has seen only a smattering of involvement from the Croatian striker who’s biggest challenge will be to see if he can last the whole distance in van Persie’s absence.

And that itself should be the only concern that fans have over whether Eduardo can apply himself in the role because in terms of movement, there is little better, whether that’s creating space for himself or for others. “I’m feeling good,” he said. “At the beginning of the season I had a few injury niggles but I am OK now and ready to help the team rise to the top of the table, as well as progress in the Champions League. The boss knows our qualities and how they can fit into a formation. For me it is fine to play on the left or the right, no problem, the most important thing is to help the team and I feel good in those positions. It is a formation that gives us more movement and more creativity through the middle, although it is not easy because we have to balance defence and attack and that can be difficult.”

With Eduardo in the centre it will offer Arsenal plenty of movement up front and if he engages the central defenders as well as it is envisaged, it could open up the space in front of the backline for one of the midfielders to take advantage from in “between the lines.”

Another albeit radical plan would be to involve Arshavin or even Abou Diaby as the central point of attack but in doing so would probably create the most false number nine in history. Granted, the Russian would feel his best position is as a second striker and it is expected he will get an opportunity to lead the line although that is likely to be during or at the start of a certain attacking phase rather than from the off.

But Arshavin should fret not if he doesn’t get the central role because the real danger may lay in him or one of the other wide forwards getting in to the forward position by cutting inside. “When forwards attack from wide to inside, they are far more dangerous,” says Sir Alex Ferguson. “When [Thierry] Henry played as a striker, and sometimes when Wayne [Rooney] does, they try to escape and create space by drifting from the centre to wide positions, when that actually makes them less dangerous.”

Brazil displayed this type of danger against England in Doha as central striker Luis Fabiano constantly dropped deep, pulling one of the central defenders out, leaving Wes Brown as right back mulling over whether to stick with the left forward of Nilmar. Brown was punished for his uncertainty, as first Nilmar got in between him and centre-back Upson to head in the only goal of the game before doing the same to nick a backpass away from Foster to win a penalty.

And indeed against AZ Alkmaar, Arsenal produced the same movements - three times to be precise – to pull the Dutch side’s marking system all over the place in their 4-1 win. Eduardo was involved in that match, coming off the bench to play a part in the fourth with his ingenuity and that is his greatest strength.

Karthik (KV) crosses the reader-contributor divide to give us his take on the subtleties of Arsenal’s 4-3-3 system.
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From time immemorial variation has led to the survival of species. Slight variations have caused species to evolve through the years, making them more adept to the environment. Last season’s 4-2-3-1 did not quite have the right balance, with the countless number of low-scoring draws serving as evidence. A slight variation in the formation has revolutionized the way we play the game and Arsenal is not only scoring goals, they are scoring quality goals. Let us amplify the variations and analyze them.

“We will play the formation and system that most suits the players and the balance of the team,” Wenger says. “That means it’s not rigid. It can evolve throughout the season, depending on circumstances and personnel.” These few lines act as the epitome of Arsenal’s formation this season. It is fluid, enabling the individual brilliance and creativity of players to be unleashed.

The system sanctions the ‘pass and offer’ style of play, which has been the basis on which Wenger ball has been established. It is a 4-3-3 which morphs into a 4-1-4-1. “I wanted to play high up the pitch and it can change in some games,” said Wenger. “But overall I believe we can play high up and we can bring the threat to the opponents half very early in the game.” The cardinal aim of the system is to push the players high up the pitch into the opponents half. This positions the likes of Fabregas, Arshavin and VanPersie deep into the opponents half which increases the killer impact of the final ball resulting in a goal. The marching into the opposite half is done through lubricious passing and intricate movement. Effective pressuring of defenders up front to rob the ball is necessary to keep possession.

Last season, Arsenal had abandoned the creative approach to a more direct game plan. This has had an effect as Arsenal are investing that extra bit of effort by shipping men forward quickly so that the opposition have less time to regroup and defend. This has created more one on ones in the counter and the likes of Diaby arrive late in the box to finish of the chances. “I must say he is attracted like a magnet by the opponent’s goal,” said Wenger on Diaby’s attacking instincts. His animal instincts are used as a late arrival (llegada) where he rushes into the box unmarked to score the goal. This ploy seems to be extremely effective as the defenders are completely unaware of the run and it results in a goal more often than not.

Wenger has always mentioned that he likes to have ten ‘players of the ball’ on the field. This cannot be truer as the detached centre-back makes a surging run into the box which paralyses the opponents for a few seconds, taken by the player to execute the goal. Arshavin is given the freedom of the flank this season. He can cut in and operate as a second striker or he can choose to be touchline hugging (or hogging). By cutting in, he creates space for the Left back to advance and cross and for the left-sided midfielder to utilize.

Fabio Capello says that “in the modern game, the only formation is 9-1,” which means that he accedes the centre-forward is a base on which teams build their attack. The former Brazil manager Carlos Parriera added another twist to Cappello’s view by predicting that the teams in the future may see no fixed striker. Roma mastered this tactic by deploying Totti, a trequartista by trade as a lone man up front. Then Manchester United put out a variation where the front four kept constantly interchanging, adding the ‘strikerless’ effect to the formation.

Arsenal seems to be the ‘new kid on the block’ as the prolific Robin Van Persie combines both the variation expertly to make our formation ‘strikerless’. He starts off in the center and as the clock ticks, he moves wider, drops deep and he interchanges with the wingers. This leaves the defenders on the fence and confused as they will create space for the other players to exploit by following Van Persie. If not, they will give precious time for the player to craft the next move. “It can get a little bit lonely for him (van Persie),” says Wenger. “But that depends how quick and how massive the support is we give him. I believe that we work on that, you know? That he gets quick support and he needs people around him because he’s a combination player, more than a physical player. That’s why the distances within our side are important, that he’s not isolated.”

It is an often argued point that water tight defenses bring you silverware. To ensure this Arsenal have quite an efficient defense. They play very high up the pitch, close to the touchline. They are mobile and good readers of the game and need to be alert to the counter attack. Song does a spectacular job sitting in front of the defense, slapping any counter attacks coming his way. He covers for the CB if he goes out to attack.

The second function midfielder, namely Diaby plays a vital role in determining the shape of the team. His job is to forage the space left over by Arshavin in the left-wing. When we have the ball, the shape can be described as a 4-1-4-1 as Diaby and Cesc advance to be in line with the wingers. They provide extra man power around the box to create more triangles in the pass. When we don’t have the ball, the front three hunt up front to retrieve the ball as Diaby and Fabregas drop deeper to defend.

The beauty of the formation is that it can hardly be described by figures like 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1. The fluidity allows the team to morph into various shapes. The unpredictability and the variation make it deadly dangerous and lethal. That is the aim and hopefully the end products will be silverware, silverware and more silverware.

Two own goals helped Arsenal on their way to an ultimately comfortable victory as Wolves tired from their early pressing to relinquish control.
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Alex Song gave a reminder of what is to be missed in January when he leaves for the African Cup of Nations as his introduction gave Arsenal renewed spark in the midfield.

Wolves hassled and harried the Gunners early on with their mix of direct football and high-intensity pressure but as Diaby departed under the Molineux lights through injury, Song’s entry brought a little sanity to proceedings. That’s not to say Diaby would not have settled because it was Wolves right as the home team to make Arsenal earn their right to play. But Song has added a little sophistication and expertise to the role as typified by his nonchalant flick to Fabregas early in the second half while Diaby is still learning, nevertheless making two interceptions in twenty minutes and three tackles.

Two own goals – the first from Zubar, helping a Cesc Fabregas corner into the net before Jody Craddock inadvertently headed Eduardo’s chip over Wayne Hennesey – allowed Arsenal to regain their composure and from the first kick in the second half, utterly dominated proceedings. Their superior technique took over as Fabregas finished a flowing move to make it three and Arshavin extended the lead with a opportunist half volley from the edge of the area following Hennessey’s punch out.

The Gunners obsession with keeping the ball has translated to being more efficient and direct. By stretching the play, Wolves had more ground in which to cover allowing Arsenal to slowly stamp their authority. It also meant the side could create more angles in the pass and zones for men to run into causing unpredictability. Cesc Fabregas was once again the master of time and space as he made full use of the pitch to manufacture openings. Aaron Ramsey also made a notable contribution with a high energy performance although his passing ranged from the superb to the erratic, still missing the decisiveness that experience will bring. But once again it was a strong team performance that set Arsenal on their way. “I think the most important factor is that we play for each other as we do, we focus on our performance, and that we continue to develop our style of play,” said Wenger. “To play at a high pace, our collective game,”

The late goal conceded to Craddock from a corner kick would not have pleased Wenger but accepts their may be at times leaks in the system due to their offensive style. “We have a style where everyone goes forward,” he said after all his defenders had more than forty passes each. “You cannot have everything in football, but I believe we have a good balance between offense and defence, and as long as we score as many goals as we do, we can accept that.”

Wolverhampton 1-4 Arsenal: Zubar (og) 28, Craddock (og) 35, Fabregas 45, Arshavin 66, Craddock 89.

Wolves: Hennessey, Stearman, Craddock, Berra, Zubar, Edwards, Henry, Milijas, Catillo, Ebanks-Blake, Doyle. Subs: Hahnemann, Mancienne, Kightly, Halford, Jarvis, Keogh, Maierhofer.

Arsenal: Almunia (6), Sagna (8), Vermaelen (7), Gallas (7), Gibbs (7), Diaby (Song Billong 7), Fabregas (8)*, Ramsey (7), Arshavin (7) (Nasri), Eduardo (7) (Rosicky), Van Persie (7).
Subs not used: Mannone, Senderos, Silvestre, Eboue.

Arsenal attacked AZ Alkmaar with speed and purpose to all but seal their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
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Whisper it quietly but this may be the real deal. Arsenal’s speed and incision cut apart Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar but the win was received with as much as a whimper across Europe.

They’ve been promising it for a while now and the manner in which they defeated AZ moves Arsenal closer to making it even more possible. The Gunners lost their interest towards the end and allowed Jeremain Lens to grab the Dutch side a consolation but for much of the game it was one way traffic, directed by Cesc Fabregas.

The skipper grabbed two goals, the first squeezing past Romero’s near post and his outstretched arm after a probing foray forward by the impressive William Gallas. His second and Arsenal’s third saw Andrey Arshavin bag a trio of assists as Fabregas made pay of Romero’s decision sleep on the job to wrong foot the ‘keeper. In between van Persie’s movement to the left flank found Nasri in the forward position and the Frenchman coolly sidestepped his man before guiding the ball in the net. Diaby wrapped up the win after a swift counter attack starting from an Eduardo flick and ending with the gangly midfielder’s precision finish.

The Gunners even had the luxury of bringing on Eduardo and Rosicky during the closing stages to complete what is probably the most exciting and deadly front line in Europe. But having such talent requires discipline and organisation to allow a certain amount of balance and encouragingly there was some improvements in this regard in comparison with previous games before they decided more goals were more important than the clean sheet later on.

Diaby and Song started closer to each other allowing Fabregas to play higher and that is a key difference to the Arsenal side of yesteryear. Rather than playing through sides, they are looking to advance past them by committing men forward and quickly so teams have less time to get men behind the ball. They have sacrificed that bit of possession that Barcelona have and converted that energy into being more direct, an area which the Catalan giants may lack.

Arsenal (4-3-3): Almunia (7); Eboué (6), Gallas (8), Vermaelen (7), Gibbs (7); Nasri (8), Fábregas (8) (Ramsey), Song (6), Diaby (8), Arshavin (7) (Rosicky); Van Persie (7) (Eduardo). Subs: Mannone, Sagna, Senderos, Silvestre.

AZ Alkmaar (4-3-3): Romero; Jaliens, Moisander, Moreno, Poulsen; Dembele (Lens), Holman, Da Silva, Schaars, Martens; Pelle. Subs: Didulica, Pocognoli, Ari, Wernbloom, Van der Velden, Swerts.

Referee: Alain Hamer (Luxembourg)

Alan Dzagoev showed exactly why he is Russia’s brightest new hope with a masterful display on how to use operational space.
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I was first alerted to the dazzling talents of Alan Dzagoev during a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa in last year’s Europa Cup campaign and it is noticeable to see just how far he has come since then. Still only 19 but Dzagoev plays with an ice cool head and seems to relish the creative responsibilities given to him by new coach Leonid Slutsky.

It was only February since that game at Villa and CSKA Moscow have since moved on to their third coach – Slutsky given quite a baptism of fire at Old Trafford. And indeed, things have also changed for Dzagoev as his then partner in crime, Vagner Love, has departed on loan which is a great shame as their telepathic understanding mirrored that of Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

But one could still see remnants of that understanding with new striker partner Tomáš Necid in the 3-3 draw against Manchester United as the Czech constantly looked to get into the spaces he hoped Dzagoev will find. The Russian’s ability to thread an eye of the needle passes is particularly impressive but it can at times be his downfall as this can see him ignore the simpler option.

However it’s this recognition of operational space that sets him apart and his movement and passes into such areas caused the Manchester United defence problems no end. Always on the move and looking for spaces to exploit he was the first man on the ball to initiate attacks while his tracking back also had a lot to admire. Making sure he stationed himself in the area where the deep-lying playmaker, in this case Paul Scholes would operate, stopping the United midfielder exerting much influence on the game and ready to pounce on the ball once it became loose.

And for his goal and CSKA’s first, he combined both power and pace to match his ingenuity and skill on the ball. Dropping deep to get the ball, Dzagoev dragged Wes Brown out of position which created the space for Necid to  fantastically weighted a chested pass into his path. His first touch looked to have taken him too far to the left but his close control and quick change of pace meant Jonny Evans was always unsure of the next action. And as quick as a flash, Dzagoev thrashed in a vicious left-footed shot which left Van Der Sar with no chance from the acutest of angles.

The warning signs were clear of Dzagoev’s danger but United continued to give the Russian much room. There was lessons to be learnt for rivals from watching this game as it highlighted the amount of space one can exploit due to Manchester United’s expansive style. And Dzagoev was at it again, as he gradually dragged Evans out of position for CSKA’s second, dummying the ball for Necid to play in the ever-troublesome Krasic and the Serb finished off a flowing move. At times he was reminiscent of Dennis Bergkamp, his awareness and anticipation only paralleled on the pitch by Micheal Own surprisingly enough and his dummy especially bringing into mind the fantastic goal scored by Bergkamp against Newcastle, knowing the only free area was behind him to his right before flicking the ball past Nikolas Dabizas.

His understanding of danger areas wasn’t just limited to a creative sense as he also made sure to position himself for rebounds and in one instance his positioning was so perfect, he nearly blocked a shot from his own team-mate.

Dzagoev’s night came to a premature end on seventy-two minutes, being replaced by Daniel Carvalho but it wasn’t before he was involved in the third. His devilishly whipped free-kick found Vasili Berezutski unmarked at the back post and the defender obliged with a strong header to put CSKA 3-1 up. The Russian’s certainly missed Dzagoev’s opportunism as they failed to handle United’s late pressure and in the end succumbed to a draw.

It was also interesting to note the tactical context of Alan Dzagoev’s substitution for Carvalho. His previous manager Zico, was reluctant to play him behind the main striker for balance sake, preferring instead the  Brazilian midfielder in an attempt to achieve the self-conscious symmetry that the 4-2-3-1 gives. He has been linked to Real Madrid and Pelligrini’s insistence on playing two forwards will ensure he will fit in well for the neo-galacticos but he has previously admitted to being a fan of Chelsea. But seeing as the Blues are currently in a transfer embargo, Dzagoev’s best bet would be to remain at CSKA and hone his skills as a world-class striker he so promises to become before moving to Western Europe.

Scout Report Card:
Age 19
Position Second Striker
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10+¹⁄₂ in)
Weight 11st 9lbs (74 kg)

Heading ­7
Passing 9
Shooting 8
Vision and Awareness 10
Team ­responsibility 9

Value £15m

The standard of Arsenal’s goalkeepers has come into question but changes in the modern game mean there is more to the position than shot-stopping.
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If goalkeepers are crazy then imagine having to summon the sparse vestiges of your sanity to defend three of them. That was the situation that confronted Arsène Wenger at the recent AGM meeting where he was asked whether his goalkeepers were good enough.

This was after his third choice between the sticks; Vito Mannone made the error in judgment against Birmingham in deciding to catch instead of punch. And he didn’t help Wenger’s cause in the next game either as the Italian could only palm, an albeit wicked shot from West Ham’s Alessandro Diamanti, back into the danger area for Carlton Cole to head home. “Yes I believe we have [enough quality],” answered Wenger. “Goalkeeper is a very difficult position. Why? It is the only position where you have only negative stress. People speak only about you when you have made a mistake. A striker has positive stress – he has a pressure to score but if he scores he is always ‘a hero’, he is always ‘fantastic’. But a goalkeeper is only spoken about when he lets a goal in or when he makes a mistake and it is a difficult position.”

But it can also be said goalkeepers can have “positive stress.” Robert Green’s last minute save in the 2-2 draw against the Gunners had his manager laud him as the real ‘goalkeeper of the national team,’ disregarding the fact that his error led to the first goal while he could have been more assertive by trying to claim the second. Indeed Green’s actual performances in an England shirt have been riddled by bad decision-making and his most standout ability – shot-stopping – has been largely unemployed.

Two Swedish medical professors – Lars Peterson and Per Renström – argue in a research for FIFA that this is all part of the minimum requirements of a top-level goalkeeper and now cannot be judged on reflexes alone. “A goalkeeper can be uninvolved in playing situations for ten minutes, and then suddenly be thrust into the centre of the action,” they say. “One single error can result in a goal and give rise to major criticism even if he has made 15 outstanding saves prior to the one visible mistake. In a nutshell, one can say that being a goalkeeper is a major challenge requiring special talent combined with extraordinary athletic ability and an unruffled psyche.”

Arsene Wenger also agrees, citing the law changes in bringing more out of the goalkeeper. “Every [modern] rule that has come out in football has taken something away from the ‘keeper,” he said. “That means basically today he must be good with his feet, good with his hands, be very quick, be highly focused for 90 minutes, not make any technical mistakes and it makes the job very hard.”

This attention to detail may be the reason why the Frenchman has spurned the chances of signing those keepers felt more established. He wants his men between the sticks to be all-round as it is said universality brings fluency to a team’s play. The 3-0 victory over Tottenham had his first choice Manuel Almunia rarely tested in terms of making saves but in a couple of instances, had to make sweeper-like interceptions by rushing out of his area to clear the ball. Indeed the research by the two Swedish professors highlights the reason why ’smaller’ teams may get away with goalkeepers of a confined ability as their involvement is usually limited to a smaller set of skills.

In 1958, Brazil realised the importance of goalkeepers and went to the World Cup with specialist keeping coaches, not to mention doctors and a sports psychologist. They acknowledged that there is more to goalkeeping than shot-stopping but even still, have carried the unfair stigma of being at an inferior level to other nations. Nevertheless, their concentration on all-round keepers has seen them enter the coming World Cup with enviable pool of goalkeepers, including current best in the world Julio Cesar of Inter Milan.

But for some, this over-analysis is merely just complicating things and finding the best goalkeeper is more clear-cut. In 1977, Peter Taylor – Brian Clough’s  assistant at Nottingham Forest – identified the need in signing England goalkeeper Peter Shilton as he felt he was the best around. Clough obliged and the East Midlands club proceeded to embark on their most successful era.

Times are more complex and cosmopolitan now but with shot-stopping becoming almost as marginalised as goalscoring has in recent years, could it be that Wenger’s best interest is to adopt the more pragmatic approach of Taylor and Clough?

Arsenal’s use of the whole pitch created space and angles to open up the Spurs defence as two goals inside a minute set-up a comfortable win.
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A period of forty-nine seconds in the first half typified what Arsenal are about this season as Arséne Wenger’s Catalan-inspired reinvention has given the Gunners an explosiveness and unpredictability that was beginning to seep away from the side.

First Robin van Persie nipped in between Ledley King and Sébastien Bassong to poke the ball past Gomes and while the inquest between the pair was still on-going, Cesc Fabregas intercepted a pass from Palacios and preceded to tip-toe away from three challenges before firing home. The skipper has been criticised at times for being too slow but showed great power and mobility to burst past the Tottenham defence and his sheer determination to get the ball back quickly created the goal.

Indeed Arsenal started the game with good intensity but started to fade away during the middle period of the first half as Tottenham were quicker to close them down and hurry Arsenal’s men on the ball. It was Harry Redknapp’s tactic to restrict space in the centre and when the ball was won, play it quickly to Peter Crouch who’s presence would allow the wide men to get involved. And for a while the tactic worked and were it not for a fantastic last-ditch tackle from Alex Song on Robbie Keane, the Gunners could in all reality have gone a goal down.

But Arsenal’s ability to stretch the pitch meant there was always going to be space to be exploited and angles in the pass to play the ball. The wide men of Arshavin and Bendtner were looking Arsenal’s best threat as the pair had a couple of chances to test Gomes by cutting inside to support van Persie and Fabregas while the space vacated allowed Bakary Sagna in particular to capitalise from. The French full back made it a week to remember, ending the game with two assists following the one at West Ham as his cross for van Persie wrapped up the third. As ever Cesc Fabregas was the instigator of most Arsenal’s attacks and much of his passes in the opposition half were directed diagonally towards the two flanks. Wenger’s ploy of having one flank more direct and the other more intricate allowed the side to set-up a series of triangles though slightly elongated to the right.

The change in style means this season’s Arsenal are a different team than from yesteryears. The beautiful football is still there but possession won’t exactly be their specialist trait, just better than most. Robin van Persie’s role as the false nine is crucial to Arsenal’s build up play as is the means to get the ball deep quickly. “He is a mixture,” said Wenger of the Dutch striker. “He is less of a runner with the ball than Thierry Henry and he is not completely Dennis Bergkamp because he plays higher up the pitch. With the type of game we have, he is vital because, when you play the ball to his feet, his first touch is always perfect and it allows [others] to join in. And, in the box, he is intelligent.”

Wenger did show one moment of frustration as a problem in communication saw him throw his jacket down in fury in trying to translate his tactics to his players. But he needn’t to worry as his side looked to be learning from the mistakes of the past two games and showed a marked improvement in concentration and discipline to see out the match.

Arsenal 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur: van Persie 42, 60, Fabregas 43.

Arsenal (4-3-3): Almunia (7), Sagna (8), Gallas (7), Vermaelen (7), Clichy (7), Fabregas (8), Song Billong (7), Diaby (7), Bendtner (7) (Eduardo 6), van Persie (7) (Ramsey), Arshavin (7) (Eboue).
Subs not used: Mannone, Senderos, Nasri, Gibbs.

Tottenham (4-5-1): Gomes (4), Corluka (6) (Hutton), King (6), Bassong (5), Assou-Ekotto (5), Bentley (6), Huddlestone (5) (Bale), Palacios (5), Jenas (6), Keane (5) (Pavlyuchenko), Crouch (5).
Subs not used: Button, Dawson, Kranjcar, Woodgate.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear)