14 Jun 2019 01:26:59
After a season under Emery, Im still not sure what he's all about. We don't have a distinguished playing style or a formation. The football has been awkward to watch. We're not a team that can play 5 at the back - don't have specialist wingbacks or enough energy in central midfield. I want to see us play with a back 4 next season. What formation would you play?


1.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 03:22:22
433 is the inly formation we should be looking to play.


2.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 06:08:42
3. 5. 2 - I don’t want only 1 forward and I don’t want to see us exposed at the back. I don’t believe Emery will drill the defence and midfield hard enough to play 4 at the back so we end up with just two CBs left at the back hence my 4 CB preference
I also don’t want us to play our CFs out of position or drop one.


3.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 08:50:24
For me the front 3 pick themselves as they are the best players at the club Mesut behind Pea and Lacasette is a good strong front 3 most clubs would be happy with but we have to get the best out of them.
I personally would go 5 2 1 2 Belerin is a perfect wing back in my opinion but we need his equal on the left who can get up and back in equal measure but a full back is a defender first and attacker second which is something Emery struggles to accept and seems to want them to be both at exactly the same time.
We need a CB 3 who know and understand each other really well and if possible who are extremely vocal in demanding at least one full back and 1 of the 2 center mid players doesn't forget their defensive duty like Xhaka Ramsey and Torreira all did last season far to often.
Personally I think Emery is so committed to attacking football he just can't find it in himself to make the not conceding the priority it needs to become again for us.
We have totally lost the do not concede mentality and that's where I think we need to build from again.
No one wants to go back to the 1 shot per game 1 goal a game 1 0 to the Arsenal football permanently as it was dull and extremely unexciting to watch even if effective but I personally think defence has to take priority in the short term if we are to get anywhere long term.


4.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 10:18:36
10 at the back.


5.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 10:42:04
We do have specialist wingbacks, Kolasinac and Bellerin are as close as it comes. That said I like how Liverpool uses fullbacks, getting them forward as their main source of width and shuffling the DMs out wide to cover.

Our best performances last season were, Tottenham at home aside, a result of a 4-4-2 diamond. With Ramsey going and assuming Bellerin is back fit, I'd probably play
-------------Leno--------------
Bellerin/ Sokratis/ new CB/ new LB
-----------Torreira------------
----Maitland-Niles/ New CM------
-------------Ozil--------------
-----Lacazette/ Aubameyang------

If Kolasinac stays he could fight for LB. Koscielny/ Holding/ Sokratis/ new CB competing for 2 spots. Maitland-Niles competing with Xhaka, Willock and a new CM for 2 spots. Backup DM competing with Torreira and maybe Chambers. Change to 4-3-3 with Auba/ Iwobi/ Nelson/ new winger competing for 2 wing spots if we need width.


6.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 10:43:29
As we know Emery took over a club on the decline and arguably the weakest squad in decades. He only had £70m to spend on 4 players on long term deals, plus 2 loan deals. This meant the vast majority of the squad were remnants of the previous administration, and all the ingrained faults. In addition he lost 3 first team players early on to season ending injuries. Despite this he finished with more points, a place higher, closed the gap on the PL Champions, closed the gap on the Toot by 13 points to a single point and reached the EL final.
This summer is vital as players depart and replacements brought in. This will be no easy task as reportedly he will have limited funds. How he brings through the promising crop of youngsters will be interesting and by promoting Freddie to a first team coach is an intelligent move.
To conclude, he needs to be given the time to form the squad in his own ideology, with the limited funds available to him. Would any other manager have done better in the circumstances he finds himself?


7.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 16:17:06
Lenao
Bellerin-holding-Sokratis-?
Torreira
Guendouzi-Ozil
Nelson - Iwobi
Lacazette

A 433 formation with torreira holding. This can switch to a 4231 when at home cruising or holding onto a result. I'd want Tierney at left back, and wouldn't mind seeing the back of kola and nacho, nacho, you scored some mad goals, kola, ppfffffttt flatter to deceive, in a four at the back we need a more aware fullback/ wingback.


8.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 16:27:21
"To conclude, he needs to be given the time to form the squad in his own ideology, with the limited funds available to him. Would any other manager have done better in the circumstances he finds himself? "

Are you faffing joking? Never consistent with his team. Pick a back four five or whatever and work with em. This is not rocket science, or a dissentation (however much you'd like it to be Rg61)


9.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 18:53:13
Oh dear Jack. I thought it was obvious why Emery had to change formations, etc. When you have 3 players out for the season, as well as Ramsey towards the end of the season, as well as other injuries, suspensions, fatigue, and players in the squad that were simply not good enough, he was forced to shuffle the remnants of the squad, which also meant changing formations to accommodate the players at your disposal. I can imagine the mess you would make, probably get the team relegated! Emery has won many trophies, I suggest you leave it to him.


10.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 20:26:52
Sorry, Ozil cannot be in the team next season. Absolute disgrace to the club and to youngsters watching him and looking up to him as a role model.

If clubs aren't willing to pay a transfer fee and his stupid wages, shop him around for £5M to anyone who will bite.

We need this rot out of our club.


11.) 14 Jun 2019
14 Jun 2019 20:39:24
Robbie - he couldn’t organise a defence if he tried. He pissed around changing formation etc way more times than injuries required. He played Mustafi in a back 4 when he said it’s stupid to play him in a back 4. I actually think he would have f###ed up George Graham’s back four. He needs time but please don’t make fake excuses for a manager who did nothing to Improve discipline in a back 3 4 or 5. I underst#nd I’m impatient but I could have organised and improved that defence given the ne2 signings he had and that he knew it was our weak spot. It was always going to take time to get us there but his first season addressing our defensive issues was a shambles and we shouldn’t make excuses for him. Any business would expect a new manager to improve their biggest weakness. Sorry to rant but I get the time piece but not that he showed any organisations skills, looked like he was trying to improve defence or had an once of appreciation of what’s required.
I give him time - with a heavy heart
If I was the board - I wouldn’t waste my limited funds on him
I won’t make excuses for his feeble attempt at sorting out our defence - sorry.


12.) 15 Jun 2019
15 Jun 2019 13:30:30
I would go with
Leno
Holding sokeratise spelling bellerin monreal
Torreira xhaka rowe
Lacca augba Nelson but see who we buy this is who we have atm.


13.) 15 Jun 2019
15 Jun 2019 18:22:07
Leno
Bellarin papa monolas Celtic lb
Torreira William carvalho
Carrasco Nelson
Lacca. Pea


My team and I think it’s affordable if we sold players if we sold Ozil get another winger.


14.) 15 Jun 2019
15 Jun 2019 22:02:33
I don't think we can sell Mesut Welsh mate, I genuinely think we not only would have to give him away but also pay towards his wages at his next club too.
There will be no resale funds from parting with Mesut because who would give us 10 or 20 million plus Mesut 1 million a month?
Our choices are keep him or part company and save 5 to 7 million a year on his wages in my opinion.


15.) 16 Jun 2019
16 Jun 2019 09:43:37
right now this is the best we have with what's available: the front 3 pick themselves, the club has natural wingbacks and no wingers.

-------------Leno
-----Socrates Holding Mustafi
Bellerin Guendouzi Torreira Kolasinac
------------- Ozil
----------- Laca Auba

Club should be on the lookout for upgrades to Mustafi and Kolasinac and integrating the talented youth players whereever possible.


16.) 17 Jun 2019
17 Jun 2019 11:05:56
Never been a fan of a back 5, i think it just leaves you overrun in midfield. Like a heard of gazelles, the 3 CB's have to stay as a unit, even if there is no body to mark. If you play 3 CB's, one has to step up into the space in front, to help the midfield 2, but it doesn't seem to happen. Therefore I much prefer the defensive setup of a back 4 with a 5 in front, cutting down the space. Make it hard for the oppo to get the ball into dangerous areas rather than relying on stopping it once it has.


17.) 17 Jun 2019
17 Jun 2019 20:21:52
With a genuine sweeper the back 5 is an excellent formation in my opinion but only if you have the personel for the job.
A genuine sweeper like Franz Beckenbauer who had the football intelligence to cover for his defensive colleagues when necessary and the abilty to move into the midfieild very comfortably to become defensive midfielder, also 4 full backs (obviously 2 at time) who all have the fantastic engine needed to be up and down the pitch constantly (hence 4 needed for tired legs) so the intensity can be maintained for the full 90 minutes.
I always felt both Kompany and David Luiz had the credentials to make a brilliant sweeper in the modern game.