A curse of new stadium??

Derby County, Leicester city, Southampton, Sunderland and Millwal. What is the similarity of those teams? Some people might have noticed from the title. The answer is that those teams are all victims of the so-called curse of new stadium. Above teams used to be regular customers in Premier league. However, after building new stadiums, they have been staying in the Championship, rather than enjoying the benefit of their new stadium.

Arsenal also seems to suffer from a curse. But, it looks like it is a tiny bit different kind of curse with the curse that above teams are having. Arsenal just can not score.

Well, say so is likely to be not convincing because, so far they have two 3 goals scored games against Sheffield United and Watford. However, their several games against Middlesboro, Everton and Lokomotiv Moscow, made me to come up with the new kind of a curse of new stadium.

The reason for that is, in those games, Arsenal missed, unbelievably, so many chances, though, they perfectly control the games. If it had happened only in two games against Everton and Middlesboro, I would think that it is due to beating them up 7:0 in Highbury in two seasons ago and the last season. That poignant memory made them to only defend all the time. But, after watching the game against Lokomotiv Moscow, I felt something weird.

The curse stemmed from their opening game against Aston Villa. That game did seem that it is one-way traffic. Arsenal players were giving Martin O’Neil’s players a soccer clinic. However, Aston Villa scored the first goal with their corner kick among their 3 shoots. After that goal, they did not look like they are into go forward. Whereas, Arsenal hardly could score their equalizer through having 12 times shooting with 10 corner kicks.

Situations were getting worse. In the game, against Middlesboro, Arsenal had 17 shoots and 16 corner kicks but scored 1 penalty. In contrast, Middlesboro had 2 shoots and 0 corner kick but they scored a field goal. Moreover, Arsenal scored 1 free-kick goal through shooting 20 times and taking 13 corner kicks, against Everton in Emirates stadium last Saturday. Whereas, Everton scored the first goal amongst their 2 shoots which are all their shoots during the entire game.

However, the highlight and most unbelievable game was last Thursdays’ Champions league game against Lokomotiv Moscow. Rosicky and Fabregas missed their chances as if they are haunted by ghost. Furthermore, not only Rosicky and Cesc, but also Henry, Gilberto and Van Persie all did seem like they are hoodoos.

“We were looking at each other and wondering how we didn't win,” he said. “We
had enough opportunities. At one point the Moscow centre back looked at me and
said, 'there is only one team on the pitch". Arsenal skipper and captain, Henry, said.

Arsenal 4-2-3-1 ? (1)

Just before this season, there were a lot of assumptions and predictions about Arsenal’s midfield’s combinations. The reason for that is, during the transfer window, there were several remarkable departures as well as arrives. For example, departures for Pires and Reyes and arrives for Rocisky and Baptista means that there must be inevitable alterations in Gunner’s midfield area. Moreover, a significant growth of Cesc Fabregas and Hleb also makes Arsenal’s midfield more competitive. Therefore, many experts and fans gave their own opinions and insights. As an Arsenal fanatic I was also thinking over and over to find out the best combination. As far as I considered Arsenal’s style of football, players and just my favors, I came up with this system

T. Henry


F.Lungberg (CESC) A.Hleb

(T.Rocisky)


G.Silva (Holding) J.Baptista (Central)



G.Clichy W.Gallas K.Toure E.Eboue


J.Lehmann

4-2-3-1

In the last world cup, I was quite surprised with French national team’s performances. French team was really well balanced, tactically smart and physically strong. Why I am mentioning French national team is that French team had been seriously struggling to find out the best combination for their midfield just before the World cup. (It can be until the game against Swiss) However, after French manger had found out the best combination in the midfield, which had been a question of how to use Zidane and Ribery together,
French team showed high quality of football in terms of individual player’s level as well as performance as a team. Many teams used 4-2-3-1 system in the last world cup but to me French team’s 4-2-3-1 was the best in terms of balance, strength and tactical movement as a team.

As I mentioned, when I considered, Arsenal’s style and players, 4-2-3-1 can be one of the best system for Arsenal. The reason for that is after Vieira’s departure Arsenal struggled in Premier League, due to lack of physical strength. England Premier league is considered as one of the toughest league in terms of physical strength because teams in the Premier league do not only focus on keeping the ball but also focus on taking the ball again in midfield when they are taken the ball. However, in Champions league, the story was different. Thanks to players like Cesc and Hleb, Arsenal could achieve the new fact that, they did not have with Silva and Vieira combination – It is the same problem as last season’s Juventus had with Emerson and Vieira combination, creativity. Both players, Cesc and Hleb, are able to change tempo of game, to stir opponent’s midfield with their skills and to create the so-called kill-passes.

So I thought that if Arsenal uses 4-2-3-1, it could satisfy those two things at once the physical strength in midfield and creativity. For example, Vieira and Makelele combination can be Gilberto and Baptista. Those two midfielders focus on defense first and when they intercept the ball Baptista can participate in counter-attacking because he is kind of fast, can keep and deliver the ball and even can score a goal. Moreover, that is why Arsene Wenger really wanted to buy Baptista in the last season. (Malouda – Lungberg, Hleb – Ribery and Zidane – Rocisky or Cesc)

However, despite so many convincing opinions, Wenger’s choice was 4-1-4-1.


To be continued...