4-3-3 and the New Year's Hype

In recent days and weeks there has been an uproar of comments towards Arsenal tactical deployment and how it should be changed. Mainly from Arseblogger, Gunnerblog and even David Yooung certain commments about acquiring the fashionable 4-3-3 used so succesfully by Barcelona.

What strikes me the most is as if Barcelona, and specially Pep Guardiola, have discovered he greatest revelation in football, which frankly they (anf he) have not. Many bloggers and columnists put it as the 8th marvel of the world and while this tactical asset is far from being new, it has its advantages, which can be suitable to certain attacking teams, especially with attacking capabilities.
These teams should have strong defenders and while the most modern versions of the 4-3-3 rely on the sole striker capability of prowling while searchinf for a counterattack, the true is that the midfield is the heart and soul of this very system. Lets take a look at the possibilities of this system.


While it appears to be fixed and stiff it is full of certain flexible elements such as the deep midfield role and the supporting midfielders. It seems that with Cesc in the centre and two other midfielders doing all the work for him will ease the load, but who will they be? Gunnerblog asserts the lack of the physical part of the three-midfield men and all the possibilities in the current squad.







Gifford gives us a solid and reliable definition of the system: "Hoy día se sigue utilizando el 4-3-3, normalmente, por irónico que parezca, como una forma alternativa de ataque cuando un equipo va por detrás en el marcador y le queda muy poco tiempo." [Today the 4-3-3 is still being used, usually, and as ironic as it seems, as an alternative attack form when a team is behind the scoresheet and with little time left.] (63)


While it is very interesting this assertion I still think that the system was poised by Cruyff from being an emergency attacking option to an attacking philosophy and there it is where the charm of this 60's system relies. One thing that seems strangely amusing is that sometimes Arsene changed, in the last minutes of several home matches last season, to a rather old 4-2-4. It will be interesting to see who plays where. The 3-3 is a very difficult repositioning regarding attacking approaches like the 4-2. What I do not agree with is the fact that many Arsenal supporters change their opinions not just assuming the attacking capabilities of the formation, but by some external factors such as the fact that with this system Barsa beating Man Utd.


Gifford, Clive. Futbol. La Guía Actualizada del Deporte Más Popular del Mundo. México: SM, 2005.