Do Arsenal need a bit of Tuchel’s approach?

Afternoon all.

We’re nearly half way through this latest international fortnight of football. I’d imagine every club manager, especially those whose club is still trying to win something or avoid relegation. Arne Slot, having watched his side crash out of the Champions League last week only to then see Newcastle lift the League Cup at their expense on Sunday night will be praying Salah, VvD etc etc don’t pick up any serious injuries whilst the rest of us, although I’d never admit it, hope they do. Mikel Arteta will be no different, not with a Champions League trophy still up for grabs. I know, my optimism knows no bounds. Or is it my belief that Lady Luck is standing by…..

Arsenal’s football has been described as being many things by many people this season. The comments section on a number of Arsenal forums has been full of how our football has been hard to watch. I’ve certainly found it difficult to watch but not always as bad as watching England.

England go into a new era under Thomas Tuchel and he’s said he wants to bring back entertaining football after suggesting Southgate’s team played like they had the weight of the world on their shoulders last summer.

I was surprised to see Tuchel bring Henderson back into the squad, nearly as surprised to see Kane not only selected but kept on as captain. After last summer’s Euros, I thought his international career would be over as he really was dreadful. England might as well have played Raheem Sterling because at least he’d have tried rather than jog around in the final third of the pitch looking like a lost boy.  Henderson and Kane aren’t going to be much help if Tuchel wants to make England an exciting football team. Still, I could be wrong, very wrong.

Tuchel’s comments got me thinking about Arsenal. About playing with a fear of losing, or a fear of making errors so instead of risk football which can often brings reward, do we play it a bit too safe sometimes?

Shorts backwards and sideways passing removes an element of danger from the game. Going for precision passes through a defence can been easily intercepted if they’re not perfect, shots from distance are less likely to hit the back of the net than a shot from five yards out so is that why we avoid them? A long ball over the top is a great option in the game but if there’s not a player with the ability to not only get on the end of the long ball, or indeed retain possession until support arrives, nine times out of ten, the ball will come straight back towards the defence.

I know we were spoiled somewhat during the first half of Arsene Wenger’s time at Arsenal because not only were we winning, we were playing with style and with a swagger. Certainly without a fear of losing,  probably because we didn’t lose very often. A back pass? What was one of those eh…. lol

Those were the days eh…

Catch up in the comments.