Arsene Wenger admits that some of his men disagree with his tactics at times but he’s the boss and gets the final say.
After Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester United last Saturday, Wenger admitted that some of his players had differing opinions when assessing the game. However, the Frenchman always gets the last word as his is the one that counts.
“You know you have a very clear view straight away when you have a defeat like that, a disappointment like that,” he said. “You try to analyse it straight away with the players to get it out of the system and focus on what is in front of you.
“I feel in our job there is always in the next game you can show that you have digested and focused on what is in front of you.”
He added, “Well the players have always (had a say)… everybody has a little bit his own analysis. But mine counts!”
On Thursday, Wenger not only fielded a heavily rotated starting XI against BATE Borisov, he also changed up the formation. Even though the boss usually sets up with three at the back, in the Europa League, he switched to four, which he admits he prefers.
Speaking about his tactics against United compared to BATE, Wenger revealed that he did have to switch things up after going 2-0 against Jose Mourinho’s men.
“I decided to play with a back four [against BATE],” he said. “It is my preferred system. But I adjust always what suits the players, the quality of the players, the balance of the team. I went to a back four as well against United as we were 2-0 down. I put on an offensive player as we had to come back. But it can change.”
The reason Wenger started playing three at the back in April last season was because Arsenal had just lost 3-0 away to Crystal Palace and we needed a change. Not just literally but, with fan unrest at an all-time high, Wenger had to prove that he was willing to adapt. I imagine that this wasn’t just to placate Gooners but his men as well.
So far, the boss has obviously seen no reason to return to playing a back four full-time but since we’re performing pretty well at the moment, switching now would be a strange move. Even if he, most fans and maybe even players, prefer the slick, attacking football that comes with playing a back four.
Arsenal face Southampton at St. Mary’s on Sunday and it’ll be interesting to see if the boss decides to switch up his tactics against a more attacking team this time.