1. What's Different About Arsenal's New-Look 4-3-3 System?

    Arsene Wenger has changed his 4-4-2 formation to a 4-3-3 for the new season to reinvigorate his side, but what is different about the new system? The problem facing Chris Barnard, the first surgeon ...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 3 years ago 1,859 reads 23 comments

  2. Denilson Has Risen from the Shadows To Take Centre Stage

    Denilson’s performances in the centre of midfield have largely gone unnoticed with the stats showing the Brazilian as the Gunners’ top performer...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about almost 4 years ago 445 reads 15 comments

  3. Pep Guardiola Has Put the "Dream" Back Into Barcelona

    Pep Guardiola has restored the philosophy of Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ of the 1990s to the current Barcelona side. Pep Guardiola insists for it not for Johan Cruyff, as a player he would never had left the third division...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about almost 4 years ago 318 reads 0 comments

  4. The Mysterious Case of Carlos Tevez and His Contract

    It’s quite fortunate that Carlos Tevez doesn’t want to break from his contract as if he did, it would surely tear a whole in the football universe and release with it a messy gunk of goo...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about 4 years ago 419 reads 4 comments

  5. For Arsene Wenger, That Age Old Problem of Balance Has Proven Difficult

    Arsene Wenger’s tactical experiments this season, in trying to secure a balance between attack and defence from his young side, have not all gone according to plan...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about 4 years ago 521 reads 7 comments

  6. Walcott's Anonymity Shows Wingers' Freedom of Touchline Is No More

    Theo Walcott’s anonymity in the first leg against Manchester United showed why there is a lack of natural wingers nowadays and as the game has evolved, so has their skill set...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about 4 years ago 460 reads 8 comments

  7. Fabregas Still the Key in Wenger's Quest for Domination

    The Gunners are still ever reliant on Cesc Fabregas to pull the strings with Arsenal’s passing game having suffered this season, especially against the stronger clubs...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about 4 years ago 535 reads 3 comments

  8. Chelsea-Liverpool: There Is No Greater Game Of Chess

    For a pure tactical encounter, there is no game better than Chelsea and Liverpool and the two clubs once again put in an engrossing matchup...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about 4 years ago 231 reads 0 comments

  9. Why the Fullback Has Been Arsenal's Most Important Position This Season

    The defensive shield may have been getting most of the plaudits, but the cautious nature of Sagna and Clichy has been the real reason for Arsenal’s recent defensive stability...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about 4 years ago 722 reads 8 comments

  10. Arsene Wenger Transplants a More Direct Approach After Losing Creative Brains

    Wenger has recast his Arsenal team to a more direct and quicker side this season after the loss of key creative midfielders...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about 4 years ago 807 reads 8 comments

  11. How Manchester United's Expansive Style and Defensive Errors Cost Them the Game

    Manchester United were on the receiving end of a humiliating defeat to arch rivals Liverpool, their expansive style in particular gave too much space for Fernando Torres at the other end...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about 4 years ago 216 reads 6 comments

  12. Denilson Can Rekindle the Lost Art of Midfield Tackling

    Arsene Wenger may have bemoaned the lack of good tacklers these days but what are the reasons for the demise and does he have one right under his nose...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about 4 years ago 260 reads 5 comments

  13. Premiership Signings Signal a Change in Forward Thinking

    The Premier League transfer window has seen some curious signings, no less than at Tottenham but the window has also signaled an evolution of the striker and one where a greater requirement is expected of them...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 127 reads 4 comments

  14. The 3-5-2 Enjoys Its Final Lease on Life Before Its Impending Doom

    After Argentina had won the World Cup 1986 with the 3-5-2, who would have thought the formation would be all but dead and buried as its use declined...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 272 reads 4 comments

  15. Emmanuel Adebayor: More Than Just a Striker

    After a summer where the Arsenal striker looked set to leave the Emirates for Milan, an image had been portrayed of him being greedy but for Togo that couldn’t be further from the truth...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 753 reads 5 comments

  16. AS Roma Display Another Example of the 4-6-0

    Alexandre Pato may have stole the show on David Beckham’s AC Milan debut with a double, the second a fantastic chip but it was Roma who were the reason to watch just to see their 4-6-0 in action...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 459 reads 7 comments

  17. Arsenal Model Too Unrealistic for Clubs to Follow?

    Arsenal are the envy of most clubs; a strong emphasis in youth development, an extensive scouting network creating world class players while being sensible financially an example to ...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 729 reads 4 comments

  18. Former Gunners May Be Struggling Because They Were Made for Arsenal

    With Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb failing to make the same impact at their clubs that they did at Arsenal, it is argued Arsene Wenger sold them by identification of a declining career...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 657 reads 0 comments

  19. Has the 4-4-2 become old-fashioned?

    The reasons for the current formation and tactical developments The 4-4-2 is the most commonly used formation, especially in the Premiership, but the frequency of it’s use in top European leagues has decreased...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 611 reads 3 comments

  20. Rafa Benitez Planning Tactical Masterclass Against Arsenal

    Rafa Benitez endured a mixed start to his Liverpool management career after joining from Valencia in 2004. Success in his first season in the Champions League and defeat two years later showed ...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 2,797 reads 7 comments

  21. Barcelona Tactics: Why They Are the Best in Europe

    Barcelona overcame a battling Real Madrid side in the "El Classico" with goals from Eto’o and Messi and even though Casillas made a penalty save the Los Merengues were always second best...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 10,409 reads 13 comments

  22. The Myth of the Midfield Enforcer

    Watching Chelsea v. Arsenal on Sunday, Alexandre Song had a chance to stake his claim in the central of midfield...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 287 reads 3 comments

  23. The Evolution of the Striker: Why Arsenal Midfielders Need to Contribute More

    Watching the Arsenal performances this season and contrasting them against Chelsea and Manchester United opens up an interesting tactical similarity between the two big rivals and reveals an area in which Arsenal need to improve...

    Zip Zoolander Written by Zip Zoolander about over 4 years ago 748 reads 8 comments