Arsenal FC: 5 Tactical Adjustments the Gunners Must Make

After their worst start to a season in decades, Arsenal know that they must make changes.

Despite the fact that the team is still hurting after a 2-1 loss to bitter rivals Tottenham, it's apparent that Arsene Wenger must change tactics.

Even though the beginning of the season has been quite dismal for the Gunners, they have done and learned a few good things. For example, goalie Wojciech Szczesny is showing that he can be really good.

Also, Wenger's midfield strategy against Tottenham of putting three in the center midfield versus Tottenham's two was effective, as Arsenal controlled possession (although obviously the match result wasn't ideal).

Nonetheless, the flaws are greater in number than the positive points. Here are the adjustments the Gunners must make.

Try to Make Francis Coquelin the Next Wilshere by Starting Him

Last season held two notable breakthrough players for the Gunners: Wojciech Szczesny and Jack Wilshere.

The Englishman was thought of as a talented player before 2010-2011, until he made a transition to being a consistent starter for Arsenal. However, WIlshere only achieved that because he was given a chance by Arsene Wenger, and he gained a lot of match experience.

Francis Coquelin, a young Frenchman who went through some stages of the youth academy, has appeared a few times and shows tremendous potential. In the last few games, he has been solid overall and has made great tackles and nice runs.

Like Wilshere, Coquelin's primary position is at holding midfielder.

Arsene Wenger should get the most out of this player—something that le Professeur is very good at—and hopefully the Gunners, who are losing many key players, will gain an asset.

Wilshere is out right now for months, and the only way to really develop Francis Coquelin is to give him tons of match practice.

Play Someone Else Up Front with Van Persie

Right now, Arsene Wenger plays van Persie alone up top, using a 4-5-1 formation. The midfielders include Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta, Theo Walcott, Gervinho and Francis Coquelin, leaving the Dutchman to try and create his own magic.

That's a problem.

First of all, van Persie is exactly six feet tall, and therefore can't compete for headers alone with center-back giants who measure three or four inches taller than him. He's also not a player to go into tackles and headers; van Persie often shies away from contact.

Not only that, but as he is on the latter side of his twenties, he isn't able to create as much magic as he used to. Of course, he is a great finisher, but he is getting worse and worse at making the incisive pass or run.

Van Persie has lost his ability to dribble by many people; he simply doesn't do it anymore.

He is an asset to finish off goals and help the attack, but isn't such a great creator, and he should be partnered up front.

Use a Lower Defensive Line

Injuries have been the main story for Arsenal's defense. With Thomas Vermaelen, Laurent Koscielny and Johan Djourou all missing time with respective injuries, the defense is collapsing.

Vermaelen, the Gunners' very own Iron Man, had been Arsenal's saving grace of late, making crucial last-ditch tackles that had Gooners worshipping him.

In Vermaelen's first game out, the Gunners were pummeled 8-2 by Manchester United, a match which exposed several flaws in the defense. It was that match that drove Wenger to sign Per Mertesacker from Werder Bremen, and the German came in with high expectations.

However, Mertesacker has made a few rookie mistakes, though fortunately for Arsenal, none of them have cost them big.

While the three others are gone, the other center-back is Alex Song, who normally plays in the midfield and doesn't like playing center-back.

Playing lines as high as Arsene Wenger is playing right now is only for teams with very solid defenses, and Song and Mertesacker have been caught out a few times.

The Gunners should change this before it really hurts them.

Occasionally Rotate Park Chu-Young in

Arsenal recently signed Park Chu-Young, a South Korean striker from Monaco.

At the age of 26, Park Chu-Young doesn't have a whole lot of a footballing career ahead of him. He seems talented and should get a chance to play.

In the earlier slide about playing someone else up front with van Persie, Marouane Chamakh would probably be the No. 1 option, but in late stages, the South Korean would be a great substitute with fresh legs, as he is quick.

Right now, however, Chu-Young has only played one preseason match and one match in the regular season. However, that match was a Carling Cup victory against Shrewsbury Town, an English squad from a very low division.

That's not ideal for this guy.

If Wenger wants him to gain experience against bigger and tougher opponents, his task isn't to find playing time for him in very easy matches, but matches against average English sides.

He has potential and can be helpful for the Gunners, but it's up to Wenger to play him.

Play Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Instead of Theo Walcott

Theo Walcott gets so much criticism.

The English winger, born with tremendous pace, has somehow been unable to use this as a huge advantage. Often, Walcott outruns the ball, and most of the time, uses his speed to beat a defender, but ends up playing a bad final ball.

This is when critics, and even fans, go mad, as they watch yet another bad cross, pass or shot. He does, however, often get by defenders very well.

Wenger just signed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a promising teenager from Southampton, likened to Walcott, but many said there was one difference: Oxlade-Chamberlain was better (Walcott also came from Southampton to Arsenal.)

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has already scored two goals, has been quite impressive so far. Unlike Walcott, he has a nice shot and can cross well.

He should start over Walcott, not only because of that, but also because he is younger. He has the potential to become a very good player in the future, and Arsene Wenger would want to get the most out of him.

Thoughts?

Arsenal must make at least five adjustments to improve:

• Play Francis Coquelin
• Pair someone up front with van Persie
• Lower the defensive line
• Rotate Park Chu-Young in sometimes
• Play Oxlade-Chamberlain over Walcott.

What do you agree with? What do you think isn't true?

Please leave me your comments and feedback.