Three things we learnt from Watford 1-3 Arsenal including Özil’s return

Add as preferred source on Google

Watford Were More Comfortable In A Back Four

Much was said in the build up to the season about Mazzarri’s intention to implement a 3-4-1-2 system at Watford, and their opening two games against Southampton and Chelsea were encouraging. It could well prove to be the formation they carry into the rest of the season with great success, but it caused them numerous problems today.

Arsenal have form for causing back threes all kinds of difficulty. The system found favour in the 1990’s when opponents tended to play with two strikers – three centre-backs allowed managers to man mark should they choose, safe in the knowledge that there was one defender spare to sweep up.

However, when a team plays without an orthodox centre forward and instead attacks ‘the channels’, a back three can have real problems. Ideally, the outside centre backs would be mobile enough to cope but Watford’s are not.

The likes of Younes Kaboul and Sebastien Prodl must have yearned for the straightforward physical presence offered by Olivier Giroud. Instead, the roaming threats of Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott proved too nimble and elusive for them. A flat back four in the second half allowed the centre-backs to hand on Sanchez to Daryl Janmaat, and stay in their comfort zone in the middle.