Hasan Saiyid looks at some countries that are going to rely heavily on width at the World Cup

Other than being great footballers, Sir Stanley Matthews, Garrincha and Marc Overmars have something else in common. They were fantastic wingers, a breed that is of relatively low stock in the modern game.

With the emphasis on central channels growing in modern tactics, wingers are playing less a part than they used to. For example, witness the importance that a central playmaker has held in recent years. Many teams now rely on a ‘number 10′ to get things rolling between the midfield and attack.

While having central playmakers has doubtless been a source of success for many, countries that play with wingers have also enjoyed incisive delivery for their forwards.

History serves to underline this point. Sir Stanley Matthews was a right-winger of some fame in the early twentieth century and was the chief architect of resounding English wins over Wales and Czechoslovakia in the 1930s. Even in 1957, despite the rigours of two decades of football, Matthews was influential as ever in a 7-2 England win over Scotland, where he set up no less than five
of the goals.

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Arsenal’s form this season has been a continuous motion of high and lows. As their results fluctuate, this season’s local crown is long gone, and a place in Europe seems to be slipping away through poor form. Arsene Wenger has a problem, this problem is called inconsistency. How can a team of world beaters come out and get a 1 – 0 win against Real Madrid then lose its next game 1 - 0 to local contender; Blackburn?

To be fair they haven’t exactly had the greatest of seasons in comparison to those recent, on, and off the pitch. Injuries have plagued attempts by the club to climb the table further; in fact they seem to be doing opposite of what they’d hoped. Arsenal’s poor start to the season hasn’t helped either, or the greatest reason of all, Patrick Vieira’s departure.

Looking at Arsenal’s form guide is a contrast to that of the Arsenal I know. The Arsenal that I know is a sharp, sophisticated outfit that can outplay anyone. In their last 5 games Arsenal has won two games, lost two, and also has a draw in that lot. On top of that they have conceded three goals, and have only managed four themselves. These stats add up. On top of that we add speculation of Thiery Henry’s exit from Highbury and it’s an interesting set of events.

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With director of football Arrigo Sacchi gone, Florentino Perez was in the clear. Not that the Real Madrid president needs approbation from any underlings, but even he must have been slightly bashful at overseeing the purchase of yet another forward- this time Roma’s enfant terrible Antonio Cassano.

If Sacchi was brought in during the summer to make things right at Real, he went about his business on a very tight leash. On his departure, the former Milan coach rued his lack of autonomy at Real.

“To tell the truth, I didn’t entirely enjoy my work,” he said. “My role in Madrid was different to the one I had in Parma. The post was the same, but things were done differently.”

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