ArseneWenger,Arsenaltrainingmethods: Wenger's Philosophy of the Game Arsenal uses a 4-4-2 system. Wenger is constantly working to refine this system on the levels of both group and team tactics. The team's defence is very attack-oriented. They attack their opponents early with a midfield press that alternates between a diamond formation and a back four. This tactic represents a calculated risk that the coach and his players are willing to accept (since most of the players are English and French, they have been playing without a sweeper since they were children). * Wenger demands aggressive, ball-oriented defence from his players and cultivates it with lots of practice games in tight spaces. When Arsenal gets the ball, its attack is very forward-focused. Square passes and runs parallel to the endline are to be avoided. However, contrary to the "typical English" playing style, Arsenal relies mainly on short passes in the opposition's half - until they get close to the goal, where every player is encouraged to take risks and go for the goal with confidence and determination. Errors are allowed, but playing carelessly and losing the ball is forbidden. * Wenger places special emphasis on communication within the team. Every exercise is accompanied by shouts and commands that are loud and clear - aggressively so, if the situation requires it - and successful plays are greeted with cheers and applause. Players are expected to be actively engaged with one another and to cooperate in building team spirit, morale and enthusiasm for the Arsenal style. The Reserve Team: Training Methods and Objectives The reserve team coach's main responsibility is to prepare players for the professional team, and he works closely with the head coach to do so. Before every session, they discuss which reserve players should practice with the professional team. This, combined with the players' academic responsibilities, means that sometimes there is no practice session for the reserve team. On these days, their coach assists with the A-team's session, which keeps him up to date on their exercises and training concepts. The reserve team plays in a round robin against the other Premier League youth teams. Since the idea is to give all youth players maximum exposure to match play, this tournament does not include scoring, advancement or relegation. In spite of this, all the teams try hard and keep up a fast pace, because these matches have a high prestige value for them. Wenger always observes these matches, which helps motivate the players even more. Training methods and concepts for the reserve and youth teams are almost identical to those of the professional team: * positional play without opponents * group and team defence tactics * coordination training * games in tight spaces * games on one goal.