How to take advantage of fast players without playing counter football?

[Belkemi1]

With Arsenal, my plan is to build my tactics around the pace from my wingers and fullbacks.

Obviously sitting deep and counter attack would be ideal, but that doesn’t go well with a club like Arsenal. 

My idea for the roles:

SW (A)

WB (S) - CD - BPD - WB (S)

DM (D)
MEZ (S) - CAR/DLP (S)

IW (A) - DLF (S) - IF/RAM (A)

Do you guys have any ideas how I can build my tactics on pace without sitting deep?

 

[frukox]

Why not? I managed Man City with a 4-1-4-1 DM formation and played counterattacking football most of the time and required little tweaks when I encountered 2 DM formations. What you need is a middle-press and hardworking- ballwinning wingers and midfielders. Then, as opposition lost the ball in the middle of the pitch I used the width and empty spaces to hit them hard with pace and skill. Most of the time the goals were simple. A simple ball to right flank then a quick switch of a play to the left. An early cross to the striker or the right winger. That was really fun to watch as this kind of a play only had two or three passes:) 

Edited December 3, 2019 by frukox

[Experienced Defender]

8 hours ago, Belkemi1 said:

With Arsenal, my plan is to build my tactics around the pace from my wingers and fullbacks.

Obviously sitting deep and counter attack would be ideal, but that doesn’t go well with a club like Arsenal

I agree  

8 hours ago, Belkemi1 said:

My idea for the roles:

SW (A)

WB (S) - CD - BPD - WB (S)

DM (D)
MEZ (S) - CAR/DLP (S)

IW (A) - DLF (S) - IF/RAM (A)

 

8 hours ago, Belkemi1 said:

Do you guys have any ideas how I can build my tactics on pace without sitting deep?

Maybe something along these lines could work for Arsenal:

DLFat

Wat                                   IWsu

MEZsu    DLPsu

HB

IWBsu    BPDde   CDde   FBat

SKsu

Positive mentality

- play out of defence, be more expressive

- counter (and sometimes counter-press as well) 

- higher DL, standard LOE, offside trap

and a split block involving your striker, both wingers and mezzala

That's a starting tactic I would go with and then possibly make gradual tweaks if needed (based on what you notice while watching a particular match). 

In tougher matches/against strong opposition, I would consider changing the AML's duty from attack into support and the mezzala on support into CM on attack.