Football News

How Arsenal would line up under FM enthusiast Antoine Griezmann

By Ben Green

Published: 18:11, 15 April 2019

Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann is a long-term admirer of the Football Manager franchise and he has now revealed how Arsenal would line up under his guidance.

The formidable French forward has previously posted about the tactics and line-ups he uses in the video game series on social media, but his latest Arsenal team has raised a few eyebrows.

Griezmann and Football Manager: Five key things to know…

  1. In 2016, while on international duty with France, Griezmann was pictured passing the time while playing Football Manager.
  2. His team appeared to be Chelsea, leading to speculation of a move to the Premier League.
  3. However, it was later confirmed on the FFF YouTube channel that Griezmann was, in fact, managing Lyon.
  4. Last year Griezmann also posted a picture of his Marseille save in the 2018 instalment of Sports Interactive’s management simulation.
  5. He has now hit headlines again with an Arsenal save that includes some of Europe’s brightest young players.

For most of us, the Football Manager experience is as close to stardom as we will get, but for Griezmann, he combines that enjoyment of simulating reality with reality itself as he lights up the Wanda Metropolitano on a weekly basis.

He has been no stranger to uploading his team selections and showing the world what teams he utilises in the video game over the years, and for Football Manager 2019, the Frenchman has taken to north London.

Under his careful watch, the Gunners boast an insatiable attacking line-up of wing-wizard Hirving Lozano, Portuguese prodigy Joao Felix, Leon Bailey – all playing behind his compatriot Alexandre Lacazette.

Further back in his 4-2-3-1 formation, he has Frenkie de Jong and Gedson Fernandes meanly locking up the middle of the park, while Alex Telles, Matthijs de Ligt, Bournemouth’s Chris Mepham and Kevin Malcuit make up the defence.

In goal Jordan Pickford is his gloveman of choice, while striker Timo Werner and Andy Robertson could only make the bench.

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How fans reacted…

Naturally there was a lot of reaction to his team selection, with mixed views on Pickford, while there was a lot of admiration for his decision to let Lacazette lead the line.