Could the 4-3-1-2 or even a 4-3-3 work?

[Torrix1889]

With CW appearing to prefer a flat 3 in midfield, (Fleck, Norwood & Lunny) and there being an obvious service issue to our front two could it be time to tweak our formation and look at starting with a 4-3-1-2 formation or even a 4-3-3?

One of the current back 5 would have to miss out, (probably Bash) and then play the flat 3 but with 3 up front or Didzy/Freeman just behind in a 4-3-1-2...….we often end up playing this formation when we are chasing a game but never seem to consider starting with it.

Apologies if this has been covered elsewhere, (I'm sure it has) but it's International Break time again and I'm bored....

 

[ZoneManWilf]

It's definitely worth a discussion and I believe Wilder played 4 at the back with Northampton. I definitely think we've got the personnel to do it, Baldock and Stevens would suit full back roles in that system which still requires them to get forward a lot.

However I'd be cautious at this moment about changing the 3 centre halves system which has got us where we are. This team knows that system inside out, and the centre half positioning is intrinsic to our pattern of play.

CWAK will be fully aware of the difficulties in front of goal, and I'm sure some tactical tweaks will improve us in that area as we grow into the prem.

 

[Harry's Game]

The one thing that’s slightly annoyed me this season is that 5-2-1-2 has won us promotions twice in the last three years but we haven’t yet attempted to try it once this season.

I can understand being more Conservative against Liverpool and away at Chelsea and Everton.

A little Disappointing that we didn’t have the confidence to try it against the likes of Southampton or Watford.

Looking at the October and November fixtures it’s doubtful that it will come back for any of those games either.

 

[Akinbiyi]

Maybe mid game, but you won’t see us lining up with a 4 at the back from the start unless both Basham and O’Connell are injured at the same time. And rightly so.

I think it would be much less mental to just return to the ‘man in the hole’ of the last 3 seasons than rip up our whole system.

 

[Torrix1889]

I think it would be much less mental to just return to the ‘man in the hole’ of the last 3 seasons than rip up our whole system.

Completely agree but as Ricky pointed out there is a reluctance to try it!

 

[Akinbiyi]

Completely agree but as Ricky pointed out there is a reluctance to try it!

I think it’s understandable to be honest. We are 12th, and have been ‘in’ every game, and would’ve been the only point to take a point from Liverpool if Deano hadn’t developed a football shaped hole in his body for 5 second.

I also don’t think it’s absurd to suggest Norwood couldn’t play the role from last season, he’s just not athletic enough at this level. I (and I can’t believe I’m saying this) would play Lunny and Fleck.

 

[Grecian2000]

Completely agree but as Ricky pointed out there is a reluctance to try it!

Which is what really upsets me.

It worked in L1, but we were told it wouldn't in the next level up. That turned out to be bollocks, we surprised the fuck out of the Championship.
Now we've junked it just when we could be surprising the life out of the top division.

 

[snootyfenooty]

Which is what really upsets me.

It worked in L1, but we were told it wouldn't in the next level up. That turned out to be bollocks, we surprised the fuck out of the Championship.
Now we've junked it just when we could be surprising the life out of the top division.

That's the key. We won't know until we try it and trying something radically different to the rest could catch them with their pants down. We also desperately need someone in midfield who can put his foot on the ball and it's the No. 10 who usually does this. It needs saying, our midfield has been our weak link this season, the passing has been piss poor, but the ammo is there waiting in the squad.

 

[Ricky]

We might have to sign a combination of Lundstram and Norwood for Wilder to dare go back to the usual system. And Besic isn't even close.

The other way to get 3 attacking players on is to change to a back 4 but that seems just as unlikely if not more so.

Freeman, McGoldrick and Mousset starting would make us a completely different proposition offensively. But I have no doubt we'll never see it.

 

[Selly]

Quite honestly when McG is playing its quite often a 3-5-1-1 anyway, given he drops as deep as he does.

If he isn`t available, and we still want the flat 3 in midfield, I wouldn`t mind seeing Freeman come into the McG role.

How we line up for kick off is rather irrelevant when compared to the personnel on the pitch. We don`t have a service issue to our front two because we are playing a flat 3 - we have a service issue because we don`t have someone in the Duffy role when we are around the opposition penalty area - Freeman could be that person - but it would require someone from midfield (Fleck/Lundstram) to support the striker we have on the pitch.

 

[Torrix1889]

Quite honestly when McG is playing its quite often a 3-5-1-1 anyway, given he drops as deep as he does.

If he isn`t available, and we still want the flat 3 in midfield, I wouldn`t mind seeing Freeman come into the McG role.

How we line up for kick off is rather irrelevant when compared to the personnel on the pitch. We don`t have a service issue to our front two because we are playing a flat 3 - we have a service issue because we don`t have someone in the Duffy role when we are around the opposition penalty area - Freeman could be that person - but it would require someone from midfield (Fleck/Lundstram) to support the striker we have on the pitch.

That false 9/advanced 10 role does work, Brooks played it on Bouncing Day and it worked a treat but we don't do it very often. Maybe we could see it more when Moose is up to speed, (literally) and he plays Didzy just behind him as the link with the flat 3?

 

[A Storm of Blades]

The one thing that’s slightly annoyed me this season is that 5-2-1-2 has won us promotions twice in the last three years but we haven’t yet attempted to try it once this season.

I can understand being more Conservative against Liverpool and away at Chelsea and Everton.

A little Disappointing that we didn’t have the confidence to try it against the likes of Southampton or Watford.

Looking at the October and November fixtures it’s doubtful that it will come back for any of those games either.

I feel the same way. Without our AM role it’s being left to Baldock, Bash, JOC & Stevens to be our main creative force. Whilst they are all, by and large, good going forward for defenders, it’s no wonder we’re not consistently creating quality chances in the final third.

I’m not knocking the flat 3, they all have quality in the locker, but there’s only a couple of goals and outright assists across all 3 of them thus far.

The ‘Duffy’ is crucial to the whole system I think and it’s really baffling we haven’t deployed it yet. We were defensively strong last year using it so I don’t buy the argument that the flat 3 is essential to remain solid. Wilder’s talked about our risk/reward style over 3 successful years, but for me the flat 3 slightly reduces the risk but massively reduces the reward. Just my 2p of course.