Flat 3 or not Flat 3

[jono_t2000]

That is the question.

In a league where we're unlikely to dominate possession, do we go for a flat 3 and try and make it as difficult and solid to break down and possibly best chance of staying up.

Or... do we just throw caution to the wind, sign young players based on playing with attacking midfielders and then at least if we go down we have players ready to go back on the front foot..

Remember Wilder signed attacking mids, and then abruptly aborted the plan to go back to a flat 3, freezing out the likes of L.Freeman.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Sorry, thought you might be thinking about moving and wanted some guidance

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Oops, I thought they were turning the hotel into luxury apartments for a moment.

 

[wizadry]

Each to their own on this one, I just don’t like the try to be solid by sitting in approach and inviting teams on to you, against good opposition that nearly always brings losses and they are usually deserved, It might be the best way to go, it’s just not for me, I’d rather go out or lose by having a little go.

There’s nothing to fear in all bar 4 or 5 teams in the Prem so if we bring the right recruitment in and have a go we could finish in the top half because there’s some right shite in the bottom half to accumulate some points off.

 

[Overthehills]

The majority of the PL opt for 4 at the back as standard. I have been wondering whether it is a perfect opportunity to change up and go four at the back, whilst finally looking at natural wingers.

 

[Heely bottoms underpants]

Postman's nightmare.

 

[Bladesman]

If we go back to that then we really would need to see the centre backs getting forward more. We also need the box to box midfielder to do it as well.

Anel does still get forward as we are but JLT doesn’t often. It’s why that left side is still deemed a weak link.

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

I’d say flat 3 but we need another Berge on the left hand side that can drive from deep but will also get back. McAtee leaves us isolated down the left & a lot of our goals are conceded down that side.

We really really need Illy for this to work though. The way Wilder played in the second season left the strikers so isolated

 

[Bladesman]

I’d say flat 3 but we need another Berge on the left hand side that can drive from deep but will also get back. McAtee leaves us isolated down the left & a lot of our goals are conceded down that side.

We really really need Illy for this to work though. The way Wilder played in the second season left the strikers so isolated

One thing Hecky has introduced and that is us being a threat on the counterattack. We have scored a few goals this season on the break with some one touch football. I’m sure we countered teams under Wilder but it never seemed to be with much pace.

 

[Bergen Blade]

One thing Hecky has introduced and that is us being a threat on the counterattack. We have scored a few goals this season on the break with some one touch football. I’m sure we countered teams under Wilder but it never seemed to be with much pace.

Wilder's PL formation was 5-3-2. After a couple of games caretaker Hecky changed it to 5-2-2-1, which improved both performances and results. After being given the full time job, Hecky's used both, as well as 5-2-1-2.

 

[Need4speed]

If we are playing Boggle and Lowe it will need to be a flat three, if not a flat five i am afraid. But overall I don't think it is one or the other and fortunately I think Hecky is more flexible than Wilder. It is about planning and looking at where we are going to get the points we will need to stay up. It looks like it will be around 36 this season in the Premiership. Therefore at home against those clubs outside the top 6 we need to be bold and adopt a formation which provides support for our strikers. There will also be times when this approach needs to be taken away as well. I think it is also important to be able to switch in game, another trait Hecky shows. Watching the Prmier League this season there seems to be a lot of teams that like to play on the break. If you give them the ball and sit in they are weak at breaking down the opposition Tottenham and Manchester United are great examples of this. What we lack is athleticism in midfield players like Bournemouth's Jefferson Lemar or Phillip Billing - I am not suggesting these as transfer targets but those kind of players. (although Lemar will be out of contract)

 

[S40BLADE]

My guess is that it will be a slightly more positive flat 3. With a new midfielder that will push much further forward whenever we are in posession and drop back in for the majority of the match. I feel that this position could either be filled by Berge (as he did earlier this season) or needs to be a priority focus in our recruitment going forward.

 

[Sharpestblade]

Wilder's PL formation was 5-3-2. After a couple of games caretaker Hecky changed it to 5-2-2-1, which improved both performances and results. After being given the full time job, Hecky's used both, as well as 5-2-1-2.

What are the chances Hecky moves away from the 5 to get another man in the midfield? The last few months has seen more straight/vertical forward play and far fewer diagonals with Doyle replacing Norwood, as a result the wing backs involvement in attacks is much reduced.

 

[3Cheers4Ramirez]

We need the options to play a good 'flat' 3, that's for sure. I'd expect us to line up this sort of way in most games

Also need the options to play 2 behind a striker

Shouldn't be difficult to achieve this

 

[Addison]

No stay with 3-4-2-1. We've just got promoted playing this way why change it. Its what the players are best suited to. Under PH particularly in the latter half of the season we have changed shape a number of times during games. Thats the best way to do it.

Lets play to our strengths and not wave the white flag before we've kicked a ball in the EPL. Flat 3 formation encourages us to sit too deep. We don't have a marauding JOC anymore. A position sadly we have never replaced. It encourages slow build up play and tippy tappy football down the flanks with Shearer on Match of the Day wondering if we are ever going to cross the ball into the box. The defence was tight but we only scored 39 goals when we finished 9th. By the end of the season we'd been sussed by the rest of the division who just flooded the flanks. The fact we persisted with it for so long the season after was the reason why we went down.

No problem with being cautious with the formation against the likes of Man City but lets try and give a good account of ourselves by doing what we do best.

 

[bonobo]

Hecky played with two in the middle and two inside forwards in the Prem ( as we are set up now) and it seemed to work. But he was using Osborn and McGoldrick, who were better defensively and would naturally drop deep and shore up the midfield. McG was also good with his back to goal and do hold up work to releive the centre forward ( who needs to be more mobile than McBurnie). I am not sure that would work with Ndiaye and McAtee. Prob need to bring in an inside forward who is stronger and use McAtee ( if he returns) as an impact player cover/competition for Ndiaye. But I would like to see use try I do like that set up, it gives a lot more flexibility than the flat three.

 

[PokerBlade]

As is, we play the way we play. Anything else has to come with signings that can effectively change the system. Big focus for me is an upgrade to Lowe and JLT but those won't change the system. How the middle goes will depend on the Doyle/McAtee situation or who comes in to replace them but without someone like McAtee it's hard to see where our threat comes from.

Personally, I think when getting promoted you have to look to tinker rather than make major changes to the formation. We need to improve on what we do and not hope we can do something significantly different.

 

[South Sea Blade]

The majority of the PL opt for 4 at the back as standard. I have been wondering whether it is a perfect opportunity to change up and go four at the back, whilst finally looking at natural wingers.

No.

 

[ilovesufc]

Fuck the flat 3! Boring and got us relegated, and would again!

 

[John Street West Terrace]

The difference this time is we need to be more flexible / adaptable with our formation / tactics in the PL . That was our downfall last time that sides sussed us & the previous incumbent in the managers role stubbornly refused to change

 

[Sharrow Snuff Mill]

The majority of the PL opt for 4 at the back as standard. I have been wondering whether it is a perfect opportunity to change up and go four at the back, whilst finally looking at natural wingers.

If that`s the case then it may pay to be different.

 

[bartman]

I think he might consider 4-5-1. Quick athletic forward. 3 midfielders box to box midfielders who can break quickly to support with 2 DMs

 

[Frank the tank]

Fuck the flat 3! Boring and got us relegated, and would again!

Yeah was really boring challenging for the champions league spots

 

[Overthehills]

No.

Nah... youre right bud! Strong counter argument.

Fair play

 

[Overthehills]

Yeah was really boring challenging for the champions league spots

Summed season one up pretty well.... But what about season two? The infamous marauding CB's were no more as arguably they'd been found out and we just werent as effective.

In the premier league, you have a 'team behind a team' so to speak. We are talking next level when it comes to tactical analysis.

If we change nothing it becomes very simple doesn't it??.. 'well boss, they are they same team as they were last time....they set up the same way....play the same way....the threats are the same.....and they are opened up the same way'.......

Something has to change?... Either additions and unknown threats, or a tactical overhaul.

An unchanged 3-5-2 won't work.....

 

[Overthehills]

If that`s the case then it may pay to be different.

As per my reply to frank above...

 

[Frank the tank]

Summed season one up pretty well.... But what about season two? The infamous marauding CB's were no more as arguably they'd been found out and we just werent as effective.

In the premier league, you have a 'team behind a team' so to speak. We are talking next level when it comes to tactical analysis.

If we change nothing it becomes very simple doesn't it??.. 'well boss, they are they same team as they were last time....they set up the same way....play the same way....the threats are the same.....and they are opened up the same way'.......

Something has to change?... Either additions and unknown threats, or a tactical overhaul.

An unchanged 3-5-2 won't work.....

So do premier league clubs only do tactical analysis on you after a full season ? Nice of them

 

[robbiez666]

I think playing two deep central midfielders, as Hecky has done more and more as the season progressed, works better than a 3. As long as the two attacking midfielders get back to help out of possession.

 

[Overthehills]

So do premier league clubs only do tactical analysis on you after a full season ? Nice of them

What has changed since the season you speak of??... "Tactically we play exactly the same way. Hecky has said it himself.... I inherited a team that play this shape and this way, its what they know. Even if I wanted to change it, i dont necessarily have the players to do so.....

He's not lying is he..... look at every season since our first premier league season. Sane formation, same shape, same tactics!

Look at the squad, the majority the same.....

What's changed? You tell me.....

 

[Frank the tank]

What has changed since the season you speak of??... "Tactically we play exactly the same way. Hecky has said it himself.... I inherited a team that play this shape and this way, its what they know. Even if I wanted to change it, i dont necessarily have the players to do so.....

He's not lying is he..... look at every season since our first premier league season. Sane formation, same shape, same tactics!

Look at the squad, the majority the same.....

What's changed? You tell me.....

Whats any of that got to do with what i said ?

Another poster said playing flat 3 was boring and got us relegated and i pointed out it got us challenging for champions league spots before covid
Then you chimed in with a tottaly irrelevant point about analysis ,as if no one bothered analysing us when we did well and i pointed that out and now youre ranting on about the way we play and the team and squad being the same

Like i said ,what has any of that got to with what i said ?

I just cant stand revisionist bullshit like forgetting one exceptional season so you can moan about one exceptionally shite one