4-4-2 from now on?

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Woodwardfan

Woodwardfan
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I'm a bit confused by the signing of another midfielder and a full back, and possibly another full back on his way.

My only interpretation is that Clough has decided that the types of existing midfielders and full backs do not enable him to play 4-4-2 in the majority of league games. Personally I think the 4-5-1 system evolved due mainly to the type of players he inherited and because it was successful he made signings to support it. As time has gone on he realises that the system has limitations and that some of his players are not as good as they looked last season. Like most of us he believes the time is right to change system and he said as much just before O'Grady was recalled.

Our list of midfielders is rather long: Wallace K, Wallace J, Doyle, Cuvelier, Reed, McGinn, Scougall, Baxter, Basham, Ryce, Murphy, Flynn, Coutts, Adams. However it was still hard to pick the central midfielders for 4-4-2 which is where Coutts might fit in.

Our full backs: Harris, Alcock, Flynn, Kennedy are good full backs at this level but an injury or two leaves us short of overlapping backs. Freeman and hopefully Brayford enable it.

Strikers: Woefully short as yet for any system but maybe Baxter will be one of the two up front because he doesn't fit into 4-4-2 that well otherwise.

As I have written this I realise there are holes in the theory but I can't for the life of me think why else we would not have concentrated our cash simply on strikers. I know there is a build going on for the future but promotion this season has to be the priority and the lack of strikers is the single opinion we are falling short surely.

The names above all combine to draw a lot of wages and we can only field four or five in midfield at any one time!

By the way, if we are seriously in the market for Brayford and O'Grady to add to Coutts and Freeman I think the board and the manager are showing ambition. I can't help but think that it is a bit late in the season though and there has been a miscalculation by somebody as to how much it would take to get promoted and, if we are changing systems at this point, then a bad misjudgement there too. These things happen and it is late but not too late.
 



I think the full backs mean that we'll be sticking with 4-3-3/ 4-5-1 as freeman and Brayford (when he arrives) both love getting forward bombing down the wings.

The players that Mr Clough has brought in allows him to think more on style than a rigid formation. Woodwardfan the initial tactics will not change , but we now have much grater flexibility for a plan B or C , instead of just having a plan A.


SwissBlade is correct with the bombing down the wings , with interchangeable play. Not total football , but a type to win league 1 games.

Players win games not tactics .Lets remember that.

UTB
 
Lets look at the evidence.

Clough has been screaming he wants another striker.

Its been confirmed that we've been badgering Brighton for COG.

We've also not denied we're interested in Doyle and Bradshaw.

The Brayford bid and the Coutts signing demonstrate we have cash to spend.

All of which, to me at least, suggests we're getting at least one striker this window. And lets not forget, most strikers wouldn't be able to play for us until next weekend anyway, so there's no massive rush.

Is it too late in the season? For auto - most likely yes. For the playoffs - no. And will go a long long way to maybe breaking that particular hoodoo.
 
Lets look at the evidence.

Clough has been screaming he wants another striker.

Its been confirmed that we've been badgering Brighton for COG.

We've also not denied we're interested in Doyle and Bradshaw.

The Brayford bid and the Coutts signing demonstrate we have cash to spend.

All of which, to me at least, suggests we're getting at least one striker this window. And lets not forget, most strikers wouldn't be able to play for us until next weekend anyway, so there's no massive rush.

Is it too late in the season? For auto - most likely yes. For the playoffs - no. And will go a long long way to maybe breaking that particular hoodoo.

The striker issue is one to be resolved by Mr Clough and will be .

The players recruited will also help the strikers already on the books . Even Higdon may well look a complete different player , as to date he as flattered to deceive.

We are doing business correctly , and i am sure when a forward arrives , whoever it is , will not be a damp squid , but the final piece of the jig saw.

Lets give the club credit this week , not only for the performance at Spurs , but being proactive in the JTW.

UTB
 
Howard
Brayford Basham McCeveley Harris
JCR Coutts Doyle J.Wallace Murphy
O'Grady

Or

Howard
Brayford Basham McCeveley Harris
JCR Coutts J.Wallace Murphy
O'Grady McNulty

6 other Subs:- Turner, Alcock, Scougall, Flynn, Baxter, Higdon

Plenty of options to play either way and change according to the circumstances and the opposition.
 
Coutts himself has already said that Clough liked to play him on the right, ahead of Brayford (say no more). So where does that leave JCR and Flynn ? Freeman is probably cover for Harris but there'll be a few players worried about even making the 17.

I think the back 5 will be a given, Howard, Brayford, Basham, McEveley and Harris but beyond that, presuming Coutts will come into the team you have Murphy and (maybe CoG) as guarantees but the rest is anybody's guess.
 
Howard
Brayford Basham McCeveley Harris
JCR Coutts Doyle J.Wallace Murphy
O'Grady

Or

Howard
Brayford Basham McCeveley Harris
JCR Coutts J.Wallace Murphy
O'Grady McNulty

6 other Subs:- Turner, Alcock, Scougall, Flynn, Baxter, Higdon

Plenty of options to play either way and change according to the circumstances and the opposition.
Or just to correct you on how Mr Clough likes to see the first option

Howard
Brayford Basham McCeveley Harris
Coutts Doyle J.Wallace
JCR O'Grady Murphy

If we got Doyle from Chesterfield we could also play him alongside McNulty
 
Howard
Brayford Basham McCeveley Harris
JCR Coutts Doyle J.Wallace Murphy
O'Grady

Or

Howard
Brayford Basham McCeveley Harris
JCR Coutts J.Wallace Murphy
O'Grady McNulty

6 other Subs:- Turner, Alcock, Scougall, Flynn, Baxter, Higdon

Plenty of options to play either way and change according to the circumstances and the opposition.

As posted above, probably too many options at present, no place for Reed in your 17's for example.
 
I think the full backs mean that we'll be sticking with 4-3-3/ 4-5-1 as freeman and Brayford (when he arrives) both love getting forward bombing down the wings.




As I said in the OP I think it's all about overlapping full backs. I reckon 4-4-2 creates a lot more space for the full backs to push into, including a more definite partnership between full back and wide midfielder. 4-3-3 is different and in my mind not even a remote possibility as a starting line up.
 
As posted above, probably too many options at present, no place for Reed in your 17's for example.



That's a big point. Clough might be a lot less likely to play him as one of two central midfielders. That would be a pity. I hope Reed becomes more and more a fixture as the season wears on.
 
As I have written this I realise there are holes in the theory but I can't for the life of me think why else we would not have concentrated our cash simply on strikers. I know there is a build going on for the future but promotion this season has to be the priority and the lack of strikers is the single opinion we are falling short surely.

I do think the Ched debacle couple with putting all our egg's in COG shaped basket scuppered us in the summer...since then it seems we've been chasing strikers who just aren't willing to drop to L1.
 
Coutts himself has already said that Clough liked to play him on the right, ahead of Brayford (say no more). So where does that leave JCR and Flynn ?

Im not sure but hasn't JCR played as a striker for previous clubs? A right side of Brayford > Coutts > JCR ?

Basically 4-3-3 with JCR as a outside forward?

More than likely never see this but I cant see JCR getting dropped but cant see Clough not using Coutts anywhere other than in front of Brayford.
 
That's a big point. Clough might be a lot less likely to play him as one of two central midfielders. That would be a pity. I hope Reed becomes more and more a fixture as the season wears on.
If he plays 20+ games this season that's more than enough for him at 17.
As for the formation I can't agree with Ken, I just don't see 4-4-2 with those players.
 



If he plays 20+ games this season that's more than enough for him at 17.
As for the formation I can't agree with Ken, I just don't see 4-4-2 with those players.



Point taken re number of games. I hadn't realised he's started 11 games already in three competitions. That's good management.

Who's Ken? Maybe when we are out of the cups he'll play more in league games.
 
Point taken re number of games. I hadn't realised he's started 11 games already in three competitions. That's good management.

Who's Ken? Maybe when we are out of the cups he'll play more in league games.
Haha I thought it was kenilworth sorry Woody.
 

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