Mate, stop kidding yourself it has ever been '3-5-2'
This seasons formation has been largely '5-3-2'. We can't play 3-5-2 because of the weaknesses at the back and the fact that 3-5-2 was devised to facilitate overlapping wingbacks, and get up the flanks a-la Wilderball. Since the back three have been effectively one man down and now three men down, no advances up either flank have taken place and if we do, because oppositions are wise to it, they stick four out there to block it and force us back, or more often into giving possession up from which they just run on and score. We are playing a system we don't have the players for any more. Consequently we find ourselves utilising the wingbacks deeper to supplement the weak back line, that leaves a pretty pisspoor midfield outnumbered and easy to get past so the midfield park themselves in front of the centrebacks leaving which ever poor fucker picked to go up front sat thumbing their scone-cutters up on the halfway line. No one gets the ball to them (the midfield is too far away and unable to support if they get the ball) and no one gets round the centre backs to get a cross in. And don't even think about having a crack on goa from outside the box. Only Didsy is allowed to do thayt.
They system is fucked. Wilder said it was okay though, so everyone just says 3-5-2 like it's some kinda lifesaving mantra. Never mind it has got us roundly tubbed twenty off times this season.
Now, repeat after me: '5-3-2'. '5-3-2'. '5-3-2'.
Good.
pommpey
There‘s no reason why we couldn’t play either 3-5-2 or 3-4-1-2 next season, it’s subject to who we retain and the injury situation. I totally agree we’ve played nothing like this season hence the isolated strikers and the continual lack of forward options when we have the ball. Wilder used to shout “forward, forward” all the time but hadn’t done so for a long time. A lots of if’s though:
1. for me the hardest position to fill is the wide centre half (Bash / JOC) - unless these have the fitness and capability the system doesn’t work
2. the stay at home centre half (Egan) - hopefully retained but along with Berge probably most likely to be saleable for a good price. Although Egan has been largely excellent this is not the most difficult to replace
3. wingbacks - we’ve seen this year how poor Enda has been without JOC. The key here is a good engine and an end product. I think we’ll be ok here, especially if RND adds to the mix - Baldock/Bogle and Edna/Osborn/RND/Lowe. If Osborn is also cover in midfield then we can sell at least one
4. midfield - for me our weakest area this season. I’d love to think Fleck and Norwood can form the base but I’m not confident, may need an addition here. Assuming we play a ‘creator’ or ‘link man’ then we have Freeman to come back, Didsy or McBurnie. They give us some variety.
5, forwards - hopefully Brewster is the main man. Unless Burke develops any footballing skill or awareness to go with his blistering pace then it’s a no from me. Mouse - 2019 version, yes please, otherwise bye bye. Sharp - a role to play and probably very important off the field, maybe transition to a coaching team role if thats of interest to him.
Sales / main fund raisers - Berge (unrealistic for him to stay), Egan (may need to balance funds)
Release / loan ends/ give away if possible - Lunny, one LB (probably Lowe or Edna), Mouse, Burke, Ampadu, Rodwell, Robinson and at least one of Moore, Verrips, Fotheringham. I’d probably retain Bryan who has improved and has age on his side.
Need - replacement for Egan and cover (assuming Jags retires). At least one for the midfield base, competition or replacement for Norwood / Fleck. A striker or two to replace Mouse / Burke, assuming further reduced role for Sharp. We have flexibility here as Didsy and McBurnie can also play here as well as the creator role. Hopefully some of the U23’s that we’ve seen around the squad this season may step up too.
I‘d hope we could get £40m+ for Egan and Berge. These and the released players would take a large chunk out of the wage bill. Probably 5 important recruits needed plus some more backup depending on the released list - feasible? If we revert to picking up the best from lower leagues a la Brentford this should be possible.
A long way of saying that subject to having Bash and JOC fit and firing (a big question at the moment) then I’d like to see us continue with the same style and formation that has served us well before this season. We know when it’s played properly that it’s very hard to defend against.
