Are you happy with cresswell on the left??

[davidpinder]

My answer is NO he is a forward and that's where he should play, i am not a fan of playing players out of position and i believe we are doing this with cressy. I personally would prefer to see us go 4-4-2 but speedo seems to want to go 4-5-1, in which case i still think cressy should be the 1. We should be playing wingers ie yeates and ward (even though again i would like to see ward up top i think he is more of a right winger than cressy is a left). Your thoughts?

 

[SteelCity Blade]

No. They're both strikers.

 

[Railway Blade]

Definately not at home. Away perhaps, he is a hard working player and can nip in with the odd goal as at Derby

If we are playing 3 central midfielders at home then I definately think we need someone with pace on that left hand side.

At the moments I guess that is Yeates, though not very quick he has to be quicker than Cresswell

 

[blader]

some would argue that he is playing as a striker in a 4-3-3 formation. And actually did you notice that cresswell played left, middle and right on saturday? (at different times obviously!) i think its very interchangable and gives a bit more flexibility up front. I'm not sure its such a bad idea, but i would like to see a bit more pace injected into the team out wide.

 

[Ted Danson]

No, no, no hes far too slow, while I like what speed is doing this is my biggest concern, why are we playing the slowest striker we have on the left wing and yet Yeates is on the bench. When Yeates has come on the games have really livened up, I couldnt understand why he didnt get on the pitch against Boro where hes got a point to proove and the game was crying out for him. We need a new left winger badly and as others have said he needs to be like shit off a shovel.

 

[DuncDisorderly]

My answer is NO

Well thats the end of that thread then...

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I think Evans should be on the left if we're kicking towards the Away End, so he can get to the half-time buffet quicker.

 

[Kev Gee]

Definetley not & IMO this 433/451 formation is not working.....

Our goal record suggests this.

 

[kelham blade]

I like Egg Cress as a striker, but not as a winger.

He is relatively slow, does not have a trick to beat his man, is not a natural crosser of the ball and always shifts it on to his right foot.

I'd like to see Yeates play, although not necessarily at the expense of Cresswell

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

My answer is NO he is a forward and that's where he should play, i am not a fan of playing players out of position and i believe we are doing this with cressy. I personally would prefer to see us go 4-4-2 but speedo seems to want to go 4-5-1, in which case i still think cressy should be the 1. We should be playing wingers ie yeates and ward (even though again i would like to see ward up top i think he is more of a right winger than cressy is a left). Your thoughts?

You not happy, there's a shock

I kind of agree with you but we do get obsessed with formations sometimes when in reality, he probably ends up in the box more than Chedders ! He played out wide for Stoke so it's not something foreign to him but yes, if we are to play someone in that role, there's no doubt other players out there who could play in that position. As I've said before, David Villa sets up wide left for club and country.

Tactically, Speed seems very keen on the full backs getting forward so the front three will tend to move into the middle anyway. When he's changed things and brought Yeates on, it's usually been for Ched and he's then gone to more of a 4-4-2 with Cresswell going more central.

 

[davidpinder]

You not happy, there's a shock

I kind of agree with you but we do get obsessed with formations sometimes when in reality, he probably ends up in the box more than Chedders ! He played out wide for Stoke so it's not something foreign to him but yes, if we are to play someone in that role, there's no doubt other players out there who could play in that position. As I've said before, David Villa sets up wide left for club and country.

Tactically, Speed seems very keen on the full backs getting forward so the front three will tend to move into the middle anyway. When he's changed things and brought Yeates on, it's usually been for Ched and he's then gone to more of a 4-4-2 with Cresswell going more central.

And a good moaning to you to Jim:hello:

I kind of agree? Come on Jim am sure you can stretch to "i agree with you there". 4-4-2 would suit the full backs bombing on especially if ertl plays because he can cover at the back.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

And a good moaning to you to Jim:hello:

I kind of agree? Come on Jim am sure you can stretch to "i agree with you there". 4-4-2 would suit the full backs bombing on especially if ertl plays because he can cover at the back.

Why when I don't entirely agree

The way he seems to be trying to get it to work is 4-3-3 with the full backs in effect going past the midfielders and Ward/Cressy moving towards the middle. This still leaves defensive cover from the midfielders and in effect gives you more strikers in the box. As I say, formations are far more fluid these days than a black and white 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, you only have to look at the way the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea play in full flow.

I still think he's limited at the moment to playing with the players he's got and with another attack minded midfielder such as Willo playing, we would see a big difference.

 

[SteelCity Blade]

I still think he's limited at the moment to playing with the players he's got and with another attack minded midfielder such as Willo playing, we would see a big difference.

I agree Jim. One we have Willo and Hendo back the 4-3-3 would work much better IMO. Willo has the ability not to get a nose bleed in the oppo half and Hendo will hold the ball up better to bring the others into play. It would make the system we are playing in far more fluent.

We cant rely on these two though as they miss as many games as they play. Need to sign a midfielder in the meantime. Big priority IMO.

 

[davidpinder]

I agree Jim. One we have Willo and Hendo back the 4-3-3 would work much better IMO. Willo has the ability not to get a nose bleed in the oppo half and Hendo will hold the ball up better to bring the others into play. It would make the system we are playing in far more fluent.

We cant rely on these two though as they miss as many games as they play. Need to sign a midfielder in the meantime. Big priority IMO.

So when all is fit steel what is your ideal team and formation??

---------- Post added at 10:51 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:50 AM ----------

Why when I don't entirely agree

The way he seems to be trying to get it to work is 4-3-3 with the full backs in effect going past the midfielders and Ward/Cressy moving towards the middle. This still leaves defensive cover from the midfielders and in effect gives you more strikers in the box. As I say, formations are far more fluid these days than a black and white 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, you only have to look at the way the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea play in full flow.

I still think he's limited at the moment to playing with the players he's got and with another attack minded midfielder such as Willo playing, we would see a big difference.

Can't believe you only put a smiling face and not the waving man. :thumbup:

 

[SteelCity Blade]

Crikey dave, now you're asking. To be honest the more we discuss it the more undecided I become. I see pros and cons for both the 4-4-2 and 4-3-3. One that has crossed my mind is this:-

------------------------------Simonsen------------------------------
-----Calve------------Morgan-----------Bartley------------Jordan----
-----------------------------Britton/Ertl------------------------------
----------------Montgomery-------------Williamson/Quinn-------------
----------------------------Ward/Yeates-----------------------------
--------------Evans/Bogdanovic-------Henderson/Cresswell------------

In this formation Wardy or Yeates would have a free role to roam from right to left and keep the oppo guessing. We would have a three man midfield to allow for it and two forwards to keep the back four occupied. I think it could work and would be flexible as it could quickly interchange to either an orthodox 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 as it keeps the basic principle of operating with attacking full backs and Britton in front of the back four.

Excuse me for not including Nosworthy. He would be competition for Bartley obviously but this was just to show which players I see as rivals for certain roles. I think Ertl could play in front of the back four as well, as he is technically decent and can pass the ball. He's also an option at centre half as we know.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Crikey dave, now you're asking. To be honest the more we discuss it the more undecided I become. I see pros and cons for both the 4-4-2 and 4-3-3. One that has crossed my mind is this:-

------------------------------Simonsen------------------------------
-----Calve------------Morgan-----------Bartley------------Jordan----
-----------------------------Britton/Ertl------------------------------
----------------Montgomery-------------Williamson/Quinn-------------
----------------------------Ward/Yeates-----------------------------
--------------Evans/Bogdanovic-------Henderson/Cresswell------------

In this formation Wardy or Yeates would have a free role to roam from right to left and keep the oppo guessing. We would have a three man midfield to allow for it and two forwards to keep the back four occupied. I think it could work and would be flexible as it could quickly interchange to either an orthodox 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 as it keeps the basic principle of operating with attacking full backs and Britton in front of the back four.

Excuse me for not including Nosworthy. He would be competition for Bartley obviously but this was just to show which players I see as rivals for certain roles. I think Ertl could play in front of the back four as well, as he is technically decent and can pass the ball. He's also an option at centre half as we know.

and people expect Speedo to get it right after 5 games

He's set up so far with 4-4-3 which suggests to me, as he's looking for players, that Cressy/Evans, Monty/Ertl are the ones under threat. However, let's say for example he had Willo and Hendo fit, and brought in Bannan or Halmosi;

Simmo
Calve, Morgs, Bartley/Nos, Jordan
Ward/Yeates, Britton, Willo, Halmosi/Bannan
Evans/Cressy, Hendo​

would set up as a 4-4-2 but be far more attacking with all bar the CBs and Britton potentially supporting the attack. He may swap a few around and make it less attacking for away games bringing Monty/Ertl in for example but the key is having flexible players, particularly in midfield like Ward and Willo who cover a lot of ground. Formations are the basic shape only and the flexibility of the players is the key.

 

[SteelCity Blade]

Simmo
Calve, Morgs, Bartley/Nos, Jordan
Ward/Yeates, Britton, Willo, Halmosi/Bannan
Evans/Cressy, Hendo​

That looks very positive on paper but the centre of midfield looks far too powder-puff. As soon as we play a Forest or a Cardiff they would get kicked all over the place. At this level you have to have a combative element in midfield IMO. Even if it is the less gifted Monty.

Either Ertl or Monty have to be present unless we can find someone like a Michael Brown who can tackle whilst running box to box and they're quite rare. Its difficult. I think Speed has a tough job because his personnel are not really suited to anything specific. In some ways I think our flexibility causes us a problem.....which is quite odd really.

 

[Ted Danson]

and people expect Speedo to get it right after 5 games

He's set up so far with 4-4-3 which suggests to me, as he's looking for players, that Cressy/Evans, Monty/Ertl are the ones under threat. However, let's say for example he had Willo and Hendo fit, and brought in Bannan or Halmosi;

Shouldnt we be battering everyone with the extra player?

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

My answer is NO he is a forward and that's where he should play, i am not a fan of playing players out of position and i believe we are doing this with cressy. I personally would prefer to see us go 4-4-2 but speedo seems to want to go 4-5-1, in which case i still think cressy should be the 1. We should be playing wingers ie yeates and ward (even though again i would like to see ward up top i think he is more of a right winger than cressy is a left). Your thoughts?

His touch, control and speed aren't up to playing up top on his own. Given the last couple of home games it is debatable if he should be in the team, but unfortunately we have no one to replace him.

 

[Blade]

cresswell should not be in the team at all in my eyes. He scored goals last year and deservedly kept himself in there on that basis but I disagree completely that we have no one to replace him. I'd much rather see either Yeates or Quinn in for him on the basis of this season's performances. Even including last seasons efforts I think he offers very little aside from his goals, when they have dried up your left with a waste of a shirt. Far too many times this season we've played good balls down the wing for him and he's not fit/fast or often bothered enough to chase them. He doesn't win much in the air for his size/height and most frustrating of all he's constantly on the lookout for a free kick or berating his team mates for his ineptitude, last week he did this nearly all game and I hate to see it from the blades.

yeates did more in those few minutes on the pitch than cresswell has done in that position all season. that pretty much sums up the argument for me.