Confidence in 3 5 2

[Need4speed]

The difference today is that we actually played 3 5 2 With both Freeman and Stevens getting forward and then either Bash or O'Connell also getting forward. Why today? Is it the organisational ability and communication of Jake Wright or is it just confidence at home. If this does not happen we are effectively playing 5 4 1 with either Curruthers or Duffy playing midfield rather than just behind the strikers. That leaves Billy so isolated he is doomed to failure. I think Wilder knows this hence his desire to the team to move the ball quickly.
Brookes today showed how we can then adapt in the last quarter to scare teams shitless while taking the pressure off our defence.
I hope Wilder can instill the confidence in the players to play 3 5 2 as he intends

 

[blade67]

we play 2 up front so it's never 541. It can be 532 instead of of 352, but I think you have to factor 2 things today. Barnsley are poor which makes it easier and Duffy showed that he's a very clever footballer and perhaps better than many thought, including me.

I'm not sure 352 is going to work every week in this league but we should have the confidence to play it much of the time

 

[LJBlade]

The biggest difference today was that Barnsley are terrible, especially in comparison with the other 3 teams we've played so far.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I like 3-5-2 all day long at home, think away at this level we need 4-5-1

 

[Bladeinleeds]

Being proactive and on the front foot allows the system to work.

It puts too much pressure on the midfield (and isolates the strikers) when neither the wing backs or defenders can get forward to help support.

Imo it will be just as effective as last year against the weaker teams, and if we really go for some of the better sides. But think we might have to consider alternatives against to top sides if it becomes apparent we are getting dominated as happened at Cardiff and for the large stages against Boro where we struggled to assert ourselves.

That said we took a few weeks to get into our stride last year - as did wilders Northampton. So we could start looking better as we gel further.

 

[andy m]

We play 3-4-1-2

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

We play 3-4-1-2

The points are equally valid as in the relevance of the wing backs. They didn't get into the games at Boro or Cardiff and consequently we had little impact up top. I'd look at Lafferty and Baldock when fit in games like that and Stevens and Freeman at home and away when we feel we can match the opposition.

 

[andy m]

The points are equally valid as in the relevance of the wing backs. They didn't get into the games at Boro or Cardiff and consequently we had little impact up top. I'd look at Lafferty and Baldock when fit in games like that and Stevens and Freeman at home and away when we feel we can match the opposition.

Against Middlesborough we needed Carruthers to help create an overload against their fullbacks because both were quicker and stronger than our wingbacks. Unfortunately he was poor and left them isolated, hence they had little impact. Duffy helps with this because he is a more intelligent footballer.

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

Against Middlesborough we needed Carruthers to help create an overload against their fullbacks because both were quicker and stronger than our wingbacks. Unfortunately he was poor and left them isolated, hence they had little impact. Duffy helps with this because he is a more intelligent footballer.

Carruthers is still a relative newcomer to the team. I hope his contribution will improve over the course of the season. Duffy was brilliant today though..

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

The biggest difference today was that Barnsley are terrible, especially in comparison with the other 3 teams we've played so far.

And yet Barnsley were excellent when they beat Forest (a team that has won their other three games). Maybe we're just starting to click again....(he says hopefully).

 

[SB_90]

I like 352 because it suits us because Wilder is able to have 5 in defence & then 5 in attack. suits us perfectly its no coincidence that at 1-0 to oxford he changes from 442 to 3 at the back, the rest is history went on to win & something like only lost 4 more games after oxford. also I always thought that we are ahead of the curve because we were doing 3 at the back with wingbacks at the end of august. then Conte reverts back to his Juventus system, climbs the table then other premier league teams jump on the bandwagon

 

[LJBlade]

And yet Barnsley were excellent when they beat Forest (a team that has won their other three games). Maybe we're just starting to click again....(he says hopefully).

Today looked more like last season than we've seen so far but for me Barnsley were more like the opposition we faced last season that what we've seen so far. I know Brentford are bottom of the league but they player some really good football.

I do think that when playing as we did last season we should beat a lot of the teams in this division but we need to be more confident in what we're doing. We seemed to be a little nervous against Boro and Cardiff. Maybe we need to start thinking that we're the best, like we did last year

 

[Roygbiv]

Just been reading from Bolton fans that Derby destroyed their 3-5-2 today and left them exposed by exploiting the gaps when the full backs attacked. Be interesting to see how we cope next week. By all accounts Derby should have won by 4 or 5

 

[SwissBlade]

we play 2 up front so it's never 541. It can be 532 instead of of 352, but I think you have to factor 2 things today. Barnsley are poor which makes it easier and Duffy showed that he's a very clever footballer and perhaps better than many thought, including me.

I'm not sure 352 is going to work every week in this league but we should have the confidence to play it much of the time

You're right We haven't played 541. We've played 3-2-3-2 away from home

 

[Rodley]

Just been reading from Bolton fans that Derby destroyed their 3-5-2 today and left them exposed by exploiting the gaps when the full backs attacked. Be interesting to see how we cope next week. By all accounts Derby should have won by 4 or 5

Bolton are very poor though.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

It only works for us as 3-4-1-2. But our problem has been with the "link man" not helping the forwards enough.

 

[SwissBlade]

The back 3 works for us. It's a system which we have the players for and I don't think the wing backs we have are defensively minded enough to play as proper full backs so a back 4 isn't really an option I'd be confident with.

I said after Cardiff that perhaps away from home and against better sides that can handle the wing backs as well as breaking up Coutts and Fleck, that we should look to play one up top and drop another midfielder in alongside Coutts and Fleck. For me this would be carruthers or lundstram.

Sharp or Clarke as a lone striker wouldn't be fun for them and would need discipline (Leon) but we could then have an attacking midfielder of Duffy/ Brooks In behind and with the wingbacks getting on to support

So 3-5-1-1

 

[andy m]

I would like to see Fleck tried playing behind the front 2. He can pick a pass, beat a man and also has a good shot on him, If we are being overrun in midfield he could drop back making it 3-5-2. We would need to sign another midfielder for this to happen (maybe Leonard).

 

[BushBlade]

Because we retained the ball in midfield which allowed the full backs to get forward. It's fundamental to our style of play that we control central midfield. Any team that has better central midfielders than us will be able to stop our fullbacks getting forward (and our wide centre halves).

 

[Sheffsteel]

Playing the 3 5 2 is a positive step

Barnsley came and sat back, it became such a familiar game for all our players and for a change the midfield was allowed to dominate spraying passes around etc.

In the other games we were often in the back foot, our attacking full backs were being forced to defend. So our attacking formation never got going and was ineffective.

Brilliant point from Bush, our midfield retained possession, it makes you wonder if DUFFY was the missing link to enable a performance so reminiscent of last season.

 

[Norderner]

I would like to see Fleck tried playing behind the front 2. He can pick a pass, beat a man and also has a good shot on him, If we are being overrun in midfield he could drop back making it 3-5-2. We would need to sign another midfielder for this to happen (maybe Leonard).

Said the same a couple of weeks back. Would strengthen the side immensely, provided we sign Coady/Leonard.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Against Middlesborough we needed Carruthers to help create an overload against their fullbacks because both were quicker and stronger than our wingbacks. Unfortunately he was poor and left them isolated, hence they had little impact. Duffy helps with this because he is a more intelligent footballer.

Agree 100% - Duffy is more intelligent although think Sami has more skill.

For now we need that intelligence of finding space, which seems to be very easy for him to do.

He also is an ideal hold up player between midfield and the forwards. I wanted him v Cardiff after the roasting Boro gave us - but was really glad it happened v Barnsley.

UTB