The case for 4-2-3-1

[Bergen Blade]

The back five hasn't given us the results we hoped for. We look a bit more solid, but we haven't managed to create more from open play. Several of our attacking assets look isolated and out of sorts. The back five was worth a go, I note that some thinks it looks good on paper.

But 4-2-3-1 was the formation Wilder used last season and although it wasn't fabulous it brought results and meant Hamer and Campbell thrived.

Maybe with Tanganga and Mee we can cope better defensively, and with a back four, allow more players to contribute offensively.

Cooper
Seriki Tanganga Mee McCallum
Davies Peck
Ogbene Marsh Hamer
Campbell

A surprise selection in there, but we really need more players who can score goals.

Am I confident this would propel us up the league? No!

 

[finlaytheblade]

The back five hasn't given us the results we hoped for. We look a bit more solid, but we haven't managed to create more from open play. Several of our attacking assets look isolated and out of sorts. The back five was worth a go, I note that some thinks it looks good on paper.

But 4-2-3-1 was the formation Wilder used last season and although it wasn't fabulous it brought results and meant Hamer and Campbell thrived.

Maybe with Tanganga and Mee we can cope better defensively, and with a back four, allow more players to contribute offensively.

Cooper
Seriki Tanganga Mee McCallum
Davies Peck
Ogbene Marsh Hamer
Campbell

A surprise selection in there, but we really need more players who can score goals.

Am I confident this would propel us up the league? No!

Marshy deserves his chance scoring regularly for 21s.
A talented player who scores goals and is a provider also.

 

[KMC-1889]

TBH One deserves a chance before anyone else. Looked positive in pre-season and can’t be any worse than Cannon.

 

[cooperblade]

On the list of problems with the current squad, I think the lack of a 'box-crashing' midfielder and a target man are right up at the top. It was really noticeable at Hull that when we got into some of the good positions that Wilder talked about, we either had 0 or 1 players in the box.

At the moment, I think going 2 up front might be the best fix for our problems and I'd like that to be One and Campbell (mainly to increase the pace and physicality of our team). Neither are target men but I think having 2 up front would increase our chances of keeping the ball at the top of the pitch and would make us harder to defend against.

 

[Badger Blade]

Based on what we've seen so far, while there are merits to having 3 CB's to try and stem the tide, only Mee and Tanganga can really justify their places in the team based on their performances so should be the two that start.

McGuinness isn't the Souttar clone that we'd hoped for and Bindon and Godfrey can be sent back as far as I'm concerned. We've signed Zatterstrom as a development CB so they can be the back-ups moving forward.

On the list of problems with the current squad, I think the lack of a 'box-crashing' midfielder and a target man are right up at the top. It was really noticeable at Hull that when we got into some of the good positions that Wilder talked about, we either had 0 or 1 players in the box.

Arblaster showed signs of this last season before getting injured but we're lacking some sort of poor man's Paul Scholes who can pop up with a goal every 5 or 6 games to help things out. Gus hasn't really hit his straps this season at all but still can't score all the goals from midfield himself.

 

[Wards]

I think the system talk is relevant but probably not as big an issue as mentality at the moment. The setup becomes largely a side issue if we continue to be too pragmatic, too cautious and too risk averse. It doesn't matter if we set up with 5 at the back, 4 at the back, 3 across the middle etc etc if we continue to only get one man in the box when we get into good attacking positions.

There's enough attacking talent in the team (despite the lack of different options up top) to get more men in the box. Our % chances of scoring must be incredibly low with the number of bodies we commit forward - we're almost reliant on scoring or creating the perfect chance.

 

[Bladesman]

The back five hasn't given us the results we hoped for. We look a bit more solid, but we haven't managed to create more from open play. Several of our attacking assets look isolated and out of sorts. The back five was worth a go, I note that some thinks it looks good on paper.

But 4-2-3-1 was the formation Wilder used last season and although it wasn't fabulous it brought results and meant Hamer and Campbell thrived.

Maybe with Tanganga and Mee we can cope better defensively, and with a back four, allow more players to contribute offensively.

Cooper
Seriki Tanganga Mee McCallum
Davies Peck
Ogbene Marsh Hamer
Campbell

A surprise selection in there, but we really need more players who can score goals.

Am I confident this would propel us up the league? No!

On FC26 I have gone with 3 2 5 1

Cooper

Bidon or Godfrey Tanganga Mee

Soumare Arblaster

Ogbene Davies O'Hare Hamer Burrows

Campbell

.

 

[utd4ever]

I think 5-3-2

GK Cooper
RWB Seriki ( forward runs)
LWB Burrows (forward runs)

CDR Tanganga ( overlapping)
CD Mee
CDL Bindon ( overlapping)

CMD Matos ( static Defensive)
CMD Davies ( box to box)
CMA Hamer ( support forward)

ST Campbell/ Ings ( out and out striker stays in the box)
FW One/Ings/ Cannon/ Beattie ( support for ST and CMA)

 

[Panini]

On FC26 I have gone with 3 2 5 1

Cooper

Bidon or Godfrey Tanganga Mee

Soumare Arblaster

Ogbene Davies O'Hare Hamer Burrows

Campbell

.

I'm not sure we'd be allowed to have 12 players

 

[mattbianco1]

On FC26 I have gone with 3 2 5 1

Cooper

Bidon or Godfrey Tanganga Mee

Soumare Arblaster

Ogbene Davies O'Hare Hamer Burrows

Campbell

.

I'm not sure we'd be allowed to have 12 players

No wonder it works on FC26

 

[Bergen Blade]

On the list of problems with the current squad, I think the lack of a 'box-crashing' midfielder and a target man are right up at the top. It was really noticeable at Hull that when we got into some of the good positions that Wilder talked about, we either had 0 or 1 players in the box.

At the moment, I think going 2 up front might be the best fix for our problems and I'd like that to be One and Campbell (mainly to increase the pace and physicality of our team). Neither are target men but I think having 2 up front would increase our chances of keeping the ball at the top of the pitch and would make us harder to defend against.

Hamer wide left in a 4-4-2? Or in Duffy's role in a 5-2-1-2? I also want to see more of One.

I think a lot of posters see our full backs (Seriki/Ogbene and Burrows/McCallum) as being better offensively than defensively and therefore assume they will be better as wing backs than in a back four. But wing back can be a difficult and very demanding job unless it's in a side that's well drilled. I think all of those players work better in a wide partnership, and need help to find the space to be effective going forward.

 

[Bergen Blade]

I think the system talk is relevant but probably not as big an issue as mentality at the moment. The setup becomes largely a side issue if we continue to be too pragmatic, too cautious and too risk averse. It doesn't matter if we set up with 5 at the back, 4 at the back, 3 across the middle etc etc if we continue to only get one man in the box when we get into good attacking positions.

There's enough attacking talent in the team (despite the lack of different options up top) to get more men in the box. Our % chances of scoring must be incredibly low with the number of bodies we commit forward - we're almost reliant on scoring or creating the perfect chance.

Agree, but I think our last starting line up included only two players who should be regarded as decent goal threats.

 

[Bladesman]

I'm not sure we'd be allowed to have 12 players

I can have 15

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

The back five hasn't given us the results we hoped for. We look a bit more solid, but we haven't managed to create more from open play. Several of our attacking assets look isolated and out of sorts. The back five was worth a go, I note that some thinks it looks good on paper.

But 4-2-3-1 was the formation Wilder used last season and although it wasn't fabulous it brought results and meant Hamer and Campbell thrived.

Maybe with Tanganga and Mee we can cope better defensively, and with a back four, allow more players to contribute offensively.

Cooper
Seriki Tanganga Mee McCallum
Davies Peck
Ogbene Marsh Hamer
Campbell

A surprise selection in there, but we really need more players who can score goals.

Am I confident this would propel us up the league? No!

Sorry mate, but that team ships goals like a Ruben Selles classic!!

All the signs are, we need more movement and athleticism in the final 3rd so playing one up top with that formation is going to see us struggle to score.

Whether it's a back 3 or 4 is irrelevant. We need a front two and a CAM (Hamer or OHare) so need two midfielders who can hold position, transition the ball forward and can get around the pitch.

 

[cooperblade]

Hamer wide left in a 4-4-2? Or in Duffy's role in a 5-2-1-2? I also want to see more of One.

I think a lot of posters see our full backs (Seriki/Ogbene and Burrows/McCallum) as being better offensively than defensively and therefore assume they will be better as wing backs than in a back four. But wing back can be a difficult and very demanding job unless it's in a side that's well drilled. I think all of those players work better in a wide partnership, and need help to find the space to be effective going forward.

I'd go Hamer on the left (but with freedom) of a 4-4-2. I really like the potential of a Seriki - Ogbene right hand side. My big worry with a 4-4-2 with Hamer on the left is how open we'd be down that side. I don't think Burrows can cope defensively with being isolated (as we saw at times last season).

 

[Uganda Blade]

I was thinking about this overnight while listening to the rain drumming on the iron-sheet roof. As you do.
Last season we only scored three goals five times (if memory serves) in the league, and two of those games were the play-off semis, when we played... 4-4-2.
On both occasions, Bristol City played 3-4-2-1.
I don’t remember the goals, but of the six, only one was scored by a striker (Moore), so we must (presumably) have been getting more men in the box, and far less cautious.
The latter point might be more important than formation, but I can't help thinking that having two strikers gives the opposition defence much more to contend with, and opens up space for attacking midfielders to exploit, just as they did in the semis.

 

[Varkanoid]

We need 2 up front and score more than we concede. Its not rocket science lets hope the main man gets it this time round.

 

[Snowflake]

The back five hasn't given us the results we hoped for. We look a bit more solid, but we haven't managed to create more from open play. Several of our attacking assets look isolated and out of sorts. The back five was worth a go, I note that some thinks it looks good on paper.

But 4-2-3-1 was the formation Wilder used last season and although it wasn't fabulous it brought results and meant Hamer and Campbell thrived.

Maybe with Tanganga and Mee we can cope better defensively, and with a back four, allow more players to contribute offensively.

Cooper
Seriki Tanganga Mee McCallum
Davies Peck
Ogbene Marsh Hamer
Campbell

A surprise selection in there, but we really need more players who can score goals.

Am I confident this would propel us up the league? No!

It would propel us up the league. The question to ask is “how far?”

 

[BangorBlade]

We need 2 up front and score more than we concede. Its not rocket science lets hope the main man gets it this time round.

If it's 4-4-2 I'd give Zatterstrome a shot in the back with Tanganga Mcguiness Mee,
(after all it was stated that he was an ideal replacement for Anel.)
Mid - Seriki Matos Davis.T Hamer
CF - Ogbene Campbell

 

[Bergen Blade]

Sorry mate, but that team ships goals like a Ruben Selles classic!!

All the signs are, we need more movement and athleticism in the final 3rd so playing one up top with that formation is going to see us struggle to score.

Whether it's a back 3 or 4 is irrelevant. We need a front two and a CAM (Hamer or OHare) so need two midfielders who can hold position, transition the ball forward and can get around the pitch.

Selles' sides were exceptions, but normally there are ways to avoid teams being too attacking. The suggestion could easily be tweaked to a 4-4-1-1 or even 4-5-1. How high you press, how many players you push forward, how adventurous your passing is, etc

 

[Bergen Blade]

We need 2 up front and score more than we concede. Its not rocket science lets hope the main man gets it this time round.

And if the opposition team also play 2 up front the worlds collide?

 

[Dnblade]

Always thought Marshy was the pick of the U21's,always creating and scorung goals.
Shame he hasn't quite kicked on yet,and others have overtaken him.
I think he would at least be useful off the bench...other than that,i'd prefer Burrows over McCallum,although i'd be happy with going back to the 4231...the back 3 is decent defensively,but none of them are great at bringing the ball out and joining in the attacks like we got with Anel.
Souza has been the biggest miss though.