Time for 4231?

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

wilders original preferred formation

Blackman

Freeman steerman/wright O'Connell Stevens/lafferty

Fleck lundstrum/new player

Coutts Duffy brooks/carruthers

Sharp

This does 3 things for me,

1) gives more protection to the cbs
2) gives us more bodies in centre midfield
3) plays to our personnel strengths, more AMs where we are strong, less strikers where we are week.

As it seems our wing backs don't have the freedom to get forward as much against the better teams we may as well pull them back to full backs

 

[sheffielder]

Doug fine as we are at the back and in midfield. After watching Brooks today I would stick him up top with billy if we don't get anyone else in.

 

[S64 Blade]

Not sure I agree, Sharp needs someone beside him to create space for him to find and score.

 

[Harry's Game]

Ted Rogers picking the side?

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Not sure I agree, Sharp needs someone beside him to create space for him to find and score.

He will get more support from the AMs, did you see the space between Clarke and sharp today as they were covering the wings?

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Doug fine as we are at the back and in midfield. After watching Brooks today I would stick him up top with billy if we don't get anyone else in.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Doug fine as we are at the back and in midfield. After watching Brooks today I would stick him up top with billy if we don't get anyone else in.

Not a bad shout on brooks TBF

 

[Grizzly blade]

This side hasn't played that formation at any time. Nor did it last season.
What makes you think that it will suddenly just work.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

This side hasn't played that formation at any time. Nor did it last season.
What makes you think that it will suddenly just work.

For the reasons I stated, we did play it in preseason last season and wilder favoured it at Northampton.

Strange to think you can only play formations you've played before.

 

[Ginger Gnome]

If you play a back four, you don't have the freedom for one of your central defenders to play as one of your best attackers as there's nobody to cover for O'Connell going walkabout up the left wing as he did so well today. It also doesn't play to our players' strengths in the slightest, JOC always looks more comfortable in a back 3, both fullbacks are a bit suspect defensively and their attacking freedom would be limited by not having the extra man at the back. We have a lack of genuine wide players so would end up with 5 in central midfield.

If you want to play less strikers and more attacking central midfielders, just replace Clarke with Brooks in the current system, job done

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

If you play a back four, you don't have the freedom for one of your central defenders to play as one of your best attackers as there's nobody to cover for O'Connell going walkabout up the left wing as he did so well today. It also doesn't play to our players' strengths in the slightest, JOC always looks more comfortable in a back 3, both fullbacks are a bit suspect defensively and their attacking freedom would be limited by not having the extra man at the back. We have a lack of genuine wide players so would end up with 5 in central midfield.

If you want to play less strikers and more attacking central midfielders, just replace Clarke with Brooks in the current system, job done

You have 2 defensive midfielders to cover, that's the point, and you have 2 "wide" attacking midfielders for the wings when attacking. They don't need to full the length of the pitch to get back in position like a defender either.

Also the fact one of our cbs is one of our best attackers speaks volumes

 

[S64 Blade]

He will get more support from the AMs, did you see the space between Clarke and sharp today as they were covering the wings?

Sharp had more of the ball when Clarke was beside him.

Can you remember when Blackwell played him up top on his own?

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Sharp had more of the ball when Clarke was beside him.

Can you remember when Blackwell played him up top on his own?

But he will have 3 AMs for support instead of 1

 

[S64 Blade]

But he will have 3 AMs for support instead of 1

Assuming they are all able to push on.

We can have 5 forward now with wing backs, two forwards and AM.

 

[Grizzly blade]

For the reasons I stated, we did play it in preseason last season and wilder favoured it at Northampton.

Strange to think you can only play formations you've played before.

Strange to think they would suddenly adopt a formation that they haven't played at all out of the blue, nobody knowing their job or where each other is. Not only that, a formation that didn't suit our players as proven by the manager binning it last season.

Maybe we should just play 4-2-4? Or four diamond two? Or maybe 4-3-3? All played as much as 4-2-3-1.

Here's an idea, might be controversial. But stick to the formation that worked well with these players last season, seeing as today's side was all but the same as the one that finished last season. The formation that scored shed loads of goals, and gets the best from Coutts and Fleck, and our full backs.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Assuming they are all able to push on.

We can have 5 forward now with wing backs, two forwards and AM.

But we aren't getting our wing backs forward against the better teams, and they have further to get back when the oppo is counter attacking at speed which is standard for this league

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Strange to think they would suddenly adopt a formation that they haven't played at all out of the blue, nobody knowing their job or where each other is. Not only that, a formation that didn't suit our players as proven by the manager binning it last season.

Maybe we should just play 4-2-4? Or four diamond two? Or maybe 4-3-3? All played as much as 4-2-3-1.

Here's an idea, might be controversial. But stick to the formation that worked well with these players last season, seeing as today's side was all but the same as the one that finished last season. The formation that scored shed loads of goals, and gets the best from Coutts and Fleck, and our full backs.

I would recommend they practice it in training first.

This season is a different kettle of fish as the last 2 away games have proven, hence why I think a change would be benifitial

The formations you mention are too attacking for the better teams in this league imo

 

[S64 Blade]

But we aren't getting our wing backs forward against the better teams, and they have further to get back when the oppo is counter attacking at speed which is standard for this league

But then we would be more vulnerable at the back with 4 up top, surely?

We will agree to disagree anyway. I think it could be used later in games, but not sure we should change things now. We aren't particularly struggling.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

But then we would be more vulnerable at the back with 4 up top, surely?

We will agree to disagree anyway. I think it could be used later in games, but not sure we should change things now. We aren't particularly struggling.

But we would have 2 defensive mfs

But yeah obviously it's just a suggestion.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Here's a thought.
Why not try Brooks as the one up front?
The 4 2 3 working it through midfield to him would send him off to run riot!
He'd terrorise defenders!!
Or even 4 3 2 and Brooks up front.

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Here's a thought.
Why not try Brooks as the one up front?
The 4 2 3 working it through midfield to him would send him off to run riot!
He'd terrorise defenders!!
Or even 4 3 2 and Brooks up front.

Can't drop Billy tho

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Can't drop Billy tho

True.
Start with Billy in that role and sub him for Brooks after 5 minutes

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Can't drop Billy tho

Seriously though mate, 2 in 4 and you can see why it would take some balls to make any changes that don't involve him.
I must stay I thought he'd struggle this year (and think he still might against the better defences) but hats off to him for bagging 2 so far.

 

[sufcboy95]

We don't have the players to play that formation. We don't have a single midfielder who can put a foot in. And sharp can't play on his own up front

 

[seanbeenstattoo]

It would take teams about 2 seconds to work out Freeman isn't a full back and absolutely traumatise us down the right. If Freeman isn't played in his only position,ie RWB he shouldn't get near a shirt.
Leave the back 3 alone,just bring in Lafferty and Baldock when fit as wingbacks away from home occaisionally. You've got good defensive cover that way. Play Freeman and Stevens otherwise.

 

[SB_90]

no i dislike 4231 because its far too defensive. it was the fashion for top teams to play that system the games were boring. the striker is always hugely isolated & it requires willing runners into the box which we've never been known for. & the chances will dry up

also last time we tried 4 at the back. southend sauntered through our defence scoring 3 goals in opening 15mins. causing a near angry riot in the ground

 

['Doc' Pace my hero]

What is actually Baldocks injury ?

 

[Sharrow Snuff Mill]

It would take teams about 2 seconds to work out Freeman isn't a full back and absolutely traumatise us down the right. If Freeman isn't played in his only position,ie RWB he shouldn't get near a shirt.
Leave the back 3 alone,just bring in Lafferty and Baldock when fit as wingbacks away from home occaisionally. You've got good defensive cover that way. Play Freeman and Stevens otherwise.

Careful what you say about Freeman. Pinchy will be after you !

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

Seriously though mate, 2 in 4 and you can see why it would take some balls to make any changes that don't involve him.
I must stay I thought he'd struggle this year (and think he still might against the better defences) but hats off to him for bagging 2 so far.

No, 2 in 4 is good but there is definitely room for improvement against the better teams

 

[Ldn_Rd_Blades]

It would take teams about 2 seconds to work out Freeman isn't a full back and absolutely traumatise us down the right. If Freeman isn't played in his only position,ie RWB he shouldn't get near a shirt.
Leave the back 3 alone,just bring in Lafferty and Baldock when fit as wingbacks away from home occaisionally. You've got good defensive cover that way. Play Freeman and Stevens otherwise.

Freeman is better defensively than people give him credit for, look at him today made same great challenges