2018/19 Pick your Formation here

[Nerine]

We should play four four fucking two.

 

[werty]

I mentioned it in another thread yesterday, but because it's been said here again I'll reiterate what I said. We didn't play 433 last night. We played 4312, which we did a fair bit last year.


As for next year I don't know what our "base" formation will be, but I think we'll try and continue to get into this shape this season when we have the ball:

(Ignore the arrowing coming from the wide right guy)

 

[rabbikeane]

Want to hear something crazy, if we sign a playmaking holding midfielder in stead of the defenders we play there now, Sissoko might actually do well for us with that formation. Something to think about if Wanyama is broken.

 

[double0]

For me 4231 is the best formation because it's the most flexible.

.............................Lloris

Aurier.....Sanchez.....Vertonghen.....Rose

.................Dier..............Dembele

Lamela.................Alli...................Eriksen

...........................Kane

 

[glospur]

Imo, Dier is our best DM for 4 at the back as when we attack he's well suited to dropping in as the 3rd CB. Wanyama is definitely better when we start with 3 CBs though and I think he, Dembélé, Eriksen and Dele work really well together.

Completely agree with that. That's why, if we do persist with this 4-3-3, I'm not sure Wanyama is well-suited to the base of midfield role that Amos played against Roma. Dier and Winks are natural fits for that role imo. I genuinely think Winks could be special there actually with his ability to control the game and spread the ball, and it's Dier's best position also.

As I said, I actually think Wanyama might be better suited to the role as the 'box-to-box' mid, if you like, similar to what Sissoko played (on a sidenote, I know it's fashionable to bash Sissoko, but he looked a natural in that role. His running power and ability on transition was really noticeable). I think Wanyama could be interesting there because he's a good runner himself and he genuinely hunts the ball, which could be really useful in the second wave of press from midfield. His ability to press and hunt the ball is his biggest strength, but i also think it's the reason why he woudln't be suited to sit in this formation. IMO his instincts to go get the ball would pull him out of position too often. I mean, the problem is his attacking quality in that position but obviously Sissoko is no attacking threat and he played that role well.

 

[glospur]

I mentioned it in another thread yesterday, but because it's been said here again I'll reiterate what I said. We didn't play 433 last night. We played 4312, which we did a fair bit last year.


As for next year I don't know what our "base" formation will be, but I think we'll try and continue to get into this shape this season when we have the ball:

(Ignore the arrowing coming from the wide right guy)

Not sure about that mate. With the ball when we were building it was kind of a 3-4-3 with Amos sitting, the fullbacks high and Lucas and Lamela tucked in, but when we didn't have the ball it was a 4-3-3, although I guess it could be argued that it was a diamond in midfield with Lamela at the point just behind Lucas and Llorente who were slightly more advanced and narrow and the first to press the CBs, but I'm not sure Lamela was close enough to the CMs to consider it a proper diamond. Eriksen and Sissoko without the ball were definitely filling advanced CM positions with Amos deeper at the base. With the ball they would push higher and Amos would sit as the CBs pushed up.

Haha I realise the silliness of this after writing that, but I guess it didn't matter what the shape was on paper because it differed depending on the phase of the game we were in. Pochettino's talked about this before iirc, where he said that the shape didn't matter, it was how the players carried out the instructions that mattered and that we play various shapes throughout games. The game against Roma seemed to be the perfect example of that. It was very fluid.

 

[Lilbaz]

Lloris

Toby Sanchez Verts

Trips Dier Davies

Eriksen

Moura Sonny

Kane

 

[Japhet]

I know Poch will crowbar Dier in there somewhere so, if Toby leaves I'd prefer him at RCB in a back 3. That frees up a CM space for Eriksen to play a bit deeper. I really don't want to see much of Wanyama/Dembele and Dier in s double pivot. Dier would also be OK in a 433 as the DM although I prefer Wanyama when he's on form. In front of MF would be a bun fight between some highly talented players who'll have to earn their corn, but I want to see Moura Kane Zaha (fingers crossed) at some point.

 

[werty]

Not sure about that mate. With the ball when we were building it was kind of a 3-4-3 with Amos sitting, the fullbacks high and Lucas and Lamela tucked in, but when we didn't have the ball it was a 4-3-3, although I guess it could be argued that it was a diamond in midfield with Lamela at the point just behind Lucas and Llorente who were slightly more advanced and narrow and the first to press the CBs, but I'm not sure Lamela was close enough to the CMs to consider it a proper diamond. Eriksen and Sissoko without the ball were definitely filling advanced CM positions with Amos deeper at the base. With the ball they would push higher and Amos would sit as the CBs pushed up.

Haha I realise the silliness of this after writing that, but I guess it didn't matter what the shape was on paper because it differed depending on the phase of the game we were in. Pochettino's talked about this before iirc, where he said that the shape didn't matter, it was how the players carried out the instructions that mattered and that we play various shapes throughout games. The game against Roma seemed to be the perfect example of that. It was very fluid.

You just described what a 4312 is. It's exactly what we played against Liverpool and something we did a fair bit last year. I wouldn't be surprised if we played more of it next year, especially with the players we've been linked with.

We didn't play with various shapes either. We stuck with the one shape until Lamela came off for Sanchez and stuck with a different one until the end.

 

[SpursAddict]

(3-5-1-1)
Lloris
Alderweireld Sanchez Vertonghen
Trippier Wanyama Rose
Eriksen Alli
Son
Kane
(4-3-3)
Lloris
Trippier Alderweireld Vertonghen Rose
Wanyama
Eriksen Alli
Lucas Kane Son

 

[Black]

3 at the back for sure

 

[THX2208]

I'd love to see a three at the back. Keep Toby Alderweireld at the club and play....

Alderweireld Vertonghen Sánchez

 

[Hengy1]

4141

Lloris
Trippier Sanchez Verts Davies
Dier
Lucas Dele Eriksen Son
Kane

 

[ralvy]

You guys should just prepare to rip teams apart with this awesome new formation I just came up with. Things are about to ger really ugly for our opponents.

....................................... Lloris ........................................
Trippier .... Sanchez ..... Vertonghen ..... Davies
.................................... Dembele ...................................
..................... Lamela ................ Eriksen ....................
Moura ...................................................................... Son
.......................................... Kane ......................................

 

[mpickard2087]

Maybe things have now changed this year - and we have ongoing factors that may impact such as Wanyama injured again and that it may well be the end for Dembele - but I'm not envisaging Poch changing his habits really.

He has talked before about the evolution of the team. In Autumn 2016 there was a run of games where we played a 4-1-4-1 with Wanyama holding and everyone else playing in advance of him. IIRC we had some discussion at the time about it as Poch was indicating a move away from his usual cm2 and the need for two holding midfielders. Since then though we've seen Poch will adapt and select some quite bold selections if really pushed when numbers are a bit depleted (eg. cm3's with Winks at the base of midfield against Real Madrid), but if he has a settled compliment to pick from then it's always still been the defensive double pivot.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

I'd love to see a three at the back. Keep Toby Alderweireld at the club and play....

Alderweireld Vertonghen Sánchez

Can't tell if you have Toby or Sanchez on the left, but either way it makes no sense...

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

I am sort of surprised at how many Wanyama lineups are listed, considering it's been about 18 months since anyone saw him play healthy.

 

[Scissors&Tape]

Interesting article arguing that the focus on forwards/wingers during the TW suggests a move to a 4-1-4-1 formation (with a bonus reference to the flat-earthers so popular in another section of this website):

My take is that Poch wants the depth & flexibility to employ a 4-1-4-1 when dictated by the match-up, and that it won't be our primary formation.