Conte's 3-5-2

[shoggy33]

If we play 352 we really need our wing backs to offer some goal threat as we lose one of the attackers. So with Perisic and Doherty/Spence it should work, with Sess and Royal... not so much.

 

[TEESSIDE1]

343 v better sides = risking getting overrun eg v Arsenal. Even against lesser sides we’ve been very fortunate to come away with 3pts. We should have been two down against Everton at half time yesterday.

352 = we have a lot more presence and control in the game. It also allows say Bissouma to pivot and then have two outlets in Bentancur and Hojbjerg. Whereas with a 343 we’re reliant on our centre backs passing to an outnumbered Bentancur and Hojbjerg which often results in them passing the ball straight back to the defence. Son and Kane get to play closer together and the wingbacks get more space to exploit.

The only two downsides to a 352 are:

Fatigue to the central midfielders (considering we’ve only got 4 to choose from. 1 injury and we’ll be running them into the ground).

Leaving Richarlison and/or Kulusevski out of the side. Against average to poor sides we can potentially play Kulu as a RWB.

 

[TEESSIDE1]

If we play 352 we really need our wing backs to offer some goal threat as we lose one of the attackers. So with Perisic and Doherty/Spence it should work, with Sess and Royal... not so much.

Sessegnon has been better than Perisic. Hopefully we’ll see more of Doherty and Spence than Royal moving forward. We do however need an upgrade at RWB whether it be in January or next summer.

Next season:

Sessegnon, Udogie, Perisic
?, Spence, either keep one of or sell both Doherty and Royal

 

[mil1lion]

343 v better sides = risking getting overrun eg v Arsenal. Even against lesser sides we’ve been very fortunate to come away with 3pts. We should have been two down against Everton at half time yesterday.

352 = we have a lot more presence and control in the game. It also allows say Bissouma to pivot and then have two outlets in Bentancur and Hojbjerg. Whereas with a 343 we’re reliant on our centre backs passing to an outnumbered Bentancur and Hojbjerg which often results in them passing the ball straight back to the defence. Son and Kane get to play closer together and the wingbacks get more space to exploit.

The only two downsides to a 352 are:

Fatigue to the central midfielders (considering we’ve only got 4 to choose from. 1 injury and we’ll be running them into the ground).

Leaving Richarlison and/or Kulusevski out of the side. Against average to poor sides we can potentially play Kulu as a RWB.

Not sure how much the formation had to do with the 2 chances. One was from a loss of possession where players were out of position and Bentancur found himself covering left back. The other was a mix up between Hojbjerg and Romero. Both came with us on top and pressed up to the halfway line. I'm not sure how 352 changes those circumstances.

It definitely helped when we went 352 in the 2nd half but we were on top of the game prior to the change. The Everton chances came against the run of play and we improved our tempo 2nd half. I still feel we're totally different in 343 with Kulusevski. We struggled with it before we signed him too. Its still the formation we used when we beat them 5-0.

 

[coy-spurs1882]

343 v better sides = risking getting overrun eg v Arsenal. Even against lesser sides we’ve been very fortunate to come away with 3pts. We should have been two down against Everton at half time yesterday.

352 = we have a lot more presence and control in the game. It also allows say Bissouma to pivot and then have two outlets in Bentancur and Hojbjerg. Whereas with a 343 we’re reliant on our centre backs passing to an outnumbered Bentancur and Hojbjerg which often results in them passing the ball straight back to the defence. Son and Kane get to play closer together and the wingbacks get more space to exploit.

The only two downsides to a 352 are:

Fatigue to the central midfielders (considering we’ve only got 4 to choose from. 1 injury and we’ll be running them into the ground).

Leaving Richarlison and/or Kulusevski out of the side. Against average to poor sides we can potentially play Kulu as a RWB.

I wonder if Kulusevski can play at the center, e.g. a 3412 with 2 CMs

 

[Cochise]

Not sure how much the formation had to do with the 2 chances. One was from a loss of possession where players were out of position and Bentancur found himself covering left back. The other was a mix up between Hojbjerg and Romero. Both came with us on top and pressed up to the halfway line. I'm not sure how 352 changes those circumstances.

It definitely helped when we went 352 in the 2nd half but we were on top of the game prior to the change. The Everton chances came against the run of play and we improved our tempo 2nd half. I still feel we're totally different in 343 with Kulusevski. We struggled with it before we signed him too. Its still the formation we used when we beat them 5-0.

I think I'll second this and say that Everton were looking to work on the counter all day. Kane also should have put a header on target in the first five minutes but didn't get enough on it and instead glanced it into one of their CBs.

 

[Joshua shepherd]

Sessegnon has been better than Perisic. Hopefully we’ll see more of Doherty and Spence than Royal moving forward. We do however need an upgrade at RWB whether it be in January or next summer.

Next season:

Sessegnon, Udogie, Perisic
?, Spence, either keep one of or sell both Doherty and Royal

What are you basing that on? Because as an attacking outlet, Perisic is massively outperforming him on almost every measure. He creates more chances, he dribbles more, he puts in a lot more crosses and he loses the ball less. Defensively he also makes more tackles and gives away less free kicks.

I like Sessegnon but Perisic is absolutely phenomenal. He plays the game at a different level to some of our other players. His awareness and speed of thought is top drawer and his energy is contagious.

 

[Westmorlandspur]

I know Sessegnon has improved but at times he still looks a bit lost. It’s as if it’s too much for him at times. Udogie looks like he will go straight into the team next season at wing back or left side centre back.

 

[freeeki]

Playing 3-5-2 with Perisic on the left and Doherty on the right, with Kane and Son up front, should absolutely run United ragged tomorrow based on what I’ve seen of them recently.

 

[cider spurs]

I wonder if Kulusevski can play at the center, e.g. a 3412 with 2 CMs

I reckon he can. On that basis...yes.

 

[Albertbarich]

I think kuluveski with training could be a more than capable Kane back up/competition.

He has the strength, control and can finish. I'd love to see him as an option there.

 

[degoose]

I think kuluveski with training could be a more than capable Kane back up/competition.

He has the strength, control and can finish. I'd love to see him as an option there.

He can certainly play in a two up top so is an extra option. He's done it for sweden quite a few times.

 

[Stav]

I think kuluveski with training could be a more than capable Kane back up/competition.

He has the strength, control and can finish. I'd love to see him as an option there.

And he just looks so similar to Kane in the way he plays. His gait, build, motion, and the way he actually strikes the ball. On a crappy stream (sadly my main method of watching) it's not difficult at all to get the two confused.

I wouldn't disagree with you.

 

[Dov67]

I do prefer 352 to 343, but……a 343 with Doherty behind Kulu is not the same as one with Emerson behind Kulu.

 

[Frank Blank]

If we play 352 we really need our wing backs to offer some goal threat as we lose one of the attackers. So with Perisic and Doherty/Spence it should work, with Sess and Royal... not so much.

I'd go for 3-5-2 just to fit Bissouma in.

 

[kremlyn]

I'd go for 3-5-2 just to fit Bissouma in.

It is odd that Yves doesn't get a look in unless we play 3 in midfield...

 

[Japhet]

I'd go for 3-5-2 just to fit Bissouma in.

I think we certainly need to try to dominate midfield, especially against better teams. I don't really get the whole 'give up possession and hit them on the break' ethos. You can drop deep and draw the opposition out just as easily when you're controlling the ball. I wanted 3 in CM v Arsenal, primarily because they like to pass the ball around and are very good at it. They had Xhaka and Partey holding with Odegaard floating about, and they made us pay big time with just Hojbjerg and Bentancur chasing shadows. I think playing Man U with a midfield pivot would be pretty daft when we have the players to take control of midfield in a 3.

 

[djhotspur]

I think we certainly need to try to dominate midfield, especially against better teams. I don't really get the whole 'give up possession and hit them on the break' ethos. You can drop deep and draw the opposition out just as easily when you're controlling the ball. I wanted 3 in CM v Arsenal, primarily because they like to pass the ball around and are very good at it. They had Xhaka and Partey holding with Odegaard floating about, and they made us pay big time with just Hojbjerg and Bentancur chasing shadows. I think playing Man U with a midfield pivot would be pretty daft when we have the players to take control of midfield in a 3.

Biss had a knock so we couldnt really start the 3. But I do agree with you.

 

[Albertbarich]

A point about the 352 tonight

Do we want to match them up in midfield where I guess they have Eriksen and Bruno plus a holder or our wide where Ten Hag places a lot of emphasis on their wingers ?

 

[Frank Blank]

I think we certainly need to try to dominate midfield, especially against better teams. I don't really get the whole 'give up possession and hit them on the break' ethos. You can drop deep and draw the opposition out just as easily when you're controlling the ball. I wanted 3 in CM v Arsenal, primarily because they like to pass the ball around and are very good at it. They had Xhaka and Partey holding with Odegaard floating about, and they made us pay big time with just Hojbjerg and Bentancur chasing shadows. I think playing Man U with a midfield pivot would be pretty daft when we have the players to take control of midfield in a 3.

Bringing in Bissouma gives Betancur and Hojbjerg a bit more freedom to move up the pitch - either to break play up, or, in the case of Betancur, add a touch more creativity.