Conte's 3-5-2

[Cochise]

Watch some of the positions that Bentancur found himself in yesterday after the switch. He was played in behind their LB a few times, he was defending wide a fair amount of the time. Kulusevski could do all of that.

Another note is that you would want the wingbacks to be able to go outside of their man. Kulusevski has a magnificent left foot, but his right is quite poor. Moura could be an option when he returns to fitness, but I honestly can't wait to see Conte give Spence a start. I know it's wishful thinking, but I would love to see him driving forward with the ball into the spaces that Emerson had today.

 

[werty]

Kulu could definitely play in a 3 in middle as well if we wanted more guile

I can't see us playing with a No.10 in that formation. The middle one is usually a sitter and the two either side have the license to go box-to-box.

 

[mil1lion]

Only way I would want it is if we play Kulusevski wide right. I wouldn't want to lose an attacking player in favour of formation. Its not like we're not capable of winning and performing with 343.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Watch some of the positions that Bentancur found himself in yesterday after the switch. He was played in behind their LB a few times, he was defending wide a fair amount of the time. Kulusevski could do all of that.

Another note is that you would want the wingbacks to be able to go outside of their man. Kulusevski has a magnificent left foot, but his right is quite poor. Moura could be an option when he returns to fitness, but I honestly can't wait to see Conte give Spence a start. I know it's wishful thinking, but I would love to see him driving forward with the ball into the spaces that Emerson had today.

You seem to be suggesting that Lucas’ right foot is better than Deki’s.

 

[Cochise]

You seem to be suggesting that Lucas’ right foot is better than Deki’s.

I'm comfortable saying I think so.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

I'm comfortable saying I think so.

Good for you…

 

[Timberwolf]

Only way I would want it is if we play Kulusevski wide right. I wouldn't want to lose an attacking player in favour of formation. Its not like we're not capable of winning and performing with 343.

Yeah if we simply added another CM and persisted with Royal at RWB, I don't think it would be very effective and would probably create new problems as we'd only have 2-3 attack-minded players on the pitch (2 strikers + LWB).

If we brought in Kulu at RWB that would give us a serious attacking outlet on the right side and I think the 3rd CM covering would allow him to foray high up the pitch and play quite similarly to how he does as a right sided forward.

I do hope Conte experiments with that 3-5-2 in some capacity soon as I think we need to mix things up. Even if it's just for the short term, it will have the opposition questioning how we're going to set up and make their preparation a lot more tricky. At the moment we do the exact same thing every game and even the worse teams are getting very good at stopping us from playing out as we're very predictable. I think this is a big reason why we're often so poor in first halves.

 

[werty]

Only way I would want it is if we play Kulusevski wide right. I wouldn't want to lose an attacking player in favour of formation. Its not like we're not capable of winning and performing with 343.

You may lose a forward, but you won't lose an attacking player. You might even gain one.

 

[mil1lion]

You may lose a forward, but you won't lose an attacking player. You might even gain one.

How would we gain one? Only alternative would be to play Kulusevski in a central 3 and Emerson wing back. I can't see Conte adding an extra attacking player. He'll want to keep it solid.

 

[werty]

How would we gain one? Only alternative would be to play Kulusevski in a central 3 and Emerson wing back. I can't see Conte adding an extra attacking player. He'll want to keep it solid.

Because the two midfielders either side of the sitting midfielder will be given license to go forward. They'll attack the gaps between the full-backs and centre back.

 

[Dirtysanchez6]

I think now is the time to make the move to 352 kulu and persic the wbs that go on to make a pretty good front 4. Get control in the middle of the park. We do however need a cam in January if we go for it

 

[rossdapep]

Watch some of the positions that Bentancur found himself in yesterday after the switch. He was played in behind their LB a few times, he was defending wide a fair amount of the time. Kulusevski could do all of that.

Another note is that you would want the wingbacks to be able to go outside of their man. Kulusevski has a magnificent left foot, but his right is quite poor. Moura could be an option when he returns to fitness, but I honestly can't wait to see Conte give Spence a start. I know it's wishful thinking, but I would love to see him driving forward with the ball into the spaces that Emerson had today.

He could but we have to take into account that it was a very open game and there was plenty of space for Bentancur to move and get into.

Plenty of games will be tighter and we won't get that space and I worry Kulusevski isn't a player you want chasing and harrying players in the middle. Also one of his biggest strengths is holding the ball up and then coming inside to open play up. Not really something you can do when you are in your own half, centrally, and with big pressure.

Not sure if he'd be as effective deeper and where play is a bit more "busy"

 

[EQP]

Yeah if we simply added another CM and persisted with Royal at RWB, I don't think it would be very effective and would probably create new problems as we'd only have 2-3 attack-minded players on the pitch (2 strikers + LWB).

If we brought in Kulu at RWB that would give us a serious attacking outlet on the right side and I think the 3rd CM covering would allow him to foray high up the pitch and play quite similarly to how he does as a right sided forward.

I do hope Conte experiments with that 3-5-2 in some capacity soon as I think we need to mix things up. Even if it's just for the short term, it will have the opposition questioning how we're going to set up and make their preparation a lot more tricky. At the moment we do the exact same thing every game and even the worse teams are getting very good at stopping us from playing out as we're very predictable. I think this is a big reason why we're often so poor in first halves.

1) PEH and Bentancur, would be more involved in the attack though, knowing that Bissouma and the CB's are backing them up and honestly, both PEH and Bentancur carry a greater attacking threat than Royal.

2) Great point. Teams always expect the 343 when playing us, would love to genuinely catch a team "off-guard " and make them have to adjust their tactical setup instead.

 

[Japhet]

Would definitely like 352 v Arsenal. A good passing team (which they are) will be in their element against a pivot midfield. It takes us ages to get going in games even against weaker opposition and I think we could be in trouble if they start well and give Hojbjerg and Bentancur the run around. We looked so much more solid when Bissouma came on v Leicester whereas in the first half Leicester gave us quite a few problems. I also think that with 3 in CM we could use Kulusevski wide on the right. The extra midfielder means less space to cover and easier to get to the flanks. Won't be the least bit surprised if Conte sticks with 343 though. He's done it numerous times before when I'd have liked the extra solidity and passing options of 3 in CM, and we've not done bad when he's stuck to his guns.

 

[The Scarecrow]

I can't see us playing with a No.10 in that formation. The middle one is usually a sitter and the two either side have the license to go box-to-box.

Kulusevski has the tools to become a very good #8 imo.

 

[mil1lion]

Because the two midfielders either side of the sitting midfielder will be given license to go forward. They'll attack the gaps between the full-backs and centre back.

But neither of them are going to offer more than a 3rd forward would. Neither of our central midfielders are great in the final 3rd. We would have needed go sign an Eriksen or Maddison if that's the direction we want to go.

 

[Timberwolf]

Would definitely like 352 v Arsenal. A good passing team (which they are) will be in their element against a pivot midfield. It takes us ages to get going in games even against weaker opposition and I think we could be in trouble if they start well and give Hojbjerg and Bentancur the run around. We looked so much more solid when Bissouma came on v Leicester whereas in the first half Leicester gave us quite a few problems. I also think that with 3 in CM we could use Kulusevski wide on the right. The extra midfielder means less space to cover and easier to get to the flanks. Won't be the least bit surprised if Conte sticks with 343 though. He's done it numerous times before when I'd have liked the extra solidity and passing options of 3 in CM, and we've not done bad when he's stuck to his guns.

Weirdly, the Arsenal game might be one of the games where the 3-4-3 actually looks more effective as Arsenal are a bit like City in the sense that they have a specific game plan and tend to stick to it. I don't think they will do what Chelsea did and change their set-up to stifle us - they'll just do what they usually do and try to dominate possession and press us quite high.

Compared to other teams we've come up against, I think our wide forwards will actually have more space on the break and less pressure on them in possession, so having the front 3 could make us more lethal.

I suppose it comes down to whether we think we can keep them out when they have the ball, which will be a lot of the time, especially in the first half. They're the best attacking team we've faced so far this season and the most likely to break down our defence in open play. If we're worried about them breaking us down then maybe solidifying the middle with Bissouma and having him play tight to Jesus could stop their attacking flow and give us more of a foothold.

 

[djhotspur]

Kulusevski has the tools to become a very good #8 imo.

Definitely. He has the de bruyne about him, and he had his best season at palma at 10 so could transition to an attacking 8.

 

[djhotspur]

Imo next season if we have the pace and power of spence and Udogie who can get up and down the pitch so easily and join attacks we could definitely play 3 5 2 and be very dangerous going forward
We would need another cm probably but we could convert Kulu to attacking 8 and have skipp and bissouma rotating as 6 and then sarr/new cm rotating with hojberg Benta and Kulu. Ideally it would be an attacking 8 barella type too.
we would then need another forward I would imagine, say zaniolo who would have a year left, maddison who would have a year left and likely relegated then bastoni who has a year left. Pipe dream I know but a man could dream.
Kulu at 8 would be able to get forward like hojberg and Benta did and would be so dangerous.
I do feel you need the right wing backs though but it could work amazingly

 

[Japhet]

Weirdly, the Arsenal game might be one of the games where the 3-4-3 actually looks more effective as Arsenal are a bit like City in the sense that they have a specific game plan and tend to stick to it. I don't think they will do what Chelsea did and change their set-up to stifle us - they'll just do what they usually do and try to dominate possession and press us quite high.

Compared to other teams we've come up against, I think our wide forwards will actually have more space on the break and less pressure on them in possession, so having the front 3 could make us more lethal.

I suppose it comes down to whether we think we can keep them out when they have the ball, which will be a lot of the time, especially in the first half. They're the best attacking team we've faced so far this season and the most likely to break down our defence in open play. If we're worried about them breaking us down then maybe solidifying the middle with Bissouma and having him play tight to Jesus could stop their attacking flow and give us more of a foothold.

I'd prefer to start with a solid setup with the proviso that you can always open things up a bit later on. How many times have we seen our 'lethal' front 3 stood about with thumbs up their arses because we don't have any control in midfield, can't win the ball, can't win 2nd balls and are generally feeding off scraps? That would be my concern against a good passing team like the Goons.