Formations

[Larryjanta]

Was it just me who thought we were playing a 4-4-2 diamond yesterday? It didn't seem to have the same feel as our usual 4-2-3-1 and Chadli was rarely on the wing and seemed much further forward. Also, Eriksen dropped deeper a lot of the time which he rarely/ever does when playing as a 10 with one up ahead of him.

I really hope that my eyes were not deceiving me as I think this helps to blend the 4-2-3-1 Poch played last season with an improved goal threat.

I realise that our fans are very keen on 4-3-3 however I think a 4-4-2 with Rose and Walker/Trippier and a proper holding midfielder would make equally good use of our personnel (assuming we get a DM and a striker).

So, based on our current players, and those linked, what formation would you like to see us adopt?

 

[Blake Griffin]

it was still 4231 but with eriksen left and chadli 10.

as for formations, my only preference is that we fit the formation around the players we have available rather than the other way around.

 

[Larryjanta]

it was still 4231 but with eriksen left and chadli 10.

as for formations, my only preference is that we fit the formation around the players we have available rather than the other way around.

You reckon? I saw Eriksen dropping into the centre circle a lot during the game and didn't seem to be wide left that often, if anything, Mason seemed to be the main option for Davies when he went forward.

Anyway, regardless of formation, it seemed a lot more fluid than I've seen for a while and, until Kane and Mason went off, we looked very good IMO

 

[double0]

4231 is the best formation it's the most flexible imo

 

[SamR]

Until I've seen our finished transfer business it's hard to comment but I voted 4-3-3

I'd play a solid midfield 3 of Mason, Bentaleb and Dembele (or a new CM to replace worst one + rotate with Dier and alli)

Front 3 of Kane, N'jie/Chadli and hopefully Berahino. Eriksen can swing in obviously but I'm still not convinced (sorry) that he offers enough.

 

[mpickard2087]

It was 4-2-3-1 yesterday. But basically Eriksen and Dembele had free roles to go wherever they wanted whilst Chadli, although roaming a bit, kind of played as a second striker off of Kane.

Personally I prefer the 4-3-3 or 3-4-3 if its an option in certain games, but what is most important is how we are trying to play, what principles are in place and that we meet them. Currently under Poch with things such as pressing, which would be one key principle, we haven't been consistent enough.

 

[slartibartfast]

I think having 7 of your 11 players defending limits your quick attack and creativity. Gk, 4 def, 2hm.
Under Harry we had a rock in front of the back 4, Parker Sandro etc, 2 fast overlapping fbs, 2 fast as fk wingers, a play maker in the middle, a striker to hold the ball up and win headers and another striker to cause havoc.
For me that is as good as it gets and most teams will struggle to cope with that.
How I miss that exciting football.
We play to defend now imo.
And we're shit at it.

 

[Larryjanta]

Seems my eyes were possibly deceiving me and my diamond formation is not well liked, however, nobody has gone for 4-2-3-1 so I'm ahead of Poch

I'm surprised that more people haven't been persuaded by my wonderful description of a diamond formation, if we get a DM & another forward in, I think it allows us such flexibility in personnel

Anchor: new signing & Dier
Two CMs: Mason, Bentaleb, Alli, Eriksen, Carroll, Winks, Dembele
Attacking mid: Eriksen, Lamela, Chadli, Pritchard, Dembele
Support striker: Eriksen, Chadli, Kane, N'Jie,Lamela, new signing (hopefully)
Striker: Kane, N'Jie, new signing (hopefully)

Basically, the formation gives us much greater flexibility in personnel which I feel we really need, & it stops us putting square pegs in round holes.

 

[loaderspurs]

I think with our defence and personnel our best formation would be a 433, with one of the 3 cms sitting, so almost a 4141 but with the wide players pushed up and in a bit. But there is no 'correct' blanket formation, what we really need is to be flexible, and adapt from game to game.

 

[RButch]

Man City v Chelsea yesterday was a creative and flair based 4-2-3-1 vs a rigid and organised 4-2-3-1. The fluidity of City and Pellegrini allowing creative players to be exactly that, creative, caused Chelsea a whole world of trouble.

We need to take the reigns off when we play against anyone we consider 'inferior'. We are too rigid which makes us unbelievably predictable.

I can't wait to get pace back into our first XI we need it so much if we are to continue a 4-2-3-1.


If not then 4-3-3 is the way forward.

 

[tobi]

Man City v Chelsea yesterday was a creative and flair based 4-2-3-1 vs a rigid and organised 4-2-3-1. The fluidity of City and Pellegrini allowing creative players to be exactly that, creative, caused Chelsea a whole world of trouble.

We need to take the reigns off when we play against anyone we consider 'inferior'. We are too rigid which makes us unbelievably predictable.

I can't wait to get pace back into our first XI we need it so much if we are to continue a 4-2-3-1.


If not then 4-3-3 is the way forward.

I don't think our players are being restricted, in the final third most of them don't see the bigger picture.

I doubt that the coaches tell the three behind Kane to all meet in the middle and effectively get in each other's way. Common sense would tell them that one (or two) of them should move off the ball and try and provoke the defence.

N'jie's speed will make a big difference but it's his willingness to attack space and move off the ball that will help the team the most.

When he isn't playing then it'll be more of the same unless we sign Berahino and or those currently in the squad recognise the benefits of attacking space.

 

[Everlasting Seconds]

I think we are slowly tweaking the squad to fit the 4231 shit. However, during the transition, 433 would effectively address our weaknesses. Last season, there was only one formation that would have been a fit for our squad, I think.

 

[nicdic]

Having insisted on Poch's inflixibility over the summer, I have had to eat my words a little. Some seem to still be insisting that he's playing a rigid 4-2-3-1, but what we've seen in the first two games has been quite different to last season.

We start with a basic 4-2-3-1 set up, but what has been evident with Dier playing is that he's dropping back to become a third centre back when we have the ball, allowing us to push the full backs higher and have slightly more protection. We've also had one of the three push much higher almost alongside Kane. To me we've looked much more flexible in and out of possession, though not quite nailing it yet.

 

[sunnydelight786]

I could not give a flying f**k what our formation is as long as we play easy on the eye attacking forward thinking football, as opposed to the dross we are being served up!

 

[Mattspur]

I've come up with my own formation . the 262. The 6 sounds a bit extreeme but its basicly a diamond 4 with 2 wide players who act as wide midfielders, full-backs and wingers. Eg:

N'Jie....Kane
Prichard
Rose.........Alli.................Masson....Walker
Dier
Verts...................Toby
Lloris​

I think this formation is quite flexable in that when we attack it moves to a 2242:

N,Jie.....Kane
Rose......Alli......Prichard.........Walker
Dier.....Mason
Verts...........Toby

Lloris​

And when we defend it can swich to a 532:

N'Jie.....Kane
Alli....Prichard....Mason
Rose....Verts.....Dier....Toby....Walker
Lloris
​

Obviously the players I've used are just for illustrative purposes but if you vote for me as manager this is what I'll bring to the club, along with dynamic high tempo football.

 

[Locotoro]

You're not alone. It didnt look like a 4.2.3.1 to me either. With Dembele supposedly on the right but tucked in and Chadli playing much closer to Kane and erikssen it looked very much like a 4-3-1-2. I don't know whether that was by default or by design but I definitely liked the look of it in the first half at least.

 

[Locotoro]

I've come up with my own formation . the 262. The 6 sounds a bit extreeme but its basicly a diamond 4 with 2 wide players who act as wide midfielders, full-backs and wingers. Eg:

N'Jie....Kane
Prichard
Rose.........Alli.................Masson....Walker
Dier
Verts...................Toby
Lloris​

I think this formation is quite flexable in that when we attack it moves to a 2242:

N,Jie.....Kane
Rose......Alli......Prichard.........Walker
Dier.....Mason
Verts...........Toby

Lloris​

And when we defend it can swich to a 532:

N'Jie.....Kane
Alli....Prichard....Mason
Rose....Verts.....Dier....Toby....Walker
Lloris
​

Obviously the players I've used are just for illustrative purposes but if you vote for me as manager this is what I'll bring to the club, along with dynamic high tempo football.

I much prefer this formation:

.................FC
AML.......................AMR
.......CM...CM...CM
..............DMC
DL...........DC...........DR

I used it for Barcelona in Championship Manager 98 and my striker scored 60 goals. Works a treat!

 

[Larryjanta]

I've come up with my own formation . the 262. The 6 sounds a bit extreeme but its basicly a diamond 4 with 2 wide players who act as wide midfielders, full-backs and wingers. Eg:

N'Jie....Kane
Prichard
Rose.........Alli.................Masson....Walker
Dier
Verts...................Toby
Lloris​

I think this formation is quite flexable in that when we attack it moves to a 2242:

N,Jie.....Kane
Rose......Alli......Prichard.........Walker
Dier.....Mason
Verts...........Toby

Lloris​

And when we defend it can swich to a 532:

N'Jie.....Kane
Alli....Prichard....Mason
Rose....Verts.....Dier....Toby....Walker
Lloris
​

Obviously the players I've used are just for illustrative purposes but if you vote for me as manager this is what I'll bring to the club, along with dynamic high tempo football.

Yeah, this is close to how I want us to play, although my attacking position would be more like this:

SS.....CF
AM
LB.............CM...............CM.........RB
DM
CB......................CB
​

 

[Kspur]

I don't believe the formation is anywhere near is important as the players' attitudes and the players knowing and doing their jobs.

All those formations can look like each other depending on the phase and the individual players proclivities (more or less attacking) the 262 above looks like 442 diamond or 352 for instance. Personally believe people get too hung up on formations. No offence to the original poster at all obviously.

 

[ILS]

Shouldn't the title of this discussion be called Formation!

As that is all we have is one bloody formation with hardly any flexibility and lacking most ingredients which make a 4-2-3-1 formation actually work.