Who would you play in that formation? Brittain is excellent going forward, so I think he could do a job on the right of midfield, with Williams behind him. Not sure about the left-side though. Styles does a job at wing-back, but not sure he's solid enough defensively, or an out-and-out winger. Not conviced our options out wide (Frieser/Thomas) are actually any good either. It feels to me like 3-5-2, 3-4-3 or a 4-4-2, with a diamond in midfield, are our only options at the minute.
We don't really have any full backs now Williams is injured. Odour and Brittain would be very attacking options. Maybe if we're chasing a game, would sooner go 4-3-3 if we went to a back 4 though. Not sure who we'd play on the right of a midfield 4.
Don't think we are suited to it at all. Plus moving to a back 4 means one of the 3 CBs has to be dropped and they have been very good lately so would be harsh to leave any of them out. The current setup seems to suit what we have the best at the moment. We just need to get to January and add some extra quality in attack and we will be laughing.
I'd get back to 3-5-2, 5-3-2, whatever you want to call it. Get Styles back in the middle, with James and Mowatt. Oduor at left wing-back. Woodrow upfront with Chaplin/Adeboyejo/Frieser.
We've gotten rid of all our wide players because previous coaches were set on playing their way. We've now got about 10 lads who want to play in the middle or off a main striker - it's nuts. Mowatt James Styles Kane Palmer Simoes Thomas Chaplin Bahre Christie-Davies All of the above either prefer playing in a CM role or a 'number 10' with the possible exception of Chaplin. We've just spent 1.25m on Herbie Kane and he's 4th choice central midfielder. It's madness.
I think 3-5-2 looks our best formation, especially as we've got 3 towering CHs who are all playing decent. Who out of Helik-Solly-Mads would you leave out? I don't think you can at the moment
I'd go along with that or go back to the diamond. You shouldn't pick a team to keep players happy though.
Personally speaking, I don't have an issue with 3-4-3. The only winger we seem to have on the books is Luke Thomas, so I don't feel we have the personnel to play 4-4-2. However, it IS a formation I like and the option may be there to have it as an option in the future if suitable players are brought into the club.
I'd like us to re jig the squad in the next couple of windows to have two men in each position so we're not heavy in any departments.
Don’t think there’s a point doing so though. The manager clearly doesn’t like the traditional winger, so what’s the point paying for them?
To be fair we'll probably have a different gaffer by then! Although we seem to base our management recruitment on how the board want to play, so the system will be similar. I'd love two out and out strikers but I've come to terms with the fact that I'm not likely to see it any time soon .
I thought the system has looked great since Ishmael came in, but form , injuries etc, effect performances as was shown against Cardiff & last night, but the point I am making is that if we have a reverse, we suddenly do not have to change formation & players , just a bit of tweaking here & there might do the trick .
I don't have an issue with either the 3-4-3 formation, or Valerien Ismael as Head Coach. I simply said in order to play 4-4-2, we would have to make changes to our playing personnel. I'm quite relaxed with our situation at the moment.
If I was picking a team to play 442 I’d probably go; Walton Williams Sollbauer Andersen Odour Brittain James Mowatt Styles Woodrow Adeboyejo But if they can’t pass a ball 5 yards, doesn’t really matter what formation we play
In fairness I think the plan is for Kane to learn from Matty James instead of throwing him in at the deep end which seems sensible to me.