| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? 07:29 - Sep 27 with 1232 views | FDC |
I've been thinking about Ainsworth might experiment with different set-ups, especially at home. Potentially:
-----------------Dykes
Chair------------Dozzell---------Smyth/Willock
------------------Colback---Field
Paal--------Dunne/Fox----Cook------Reggae Cannon
Paal and Cannon are both good attacking options as fullbacks, which could provide the width we've sometimes lacked.
We've struggled defensively in the past, hence the back three with wingbacks we currently use, but potentially Colback and Field sitting in front of the back four would provide some cover.
I'd also like to see the much maligned Dozzell given a run in a more attacking position, see if we can coax a player out of him
Edit: Also, no goal keeper, fvck it [Post edited 27 Sep 2023 7:30]
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| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 07:44 - Sep 27 with 1170 views | Hunterhoop |
Goalkeeping miss aside, it is tempting to run before we can walk fully.
I would not change our defensive shape. That is working. Don’t risk upsetting that too.
Bring in JCS for Fox for Sat. Otherwise go with a back 3. Cannon will need a couple of weeks and sun appearances to get up to speed. I wouldn’t throw him in at RCB. Kakay is doing okay there.
I think the “flexibility” in midfield is around the middle of the pitch.
At home, I’d play Chair at 10 with Field and Colback behind him, and go with Armstrong and Dykes as two up top. You ask a lot of your wing backs but we should be solid at the back and you get Chair into his best position. Also I think that front two could be a handle. One going short, one on the shoulder. A 3412 so to speak.
At Brum, he went with a 343, with Chair, Dykes, and Armstrong as his front 3 and it worked fine. You could stick with that and bring Colback in for Dozzell. However, I don’t think we’re maximising Chair that way. The issue is his 343 gives the wing backs more protection.
It’s a minor change, but I think that will have more impact. If we’re on the front foot at home and you make that tweak to what I’m saying it from what he’s doing, it’ll become 3232, but that second 3 will include Paal and Smyth out wide and Chair in the middle with two forwards. The RCB and LCB can then play a bit wider because Field can drop in to help Cook. It suddenly has 5 players around the box when we are in possession in their half. I think that will see more goals.
I just wouldn’t change the defensive shape at all.
We aren’t going to be a side that regularly sticks 3 or 4 past teams because we have had to sacrifice some of that intent for defensive stability, which is the correct approach given the squad and last season. However, I really don’t think we’re far away from being a team that scores 2 goals most weeks. The key is getting more out of Chair. He’s working hard, but he’s nowhere near his best with the ball at his feet currently. Having him central within 2 forwards ahead of him and 2 wingbacks out wide for him should give him all the options he needs to play the ball quickly as Ainsworth’s game plane requires. Quick, direct attacking through wide areas, doesn’t mean long ball, but it does mean quick passing. We can’t be holding onto it to cut back inside or check back. We don’t have he players or system to then break sides down when they are back in and set. |  | | |
| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 08:36 - Sep 27 with 1080 views | dmm |
Good post, Hunterhoop. I too have wanted to see Chair deployed centrally as a classic 10 to solve the disconnect between the midfield and strike force we can often see.
We've also become a little predictable in either attacking down the wings or going direct to Armstrong and this would add a different dimension to our forward play. |  | | |
| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 08:42 - Sep 27 with 1071 views | Bluce_Ree |
I don't really get formations and so I'd be happier with a bit of 4-4-2 action but right now we're not scoring enough at home so putting a 1 in 4 striker up front on his own seems like a rubbish idea.
If Dykes is going to be up there we need to use him as an old fashioned target man and have a wee Jon Spencer type who can actually score next to him.
But yes, I'm basically a man from THE PAST. |  |
| ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH MARTI THE REDEEMER WHO STRENGTHENS ME. |
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| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 08:46 - Sep 27 with 1061 views | stevec |
Formations are not the reason why we can’t put the ball in the net.
As said, stick with what’s working, tough it out for the next three months and then see where we are.
Unless there’s an epiphany up front we won’t be challenging the top of the table. If we’re mid table we can bed this team in with a view to improve the forward line next season. The worry is if the best part of the team gets weary fighting a largely rearguard action week on week. |  | | |
| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 08:48 - Sep 27 with 1059 views | GaryBannister86 |
| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 08:42 - Sep 27 by Bluce_Ree |
I don't really get formations and so I'd be happier with a bit of 4-4-2 action but right now we're not scoring enough at home so putting a 1 in 4 striker up front on his own seems like a rubbish idea.
If Dykes is going to be up there we need to use him as an old fashioned target man and have a wee Jon Spencer type who can actually score next to him.
But yes, I'm basically a man from THE PAST. |
Oh for John Spencer. I know it didn't end at all well, but what a finisher he was. Loved him. Remember that hat trick? Was it perfect, left foot, right foot, header and then butchered the centre back's leg? Or is my memory going again?
I remember a match at Maine Road and we were in a temporary stand. He went clean through and we all started celebrating before he had even kicked it towards goal, we just knew.
Or Port Vale, 4-4 of course, equaliser thanks very much.
Or Reading debut "I am the ****** man" |  | | |
| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 09:14 - Sep 27 with 1006 views | PlanetHonneywood |
| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 08:48 - Sep 27 by GaryBannister86 |
Oh for John Spencer. I know it didn't end at all well, but what a finisher he was. Loved him. Remember that hat trick? Was it perfect, left foot, right foot, header and then butchered the centre back's leg? Or is my memory going again?
I remember a match at Maine Road and we were in a temporary stand. He went clean through and we all started celebrating before he had even kicked it towards goal, we just knew.
Or Port Vale, 4-4 of course, equaliser thanks very much.
Or Reading debut "I am the ****** man" |
I loved his goal at PVFC.
He put it in the back of the net, and nonchalantly strolled over to us as if notching the leveller when four-down at halftime (and let's be honest, we were lucky to be on zero and they had a perfectly good fifth not spotted by the Russian lino) was the type of thing he did in training on a daily basis.
His face merely exuded the look of: And?
Honourable mention to their keeper who right at the death, pulled off a great save and denied a Dichio a brilliant headed goal in what would have been an even more unbelievable script than any of the Ocean heist films. Put together!
Wasn't that long afterwards, we were in the away end at Bury when he sent one from inside the six yard box skywards over the keeper, then the home end, and off toward Rochdale! |  |
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| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 09:18 - Sep 27 with 999 views | sdm1508 |
I personally would stick with the formation. It seems to work for the players that we have and whenever we go to a 4 at the back and it goes wrong we say we should stick to a 3. I think the 3 also helps with the slight lack of pace in Fox and Cook. The new signing does offer more flexibility. The way he was talking in his interview seems to suggest he is going to be the RWB (said about getting beyond the oppositions defence etc)
Everywhere you look says he is a RB or RWB so maybe this is to free up Smyth to go further forward and use his pace. Give Armstrong a break maybe. Personally for the moment I would have Cannon at RCB. I love Kakay's effort etc. but I do feel that he is the weak link in that defense. Maybe he is being exposed slightly to having a RWB playing next to him who is more naturally a winger but his touch and distribution halts attacking moves quite often. It would be interesting to see if Kakay's approach was to change/improve with a proper RWB next to him but I also feel that you have to get Smyth in the team at the moment for his pace and effort. He creates so much from being busy and putting pressure on players.
Nice little problem to have where we are not sure of our best 11 at the moment and is showing that slowly we are getting more of a squad together.
If we can JCS fit that would be a benefit too. Whenever he does get to play you can see there is a good player there | | | |
| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 09:22 - Sep 27 with 988 views | GaryBannister86 |
| 4-2-3-1 formation at home? on 09:14 - Sep 27 by PlanetHonneywood |
I loved his goal at PVFC.
He put it in the back of the net, and nonchalantly strolled over to us as if notching the leveller when four-down at halftime (and let's be honest, we were lucky to be on zero and they had a perfectly good fifth not spotted by the Russian lino) was the type of thing he did in training on a daily basis.
His face merely exuded the look of: And?
Honourable mention to their keeper who right at the death, pulled off a great save and denied a Dichio a brilliant headed goal in what would have been an even more unbelievable script than any of the Ocean heist films. Put together!
Wasn't that long afterwards, we were in the away end at Bury when he sent one from inside the six yard box skywards over the keeper, then the home end, and off toward Rochdale! |
Good times. My memory is no doubt worse than yours but I thought Spencer's equaliser came from that brilliant save from the Dichio header? Only thing I remember after the bedlam of making it 4-4 was seeing mates getting carted off the pitch and Vale going up the other end but (amazingly) Tony Roberts holding on to a low cross.
Could well be wrong :-) | | | |
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