please log in to view this image ROKER REPORT please log in to view this image Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images There was a hint of experimenting with it at Carlisle in the League Cup but Sunderland’s deadline day acquisitions have further added weight to the theory that Simon Grayson has been building towards launching a three-at-the-back formation on the Championship. Whilst the Black Cats last minute swoops for Marc Wilson, Jonny Williams and Callum McManaman were borne out of a need to bring in additional quality for a pittance, their signings and the position in which each plays hint at an intended formation laid out something like this. please log in to view this image Fundamentally, that 3-4-2-1 formation appears to represent Sunderland’s most entertaining option in assembling a squad which generally lacks an abundance of pace, creativity and dare we say it, goals. Grayson’s inability to land another striker on deadline day to supplement Lewis Grabban and James Vaughan has been widely panned as the main disappointment of an otherwise decent enough summer of business - all things considered. But operating in a 3-4-2-1 enables Sunderland to overcome this shortcoming with a ‘panel’ of three front men weighing in with the goals. The inside forwards and the front striker would be expected to contribute and would essentially be determined by committee - if you like - from Grabban, Vaughan, Watmore, Gooch, Williams, McGeady and Maja - all players who in theory possess the capability to fit into that trio of positions. please log in to view this image Lewis Grabban Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images It is perhaps a system which can maximise goals without the associated cost of forking out for a twenty-a-season striker - and Ellis Short will have loved that. But in all seriousness, the 3-4-2-1 or some subtle variation would maximise Lewis Grabban as a focal point by offering him plenty of support through the middle of the park. It also takes some pressure off Aiden McGeady, who so far this season has been roughly Sunderland’s sole creative outlet. And you may have noticed a proud boast on safc.com in the club’s own assessment of its deadline day activity, that the three players signed last week have 19 career strikes between them. Big deal eh? But also a hint of additional reasons that each have been brought in - Simon Grayson needs goals from each department on the pitch. Further benefits from a back three playing with wing-backs include maximising the use of Bryan Oviedo, who is now one of the few ‘Premier League class’ players remaining at the club. please log in to view this image Bryan Oviedo was more wing-back than full-back in this game vs the USA last weekend Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images The Costa Rican international hasn’t been utilised to his full potential in getting forward since his January arrival; but noting Oviedo’s performances on duty last weekend - against the USA in particular - the former Everton man looked a natural in a wing-back role. On the other side, we’ve already heard doubts that new signing Callum McManaman could play in the wing-back position on the right from West Brom fans, despite turning out in that role with some success for Wigan earlier in his career. Simon Grayson may need to continue with Billy Jones in the absence of any other viable option for now. The formation should also make up for Didier Ndong’s lack of creativity and deficiencies in picking key forward passes by surrounding the Gabon international with alternative sparks and allowing him to concentrate on breaking up opposition play. There is a risk however that Lee Cattermole’s legs would not be up to the task of doing the same in covering the space ahead of the defence. please log in to view this image Lee Cattermole Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images Finally, the other cons with the system focus mainly around Sunderland’s defensive deficiencies which at times continue to blight the side’s ability to get results. Communication in the Black Cats back line remains questionable and placing a reliance on Lamine Kone and two new faces - Browning and Wilson - to play in a coordinated, lockstep fashion for ninety minutes is currently fraught with danger. Kone is on the road to restoring his reputation with a handful of solid performances so far in the Championship but communication has never been his strongest asset. Perhaps new boy Marc Wilson can bring this into the Sunderland defence. All things considered, deadline day was about securing good players at good prices but from a tactical perspective, this is the formation Simon Grayson is surely going to go with once the key personnel to make it tick are fully fit. please log in to view this image
If we line up like that it will be backs to the wall stuff and being totally swamped in midfield. Whoever wrote that would even be ****e at football manager nevermind pseudo sports journalism.
That formation looks awful for the players we have. We don't have any proper wing backs and we don't have a creative midfielder to link the play up. We should be playing 4-4-1-1 with the ****e that we have. Keep it simple.
Oviedo and Galloway could probably do the job at lwb but we have no one who could play rwb. For me those signings were to shore up the defence and balance the midfield. Now we have two genuine wingers with McGeady and Mcmanaman and a proper link up acm in Jonny Williams. Hoping Wilson comes in next to Kone as I think Browning is awful
That's a ****ing car crash of a formation. Why have RR started doing **** like this? They're so obsessed with their opinion they'll let any opinion piece be published regardless of content. It lacks width, can't be asking fullbacks to be doing a jopb of two players when they may have to do it 2 or 3 times a week. Way to completely waste Mcmanaman too. Sorry, can't entertain that or take it seriously.
For me we now have two senior players for every position and should be going 4-2-3-1 -------------------------Ruiter----------------------- Jones------Wilson-----Kone------Oviedo --------------Cattermole--Ndong------------ Mcmanaman---Williams-----Mcgeady ------------------------Grabban------------------ -------------------------Steele----------------------- Matthews--Browning-Oshea--Galloway -------------------Rodwell--Gibson--------------- Watmore-------Honeyman---------Gooch -------------------------Vaughan-------------------- McNair to add to the mix when he's fit and the youngsters.
Absolutely awful article and awful formation. Square pegs in round holes. Parker nailed it for me with his first team/formation but I'd have Jones out and Matthews in.
Aye, Parker's is mine too only I'd have Williams a bit more advanced making it more of a 4-4-1-1, Think quite a few of us are all in the same ball park on our best formation. That lad in the article is talking drivel imo. Such a radical change too, teams put entire preseasons into learning a system. It's just daft and don't think Grayson would ever consider such a drastic shift.
I'm sure SG knows what he's doing more than us . I have a good feeling that goals will come from our more creative midfield esp when our academy stars in Watmore, Maja and Asora are available . But feeder league football is not easy to predict with such mad results taking place. Start with 3 points against the blades as our recovery begins
I don't think there's anything wrong with the formation we're using the players just need to sharpen up. We signed Wilson so we don't have to start Browning not so we can play 3 CBs.
How do you work that out? They weren't predicting it, they were making an argument to play it. They got it, resounding failure.
