Alright chaps just wanted to talk about the way we set up and the fact we are lacking goals because of it. So far it seems as though Steve Bruce is wanting to play a 4/5/1 formation with us but do we have the correct players to use that formation in an attacking manor? Just talking to my mate there (a mag) and he thinks we should sell Gyan who in his words only plays well when he's playing for Ghana in the same formation that we use. Now to my point about how Ghana for example use the 4/5/1 in the correct way and how we totally don't. For Sunderland Gyan is left totally isolated upfront with Sessegnon the only player likely to get forward to support him and Richardson when he is played in the central attacking role but for Ghana he has the likes of Andre Ayew, Kevin Prince-Boetang and Asamoah all running beyound him with the likes of Sulley Muntari and Anthony Annan the less creative players in the midfield who break the play down in Annan's case and get the ball to the more creative players in the side. That comes to my main point, if Brucie wants to use that formation correctly he has gone about it the wrong way with his signings this summer, we have a bunch of midfielders pretty much all the same with only Sessegnon and Richardson who have an eye to get a couple of goals everynow and them. For me what we should of looked at was getting the creative Kranjcar in to sit in the centre next to Colback who hardly wastes the ball and 3 fast, energetic players 1 who's Sessegnon who can get beyond Gyan and support him. At the minute Gyan is unfit and totally isolated, Brucie either needs to address this problem in the next couple of days or change the formation to 4/4/2. I could of worded it better but I hope you get the point I am trying to make, we use 4/5/1 in a defensive manner when we should of addressed the situation in the summer and used it in an attacking way. Its playing counter attacking football which I am a big fan of and teams like Ghana and Spurs use the formation the correct way but does Brucie have the tactical knowledge to use this in the right manner, at the minute no because the signings he has made have not shown this. maybe instead of Larsson and Gardner both who are good players in there own right Kranjcar and SWP would of been better additions even if they had cost us more.
Top thread. Totaly correct, Gyan has nobody to help him. Look at Ghana against England, 4-5-1 but players bombing forward making runs. We have none of this, hence why our 4-5-1 is too defensive and does not work. With our current squad, I would like a 4-3-3 formation at home, with Richardson, Sessegnon and Gyan at the front. Pace and an eye for goal. At home, with those 3 attacking we would score goals!
Cracking post Poolie - makes sense though, just wish bloody Bruce would mix it up a little. As I've said before defenders fear nothing more than quick players sprinting straight/diagonals runs at them. Hope to God we get Kranjar and a quick forward before Weds 11:00pm.
There is so much agreement on this from most fans - in fact I'm have not heard any fan say they actually prefer 4-4-1-1 to 4-4-2. If we HAVE to play this way as ordained by Bruce then I'm not sure that Bruce has the ability (training and directives to the players so they make the best out of the system) or the personnel to do it properly. Is Bruce living off the time when Gyan was injured and Bent had gone? he played Malbranque in the hole and Sess as the striker. It only worked once against a poor and already relegated West Ham side. If Bruce plays 4-4-1-1 against Chelsea then I am joining the BoB Brigade.
What if it works and we beat them?? Can I just say that the formation has worked - just we have no forward willing to put his neck on the line to score (IMO) - no Bent or Phillips type player who will score at all costs - Gyan won't (maybe fitness) at the moment - he had opportunities against Newcastle and Swansea but didn't put his head in. Wes Brown, Phil Bardsley and Lee Cattermole would have put their necks on the line to score any of the crosses we've put in the box and, whilst they aren't prolific players, I still reckon had any of them played up front against Newcastle one of the early chances would've been converted and the BOB would be a lot smaller. (PS I'm not saying to play them up front - just that that sort of player is what we need!!)
