4-1-2-1-2 is far more balanced but has problems in being very weak out wide. Ideally I'd like to see something like that (4-3-1-2, I've been championing) but realistically we'd get shafted down the wings.
Adkins is going for a fluid system. Good idea to get the players to smoothly change from one system to another within a game in response to circumstances. We will need to be flexible and for the players to feel comfortable with that.
OK so just back from the game, happy with the performance controlled the midfield well and at the end of the day the result doesn't matter. I was looking at individual performances and how the team was playing in this new formation we are trying. One thing that did strike me was what a few people have been saying for awhile, and that is how Richardson/Fox struggle to deal with quick wide players. Fox especially tonight got ripped a new one by Adomah on at least 4 occasions. When Clyne was playing LB he dealt with Adomah well, then Adomah switched flanks and started to terrorise Richardson. We looked pretty toothless up front aswell, but that could be put down to City defending well and it not being our night with the final ball as a lot of the time we were basically parked about 25 yards from goal and the only real proper chance we had was the goal
Fox can't deal with pacy wingers, he had problems with Adomah last year We need a pacy defensive LB this year
We need a really quick striker who is strong, can pass, hold the ball up and will score 99% of chances. We need a really quick, skillful winger who can also defend. We need an out and out left winger who can beat his man and get a cross in. We need at least 3 central midfielders on par with Yaya Toure. We need to clone Philip Lahm for our right back, anything else is an absolute failure by Cortese/Adkins/Reed in the transfer market. Could do with Pique, Vidic (only if he's fit), Thiago Silva, Kompany and maybe Cahill as back up for our centre backs - if we don't do this I can't see us staying up. Also, Casillas or Hart....I don't mind which. Chuck in Ronaldo and Messi as well and I think we MIGHT just be ready.
Well done, you dolt, that team would be great wouldn't it? Except, umm, you forgot about backups for every position except CB. How do you expect us to get by with only one quick, strong, passing, ball retentive clinical striker? We need at least three.