Hey guys Was just thinking about the Man Utd game and Pochettino starting to impose his ideology on the players, and it got me thinking - how much is he going to change the way we play? Under Nige we had a pretty set formation that we've all become quite used to (and I for one think it's the best way to play the game) with 2 holding midfielders and a fluid front 4. However this isn't exactly a common way to set up a team in the Premiership and it made me wonder how comfortable MP would be continuing to play this way, even though it would seem to suit his high-pressure tactics. Do you think Pochettino will persist with this system? Did he play similar formations at Espanyol? Do other formations, 442 being the obvious one, suit our squad (with us being quite light on strikers)? One of the things I really enjoyed since Nigel Adkins came in was not just the victories, but the fluidity and pace of our play. I'm hoping MP will develop this philosophy further and keep us playing the free flowing, attractive game we've become used to seeing - thought it'd be interesting to see what people thought and where you all saw our playing style going
A 4-2-3-1 is the norm in the Premiership these days, almost every team plays a variant of that or a 4-3-3/4-5-1. The only teams I can think of that haven't used that formation regularly are Wigan and Reading. And it is basically the carbon copy of how Pochettino used to play at Espanyol, only difference in tactics really is that he likes to press a lot higher, which we have seen in action against United and Everton.
If we are short on stikers, I would say that 4-4-2 would be the least suited to the squad. The 3 up front in a 4-3-3 are rarely three strikers, but wingers or attacking midfielders.
I don't think 4-4-2 is obvious at all anymore and certainly doesn't suit us when our wide players like to play almost like wing forwards rather than wide midfielders. And with almost everyone playing 5 in midfield you will get dominated possession wise so it's a bad idea for me. Most teams play 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 and if they want to park the bus they will play 4-4-1-1(more defensive version, less pressure) or 4-1-4-1. All of those are 5 in midfield. There are a few teams that play 4-4-2 every now and then but not as a primary formation. Wigan the only team using 3 at the back as a primary (3-4-3) and Villa often have gone with 3-5-2 but aren't sure whether to go with 3 or 4 at the back currently. 4-2-3-1 definitely suits us best with Ramirez in the free role. But we need the 3 men pushed up infront of the CDMs and play a high pressure game to support Lambert otherwise we can't get much going in attack if we are having to win the ball back from deep. This means Schneiderlin in particular needs to be more disciplined and sit back more. Often Cork is sat back and Schneiderlin isn't but that's a reflection of us actually almost playing more of a 4-1-4-1 than a 4-2-3-1 with Cork at CDM I think. Or Schneiderlin given instructions to be the first to press out of the two. I'd prefer an out and out 4-2-3-1 high pressure game like we played against Everton with Lallana LM(obviously Guly was there vs Everton), Ramirez free role, Puncheon RM, Lambert up front
I've said it before, but 4-2-3-1 is very similar to a fluid 4-4-2. The central attacking midfielder role is pretty much the same as the support striker role.
Like Mikey said, the main difference is that we're pressing much higher up the pitch. I'm looking forward to the City game next Saturday to watch Saints under Pochettino live at the game for the first time.
Hopefully with Lallana back we can tear up defences now. An attacking foursome of Puncheon, Lallana, Gaston and Rickie is formidable - especially combined with Cork and Schneiderlin bringing more creativity to the middle of the park and Clyne and Shaw at full-back making those steaming runs forward. The attacking prospects are excellent. Hopefully, if we continue to play high up the pitch, our defenders can mop up any danger from counter attacks. Maya's been impressive since the turn of the year and Forren is highly rated in Norway - should be a decent prospect.
