I think we are naive to think we should change the system this early on after a pre-season has been built on playing it. The issue i have is Villa have picked us off in three of the last four games we have played against them playing 3-5-2, clearly Villa like playing against this system and we should have adapted due to that, and i am sure Brucey thought about it. I don't think we will lose the 3-5-2, but we should be able to adapt and sometimes play 4-4-2 against some teams.
It would certainly make us more solid in some of the more tricky away games. Fair enough, go for it with 2 up front away at the lesser teams (maybe villa should be included) where we probably can get a win. Has Bruce ever played with 1 up top on there own?
The issue is that 442 will get torn apart with Jake and Thudd in the middle of the park. Thats why hardly any teams use it, so we sacrifice a striker usually and have someone who plays a bit deeper to help out, or we sacrifice a winger and play 5-3-2. We can't play 442 AND play both jelavic and hernandez, itd be one or the other with aluko/ince in behind (unless hernandez is a totally different player to what i think he is)
formation depends on opponents. Villa exploited us last season plenty of space behind wingbacks and although they aren't a top half team they do have pace. We could have switched to 4 at the back in the first half with macca going to right back. Managers don't get it right every game and there is certainly no need to panic.
Before today, we've played four games this season playing 3-5-2, not lost one and played well in all of them. We've played two games with a back four (the Lokeren ones) and effectively lost both and played poorly in both. So ignoring today, there's absolutely no evidence to suggest 3-5-2 hasn't been working.
We didn't play well against QPR, we just managed to nick a goal and we were ****e against Trenchin away and mediocre at home. We beat Lokeren at home, so we've lost two games, one with the first team playing 3-5-2 and one with nine changes and a central defender in midfield playing 4-4-2. The only evidence you can take from our performances so far this season, is that we should play with ten men.
Just got back. Away from home ^^ this all day. Agbonlahor had Davies beat every time...if Rosie was there I'm sure he wouldn't have had the same success. Plus Rosie and Elmo overlap constantly. Brady actually had a really good game as well when he came on and played well with Quinn & Robertson. We desperately missed someone to run the channels today...hope Abel has his running boots on for Westham
Huge, huge miss for us, I don't think we can play 3 at the back if Mcshane and Dawson start. Chester goes under the radar so much because he is such a good player.
I agree with OLM we need Hernandez plus another forward. Not sure why we need two midfielders. We have four as it is. I'm sure we'll see some twists and turns. There's usually a domino effect on Deadline Day.
Along with his pace and passing Chester is also great at defending in that inbetween centre back and full back position.
well 2 offers accepted for midfielders according to bruce, one domestic, one foreign and not cleverley. We can all sit and watch transfer deadline day tomorrow and enjoy sky hyping everything up.
