I think we should go 5-3-2. With the lack of ability/confidence/ playing too far apart..ie ..stretched with our any combination of centre backs, ( and leaking far too many goals ) Faurlin can sit, to plug the holes. He can head, pass and tackle. Thus give us a bit of extra insurance in defence. If you think back to the great Liverpool sides of the early 80's, they had Hansen, Lawrenson and Ray Kennedy all playing as converted centre backs after initially beginning their professional careers as holding midfielders. This would then allow us to deploy Young and Traore as wing-backs when we break down the oppositions play. With Mackie and SWP supplying further width, this would then give us the dynamism to move forward with speed, purpose and pace to supply Heider. With Adel backing Heidar up, and Barton playing central midfield , I think this system give us more going forward, as well as shoring up the defence. It also allows us more options playing through the middle as well as moving the ball out wide. I think this formation would also utilise the spine of the team, ( Kenny, Faurlin, Barton and Helguson ) making us more effective going forward as well as in defence. At the moment we seem to be doing neither.
The only slight problem with this is that (to my mind) we'd leave ourselves with just one (Barton) in the middle of the park. Arsenal might be able to pass around him.....
I like it and see Ali as a perfect sweeper. Do you think NW can juggle that continental formation with the ones we've got? I believe we'd need a pre-season to get the lads used to it. Does raise an interesting question though (along with the above point about Barton being isolated) - could Mackie be brought inside to be a hard working but mainly attacking central midfielder (in the mould of a Lampard or Cahill)?
Not sure how Mackie and SWP can supply further width in addition to playing two advanced full-backs: sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. A 5-3-2 normally involves 3 central midfield players, each with a designated role. Seems like there would be a gaping void in the centre of the park under the proposed formation.
Stick to 4-2-3-1, the players are used to it and it has proved successful away from home. It would be suicidal trying to change formation for these two important games. Wait and see who is brought in before tinkering with the formations...
Sweeper systems just invite attacks! You play too deep and and rely on the more direct ball to move up the pitch unless you have a fantastic ability to keep the ball like the old ac Milan team with baresi. one of the worst ideas i have heard to be quite franko!
Think we should play 9-1 and designate only certain players to go forward thereby ensuring as many clean sheets as we would need to stay up.
Faurlin has no pace and one thing a "sweeper" needs is pace!! Also...there's a reason why none of the other Prem sides play this system....it's dodgy as hell, unless you have the perfect players for it and you have had a long time practicing it!! 3 centre backs tend to leave huge gaps in behind the "wing-backs" which is fatal at this level. I prefer our trusted 4-2-3-1 which has worked well for us, especially when Adel is playing well.
Im sorry 999, no. A big no from me. It takes away what little width we already have and wouldnt allow the fullbacks to get forward as they wouldn't have the two traditional wide players covering. We're already most vulnerable on the counter and with Adel playing as well as two up top we'd leave gaps everywhere. I'd presume with this system Mackie would be up top and he'd doubtless track back losing ourselves an attacking threat and Barton is meant to be utilised as an attacking threat leaving Derry as the sole defensive presence in midfield before the strange defensive back line which would inevitably be deep as you cant play flat and you cant have a high line as Faurlin as a sweeper would be playing everyone onside. I sorry I just dont see any positives in it.
Fair enough, there are many football brains on here that are better than mine. I only threw it out there as I thought we needed to play with more pace and urgency. Obviously it was a crap idea, I'll get over it.
No problem mate ideas need to be thrown around. It's what I and everyone else likes about this place.
