From the makers of Antonio Valencia we have : Jefferson Montero apparently gave a sparking display against Argentina recently: [video=youtube;bmqdQXLuq4A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmqdQXLuq4A[/video] (He'll have to knock that waving and imaginary yellow card in the air on the ****ing head though!)
Just saw this on Skysports website. Looks very good and if true, could mean that the 3-5-2 formation is to be dropped. That's two out and out wingers we've been linked with. £3.5m looks like a steal, he shone in the last Copa Libertadores too.
Depends on success. If we go with 3-5-2 all season, we have depth already. Left: Brady, Dudgeon + also Rosie if needs be. Right: Elmo, Rosie. If we switch to a back 4, we'll struggle for depth. Amrabat on loan makes sense - no pressure to play him every game and provides depth for any back-4 lineup. Montero can play on both sides so he may be a better solution. Younger too.
Thing is, if we go 3-5-2 all season, we'll get our guts ripped out by players like Bale, Valencia, Hazard and Chamberlain. We'll need to have a solid formation that will provide us with good grounding against bigger teams. 3-5-2 is alright, but it leaves you terribly exposed on the counter and gives the WBs a lot of work to do. The opposition isn't going to be playing for Bolton, Peterborough or Derby, they're playing for Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and the like. I don't think our players would cope with 3-5-2 in the PL; we'll play it for our opening game against Chelsea, realise it doesn't really work and go back to 4-4-2, which actually made us look a lot more dangerous last season.
If we get a good lone striker (whether that ends up being Austin or Mboyo or even both) and Cattermole (or another quality defensive midfielder) we will be able to play 4231 which would be a much better defensive option against quality sides. 442 is dead.
I expect we will revert to some sort of 451 within a few weeks of the season opening. I'll take my hat off to SB if he managed to play a successful 352 in the PL.
Would you mind putting an appropriate Title in the Link, please Pierre, I don't like clicking links unnecessarily in case I waste 10 seconds of my life I could otherwise use more productively. Many thanks. ....and more seriously, that looks superb, I'll have a go too!
Similar to the team i've predicted apart from Elmo at RW and Rossy RB. McGregor's going to be going goal but he's not on Ultimate team
Here you go Febbos! (I'd have Allan McGregor as goalie but for some reason he's not on the database, so I'll put in the reserve keeper!) My Squad
352 Can easily be switched to a 532. Whats all the fuss? We played a lot of games towards the end of the season playing this way. It looked defensive but it did work when we managed to score that is.
Looking good, although I'm not sure of Mboyo/Cattermole (Yes, I had him in my team to satisfy you ) Would prefer Elmander and Bridcutt or such [video=youtube;9VfWzpJrJaA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VfWzpJrJaA[/video]
Its got nothing to do with switching between 352 and 532. It worked well last season until teams started closing down Elmo and Brady quicker. Once they managed that we choked and I can only imagine this happening more so in the PL when we are up against a better class of opposition. We have to accept we will be under pressure for the majority of our games next season and will have to hit opposition on the break more often than not. SB has already admitted that formation doesn't allow us to break quick enough... It has to be a back 4 with 2 out-and-out wingers. IMO.
I think it will be 4-4-2 next season. Figueroa and Brady on the left, and either Rosenior and Elmo on the right, or Elmo pushed to RB with Aluko in front
The squad we have already can play many formations and i expect that Steve Bruce will use players in a horses for courses situation. Formations can soon be switched as long as you have the players to do so. We have at last.
