New possible formations for Saints

[SouthamptonFCroatia]

I think Shaw's delivery was great. Ok, he didn' have any assists, but his crosses never end far from the target, they're always thereabout.

 

[saintbaggs1885]

I think it will be as OddRiverOakWizards says, somewhere between a 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formation, with the CAM slightly deeper than the 2 wingers. The CAM will be someone like Davis/Banega/Nainggollan, as opposed to Gaston, who I think will play out wide. When we then defend the 3 attacking midfielders will drop back, making a 4-5-1 formation. When we attack I can see it looking something like

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Boruc,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Clyne,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Lovren,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Forren,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Shaw
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Schneiderlin,,,,,,,,,,,,,Wanyama,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Banega,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,Ramirez,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Rodriguez,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Lambert,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

This will do, would be made up with that.

I think 3 centre backs is a possibility against the more direct teams in the league. In games this season when teams have played long to counter our pressing game, the option to revert to 3 centre backs would be good. Gives you extra height to deal with long ball and set pieces, while the full backs push up high putting pressure on the oppositions supply line.

 

[#42]

I said "not that great", not "poor". They aren't exactly Alves/Alba quality - Clyne gets behind the players but isn't brilliant (OK, not poor) at delivering, Shaw was a bit cautious about going forward at first but is building in confidence and has improved. Maybe "attacking threat" would have been a better usage, as they both have pace and beat their men, especially Clyne, but don't have brilliant deliveries. Clyne got 1 goal and 3 assists last year, Shaw got no goals and 1 assist.

They are both poor crossers of the ball IMO. They often have very bad decision making too in the attacking third.

 

[FdsaJoe]

I knew as soon as I saw the thread title this would be someone calling for 3 at the back, and this surely won't happen. Man City tried with a large squad and it didn't really work, I very much doubt we'll see it in the next 3 seasons at least.

I see a lot of people are already dropping Lallana from their prospective line-ups, it worries me how short peoples' memories are, Lallana will be a key player next season.

 

[rabbitspectrum]

We'll probably play 4 at the back. Our best 6 non-defenders are if wanayama signs morgan, wanayama, cork, rodriguez, lambert, ramirez. Play a 3 man midfield of cork, wanayama, morgan and Ramirez, rodriguez and lambert forward of them. That would be our best bet.

 

[Clem Fandango]

"Clyne and Shaw aren't that great going forward"
You should go and watch a *Saints match sometime!

I said "not that great", not "poor". They aren't exactly Alves/Alba quality - Clyne gets behind the players but isn't brilliant (OK, not poor) at delivering, Shaw was a bit cautious about going forward at first but is building in confidence and has improved. Maybe "attacking threat" would have been a better usage, as they both have pace and beat their men, especially Clyne, but don't have brilliant deliveries. Clyne got 1 goal and 3 assists last year, Shaw got no goals and 1 assist.

Are you basing your analysis of the team on stats? Get a ticket for a match and sit right down the front. Once you accept that none of our players are Barca quality, you'll appreciate hoe much Clyne and Shaw do for the team.

 

[I Sorry I Ruined The Party]

I feel like Puncheon and Shaw were both more successful at bring the ball up the flanks than Puncheon or Lallana. The interplay between Puncheon and Clyne was probably better than any two attackers and quite dangerous at times, but even then it seemed mostly like Clyne bring the ball up or making an overlapping run with Puncheon on the inside.

I don't think there was really a Saints player who was that effective as a winger or an inside forward. Rodriguez was terrible wide, and even at the end when he was scoring he and Lambert were switching off and most of his plays came through the middle.

I just think that with the hopefully improved CB's and Wanyama on defense that Saints can throw more players forward (though that can be Cork and/or Schneiderlin, it doesn't require a personnal change necessariliy). So whatever the actual formation/tactic, it should break down to 4-1-something. With "something" being whatever remaining mix of players works and looking to be more offensively-oriented than they were this last season.

I don't think Saints necessarily need a winger or Banega but they could certainly go that way depending on formation. The players I have problems fitting into the first team now regardless of tactic are Lallana and Puncheon.

 

[fatletiss]

I still can't believe how many of us are picking an 11. We are building a vastly improved squad that will give us better options and make it harder for opposing teams to work out what we will do and who we will play. Lallana wasn't at his greatest last season but he will still play a massive part for us (or do some people think he's "gone" at 24?) and Lambert.... hardly a formation including him. Now he may end up playing less games and we may rely on him less but he'll still be our king pin at the start of the season.

The other key point for me is what we mean by "formation". For the style we have been playing under Pochettino, formation is only relevant for the TV companies graphic at the start of the game. He likes to play "areas of the pitch" not a formation. This is what the high pressing game is about: fluidity and working in twos and threes and fours. Get a formation out of your heads, it won't be like that. The only effect is whether its 2 or 3 CBs and I pretty much nailed on think it will be two.

We will have a midfield/forward choice for 6 positions from a pool of 10-12 players and this year, hopefully, the choices look like being a better quality.

 

[fran-MLs little camera]

Last season the team virtually picked itself. We need more quality players to give Mauricio options, especially if a key player is injured. Buying a player doesn't automatically mean dropping a player...each player will have to compete for their place (a good thing) and expect to play fewer games.

 

[Jose Fonte baby]

Are you basing your analysis of the team on stats? Get a ticket for a match and sit right down the front. Once you accept that none of our players are Barca quality, you'll appreciate hoe much Clyne and Shaw do for the team.

If you only read the last sentence and ignore the entire analysis before it, then yes. Look at how important Richardson and Fox were in our attack last season. Clyne and Shaw are brilliant, but none of them have exceptional deliveries and only one goal was scored between them.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Are you basing your analysis of the team on stats? Get a ticket for a match and sit right down the front. Once you accept that none of our players are Barca quality, you'll appreciate hoe much Clyne and Shaw do for the team.

If you only read the last sentence and ignore the entire analysis before it, then yes. Look at how important Richardson and Fox were in our attack last season. Clyne and Shaw are brilliant, but none of them have exceptional deliveries and only one goal was scored between them.

Last season everyone had more influence going forward, we were scoring for fun and finished 2nd. Premier League we only finished a few points above relegation and struggled for goals. In the home game against qpr, clyne was our best attacking player. If anything they need to tighten up at the back