I don't pay that much attention to other teams, but I'd say no-one else plays like we did when Christie was fit. We played an asymmetrical shape with the ball, where Greaves at LB tucked in to become and extra midfielder, while Christie was way upfield wide right with the RF player coming inside to make space for him. By Greaves being more central it meant that when he got the ball he could pass to the wide left player who had a chance of going forward. When Elder played LB he would hug the touchline which meant that even if he could get the ball forward to the wide left player, that player would be taking it facing our goal so there wouldn't be much forward progress. I thought that style worked well, and Christie scored or created a few goals. Add that to a fit Traore and an LB who can get forward (which Greaves did) and beat a man (which Greaves hardly ever did) and it could be an effective style. If that's enough to justify describing us as unique is another matter, the full back tucking in is a Man City tactic but I'm not sure I've seen other Championship teams doing it.
TAA was doing it for Liverpool at the end of last season too but like you not aware of anyone else in the Championship doing it.
Well I must have missed that, can't find it by searching either. Shame, I thought he was a good player
I remember in the first half of one home game last season where Elder was playing really tucked in like that and Slater was our most wide left player. I think teams adjust subtle things like that depending on the scenario. There was another game where Christie did particularly well (QPR at home I think) and Rosenior said afterwards that they'd asked Christie to be "our full width player" for that game, which I guess meant that they'd asked players ahead of him to stay further inside for that match to leave space for Christie based on the opposition's weaknesses. I think it's interesting how these little things must be at play all the time and we don't necessarily have any knowledge of it.
I read Man City have been playing that asymmetrical shape with the full backs (but the other side). Pep was explaining at the time that Walker wouldn’t currently get any game time in his preferred right back position, as he was wanting the right back to tuck into midfield. Not sure that I have watched Man City this season so haven’t seen it happen. Edit: Which if Id read all your post properly, I’d have realised you have pretty much already said that!
It’s a weird formation he’s used recently. On paper it looks as if it’s 3-2-4-1 with a back three, two holding midfielders, two advanced midfielders, a winger on each side and a sole striker.
Looks like Macca didn't make the final cut for RoI. https://www.independent.ie/sport/so...to-make-stephen-kennys-squad/a1949282715.html
Not sure if he’s been mentioned, but I seem to recall Rosenior saying that Gyokeres is the best striker in the division. Did they have a connection at Brighton? He does seem to have interest from Premier League though (paper talk). I’d be backing us instantly if we were to pull it off! Also, any news on Connolly?
Shame. He reminds me a lot of James Chester (who got overlooked for a while but then cemented his place internationally). Hopefully the same can happen here.
