Why do we not play...

....four at the back, two defensive midfielders, one striker, one support striker/advanced midfielder, inside-left and inside-right? (sorry to use 50's vernacular, but is seemed the most illustrative).

Any two of Tiote, Perch, Anita, Bigirimana defensive midf.

One of Cisse, Ba or Shola up top.

One of Cabaye or Ben Arfa supporting.

One of Sammy, Fergie or Marveaux inside-left.

One of Benny, Ba or Gabby inside-right.

We have backup in every single area. The only thing I think we need to make this work is make one small adjustment - make either Santon or Gutierrez the first choice right back (with a view to definitely securing Debuchy in January) with Fergie being considered at left back (look at Leighton Baines).

Feels at times like we're still finding our feet but I felt that our best moments this season, even in crap games like the Baggies, came when we looked more like the above. But it also felt as though the players took it on themselves to do it. For our equaliser, this is exactly what we looked like - Benny took inside-right, cut across, Sammy inside-left had the shot and our lone striker got lucky.

It's not as if we don't have the players for it - we're loaded in all these areas. But if we stick 4-4-2 we have many issues - what's the best front two, are they playing consistently together, is Ben Arfa wasted as right midfield, are we overloaded with just two in the middle, is there too much of an ask on Cabaye, is Jonas really a threat from left midfield, and so on. The above removes every headache and still compensates for defensive stability through having at least one very versatile DM (Anita or Perch) who both understand playing at full-back.

 

When we were in our good run last season, as I've said countless times, we play 4-2-1-3.

4 at the back. 2 DM's, 1 attacking mid, and 3 forwards.

Pards doesn't seem to want to play that anymore.

 

The only "explanation" I can think of is Ba being (allegedly) unhappy. Not a great reason to put an entire season at risk, in my opinion. If he's that influential, ship him out and bring someone in. NUFC is currently not really able to carry a primadona.

Or maybe we have a lot of wingers, but again I don't see the Premier League being about 4-4-2 any more. Obertan's more influential when cutting in - he's a bit Walcott-y. Marveaux isn't an out and out winger either, plus Sammy's looked better when carrying the ball forward, a tactic that needs support from midfield (i.e. the other inside forward and the AM). Jonas is ineffective on the flank so really there's only Ferguson for whipping the crosses in -and he can do that from full back in the modern game, particularly with a Perch or Anita able to cover his position.

 

What we can do is play 4-3-3, and swap Cisse and Ba around.

However, I'd personally try -

Shola----Ba---HBA

------Cabaye-----

---Jonas---Perch---

Santon-Colo-Saylor-Simpson

---------Krul-----------

Shola on the LW sounds weird, but I'm not relying on him to put any crosses in. That's not how our 4-3-3 worked last season. The point is that 3 forwards makes space for the likes of HBA and Cabaye. Shola's presence would require the opposition to leave one of our attacking players free. It's kind of how we scored our goal vs Sunderland. HBA made the run, played the ball to Ba who got into the box. Ba shot the ball at the keeper, and Cabaye was unmarked due to Shola being at the back post, meaning Sunderland had to mark him and Cabaye had space to score.

Allow Cabaye to make runs up the pitch and support the forwards, while Jonas and Perch stay further back and defend.

It could work. In our style 4-3-3 it's not really about two wingers crossing, it's about movement and being too much for the defence.

 

Because they are our two best players. Why would we play a formation where only one would get in?

I think our best formation would be:

---------------Ba-----------------
-------------HBA (free role)-------
Marv/Fergie-Cabs-Tiote--Jonas/Ober (or Raylor when fit)
Normal back 5

 

Response to OP/Tash: Isn't that exactly what we were playing at the weekend against WBA? Struggled to make it work and Shola didn't work on the right hand side. So we do play it.

 

I have this for a suggestion

Cisse (Goal Poacher)
Ba (Target Man)
Ferguson (Attacking Winger LW) HBA (Attacking Winger RW)

Cabaye (Creative Midfielder)
Tiote(Titan)

Jona (LWB) Santon (RWB)

Colo (Leader) Saylor (Motivator)

Krul

Ok I went over the top with the suggestions. But I really think that although its not a major difference to what we are playing in this formation we do not have a weak link. Jonas's leghs have gone in terms of creativity wingplay. So he should swap with Fergy, swapping Santon to the right. I jizz in my pants at the prospect of a Santon/HBA combination down that right flank!

Demba is proving this season that he is very important and should play behind Cisse who can feed of knock downs from Ba and crosses from both sides and through balls.

GG