[Archived] 3-5-2?

[Amo]

Forgetting the managerial situation right now, I'm wondering if our current squad is more suited to a 3-5-2 formation? We look lopsided without a decent right winger, and we haven't put out a decent 4-4-2 for awhile now.

I was thinking we could line-up something like this:

----------------Robinson------------------

----------Ooijer Samba Zurab-----------

Emerton--------------------------Warnock

---------Tugay---------------Vogel--------

-----------------Villanueva-----------------

-------Santa Cruz---------McCarthy------

Emerton & Warnock are both athletic lads who can cover the wing-back roles and protect the middle with safety in numbers. Then in midfield we have Vogel, who's a solid holding midfielder, Tugay to provide the link-up play, and Villanueva as our main threat behind a classy pairing of Santa Cruz & McCarthy.

[Bobby G]

Not the worlds worst shout-out...

Thing is nobody tries 3-5-2 anymore...

[Ray-Von]

I was thinking that myself a few weeks ago - Emerton and Warnock are absolutely tailor-made for the wing back role. I do think we would need a good ball-playing centre half to step into a midfield role if that area is swamped with the other team playing only one up front for example.

However, this formation just doesn't seem to be very "fashionable" these days compared to say 10-15 years ago.

[John]

Change of formation still will not help with indvidual mistakes, shape of the team, lack of fitness/physicality, gaps between defence/midfield/strikers.

[Amo]

Change of formation still will not help with indvidual mistakes, shape of the team, lack of fitness/physicality, gaps between defence/midfield/strikers.

I said ignoring the managerial situation, which all of the above is attributed to.

If a new manager came in, got the players ship-shape I think this could be the way to go.

[Majiball]

Not the worlds worst shout-out...

Thing is nobody tries 3-5-2 anymore...

Redknapp did this year at Pompey.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Interesting point, the first rule of football tactics- Make your formation suit the abilities of your players. It could work, certainly worth a try out practice match in training.

[LeChuck]

Tugay, Vogel and Villanueva in the centre of midfield? We'd get dicked on every week, they're so small and weak.

[John]

Firstly, please name some teams in the Premiership who have used 3-5-2 for a number of games?

Secondly, if there has been some teams using this system, has it worked and been successful?

[LeChuck]

Portsmouth were using at the start of the season. They did okay, but nowhere near as well as they did last season using 4-3-3. They reverted to 4-4-2 and things picked up until 'Arry left.

I'd like to see us try Pedersen on the right for a while, with Emerton overlapping at full-back. Pedersen's got a great shot on him so he could cut in whilst Emerton overlaps, plus he does have a decent right foot so he wouldn't be uncomfortable out there.

Did he play pretty well there against Scotland recently or am I get confused?

[Majiball]

Firstly, please name some teams in the Premiership who have used 3-5-2 for a number of games?

Secondly, if there has been some teams using this system, has it worked and been successful?

Mmmm let me think, no-one. I know Exeter play 343 at times, but even in the lower leagues its rare. Its too weak on the flanks, and its not the easiest system to play.

Also just out of curiosity since we are so weak in Central midfield is someone suggesting we now play three of them?

Our current squad is so unbalanced that TBH I couldn't really offer an alternative, no matter how you move our pieces around theres always a hole or two. Crap situation.

Did he play pretty well there against Scotland recently or am I get confused?

He played well, but who plays on the left then?

[broadsword]

I've been saying we should do it for a few games now.

Why oh why do people keep on suggesting that pederson should make the team? He's pigging useless.

[DanLad]

Firstly, please name some teams in the Premiership who have used 3-5-2 for a number of games?

Secondly, if there has been some teams using this system, has it worked and been successful?

No time to check this so my apologies if it's rubbish.

Does Martin O'Neill play it at Villa? He was a big fan of it at Leicester.

[Amo]

Tugay, Vogel and Villanueva in the centre of midfield? We'd get dicked on every week, they're so small and weak.

Villanueva would be further up, just behind the front two. Not centre midfield.

And I disagree. You don't need a bunch of six footers to compete in midfield.

[grizfoot]

Redknapp did this year at Pompey.

Didn't Citeh beat them 6-0 when they were trying out a 3-5-2 formation?

We are conceding a lot of goals at the moment so we can't do much worse than try three at the back. Warnock and Emerton are indeed naturally athletic and are probably ideal for the wingback roles needed in the formation. Could see it working well against Liverpool because they are not exactly a team that plays with a lot of width, they like to attack down the centre so by crowding that area with three central defenders and two central midfielders may be the answer. That being said I can't see Ince changing to 3-5-2 now, then again nothing would suprise me after the wild and ever changing selections we've seen this season. But just imagine the stick he'd get for trying this and it failing.

Vogel is not going to play so that would probably mean Andrews in central midfield instead. I'd also play Benni rather than Villanueva behind a front two of Derbyshire and Santa Cruz.

[Majiball]

Didn't Citeh beat them 6-0 when they were trying out a 3-5-2 formation?

We are conceding a lot of goals at the moment so we can't do much worse than try three at the back. Warnock and Emerton are indeed naturally athletic and are probably ideal for the wingback roles needed in the formation. Could see it working well against Liverpool because they are not exactly a team that plays with a lot of width, they like to attack down the centre so by crowding that area with three central defenders and two central midfielders may be the answer. That being said I can't see Ince changing to 3-5-2 now, then again nothing would suprise me after the wild and ever changing selections we've seen this season. But just imagine the stick he'd get for trying this and it failing.

Vogel is not going to play so that would probably mean Andrews in central midfield instead. I'd also play Benni rather than Villanueva behind a front two of Derbyshire and Santa Cruz.

I think your right there with Pompey.

I think it would lead to even more mistakes its quite an alien system in the modern game.

We'll stick 442 Ince will swap Tugay's lucozade for Redbull. Tugay will be able to run round like a kid again and we'll win the game, simple.