[Archived] What formation? Which players?

[alexanders]

Robinson

Orr Dann Givet Olsson

Lowe Etuhu Murphy

Rochina

Rhodes Gomes

4-3-1-2

Think I like that one. The problem is that Berg loves pacey winers.

[LeChuck]

Where would the width come from? Man Utd tried a version of that formation using Rooney in the Rochina role behind RVP and Hernandez, but even they couldn't get it to work because it was too narrow.

Swap Gomes for Kazim-Richards and have him and Rochina wide of Rhodes and it would work.

[Amo]

No seriously, where's Bruno? I thought people said he was starting to look half-decent. Is he injured?

[Majiball]

Where would the width come from? Man Utd tried a version of that formation using Rooney in the Rochina role behind RVP and Hernandez, but even they couldn't get it to work because it was too narrow.

Swap Gomes for Kazim-Richards and have him and Rochina wide of Rhodes and it would work.

To be fair the width will come from the full-backs and the hole player. We played this way at the start of the season and it worked well. The opposition are forced to play narrow to cope with the massive overload in the middle and as long as you have players who can pass quickly in tigth spaces it will create chances. Against a 4-4-2 midfield and fullbacks must tuck in otherwise its 4 v 2 in the middle and you will destroy them if you keep the ball there. Trouble is you need industry and good accelration over the first 5-10 yards and our midfields a bunch of pensinors. I also don't think Lowe or Etuhu have the technical baility to play in those tight spaces quickly and accuratly.

[J*B]

Where would the width come from? Man Utd tried a version of that formation using Rooney in the Rochina role behind RVP and Hernandez, but even they couldn't get it to work because it was too narrow.

Swap Gomes for Kazim-Richards and have him and Rochina wide of Rhodes and it would work.

Orr and Olsson pushing on.

Leaving Etuhu and Lowe to cover their gaps.

[Majiball]

Only one needs to remain you can't have both sitting as you lose the massive overload and won't force them as narrow for the wing-backs.

[Howler]

While Dunn clearly is getting on and is perenially injured, I actually think he is one of our best midfielders when fit. He's the only one willing to take a man on, who can pick a killer pass and keep possession when required. A centre mid of Etuhu and Lowe may run around a lot but offers zero creativity.

[RibbleValleyRover]

I would like us to play a 4-4-2 as I think it would get the absolute best out of Rhodes, the problem is that I don't think we have the midfield to play that formation effectively during the course of a season. I think our central midfield is far too slow and soft to play it, Etuhu has probably been one of our best midfielders so far this season but he hasn't been stellar, more best out of a bad bunch. For a 4-4-2 to work we need to have wingers who can put quality crosses in, I simply don't think we have that anymore, Bentley was the last great one.

I think Berg is going to have to go with a 4-2-3-1, 4-5-1, or a 4-4-1-1 until at least January.

[braddock]

Does 4-4-2 still exist?

[Salgado Is A Hero]

Yes I believe Norwich and West Brom used it to finish comfortably in mid-table last season.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I think you're still judging them by Premier League standards. This is Cardiff City that trounced Burnley 4-0 and sit top of the table:

Marshall

Connolly Hudson Turner Taylor

Noone Cowie Whittingham Bo-Kyung

Helguson Mason

How would many you take out of that team? Four, maybe five?

If Berg can get us organised we have the personnel to get promoted.

You think so ? The only way we'll get promoted is if we make several shrewd signings in the coming window. You seem to have forgotten that remarkably we've been second best to nearly every team we've played this season and have only actually played to our theoretical abilities for about 35 minutes at Leeds !

[DeadlyDirk]

It is up to Berg what he feels of Vuckevic. I certainly don't expect him to be playing just yet. He won't be match fit, for one. Personally I think that he isn't being played because of his attitude but the conspiracies will start if he isn't played about Berg being a puppet. However, if Berg doesn't pick him then I'd be more inclined to believe that the whole thing IS about his attitude.

People are too close minded with players they don't like personally. Nobody should be dropping CKR as he's the best right winger at the club. Likewise Orr is not a bad defender. He's no world beater but he has his good points. Whether he is good enough to start week in week out is another matter, but to disregard him completely would be foolish.

Unless you know for a fact that he isn't playing because of his attitude then that's a consipracy theory in itself so get off your high horse for a change.

We know for a fact that people were not picked before due to the costs involved, Jason Roberts and Michel Salgado both confirmed it.

[Hasta]

People are too close minded with players they don't like personally. Nobody should be dropping CKR as he's the best right winger at the club.

Ha Ha. I've had a bad day at work but this has give me a chuckle. He must have been good in the 4 or 5 game I haven't seen cos in the Leicester/Boro/Wolves/Sheff Wed/Watford games he's been pants. He's too greedy, his distribution has been dodgy and his attitude has been questionable. Without doubt he notably tried harder in the last 10 minutes on Saturday once he'd missed the penalty which is shocking.

Who's better at right midfield I hear you ask? Well I'm not sure about Vukevic cos I've never got to see him play much but Dunn did more in 15 minutes against Wednesday out there than CKR has done in the approx 450 mins I've seen him.

[67splitscreen]

Whatever formation we play, as long as we don't go man-on-man we should have a chance, nowhere near fit enough to be chasing the man yoursupposed to be marking all over the pitch, zonal in open play, then switch for set pieces.

4-4-2/4-41-1-1 is so vulnerable through the centre, especially for us, out of all our CM's only Etuhu can get over 10mph and MGP with any staying power.

A point will do nicely.

[Andy]

I don't think our squad is too unbalanced or lacking pace as long as we get the first 11 right.....For the time being I'd go with:

Robinson

Henley Dann Hanley Givet

Vukcevic Murphy Etuhu Olsson

Nuno Gomes Rhodes

or

Robinson

Henley Dann Hanley Givet

Kazim Vukcevic Etuhu Olsson

Nuno Gomes Rhodes

But when Best is back I'd start him up top with Rhodes.........Rochina, Fabio Nunes to come on.....someone else if needs be.

I think either of those would represent our strongest and most effective 11.

For me, the important factors are: flat 4 at the back and a front 2.

[Pedro]

The horses mouth says that's untrue.

This league clearly isn't what it used to be so I'd favour a very attacking formation. 4-3-3.

Robbo

Henley(?) Hanley Givet Olsson

Etuhu

Murphy (if fit, if not peds) Dunn

Vuckevic Rhodes Rochina

CKR is pants always has been always will be, he can be more of an impact player. I see little point in playing a loanee when we have Vuckevic who has played wide right plenty of times. CKR is a poor mans Lennon, pace but no end product, just look at the Watford game, sums it right up for me. I want it it's mine even though the best finisher Rhodes is down for them, he knows best and misses, it's not about individuals. Wide men move in dependent on where the ball is and we have some serious creativity playing around Rhodes. Both Rodhina and Vuckevic love running with the ball and with strong movement between the CB and FB will create space for our predator. Ollson and Henley (the united game lad) will bomb on and effectively act as wing-backs. Get back to passing the ball with pace combined iwth quick movement off the the rest of the team and we'll score goals for fun. Although fitness will need a serious hit and quickly it is doable provided they consider all aspects IE nutrition, psychology and the training mode. Givet and Hanley together, it will be much better for Hanleys development and Givet is wasted at full-back. Dann scares me at times and looks so uncomfortable on the pitch. Three brutes marshaling the back lead by the french international and champions league finalist rings true for me.

I agree with a lot you are saying. Spot on regarding CKR's attitude but I wouldn't say he had pace or compare him to Lennon in any way. He is just a strong forward player with a bit of skill and a lot of strength. He wants to be the main man, at the detriment of the team. Also, Dann has looked really assured since Black took charge, whereas Hanley always has a howler in the locker.

You hit the nail on the head though, movement off the ball is what we lack...in bucket fulls.

[mckenny16]

Whatever formation we play, as long as we don't go man-on-man we should have a chance, nowhere near fit enough to be chasing the man yoursupposed to be marking all over the pitch, zonal in open play, then switch for set pieces.

4-4-2/4-41-1-1 is so vulnerable through the centre, especially for us, out of all our CM's only Etuhu can get over 10mph and MGP with any staying power.

A point will do nicely.

I think you're underestimating how fast Lowe is. I must have been watching a different Rovers - Watford match where Lowe consistantly chased down counter attacks.

Plus, running at/over 10mph is quite good when considering it within a match. I don't mean as a one off sprint, but repeatedly over a 90 minute match is really quite difficult.

[Commondore]

I don't envy Berg's job here, as our squad is so unbalanced it's not even funny. He seems to favor a 4-4-2 formation, which is by no means dead and buried (Everton aren't doing too shabby with it) but it demands a lot from the players that we simply don't have in our squad. Our midfielders lack dynamism and our wingers are too slow, and even if they had pace they wouldn't have a forward to put in crosses to as Rhodes is more of a poacher. I don't think neither Berg nor the players are familliar enough with it, but our current squad would probably benefit most from a 4-3-3 formation.

.....................Robinson........................

.....Orr.......Dann.....Givet.....Henley......

............................................................

......................Murphy...........................

.................Lowe......Etuhu....................

.............................................................

........Rochina......Rhodes......Olsson....

Murphy (he's got too much riding on him for us to dismiss him, needs to be accomodated) can spray passes around like Tugay from central midfield if Etuhu and Lowe does his running for him. They can also come from behind into the opposition penalty area and chip in with a few goals. Rochina would have a free role from the right hand side of midfield and can turn infield with his left foot while Olsson (Martin) runs up and down the pitch on the other flank, helping the inexperienced Henley at left back. Depending on the opposition and form of the players, Dunn, Gomes and Kazim are likely substitutes.

[roversfan99]

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

------Henley--- Dann --- Givet ----- Mn Olsson

-----------------------Murphy

---------------Etuhu----------Dunn

-------Rochina------Rhodes ------ Nunes

With Simon, Lowe and Gomes as 3 primary subs. A bit of movement around Rhodes, with Dunn able to push forward and Etuhu then able to help Murphy.

[adsfortheblues]

-----------------robbo---------------

--Henley---Hanley----Dann-----Givet----

---------------Lowe------Etuhu---------------

-----Vuckevic---------Rochina-------Marcus Ollson

-------------- -----------Gomes------------------

-------------------------Rhodes----------------

Best available team for me. Gomes is a great foil for Rhodes, they were both scoring for fun at one point. Martin Ollson is disinterested now, therefore drop him. Marcus is full of pace and can whip in a good cross. Lowe and Etuhu can just sit and protect a weakish back 4 (which they really need), and the 5 attacking players can then demolish every team in this league.

When best comes back I'd play 2 up top, and someone will have to be sacrificed from the 4 advanced players behind Rhodes.

[BigNuts]

That line up would be ok if we were allowed to field 12 players!

[roversfan99]

Also Markus Olsson cannot cross at all.

[Amo]

That line up would be ok if we were allowed to field 12 players!

I assume we're 4-0 down at this point?

[adsfortheblues]

Haha sorry take out Ollson then in that case and put Rochina out wide, he's pretty good and coming in from out wide and cutting in anyway. Ollson can cross IMO, against hull city earlier on in season before he got injured he was by far the best player on the pitch, bombing down the wing and putting in some neat crosses. Martin can't cross but Marcus can. Howeverid take him out with me picking 12 as Rochina is better.

I'd even consider taking out a defender and going with 3 at back and having the 2 sitters covering and keeping the same attacking 5, because let's be honest, this division is sheeheight and that attacking force would demolish most teams.

[roversfan99]

I'd say Martin, although he isn't the best crosser showed he has that in him when Big Sam played him out wide, Markus' crosses trickle on the ground and get cleared.