3 at the back?

[alexmcity]

That's just not true at all. We've had one terrible game and the reaction to it on this forum is laughable!

We're an attacking football team who defend from the front, the best way to defend in our set up is to keep the ball and when we lose it by winning it back high up the pitch. We will do this better by having more attackers on the pitch, not more defenders.

There would also have been plenty of games throughout the season, even if Laporte was fit, where Laporte would be rested and we'd play one of these combinations.

Plenty of these combinations are plenty good enough. and we don't have problems defending from set pieces, it's just that Rodri and Laporte fell asleep for the Norwich and Spurs goals respectively from corners. We are absolutely fine at defending set pieces other than that.

Even Pep disagrees with last sentence, he said Rodri will help us defend from set pieces as we are a short team, especially after Kompany retired.

 

[bennyboy]

I bet Rodri could play central defence too - he's big enough.

Great in his midfield role but too slow for central defender.
Would be the same as Zinchenko when he is caught out with a ball over his head.

 

[goatersnipple]

Play like we did on Saturday and we could have 33 at the back

 

[ctid1894]

Maybe we can play with 3 at the back at Anfield and other difficult places. Obviously, Cancelo and Mendy will do more defending than going forward but might give us good counter attacking options with their pace and good delivery into the box.

We never have and never will to anywhere to play on the counter attack under Pep. We may play slightly more pragmatically in terms of a second holding midfielder or resort to a three at the back to help us play out due to a high press and changing the angles but it will never be a defensive/counter attacking tactic.

 

[its a Barm]

I will stick with what pep decides not a monday morning manager.

 

[alexmcity]

We never have and never will to anywhere to play on the counter attack under Pep. We may play slightly more pragmatically in terms of a second holding midfielder or resort to a three at the back to help us play out due to a high press and changing the angles but it will never be a defensive/counter attacking tactic.

Even we counter attack. To counter attack and to play on the counter attack are two different things. Wingbacks might help us press better and make fast transitions. Having good counter attacking options is not about defending deep and attacking once in 10 minutes.

In the last 3 games with Liverpool they had 50 % possession. So, there are more opportunities to press them in our half or the central part of the pitch and counter them. We scored the winner in January from a counter attack.

 

[alexmcity]

I will stick with what pep decides not a monday morning manager.

Thanks for your imaginative contribution. Personally, I'm a huge Pep fan and trust him to come up with clever ideas. This thread is just a discussion with fellow blues about our team.

 

[dannyboy29]

Pep has played this about six times in his whole managerial career and tends to change his mind immediately after doing it, even within the same match. I don't think he likes it.

You lose a creativity if you play three at the back as you add a centre half and take out an attacking mid. For a team that has up to 80% possession in a game that's just silly.

Not Really, Just replace a winger


......................GK...................

............CB......CB.......CB......

..WB...............DM.................WB.

.............AM............AM.........

...............CF........CF.............

 

[Sir peace frog]

if it was a three at the back ferna would be the middle cb and there wouldn't be a rodri,no need for rodri when ferna steps up out of the three, gundo is the man,with kdb and bernado in front , sterling and jesus up top .perfect. I know Sergio is the best finisher we have ,however with sterling and jesus up top our press from the front would be brilliant.


......................edi...................

............stones......ferna.......ota......

..walker...............gundo................zinc

.............kev............bernado.........

...............jesus........raheem............

 

[jimmygrimblesboots]

As we could be short of a decent centre back pairing , a back three is a possibility whilst playing with two wing backs , quite sure Pep will be all over this , if we havent got the personnel he will change the system , he isnt a managerial genius for nothing.