4-3-3

[I'm no cynic but...]

Interesting to see we've gone with this formation in the last few games (Wigan at home onwards), in all likelihood with next season in mind. We seem to be creating more clear cut chances, with the wide forwards in the front 3 ensuring that the final third doesn't get as congested as it does when we play 4-2-3-1/4-2-2-2. Silva in particular seemed to revel in it yesterday in a similar front 3 role he plays in with the Spanish national team, and his interplay with Nasri was considerably better than it has been. I would like to see the front 3 press the ball more, and the full-backs were exposed a bit too much for my liking, but hopefully that will be addressed in pre-season.

All in all I've been pleasantly surprised how well we've implemented it given an obvious lack of preparation time, and with the right additions in summer (a mobile defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder in the 3 and a world class forward) it could really suit us. What do we reckon?

Kin ell, maybe you should be our next manager ;)

Haven't you heard? It's Brendan Rogers.

 

[Master_Tactician]

I remember 4-3-3 working brilliantly against Chelsea at home in Feb. Yaya, Rodwell, Garcia (he actually did well!) in midfield. Silva, Milner and Aguero as front 3.

I thought Jimmy was in midfield and YaYa in a more advanced rôle against Chelsea.

oh yeh, might have been. But the thing is we completely dominated them.

-- Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:57 am --

I'm nervous that with our formation we'll be overrun on the wings next season. We rely on our full backs to provide width, and we're ok this season but I think next season the bar will be raised by Mourinho's return to Chelsea again. They are bringing in Schurrle to play wide with Hazard on the other side, Man Ud already hurt us on the flanks but we won't be able to make up for this by dominating them through the middle anymore as they are signing Strootman, Spurs already kill us when they play with width...

We need to adjust or drop way down.

you think this is a prob with current 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3?

Current 4-2-3-1, although 4-3-3 has to be well-implemented by a specialist manager, otherwise you come apart defensively like Di Matteo's Chelsea this season, does anyone know if Mancini has experience with this?

 

[johnbmcr]

Interesting to see we've gone with this formation in the last few games (Wigan at home onwards), in all likelihood with next season in mind. We seem to be creating more clear cut chances, with the wide forwards in the front 3 ensuring that the final third doesn't get as congested as it does when we play 4-2-3-1/4-2-2-2. Silva in particular seemed to revel in it yesterday in a similar front 3 role he plays in with the Spanish national team, and his interplay with Nasri was considerably better than it has been. I would like to see the front 3 press the ball more, and the full-backs were exposed a bit too much for my liking, but hopefully that will be addressed in pre-season.

All in all I've been pleasantly surprised how well we've implemented it given an obvious lack of preparation time, and with the right additions in summer (a mobile defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder in the 3 and a world class forward) it could really suit us. What do we reckon?

Kin ell, maybe you should be our next manager ;)

is this the start of Solihull Samba Boys out thread

 

[The Flash]

Don't see the need to change to 4-3-3 at all. It's clear that 4-2-3-1 is a solid formation, and successful in Champions League. Look no further than the two German teams.

Dortmund:

Lewandowski
Reus Götze Kuba
Gundogan Bender
Schmelzer Hummels Subotic Piszcszek

Bayern:

Gomez
Ribery Müller/Kroos Robben
Scheinsteiger Martinez
Alaba Dante Boateng Lahm


The biggest difference is that they have pace on the wings, whereas we do not.

I agree that 4-2-3-1 is currently our best formation, but given that we are pretty clearly targeting Cavani, I just don't see where he and Aguero fit into that. Aguero is wasted as an attacking midfielder IMO, would rather see him in a wide forward role like David Villa at Barcelona.

Aguero could be utilized as a second striker, playing just behind the centre forward. I think he'd be wasted as a wide forward. He's a player who can score 30-40 goals in a season.

You really belong in the transfer forum.

 

[zeven]

I thought Jimmy was in midfield and YaYa in a more advanced rôle against Chelsea.

oh yeh, might have been. But the thing is we completely dominated them.

-- Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:57 am --

I'm nervous that with our formation we'll be overrun on the wings next season. We rely on our full backs to provide width, and we're ok this season but I think next season the bar will be raised by Mourinho's return to Chelsea again. They are bringing in Schurrle to play wide with Hazard on the other side, Man Ud already hurt us on the flanks but we won't be able to make up for this by dominating them through the middle anymore as they are signing Strootman, Spurs already kill us when they play with width...

We need to adjust or drop way down.

you think this is a prob with current 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3?

Current 4-2-3-1, although 4-3-3 has to be well-implemented by a specialist manager, otherwise you come apart defensively like Di Matteo's Chelsea this season, does anyone know if Mancini has experience with this?

4-2-3-1 is our primary formation when all fit. We have utilised that formation for the best of two years already.

 

[Master_Tactician]

oh yeh, might have been. But the thing is we completely dominated them.

-- Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:57 am --


you think this is a prob with current 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3?

Current 4-2-3-1, although 4-3-3 has to be well-implemented by a specialist manager, otherwise you come apart defensively like Di Matteo's Chelsea this season, does anyone know if Mancini has experience with this?

4-2-3-1 is our primary formation when all fit. We have utilised that formation for the best of two years already.

I mean does he have experience with 4-3-3?

 

[OB1]

[
I agree that 4-2-3-1 is currently our best formation, but given that we are pretty clearly targeting Cavani, I just don't see where he and Aguero fit into that. Aguero is wasted as an attacking midfielder IMO, would rather see him in a wide forward role like David Villa at Barcelona.

This I agree with. I think Aguero would be very good in a 4-3-3 playing the wide role a la Pedro / Villa with Cavani playing primarily up the middle. Cavani though can work out wide too so the players could interchange positions at times. We need someone with pace to play the other wide role; Bale, Di Maria and Reus would probably be my short list for that role.

I'm not sure that I agree that we have already moved to 4-3-3: I'd have said we were still using more of a 4-2-3-1; although yesterday looked like it was almost 4-2-4. I didn't travel up yesterday though and you don't get quite the same take on the game as from my seat on level 3 of the Kippax.

I an certainly fully in favour of a move to 4-3-3.

 

[Akira]

I mean does he have experience with 4-3-3?

I think 4-3-3 is not a hard formation to understand, unlike some of those played in Italy. In fact, I believing being able to utilize a formation like 4-3-3 should be some of the prerequisites of a top flight manager.

4-3-3 is a derivative from 4-2-3-1.
4-2-3-1 is a derivative from 4-4-1-1.
4-4-1-1 is a derivative from 4-4-2.

 

[ST Coleridge]

Barca obviously are the best exponents of a 433, but, as previously suggested, I don't think Yaya is well-suited to the system - in the Chelsea game he started in almost a No. 9 position, with Milner, Rodders and Javi in midfield. I'd love to see Kun in the David Villa role, though, cutting in from the left.

 

[OB1]

Barca obviously are the best exponents of a 433, but, as previously suggested, I don't think Yaya is well-suited to the system - in the Chelsea game he started in almost a No. 9 position, with Milner, Rodders and Javi in midfield. I'd love to see Kun in the David Villa role, though, cutting in from the left.

Isn't it funny though how Yaya managed to play the holding role in a 4-3-3 for Barca? He did of course end up losing out to Busquets.