The 3-5-2

[Akira]

If you haven't noticed, this was some sort of our Plan B this season.

Obviously, we can tell that our team has not fully adjusted to the formation, like Rodwell mentioned, awhile back. And we have been leaking goals like a broken pipe since the start of the season. We need to fixed this immediately, or the goal difference will somehow, somewhere, come back and bite us in the arse; ala Rags.

We have been switching to and fro, from last seasons 4-2-2-2 and the 3-5-2. Mancini likes to employ the more offensive 4-2-2-2 against smaller teams, but then again, even with that formation, we have conceded goals against smaller teams, and in my personal opinion, we don't look any better with the 4-2-2-2.

What I was thinking was, would it be possible to employ the 3-5-2 against smaller teams? This way, the teams get to gel faster with the formation, and frankly speaking, a team fully-capable of the 3-5-2 has a much better defense compared to the 2-men defense.

 

[InMyLifetime-BaconChops]

IMO Barry will be key in the 3-5-2, and we haven't had him available in the league yet.

 

[Damanino]

IMO Barry will be key in the 3-5-2, and we haven't had him available in the league yet.

Not sure about that. 352 so two strikers and two wingbacks that leaves 3 spaces in the middle. One for Yaya, one for Silva or Nasri and one for Rodwell/Grcia/Barry. I think Garcia will be the name on the team most of the time and not Barry.

 

[humantrain]

if the 3-5-2 is played than these players must be in the line up:

richards - kompany - lescott

zabaleta - toure - barry - kolarov

silva (or nasri)

balotelli dzeko (or tevez and aguero

--

notice that zabaleta and kolarov are on the wings .. this is because we need them to come back to defend, nasri/silva cant defend ... but they can be used in the attacking midfield role, supporting the two strikers. This formation can be used as plan B.

 

[sam-caddick]

You need the players to do it, if you have then it can work a dream.

I personally am not a fan of having 3 out and out CBs in the three, I like Pep Guardiolas 3-4-3 formation in which he used firstly Toure, then Mascherano as a sweeper - this for me is far more effective.

I would play Kompany on the right, Lescott on the left and Garcia in the central sweeping position, Barry can be the ball winner and Yaya can then focus on his bombing runs.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Sick Swan]

deffo working these into my lottery numbers,

should be a thread,

The Luckiest City Lottery Numbers

(shirt no.s goals appearances)

somewhere in there is the answer?

 

[Jay Division]

You need the players to do it, if you have then it can work a dream.

I personally am not a fan of having 3 out and out CBs in the three, I like Pep Guardiolas 3-4-3 formation in which he used firstly Toure, then Mascherano as a sweeper - this for me is far more effective.

I would play Kompany on the right, Lescott on the left and Garcia in the central sweeping position, Barry can be the ball winner and Yaya can then focus on his bombing runs.

Just my thoughts.

Not to be a pedant, but it's Busquets who is/was used mostly in the 3-4-3 sweeper role. It was tailor made for him.

 

[Adam-mcfc]

Just watch Juventus play and you'll see how to successfully play a 3-5-2. Two tireless, all around quality central midfielders with good pace are a necessity. Same thing for the wide players but they must seriously be able to run forever.

I think it goes without saying we are not best suited to play that formation. We probably could play it succesfully but it will take time for the players to adjust, which we do not have. The 4-2-3-1/4-2-2-2 has been excellent for us I don't see a compelling reason why we need to change.

 

[felixdov]

Is this the reason we have seen less of Lescott this year?
I thought he was City most improved player last year... or has he a niggle?

I sort of like a 4-2- 1-2-1 formation but I do not think you can use that against Real Madrid away!

I think it is OK to have defender/midfield players- Javi and Barry
It is also OK to have defender/attackers- Micha and Clichy (sp?)
Where it is harder to see is with midfield/attackers... I think this is the area that you just need attackers- strikers. We have Balotelli - pure striker, ditto Dzeko; Aguero and Tevez work a bit harder but are not midfielders.
Silva is a midfielder but does not score many goals, perhaps he should score more, he could if his mind was right....
Nasri is probably the best midfielder/attacker we have. but he is not the best Midfielder. Nor is he the best attacker.

Perhaps we need to have an attacking formation and a defending formation, that changes in a fluid way as possession changes? Is that a novel idea or is that just how good players play anyway?
Or even a we are winning and do not want to concede a goal formation. ie when we were 2-1 up and 7 mins to go...? And certainly in a knock-out game. This is Mancini's forte?
To find the best shape and the best players and indeed the best "Team" is harder this season for Mancini than ever!
I am sure City are in great hands. But we will be hard tested on Sunday with Arsenal...

 

[sam-caddick]

You need the players to do it, if you have then it can work a dream.

I personally am not a fan of having 3 out and out CBs in the three, I like Pep Guardiolas 3-4-3 formation in which he used firstly Toure, then Mascherano as a sweeper - this for me is far more effective.

I would play Kompany on the right, Lescott on the left and Garcia in the central sweeping position, Barry can be the ball winner and Yaya can then focus on his bombing runs.

Just my thoughts.

Not to be a pedant, but it's Busquets who is/was used mostly in the 3-4-3 sweeper role. It was tailor made for him.

Well whatever, but I think that is how the three a the back should be played. The way Mancini uses the three at the back formation creates the team to sit back too much when the other team has the ball, Guardiola had the team pressing like mad. He made the pitch look huge when they had the ball and really small when they did not have the ball.

That is another thing, what we should learn off Madrid is their pressing, as soon as we had the ball their players were on us in an instant, we never do this and I don't understand why, not at the pace they were doing it.