Txiki and the 4-3-3.......

[Rammy Blue]

Apologies in advance if this has been covered in other threads as I've not been on today and was forever playing catch-up over the weekend on the MP thread.

Anyway, I was playing football this evening when the thought crossed my mind that am I imagining stuff when I say that wasn't there a statement that we were going to play 4-3-3 right through all levels at the club, as this was "the future"?

Just found it strange that we all seem to have missed this whilst discussing the doubts about our new manager and the performances of late seeing as we've played a rigid 4-4-2 in all 4 games.

 

[Danamy]

I still expect us to play 4-2-3-1 more often than not, it served Pellegrini well at Malaga and we certainly have the personnel here to execute it.

 

[FantasyIreland]

I still expect us to play 4-2-3-1 more often than not, it served Pellegrini well at Malaga and we certainly have the personnel here to execute it.

Other than perhaps a possible 433,given our lack of a left winger,i think we would struggle with any other system.

 

[Gaylord du Bois]

I still expect us to play 4-2-3-1 more often than not, it served Pellegrini well at Malaga and we certainly have the personnel here to execute it.

Other than perhaps a possible 433,given our lack of a left winger,i think we would struggle with any other system.

As a resident pseudo mod should'nt you be bollocking the op for not posting in the Tactical Discussion thread?

 

[Danamy]

I still expect us to play 4-2-3-1 more often than not, it served Pellegrini well at Malaga and we certainly have the personnel here to execute it.

Other than perhaps a possible 433,given our lack of a left winger,i think we would struggle with any other system.

You need to have a fluid 3 up top in a 4-3-3 and with either Negredo or Dzeko you wouldn't have that in my opinion, the only way you would is without them two and include Aguero.

 

[Rammy Blue]

I still expect us to play 4-2-3-1 more often than not, it served Pellegrini well at Malaga and we certainly have the personnel here to execute it.

I frigging hope we'll start playing 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 soon enough, just seems bizarre that in 360 mins of footy we've never wavered once from a rigid 4-4-2.<br /><br />-- Mon Sep 16, 2013 10:24 pm --<br /><br />

I still expect us to play 4-2-3-1 more often than not, it served Pellegrini well at Malaga and we certainly have the personnel here to execute it.

Other than perhaps a possible 433,given our lack of a left winger,i think we would struggle with any other system.

You need to have a fluid 3 up top in a 4-3-3 and with either Negredo or Dzeko you wouldn't have that in my opinion, the only way you would is without them two and include Aguero.

I think that any 3 from Jovetic, Silva, Aguero, Negredo and Navas would be fine.

 

[eddiemarin09]

I would like that and would prefer aguero jovetic and navas up front ..but does anybody notice how bad of a passer aguero is?

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Apologies in advance if this has been covered in other threads as I've not been on today and was forever playing catch-up over the weekend on the MP thread.

Anyway, I was playing football this evening when the thought crossed my mind that am I imagining stuff when I say that wasn't there a statement that we were going to play 4-3-3 right through all levels at the club, as this was "the future"?

Just found it strange that we all seem to have missed this whilst discussing the doubts about our new manager and the performances of late seeing as we've played a rigid 4-4-2 in all 4 games.

Txiki didn't say it. One of the coaches claimed to the press a year or so ago that a message had been passed on to the junior coaches that this was going to be the formation that players were developed on. It was never confirmed, in fact I've a feeling it might even have been denied.

Either way, we've been 4222 all season, and about 60% of pre-season (although I haven't seen Saturday's game). And that's the formation Pellegrini is best known for I believe. At the moment it isn't working, mainly, Because we can't get the holding players working properly and there's no proper link play or fluidity. We have seen that great big gap between the holders and the attackers that we suffered from 2 years ago.He might carry on with it now vinny is back in the hope that his distribution and 'stepping out' will stop yaya coming deep and slowing us down.

It was never my favourite formation but we've used it for most of the last two years with Barry providing the momentum and link play.

But it's giving him the first challenge of his city career and I am keen to see how he reacts.

 

[RobertBlue]

I dont really think what formation we play actually matters 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 once we have possession most teams in the prem play with 10 men behind the ball and defend for their lives... no formation stops this or counters it, intelligent players, intelligent passing and working hard to create space for others counters this. It was the biggest problem last year and will probably be this seasons...

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I dont really think what formation we play actually matters 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1 once we have possession most teams in the prem play with 10 men behind the ball and defend for their lives... no formation stops this or counters it, intelligent players, intelligent passing and working hard to create space for others counters this. It was the biggest problem last year and will probably be this seasons...

The formation really does matter.

If you play a team defending deep you should use a formation with width. If you play a team who want to play you toe to toe you try to dominate the midfield, etc etc.

Of course you have to have the right players in the right roles to make that formation work, and that's where we are struggling at he moment.