Formation Is The 4231 Really Right For Us?

[Red & Gold]

[Barrs Court Red]

Good post.

Personally all the talk about this latest formation reminds me of the 352 craze of the late 90's. Ah wingbacks......

I don't think at the higher levels it is as simple as having one tactic. Each situation probably has different instrutions attached to it regarding a players posistioning anyway. "If X gets the ball run here" "IF we have the ball and it's in this zone do this"....

[Mr Popodopolous]

I wouldn't mind us giving 4-2-3-1 a go. It seems to be very much a formation associated with modern football at high levels.

Man United used it in 2008 when they won the CL; Spain, Holland and Germany used it in this WC. As the OP says though, we may not have an attacking midfielder of sufficent calibre to carry it off properly yet.

I think we should give it a go in pre season certainly.

[chipdawg]

To answer one of your many points, do you not think nicky would be well suited to the 'free' role in a 4231. How many of his goals last season were from outside the box or from dropping into wide-ish positions?

[James]

To answer one of your many points, do you not think nicky would be well suited to the 'free' role in a 4231. How many of his goals last season were from outside the box or from dropping into wide-ish positions?

My thoughts exactly!

[chinapig]

I'm glad to see SC taking a flexible view. For me you play the formation that best suits the players you have rather than shoe-horn them into a pre-determined one (Capello does the latter for instance). Most of the best sides played variations on 4-2-3-1 but no two were the same, depending on the players they had. Who would have predicted Villa playing his best games from the left or Forlan being so superb playing behind a front man? SC's advice to Adomah suggests to me that orthodox winger may not be the role (or only role) he plays. I'm very much looking forward the outcome.