4-5-1 Next Season

[Martyn Hocking]

I strongly suspect we will play 4-5-1 home and away next season if we go up, defending in depth to avoid giving away cheap goals and looking to sneak enough 1-0 wins to keep us out of the drop zone.

On that basis I don't see a great deal of transfer activity over the summer with the exception of a new central striker to hold the ball up if Brooker doesn't recover full fitness pronto.

Am I being overly negative or just realistic?

Well_red

[samo]

Let's not count chickens yet fella.

We've done nothing yet.

[Nibor]

I strongly suspect we will play 4-5-1 home and away next season if we go up, defending in depth to avoid giving away cheap goals and looking to sneak enough 1-0 wins to keep us out of the drop zone.

On that basis I don't see a great deal of transfer activity over the summer with the exception of a new central striker to hold the ball up if Brooker doesn't recover full fitness pronto.

Am I being overly negative or just realistic?

Well_red

Overly negative I think.

GJ doesn't have a reputation for defensive football, quite the opposite.

IF we go up... I think we'll be playing a conventional 442 on most occasions and I expect to see three or four attacking players coming in over the summer.

I think the squad we have right now is capable of avoiding relegation and were we to bring in 2 strikers and a quality left winger we'd be looking at 12th-16th and a chance to kick on from that the season after.

I don't think the bottom 8 sides in the Championship are really any better than the top 8 in this division and Colchester are showing the way.

[samo]

IF we go up... I think we'll be playing a conventional 442 on most occasions and I expect to see three or four attacking players coming in over the summer.

Still hope we see Popisil come down.

Has already said he needs to leave Hearts, and the new management want to restructure, so can imagine the deal would be back on if we were looking. He gets really great write ups in the scottish press and friends above the border say he's not bad either.

Plus he has the added advantage of knowing at least two of the squad already (McAllister and Johnson) and this would help him fit into the group and its obviously good team spirit, something which will be very important come the tense fight against relegation.

I'd hope we'd keep most of the squad, including Russell even (not lost a game he has started in, looks very fit for his age), and just look to add some experience so to consolidate. I think the players deserve a shot at proving themselves at the next level, and making wholesale changes would hurt our togetherness. Colchester are a shining example in my eyes.

[dezgimed]

Probably be like this season, maybe with extra caution..

So that'll be 4-4-2...

1-0 lead, bring on Keogh and Fontaine after 50 minutes.

[giles_23_bcfc]

Never a truer word said !

Lot of hype regarding how tough the championship is, there are some teams who are way above us at the moment no doubt about that, but there are also a few who are no better than a lot of teams in this division.

IF we get promoted, we would have little to no chance of getting in the top six, but a mid table finish would not be beyond this squad.

Look at Coventry. Bottom half of the Championship and we palyed them off the park at their own ground. We can definatly avoid relegation. Mid-table finish and consolidation, then, the season after, who knows?

[Robbored]

GJ doesn't have a reputation for defensive football, quite the opposite.

IF we go up... I think we'll be playing a conventional 442 on most occasions and I expect to see three or four attacking players coming in over the summer.

I think the squad we have right now is capable of avoiding relegation and were we to bring in 2 strikers and a quality left winger we'd be looking at 12th-16th and a chance to kick on from that the season after.

I don't think the bottom 8 sides in the Championship are really any better than the top 8 in this division and Colchester are showing the way.

It all depends on how Johnson strengthens the squad in the summer and how quickly they gel with the existing players.With the right signings I reckon a top half position would be reachable.I really believe that the current City midfield is very capable of holding its own higher up especially if Johnson finds some quality on the left.

City are lacking in quality strikers - I can't see Jevons holding his own in the Championship nor Showumni with his inconsistancy.Brooker will be able to adapt as his game is based on stregth but Johnson will be looking at bringing in a striker or two.

Defensively we look fairly tight but against higher quality and quicker teams players like Fontaine and Orr might struggle as neither have much pace.It will also be interesting to see how effective McCombe will be when teams won't always play down the wings and whack in crosses. I suspect he'll get turned more at a higher level than he does now.

I reckon Johnson will look to sign at least one defender, a couple of midfielders and a couple of strikers - assuming that we make it of course!

[bcfcchris2016]

I strongly suspect we will play 4-5-1 home and away next season if we go up, defending in depth to avoid giving away cheap goals and looking to sneak enough 1-0 wins to keep us out of the drop zone.

On that basis I don't see a great deal of transfer activity over the summer with the exception of a new central striker to hold the ball up if Brooker doesn't recover full fitness pronto.

Am I being overly negative or just realistic?

Well_red

nice to see someone saying 'If' we go up for a change.

as for the tactics, it has worked for us the last two games and if we have a strong game againest millwall and rotherham than we must use the 4-5-1 next season