Time For A Change?

[Henry]

Having time to think about it I reckon our best option may be to go 3-5-2 and this team.

Basso

Carey(if fit)/Vasko Mcombe Fontaine

Wilson Elliot Skuse Noble Mcindoe

Byfield Trundle

Subs:

Henderson

Vasko or Keogh if Carey is unfit

Johnson

Sproule

Showunmi

As Bristol Boys rightly says, this will able to to get as many match winners such as; Byfield, Trundle, Noble and Mcindoe and leaders in; Carey, Mcombe and Elliot.

Having the 3 centre backs in there gives us strength, leadership and abilty to pass the ball out rather then hoof it to Trundle. I think having Wilson and Mcindoe on either side will give us, balance, pace, stamina, crossing abilty and fighting spirt. Also seems to work for us to have one slightly more defensive player on one side.

Before someone says "Mcindoe" isnt a wing back well neither is Wilson. In fact, I don't think any player would say wing back was his best postion.

As for the midfield, I'm not going to turn this into a LJ debate but I think a little spell on the bench will recharge his batteries and make him more determined to perform better. Having Skuse playing will give Noble the license to get forward without having to worry so much about getting back. I think Trundle and Byfield will both strive of Noble's clever balls(no dirty jokes please) as Trundle loves the ball at feet outside the box where he can turn, look up, dribble then either shoot or put someone through. Byfield would hopefully be making runs the other way for the ball to be played though and stretching the defense, whilst making space for midfield runners. Which leads me on to my next and more important point....

If you think back to early Wenger days at Arsenal or more recently, Viera played alot better and was able to make late runs into the box to score vital goals at times. The reason for this? Having good holding players in Petit and Gilberto locking the door behind him. As someone mentioned, most teams seem to have a player making late runs and scoring goals from midfield and I think Elliot could be that player. I think we despretely need more goals from midfield because as of today, we don't have a free scoring stiker. I know Elliot hasnt scored many goals in his career but he is still young and can adapt.

If he goes manage to add late runs and goals to his game. Well, the Premiership beckons for Mr Elliot and a bloody good career

Thoughts please?

[Redhyde]

Taking our best players out of the positions where they've performed to me is a nonsense. GJ has switched between 4 and five in midfield but we're going to stick with four in the back in this league. It won't happen and it would take a drastic change of ethos and thinking from Gj to do so.

We don't have any wingbacks. We barely have fullbacks so either asking the current ones to push on or messing about with McIndoe/Sproule is crazy talk. Why would you piss about with McIndoe when he's in great form?

Using Arsenal as the model where they've played 4-4-2 for ever and a day doesn't back up your point either. Last team to win anything or be successful with 3-5-2? 2002 world cup by my count and we don't have Cafu and Roberto Carlos playing for us.

You want to put our centre backs on the pitch i get that. You have McCoombe still in your head as the player of the year rather than the slow not match fit player of this year. You want rid of LJ in order to sure up the midfield defensively. Great. What you've done is get rid of all the under performing players from your side and pick the good ones who have either performed or at least are untested but are remembered to be good.

However by doing so you've completely destroyed everything positive about our wide play, made a glaring target of our defensive frailties down the wing and thrown a new system into the until recently stable defensive base we've built on.

In theory picking players who are all good and performing well works, but as Steve McClaren is working out, throwing all the best players onto the pitch in any formation required to fit them in doesn't work. Bristol City is about synergy and your tactical switches adds up to a mess instead. But we'll never know, caus GJ won't play 3-5-2 this year with the wingers working so well.