4-5-1

[Super Scotty Murray]

Todays results goes to prove that playing 4-5-1 with Carle or Noble behind the striker is our best formation. I am constantly having to listen to people moaning that we are only playing 1 up front at home but it is not a negative formation. We are at our best when we can keep possesion for long periods and we could do that with Nick Carle linking up the play. Furthermore, Lee Johnson plays better when he has someone in front of him and he was superb yesterday. It also gives the opportunity for McIndoe and Sproule to get forward and often Carle would drop in to cover.

I hope we stick with it for the rest of the season. Your thoughts?

[bcfcas1]

Todays results goes to prove that playing 4-5-1 with Carle or Noble behind the striker is our best formation. I am constantly having to listen to people moaning that we are only playing 1 up front at home but it is not a negative formation. We are at our best when we can keep possesion for long periods and we could do that with Nick Carle linking up the play. Furthermore, Lee Johnson plays better when he has someone in front of him and he was superb yesterday. It also gives the opportunity for McIndoe and Sproule to get forward and often Carle would drop in to cover.

I hope we stick with it for the rest of the season. Your thoughts?

Todays game?? What have we missed!

Seriously though I agree and if Carle can find his scoring boots....

[Robbored]

Todays results goes to prove that playing 4-5-1 with Carle or Noble behind the striker is our best formation. I am constantly having to listen to people moaning that we are only playing 1 up front at home but it is not a negative formation. We are at our best when we can keep possesion for long periods and we could do that with Nick Carle linking up the play. Furthermore, Lee Johnson plays better when he has someone in front of him and he was superb yesterday. It also gives the opportunity for McIndoe and Sproule to get forward and often Carle would drop in to cover.

I hope we stick with it for the rest of the season. Your thoughts?

I reckon Johnson stumbled upon the 4-5-1 formation for two different reasons.

1)The lack of consistant strikers at City.He tried 4-5-1 before using Noble in the hole.

2) Now that Carle and Adebola have joined City he has the dilema of where to play Carle who is after all a midfielder.If Johnson was to stick with 4-4-2 where does Carle fit in? Obviously he plays 5 across midfield.

[Bristol Boy]

The 4-4-1-1 formation was borne out of a striker shortage against Boro in the cup last season and we now have two players who can play in the hole in Carle & Noble.We should stick to it, at least until we have a pacey, quality striker to partner Adebola.

City play well when we pass the ball and that means retaining possession-4-4-1-1 does that and we look a far better team at both ends of the field when we play that formation and I've been saying that all season.

Now, if we sign Henry & E'to tomorrow, we can have a rethink however, until then, let's stick to what we're good at!

[rossjonesuk]

Todays results goes to prove that playing 4-5-1 with Carle or Noble behind the striker is our best formation. I am constantly having to listen to people moaning that we are only playing 1 up front at home but it is not a negative formation. We are at our best when we can keep possesion for long periods and we could do that with Nick Carle linking up the play. Furthermore, Lee Johnson plays better when he has someone in front of him and he was superb yesterday. It also gives the opportunity for McIndoe and Sproule to get forward and often Carle would drop in to cover.

I hope we stick with it for the rest of the season. Your thoughts?

I think one good performance does not make a good formation. We have played 4-4-1-1 many an occasion before and see it flop. I think in Adebola we have a striker truly capable of playing on his own, but as I have said many a time before - we would still benefit from a Sproule-esque striker running off of Adebola's brilliant flick-ons and through balls.

[Super Scotty Murray]

I think one good performance does not make a good formation. We have played 4-4-1-1 many an occasion before and see it flop. I think in Adebola we have a striker truly capable of playing on his own, but as I have said many a time before - we would still benefit from a Sproule-esque striker running off of Adebola's brilliant flick-ons and through balls.

I don't really agree with what you have said. In my opinion the best three games we have played this season are (h) Sheff Utd, (h) Sheff Wed & (a) Watford and in all those games we played 4-5-1. Against QPR we were just walked over through midfield and we couldnt keep possesion. If you look at the prem, barring man u & arsenal, most teams play 4-5-1 very effectively (villa, pompey etc).

[bh_red]

I think one good performance does not make a good formation. We have played 4-4-1-1 many an occasion before and see it flop. I think in Adebola we have a striker truly capable of playing on his own, but as I have said many a time before - we would still benefit from a Sproule-esque striker running off of Adebola's brilliant flick-ons and through balls.

that's the thing, there has been some games it's worked well, and others were it hasn't worked at all? after all? what formation did we play away to Ipswich?

think the key difference though between last season when it worked and this season when it has/hasn't was possibly because the players in that formation were good enough for to be able to do it in League 1, but not the championship, Noble and Enoch both too me haven't looked good/fit enough to be able to do it at this level on a regular basis however they were good players at league 1 in which it worked well, however that has changed now we have signed much better players for each position in Adebola and Carle as yesterday showed.

personally, I'll always prefer 4-4-2 and am looking forward to the time that Adebola and Trundle get a chance together to play up front as a 2, however I think that both wingers deserve their places in the team and without doubt Johnson/Carle/Elliott are all undropable at the moment, so unless there is an injury/ban to any of them I think it will be 4-4-1-1 for now.

that said, it could well be Tuesday if Elliott doesn't recover.

[Gaffer]

I don't really agree with what you have said. In my opinion the best three games we have played this season are (h) Sheff Utd, (h) Sheff Wed & (a) Watford and in all those games we played 4-5-1. Against QPR we were just walked over through midfield and we couldnt keep possesion. If you look at the prem, barring man u & arsenal, most teams play 4-5-1 very effectively (villa, pompey etc).

I agree with you, plus i'd put Norwich away in the best performance catergory too. I said at the time that an Adebola type player was an essential signing for us, and judging on yesterdays team performance i hope Gary is proven right to sign him. Playing with one 'in the hole' allows us to retain the ball better, however we can look one dimensional without an outlet up front. Hopefully Dele can offer us this. Carle appears to be quicker than Noble too, which helps, as it appears Nobles chances will be limited now.

Quick wide players, alongside a big guy can be very successful.

[Maltshoveller]

4-5-1/4-4-1-1

for me very time

We look so much more solid when we play this

than when we go 4-4-2

The only problem i felt with whese formations

was that we didnt have a forward who could

play up front on his own

But now we do BIG BAD DELE

[Bristol Boy]

I think one good performance does not make a good formation. We have played 4-4-1-1 many an occasion before and see it flop. I think in Adebola we have a striker truly capable of playing on his own, but as I have said many a time before - we would still benefit from a Sproule-esque striker running off of Adebola's brilliant flick-ons and through balls.

We would benefit from a pacey striker next to Adebola-However, you can only select from the squad you have and until we sign one it's 4-4-1-1 every time.

that's the thing, there has been some games it's worked well, and others were it hasn't worked at all? after all? what formation did we play away to Ipswich?

The formation was 4-4-1-1 at the start and then we took off Noble at HT, reverted to 4-4-2 and got done 6-0.Carey's injury was a factor in the 2-0 HT scorline however, whatever system you play, the players have to perform and the likelihood of that is greater in a 4-4-1-1.

think the key difference though between last season when it worked and this season when it has/hasn't was possibly because the players in that formation were good enough for to be able to do it in League 1, but not the championship, Noble and Enoch both too me haven't looked good/fit enough to be able to do it at this level on a regular basis however they were good players at league 1 in which it worked well, however that has changed now we have signed much better players for each position in Adebola and Carle as yesterday showed.

I'd agree on Adebola.Noble has done well in the games against Sheff Utd & Norwich second half.I'm glad we now have two players who can play in that position in the event of an injury, suspension or even International call up.

personally, I'll always prefer 4-4-2 and am looking forward to the time that Adebola and Trundle get a chance together to play up front as a 2, however I think that both wingers deserve their places in the team and without doubt Johnson/Carle/Elliott are all undropable at the moment, so unless there is an injury/ban to any of them I think it will be 4-4-1-1 for now.

I'd always pick a formation to suit the players and Trundle & Adebola may not gel any better than Adebola & Byfield did.Neither are blessed with pace.

that said, it could well be Tuesday if Elliott doesn't recover.

Bring in Skuse for Elliott and leave the rest alone.

[bh_red]

that's the thing, there has been some games it's worked well, and others were it hasn't worked at all? after all? what formation did we play away to Ipswich?

The formation was 4-4-1-1 at the start and then we took off Noble at HT, reverted to 4-4-2 and got done 6-0.Carey's injury was a factor in the 2-0 HT scorline however, whatever system you play, the players have to perform and the likelihood of that is greater in a 4-4-1-1.

But we were already 2-0 down when Carey went off? so unsure how that factored in it? Noble went off because he was poor nothing more nothing less, he was brought into bring strength to the midfield but it wasn't working, within a min of HT though, Orr was off, pen and it was 3nil and basically then it was was over as a game, no formation was going to save us then, considering ipswichs home form at the time

think the key difference though between last season when it worked and this season when it has/hasn't was possibly because the players in that formation were good enough for to be able to do it in League 1, but not the championship, Noble and Enoch both too me haven't looked good/fit enough to be able to do it at this level on a regular basis however they were good players at league 1 in which it worked well, however that has changed now we have signed much better players for each position in Adebola and Carle as yesterday showed.

I'd agree on Adebola.Noble has done well in the games against Sheff Utd & Norwich second half.I'm glad we now have two players who can play in that position in the event of an injury, suspension or even International call up.

same as previous point, the fact that Noble has started 12 games this season and it's only really those 2 that he can have been said to have "play very well" sums up why Carle has been signed, too many other games he went missing and couldn't influcence, personally speaking I'd be suprised if he starts any more games for City, with everyone back and fit yesterday in the first time for a while, the lack of Noble was hardly suprising similar situation to Enoch, both have had their chances but haven't adjusted to this level unfortunately.

personally, I'll always prefer 4-4-2 and am looking forward to the time that Adebola and Trundle get a chance together to play up front as a 2, however I think that both wingers deserve their places in the team and without doubt Johnson/Carle/Elliott are all undropable at the moment, so unless there is an injury/ban to any of them I think it will be 4-4-1-1 for now.

I'd always pick a formation to suit the players and Trundle & Adebola may not gel any better than Adebola & Byfield did.Neither are blessed with pace.

Harsh to write off Adebola & Byfield as a partnership, one games and maybe 1 training session, very tough for anyone to gel together, Byfield and Trundle have proved not to work to well together, however the no doubt though at some point during the reminder of the season, I'd expect Adebola to get starts with both Byfield and Trundle,

still believe though that Trundle needs to play alongside someone such as Adebola to get the best of out him, some of his best form back with Swansea was playing with a Rory Fallon who's a big targetman, I can't believe that we have signed a player with the undoubted ability of Trundle and won't play to his strengths now we actually have a decent targetman in Adebola.

that said, it could well be Tuesday if Elliott doesn't recover.

Bring in Skuse for Elliott and leave the rest alone.

that's the common sense and senisble swap, however considering it's scunny, I wouldn't be overly suprised to see GJ try to play LJ & Carle in midfield together and give it a go, not that I'd agree with it, but i wouldn't be surprised if it happened.