Londonccfcfan
Well-Known Member
Think there's no option but 5 at the back now till next season.
5 at the back now (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter Londonccfcfan
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JoshCCFC1987
Well-Known Member
midfield is weak as it is and you want to expose it even more 
lord_garrincha
Well-Known Member
Both formations have 2 deep & 1 advanced in midfield.midfield is weak as it is and you want to expose it even more
Earlsdon_Skyblue1
Well-Known Member
I think people saying our season over is a bit over the top at this stage. However, if we go to five at the back it might as well be the case.
Garlana86
Well-Known Member
Alot of these recent issues are because of sheaf being missing, he's the glue, we can put 6-7 at the back and it won't change much, our midfield are just not at the same level without sheaf, miss the protection and work rate. Similar happened when we lost Gus, Eccles and lati are no good enough unfortunately.
SeaSeeEffCee
Well-Known Member
We don’t have the strikers to play 5 at the back. Neithe Wright or Simms look close to scoring when they play in a two.
Great_Expectations
Well-Known Member
Season isn’t over after one loss and another injury. For now we have cover to keep the formation as is, albeit I also think MR will go to 5 ATB.
Doesn’t solve the issue - whether it’s 4 or 5 ATB, it’s still 2 in CM and those roles are pivotal. Last night showed we can’t play with those 2 at CM (or Kelly) and expect them to create. Same happened at the start of the season, even with Sheaf. Sheaf/Torp/COH will offer a different dynamic, but the formation will restrict us if we want to play football from back to front.
Doesn’t solve the issue - whether it’s 4 or 5 ATB, it’s still 2 in CM and those roles are pivotal. Last night showed we can’t play with those 2 at CM (or Kelly) and expect them to create. Same happened at the start of the season, even with Sheaf. Sheaf/Torp/COH will offer a different dynamic, but the formation will restrict us if we want to play football from back to front.
Mild-Mannered Janitor
Kindest Bloke on CCFC / Maker of CCFC Dreams
If we don’t want to create another chance, we have options, the 5 one though has created nothing when we have played it this year
SkyblueDad
Well-Known Member
Our issue is the strikers as a threesome they ain’t good enough, first touch poor, Simms has improved but has a long way to go to establish him self as a first choice.
Robins will need to spend a lot of money in that department.
Robins will need to spend a lot of money in that department.
RegTheDonk
Well-Known Member
Did we not abandon this because it wasn't working? Injury asside we've climbed the league since going with 4
Londonccfcfan
Well-Known Member
Thomas, Binks, kitching
Mve.........................Bidwell
Eccles, torp
Ohare, Palmer
Simms/Wright
Mve.........................Bidwell
Eccles, torp
Ohare, Palmer
Simms/Wright
Londonccfcfan
Well-Known Member
We have no wingers now
fernandopartridge
Well-Known Member
Could we push mve forward into that Saka role?!
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stupot07
Well-Known Member
We've looked so poor and toothless when we've played 352 or 3421 this season. It worked previously two seasons because we had Gyokeres and Hamer. And also Allen making runs from midfield, when we played the box. Playing It with two upfront rarely worked and we got otherrun in midfield, and if you play 1 up and the box, you can't have both O'Hare and Palmer, as you need someone making those third man runs.
We should have another look at Tavares, and also MVE in the Saka role before we throw out the 4231 which has been the main reason for our up turn.
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We should have another look at Tavares, and also MVE in the Saka role before we throw out the 4231 which has been the main reason for our up turn.
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Londonccfcfan
Well-Known Member
We have no option to 4 at the back.
MVE is knackered needs a break and won't last either. We have no natural right hand side width wether it's Right back or right winger.
pusbccfc
Well-Known Member
Can we afford to do that now Lati and Eccles are our only midfielders who Robins will play?
Unless he finally gives Kelly a run out.
mmttww
Well-Known Member
Maidstone could be a chance to play that system with an almost first choice XI and get some rhythm. Feel like we'd be less toothless than earlier in the season with Wright and Simms in better form and with Torp as one of the deeper two. Something like...
Collins
MvE
Latibeaudiere
Thomas
Kitching
Bidwell
Kelly
Torp
Palmer
Simms
Godden
If Torp isn't fit to start, should have enough with Eccles in there vs. Maidstone. If neither Kelly or Torp are fit enough to start, then I'm out of ideas!
Collins
MvE
Latibeaudiere
Thomas
Kitching
Bidwell
Kelly
Torp
Palmer
Simms
Godden
If Torp isn't fit to start, should have enough with Eccles in there vs. Maidstone. If neither Kelly or Torp are fit enough to start, then I'm out of ideas!
Wouldn't be surprised to see us go 5 at the back again given we have no right winger now other than Tavares.
If we do want to stick with 4 at the back then when Sheaf returns we could go 433 rather than 4231 so we've got one less attacking player to field, though it means playing one of O'Hare/Palmer on the right.
If we do want to stick with 4 at the back then when Sheaf returns we could go 433 rather than 4231 so we've got one less attacking player to field, though it means playing one of O'Hare/Palmer on the right.
stupot07
Well-Known Member
Seems like we're stuffed either way then. We're toothless with wingbacks and we don't have the players to play 4231.
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Londonccfcfan
Well-Known Member
stupot07
Well-Known Member
You won't have the runners going in behind. They both want to play as a 10. Allen did that so effectively, and Shipley did too in league one. Otherwise your striker gets isolated.
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Think we may go back to 5 at the back but really don't think it will work. The FA Cup game against Sheffield Wednesday showed that.
Might see 4-4-1-1 (Robins 1st stint tactics in League 1 & a few times in our 1st season in Championship) to try and see us through. Aim to keep it tight and counter quickly.
Something like:
MvE Thomas Kitching Bidwell
Eccles Lati Torp Wright
O'Hare
Simms
Might see 4-4-1-1 (Robins 1st stint tactics in League 1 & a few times in our 1st season in Championship) to try and see us through. Aim to keep it tight and counter quickly.
Something like:
MvE Thomas Kitching Bidwell
Eccles Lati Torp Wright
O'Hare
Simms
stay_up_skyblues
Well-Known Member
I think it will happen. Probably unfair to write Haji and Simms off as a front two based on the first few games given they’ve both progressed since then, albeit only very recently for Ellis. It could work yet. I’d probably rather that than Tavares RW.
And we really need to sure up at the back as we’ve looked pretty shambolic in defence recently, the Preston result had been coming.
I’d like to try;
Collins
Bidwell
Binks
Kitching
Thomas
MVE
Eccles
Torp
COH
Simms
Wright
Failing that a box with Palmer in for one of the front two, but Wright is now the main goal threat (with COH) and it would be counterproductive to drop Simms as he starts to find a bit of form.
And we really need to sure up at the back as we’ve looked pretty shambolic in defence recently, the Preston result had been coming.
I’d like to try;
Collins
Bidwell
Binks
Kitching
Thomas
MVE
Eccles
Torp
COH
Simms
Wright
Failing that a box with Palmer in for one of the front two, but Wright is now the main goal threat (with COH) and it would be counterproductive to drop Simms as he starts to find a bit of form.
Blind-Faith
Well-Known Member
If we go back to 2 up top, arise Sir Matthew of Godden 
skybluecam
Well-Known Member
going to 5 at the back is the end of our season as a competitive endeavour. It was dogshit to start and has been both times we’ve tried it since.
Legia Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
I think MR might well go to a back 5 for the West Brom match, although I would be surprised if he goes with the formation for every game. Either way missing Saka fundamentally changes the balance and therefore the formation of our team, as there is simply no like for like replacement. He has also been a big player for us, in terms of goals and assists, so someone is going to have to step up and take on his mantle if we are going to have any chance at making the play offs. Now would be a particularly good time for Simms to really prove his worth.
tommy hutch legend
Well-Known Member
Agree but would swap Kelly for palmer
ccfc1234
Well-Known Member
I like this for the big games, should make us harder to score against and Palmer and Ohare can create for Simms or Wright.
If we are chasing a game we can go two up top with either a CM or ACM going off.
skybluecam
Well-Known Member
Can anyone explain why we’d go to 5 at the back? We were in 20th place when we abandoned it because it doesn’t work.
Legia Sky Blue
Well-Known Member
Because our available players leave us with little other option! Unfortunately, stumbling across playing Sakamoto in a more advanced role was the key to the change of system and our improved form this season. Most of our Summer signings were made with a view to playing 5 at the back, certainly our defensive signings (Dasilva, Collins, Van Ewijk, Binks, Latibeaudiere, Kitching). As it turned out Van Ewijk adapted well to playing RB with Saka in front of him, and as a pair Thomas and Kitching have done ok in a back 4, but now we are where we are.
Of course there might be some MR masterplan where we can still get by with a back 4, but my gut instinct is that he will mostly revert to a back 5. The only way I can see us continuing with a back 4 would be if he tried something completely out of the blue like playing Simms and Wright wide on the wings with O'Hare playing centrally, but deeper as a kind of false forward. However, to do that would probably involve some serious training ground practice to perfect, which I suspect we haven't got time for right now so far into the season.
Last edited:
Pricey1984
Well-Known Member
I'm skeptical about wingbacks with this squad. In the absence of wingers, could we look at maybe a diamond formation or a 4312?
Collins
MVE, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell
Lati
Eccles Torp
Ohare
Wright Simms
Collins
MVE, Thomas, Kitching, Bidwell
Lati
Eccles Torp
Ohare
Wright Simms