It's so crazy... It just might work!? (5 Viewers)

SkyBlueGuy

Well-Known Member
(this is purely a distraction post - I am not saying we should do this or that Robins should/ will go)

...Fade in...

Another disappointing result.
You are Mark Robins.
You now feel that you have one more roll of the die...
What crazy/outlandish formation/ tactic do you come up with?

I'll start:
3-5-2 formation with inverted wing-backs. Two CMs and a CAM, Two strikers with one playing Target Man, the other Shadow Sticker/ Second Striker

+++++++++++++ Dovin ++++++++++++
++++++Thomas Kitchin Binks++++++
Da Silva +++ Torp + Sheaf +++ MVE
+++++++++++Rudoni++++++++++++
+++++ Simms + BTA/Bassette +++++

The team focuses on controlling the middle of the pitch while still maintaining width through dynamic movement. The three center-backs provide defensive solidity, while the wing-backs, instead of staying wide, tuck inside to overload the midfield. This creates an advantage in central areas, allowing the team to dominate possession and build up attacks through short passes.

The inverted wing-backs are key to this system. By drifting into central midfield during attacks, they give the team more passing options and help the midfielders link up with the strikers. When the wing-backs move inward, they also leave space on the flanks for the center-backs to advance, or for the strikers to drift wide, which makes the team more unpredictable. Defensively, the inverted wing-backs can either shift back to wide positions or stay central to compress the midfield and stop counter-attacks.

Up front, the two strikers play complementary roles. Simms holds up the ball and acts as the focal point for crosses and long balls, while BTA/ Bassette make runs behind the defense, feeding off through balls and capitalising on space created by Simms.

Who knows 🤷🏻‍♂️
 

Last edited:

rob9872

Well-Known Member
So you're keeping Kitching in, dropping Eccles and our natural width.

Who knows? (Not you)
 

SkyBlueGuy

Well-Known Member
So you're keeping Kitching in, dropping Eccles and our natural width.

Who knows? (Not you)
Never claimed I did. It's just a bit of (slightly morbid) fun.

Not for a second seriously suggesting it's the way to go, but... How effective has our width been? We work the ball out wide, hit a roadblock, and then work it back to the CBs again. When we do get the ball into the box there is rarely anyone to get on the end of it.

In the spirit of the original post, what would you do?
 

quinn1971

Well-Known Member
When your struggling first thing to try and change is stop conceding, I’d take a couple of 0-0s, find a defence that works then build on that, problem is I don’t think we’ve got the players who can defend, too many errors in them, I’d give binks and Thomas at least the next 2 games together and put dovin back in,
 

skybluecam

Well-Known Member
On current availability
Dovin
Lati Thomas Kitching Dasilva
MVE Sheaf Eccles Wright
Simms BTA

44 fooking 2, play as direct as possible

Could also swap some players around to get Rudoni or EMC in.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
On current availability
Dovin
Lati Thomas Kitching Dasilva
MVE Sheaf Eccles Wright
Simms BTA

44 fooking 2, play as direct as possible

Could also swap some players around to get Rudoni or EMC in.

Don’t think Wright has the discipline to play a winger in a 442, EMC would probably do better on the left. Why not Saka on the right?
 

quinn1971

Well-Known Member
Wright isn’t a winger, being asked to do a job he doesn’t want to, try him as a 9,it’s why we signed him, but your right said the same Saturday try 4-4-2 can’t be any worse ? Hate the 451 we’re playing, isn’t working
 

skybluecam

Well-Known Member
Don’t think Wright has the discipline to play a winger in a 442, EMC would probably do better on the left. Why not Saka on the right?
Injured. But yea him in for Lati when fit.

Not a perfect fit for Wright no but on current evidence I’d still probably play him there ahead of EMC.
 

shmmeee

Well-Known Member
Injured. But yea him in for Lati when fit.

Not a perfect fit for Wright no but on current evidence I’d still probably play him there ahead of EMC.

I e been harsh on EMC but in his defence the one time he’s looked like a footballer it’s been on the left.
 

CovValleyBoy

Well-Known Member
(this is purely a distraction post - I am not saying we should do this or that Robins should/ will go)

...Fade in...

Another disappointing result.
You are Mark Robins.
You now feel that you have one more roll of the die...
What crazy/outlandish formation/ tactic do you come up with?

I'll start:
3-5-2 formation with inverted wing-backs. Two CMs and a CAM, Two strikers with one playing Target Man, the other Shadow Sticker/ Second Striker

+++++++++++++ Dovin ++++++++++++
++++++Thomas Kitchin Binks++++++
Da Silva +++ Torp + Sheaf +++ MVE
+++++++++++Rudoni++++++++++++
+++++ Simms + BTA/Bassette +++++

The team focuses on controlling the middle of the pitch while still maintaining width through dynamic movement. The three center-backs provide defensive solidity, while the wing-backs, instead of staying wide, tuck inside to overload the midfield. This creates an advantage in central areas, allowing the team to dominate possession and build up attacks through short passes.

The inverted wing-backs are key to this system. By drifting into central midfield during attacks, they give the team more passing options and help the midfielders link up with the strikers. When the wing-backs move inward, they also leave space on the flanks for the center-backs to advance, or for the strikers to drift wide, which makes the team more unpredictable. Defensively, the inverted wing-backs can either shift back to wide positions or stay central to compress the midfield and stop counter-attacks.

Up front, the two strikers play complementary roles. Simms holds up the ball and acts as the focal point for crosses and long balls, while BTA/ Bassette make runs behind the defense, feeding off through balls and capitalising on space created by Simms.

Who knows 🤷🏻‍♂️
SBG. Love the passion. But "plan" found wanting at "dynamic movement".
 

Monty

Well-Known Member
Play round pegs in round holes.
Certainly agee firming up defence, and inverted wind backs could make sense, and based on current availability, although hopefully at least Sakamoto may be back for the next match as an option.

Dovin
MVE Thomas Kitching Binks DaSilva
Eccles Sheaf
Rudoni
Bassette Wright

Sub Wise would have BTA as first option to come on up front with his running. Other than that unsure, Torp seems to have gone backwards, so maybe have to try Andrews in the middle when Sheaf tires, maybe see if EMC works as the AM option judging by his drifting in on Saturday, Sakamoto is another option for AM. Lati provides most options from the bench for RB, CB and DM.

Simms needs some confidence, but not sure how the way the team are at the moment he can get that confidence
 

BlueSkiesForever

Well-Known Member
A high pressing 4-4-2 making sure to keep the defence nearer the halfway line, allowing Sheaf and Eccles to have the midfield and for the onus to be on them to spread passes out wide and through the middle for strikers to run on to.

It’d mean we’d still have width from the left and right mids/wingers but also keep pressure on defenders up top with two strikers. Alright you’d have no Rudoni at CAM but being more compact from top to bottom might make up for that. I’m sure there’s flaws in every setup but it’s not like we’ve got a winning formula atm.
 

Matt smith

Well-Known Member
Exactly that. Take Saturday for example, EMC was inside most of the game - and like every other week this season leaves Milan 2/3 on 1. If we had any width, we would be better at playing against the press
Tactically we’re all over the place at the moment

2 massive weeks coming up, November is a good enough barometer imo, crucial 5/6 games
 

Torquay Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Id give Wright a go at CF . Looks disinterested where he is at present. Don't like rewarding someone who's not giving but needs must
 

Sky Blue Goblin

Well-Known Member
(this is purely a distraction post - I am not saying we should do this or that Robins should/ will go)

...Fade in...

Another disappointing result.
You are Mark Robins.
You now feel that you have one more roll of the die...
What crazy/outlandish formation/ tactic do you come up with?

I'll start:
3-5-2 formation with inverted wing-backs. Two CMs and a CAM, Two strikers with one playing Target Man, the other Shadow Sticker/ Second Striker

+++++++++++++ Dovin ++++++++++++
++++++Thomas Kitchin Binks++++++
Da Silva +++ Torp + Sheaf +++ MVE
+++++++++++Rudoni++++++++++++
+++++ Simms + BTA/Bassette +++++

The team focuses on controlling the middle of the pitch while still maintaining width through dynamic movement. The three center-backs provide defensive solidity, while the wing-backs, instead of staying wide, tuck inside to overload the midfield. This creates an advantage in central areas, allowing the team to dominate possession and build up attacks through short passes.

The inverted wing-backs are key to this system. By drifting into central midfield during attacks, they give the team more passing options and help the midfielders link up with the strikers. When the wing-backs move inward, they also leave space on the flanks for the center-backs to advance, or for the strikers to drift wide, which makes the team more unpredictable. Defensively, the inverted wing-backs can either shift back to wide positions or stay central to compress the midfield and stop counter-attacks.

Up front, the two strikers play complementary roles. Simms holds up the ball and acts as the focal point for crosses and long balls, while BTA/ Bassette make runs behind the defense, feeding off through balls and capitalising on space created by Simms.

Who knows 🤷🏻‍♂️
Would love a change and great to see ideas on here.

My big concern with this system would be the movement required of the two wide centre backs. Since the wing backs would tuck in you would overload the middle and have no wide options.

To counter that you’d be asking the Wide centre backs to act as a pivot with Ben sheaf covering, imo that would ask too much of a CBs who struggle to move the ball and pick runs atm.

Which in turn would mean teams would just defend the centre and make it too compact for us to do anything with it.

Think if you want to run something similar you’d be better off with a 5-3-2 with a DM to cover the CB movement, asking the centre backs and wingbacks to make over/under lapping runs for each other with the DM covering and offering a option while the two CMs progress the ball through the lines.

All while focusing on playing triangles to ensure the ball moves safely and we can attack the box from out wide.

Both systems require a good target man to hold it all together up front which at the moment we also seem to lack.
 

StrettoBoy

Well-Known Member
Id give Wright a go at CF . Looks disinterested where he is at present. Don't like rewarding someone who's not giving but needs must

It could be worth a try if the reason for his disinterest is that he thinks he should be playing CF. I don’t think he should feel that though because his performances and goal stats improved considerably when MR moved him to the left.

I have had another thought. There seems be a growing feeling on some threads that none of our goalkeepers are good enough. Wright is very tall and goalkeepers don’t have to run around much . . . . . 😆
 

Seamus1

Well-Known Member
Would never play Binks in a back 4. 2 clean sheets in his entire time with us is not inspiring confidence. Kitching has had 3 clean sheets so far this season. Would play him either centre of a back 3; Thomas and Kitching either side, with MVE and Dasilva as Wing backs, or keep him on the bench and have Latibeaudiere to the right of a back 3…which would be my preferred option…and I think Latibeaudiere is also crap! Binks has been awful for the supposed money spent…outmuscled and often ends up being pulled/wandering too far to the centre, leaving Bidwell exposed, and judgement is clouded by his one or two pretty passes
 
Last edited:

Cov98

Well-Known Member
If we’re going 2 up front like some are suggesting, it has to be a back 3 in my opinion. I just can’t see the players we have fitting into any formation with 2 up front and a back 4.

3-4-1-2 lets us play Kitching, Thomas, Binks / Lati, Dasilva and MVE as wing backs with Bidders and Tatsu as rotations , Sheaf and Eccles as holding mids, Torp / Rudoni as attacking mids and then Wright, Simms, Bassette, BTA and EMC up front.

I know we played similar to this at the start of the season the other year and it was dog, but with Rudoni, Torp, BTA and Bassette I feel like we’ve got much more energy and less of a disconnect between the midfield and the attack.
 

quinn1971

Well-Known Member
Problem is has doug Got the patience to give robins time to find something that works, we’ve normally improved by now in previous seasons,
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top