I don't like the 2 DMC formation-which is what we started this season with. It was just too deep with Gael and Sammy playing the same role and we didn't create much. Even worse, we tend to withdraw a striker so that it is effectively 4-2-2-1-1. The man in the hole ends up wasted and the main forward too isolated.
I do like the formation that has seen our best results and performances-the 4-1-2-1-2 Diamond. Thomas and Deegan are now giving us that vital MC who can tackle and pass-and drive forwards when required. The only downside is it lacks width and Sammy seems obsessed with sitting deep. But it only works if McSheffrey is on song-he is effectively both the RW and LW as well as ST depending on the situation. We don't have any one else with the movement and goal-pocing anticipation to do the role, but if he is lacklustre, knackered or unfit it leaves the midfield without options and the strikers without support.
Bell can't really play this role, he doesn't get into goalscoring positions enough. Sheff does constantly..he's been waiting for knock-downs unmarked in the penalty area 5 or 6 times this season-the only time he got it was the offside goal last night. Baker can't quite play the role either-he can score, but lacks the passing reliablity or intelligence at working the channels.
The other formation AT has used regularly is the one we switched to after Blackpool scored. This is provisionally a 433, with the strikers in theory concentrating on attacking but dropping back to challenge their FB when without the ball. Last night was a tailored version to try and preventing Blackpools RW murdering us-it saw Roy very wide, more as a winger than a wide striker, whose job was almost entirely defensive (and he did it well). Sheff was more in a free role, but covering the RW more than the left, and trying to join in with Lukas. It didn't work in an attacking sense as Lukas was left too isolated to really offer a goal threat. Whereas before the switch, Roy was getting into goal-scoring positions and he and Lukas showed signs of building up a big lad/quick lad understanding.
This was a decent Plan B, but entirely reactive and designed to keep us in the game (which it did). Last seasons version of it was much more attacking, with 3 out and out forwards-with some defensive responsibility, but less, and very fluid in movement, and more central and narrow than last night.
I think it would be nice to every so often lob a 442 into the equation. I don't like the idea of an opposition manager saying to his players "Coventry will never play 442, they don't have any wingers, so we don't have to prepare for that eventuality". As such, a fit Deegan and Sammy could see us go for it in some match situations to catch opponents out. Bell can do a job in that role for a short period, and I get the feeling that Cyrus may really be a more natural winger than FB anyway. Not a formation I want to see us use long-term, but adding it to the "Play Book" would make it a handy option.
