Formation (2 Viewers)

The way we played Saturday I'm not sure we need a midfield. If we get the ball in our own half we just lump it up the field. May as well play 7 at the back and 3 upfront. Maybe we could make use of the space in the middle of the pitch for more advertising?

As its the festive season, why not play the Xmas<br />
tree formation? 4-3-2-1. Goldie up front with <br />
maybe Baker and Sheff floating between<br />
flanks and middle. I like Fleck, Jennings and Bailey<br />
in middle and Christie at right back. Team <br />
may lack height though for corners in both <br />
penalty boxes.

Play with wingers? We need to sign a couple first.

Andygabs said:

As its the festive season, why not play the Xmas<br />
tree formation? 4-3-2-1. Goldie up front with <br />
maybe Baker and Sheff floating between<br />
flanks and middle. I like Fleck, Jennings and Bailey<br />
in middle and Christie at right back. Team <br />
may lack height though for corners in both <br />
penalty boxes.

Click to expand...

festive season? Its October!

Jennings and Bailey offer nothing going forward.

You're not seriously saying we need two tackling midfielders because the opposition teams are all full of playmakers?

stevo_ccfc said:

festive season? Its October!

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Tell that to Tesco (and all the other supermarkets).

SkyBlueGuy said:

The way we played Saturday I'm not sure we need a midfield. If we get the ball in our own half we just lump it up the field. May as well play 7 at the back and 3 upfront. Maybe we could make use of the space in the middle of the pitch for more advertising?

Click to expand...

Yes our ball retention was dreadful on Saturday. That being said, it wasn't really a day for pretty passing triangles and we got the job done in the end.

I think you're being a bit harsh on Bailey. He's looked a very tidy player whenever I've seen him. Keeps it simple, retains possession. As long as he's got runners making space ahead of him and around him, I think he could be a valuable asset on the attacking front.

Really hope Robin's makes Bailey a perminant player in January. Someone did say on another thread that Derby loaned him to us with a view to a perminant move in Jan.

Same goes for Moussa. Yes he's had a few bad games but the other day he was sensational for the 17 odd minutes he was on the pitch (so i heard). He's a free agent though so it shouldn't be hard to get him perminantly in Jan unless someone else offers him a better deal which i hope doesn't happen!

Formation wise im happy with Jennings and Bailey at the back but i do see the issue of supporting McGoldrick. Maybe something like this:

-----------------Murphy-------------------
Christie---------Wood----------Reckord
----------Bailey--------Jennings---------
Baker----------Moussa-----------Fleck
---------Cody-----------Goldie----------

What do people think on that?

Our defence is either 3 or 5 man strong dependant on how you look at it! Bailey and Jennings can slot in either side of wood (or Cameron, Edj etc whoevers playing in the CB position at the time) when needed too and can then push forward in attacking situations to make the midfield into a five man attacking wall etc.

You don't even have to have both of them doing the same thing. One can sit back with the defence while the other pushes forward with the midfielders. The formation essentially changes based on the situation.

4-4-2 if each defensive midfielder takes a different position, 5-3-2 if both DM are in defence and 3-5-2 if both DM's are up there attacking in midfield...yes it kinda makes the Defensive Midfielder tag look stupid in the latter but it could work!

RichieGunns
Really hope Robin's makes Bailey a perminant player in January. Someone did say on another thread that Derby loaned him to us with a view to a perminant move in Jan.

Same goes for Moussa. Yes he's had a few bad games but the other day he was sensational for the 17 odd minutes he was on the pitch (so i heard). He's a free agent though so it shouldn't be hard to get him perminantly in Jan unless someone else offers him a better deal which i hope doesn't happen!

Formation wise im happy with Jennings and Bailey at the back but i do see the issue of supporting McGoldrick. Maybe something like this:

-----------------Murphy-------------------
Christie---------Wood----------Reckord
----------Bailey--------Jennings---------
Baker------------Fleck----------Moussa
---------Cody-----------Goldie----------

What do people think on that?

Click to expand...

On paper that looks good, but I think that with only one center back in this league we will be in a lot of trouble! Id rather play with three recognised center backs. maybe:

Brown - Cameron - Wood

(I only say brown as he is supposed to be able to play left back too so should be able to deal with attack from the wings, same with wood)

Edj is also meant to be able to play at LB and in that vain I'd rather see:

Cameron---------Wood-----------Edj

But i can't help thinking we're basically shutting out two very good players e.g. Reckord & Christie.

dongonzalos said:

............
Holding, harassing and snapping at the opposition's heels..........

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Snapping at oppositions heels??!! This lot couldn't snap at heels if they were suddenly turned into pitbulls and the opposition had lumps of steak tied to their ankles! They've got about as much idea about action as an 85 year old nun on her deathbed!

Baker and fleck as wingbacks? And only 1 CB?

RichieGunns said:

Edj is also meant to be able to play at LB and in that vain I'd rather see:

Cameron---------Wood-----------Edj

But i can't help thinking we're basically shutting out two very good players e.g. Reckord & Christie.

Click to expand...

True, but we could always have these two in place of Baker/Moussa meaning that we can rotate between Baker, Moussa, Fleck for CM behind the front two. we can also drop to one up front with two behind (i.e. Moussa, Fleck of which ever combo is fit at the time)

we only need one of jennings and bailey and bailey leaves soon so it doesn't matter we need a passer of the ball. We need someone who can bring other people in to play and dictate the tempo. not 2 tacklers. Look at liverpool for example they have lucas to tackle and regain possession and then gerrard and allen to pass and dictate play. obviously that 4-3-3 though but with us you have jennings winning the ball back then we need a passer in front or next to him to pass it out to bake or fleck who can attack with it.

rather than the old Christmas tree 4-3-2-1 formation, a number of the established teams seem to be favouring a 4-2-3-1 with two holding midfielders protecting the back four and three more creative players (not necessarily with pace or width) supporting a lone striker. I think we have a front man in DM and potentially three from Macca, Cody, Moussa, Baker and Fleck as ones who can easily adapt into that. Might suit, but as with all of them, players should make systems and not the reverse.

stupot07 said:

Baker and fleck as wingbacks? And only 1 CB?

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Dunno where you got that one from Stupot.

-----------------Murphy-------------------
Christie---------Wood----------Reckord
----------Bailey--------Jennings---------
Baker------------Fleck----------Moussa
---------Cody-----------Goldie----------

If you have a look at my diagram, both baker, Fleck and Moussa are all in midfield. WB denotes someone being in defence and attacking up the wings.

Yes only one CB! Christie and Reckord are RB & LB and can stay there as Fleck and Baker do the majority of the wing stuff in midfield while you have Bailey and Jennings providing hard hitting defending and then being able to move forward when attacking.

I also explained my reasoning for this formation but added it later so people may not have seen it. So here it is again!

Our defence is either 3 or 5 man strong dependant on how you look at it! Bailey and Jennings can slot in either side of wood (or Cameron, Edj etc whoevers playing in the CB position at the time) when needed too and can then push forward in attacking situations to make the midfield into a five man attacking wall etc.

You don't even have to have both of them doing the same thing. One can sit back with the defence while the other pushes forward with the midfielders. The formation essentially changes based on the situation.

4-4-2 if each defensive midfielder takes a different position, 5-3-2 if both DM are in defence and 3-5-2 if both DM's are up there attacking in midfield...yes it kinda makes the Defensive Midfielder tag look stupid in the latter but it could work!

Click to expand...

I would stick with 4-5-1/4-4-1-1 for now. We need to keep clean sheets at the moment and be solid defensively, maybe if we get some momentum and confidence back we can then switch to more attacking systems

RichieGunns said:

Dunno where you got that one from Stupot.

-----------------Murphy-------------------
Christie---------Wood----------Reckord
----------Bailey--------Jennings---------
Baker------------Fleck----------Moussa
---------Cody-----------Goldie----------

If you have a look at my diagram, both baker, Fleck and Moussa are all in midfield. WB denotes someone being in defence and attacking up the wings.

Yes only one CB! Christie and Reckord are RB & LB and can stay there as Fleck and Baker do the majority of the wing stuff in midfield while you have Bailey and Jennings providing hard hitting defending and then being able to move forward when attacking.

I also explained my reasoning for this formation but added it later so people may not have seen it. So here it is again!

Click to expand...

Sorry Richie but that team would get mullered. Most teams we've played have had 2 nippy wingers,with 1 man top.

rob9872 said:

rather than the old Christmas tree 4-3-2-1 formation, a number of the established teams seem to be favouring a 4-2-3-1 with two holding midfielders protecting the back four and three more creative players (not necessarily with pace or width) supporting a lone striker. I think we have a front man in DM and potentially three from Macca, Cody, Moussa, Baker and Fleck as ones who can easily adapt into that. Might suit, but as with all of them, players should make systems and not the reverse.

Click to expand...

We've tried the 4231 3 or 4 times this year and the lack of pace in the side prevents it from working properly.

Tbh, I'd bring back the diamond, still feel our wingers aren't good enough:

Murphy
CC (or JC) Wood Edj (or Cameron) Reckord
Jennings
Bailey Moussa
Fleck
Cody McG

But, MR is very unlikely to play this so I'd go 4-5-1 (his favoured system):

Murphy
Same back 4
Jennings Bailey
Baker Hussey/Moussa (IMO, jury's out for Mussa ATM)
Fleck
McG

Jury's out on 4-4-2 for me, I don't like it, but, we haven't been good with any one system so far.