Oh, and another positive for you - he never lost a derby fixture in his 2 years here. And one of his final games in charge, was the away game at Bumhole Lane, as we relegated Sheff Utd.
The formation appears to be a wide 4-2-3-1, but for all we know his 18 or so months out of the game and his work with the premier league could of seen his style change, like Ian holloway
Not the first time this has been said, but..isn't that 442/424?
I'm thinking more about the Brazil 4222, which is based around having 2 very attacking full-backs, 2 deep holding defensive midfielders, then two more advanced centre-mids, who have the defensive responsibility of dropping in and covering the full-back if he's gone forward. Other than that, they don't go wide much. It's a defensive formation essentially, which fits in with what Whitey has said about Barnsley under Robins.
Width? What's the obsession with width? The days of two strikers getting on the end of crosses from wingers went out with the dinosaurs. Teams from Barcelona to your local park side no longer play a standard 4-4-2. The so-called diamond expects fullbacks to get forward. 4-2-3-1 is favoured by many teams because it gives a good screen in front of the back four, and four attacking players, albeit only one out and out striker. Why should Robins automatically play 4-4-2? So long as the formation works, produces attractive football and wins games, I couldn't care what it is.
Man Utd have the highest average in the Prem League for crosses into the box per game at 32. I see what you mean about it being out with the dinosaurs. It could be that full backs offer the width or midfielders but balls into the box from wide is still a huge part of the modern game and to not have this option in your team limits your opportunities to score and makes you easier to defend against.
Not the first time this has been said, but..isn't that 442/424?
I'm thinking more about the Brazil 4222, which is based around having 2 very attacking full-backs, 2 deep holding defensive midfielders, then two more advanced centre-mids, who have the defensive responsibility of dropping in and covering the full-back if he's gone forward. Other than that, they don't go wide much. It's a defensive formation essentially, which fits in with what Whitey has said about Barnsley under Robins.
"Not the first time this has been said, but..isn't that 442/424?"
i didnt read any posts i suppose it could be either depending if you play attacking or defensive. i dont care what we play as long as we win. id be happy with 10 defenders n hope we catch them on a break somehow and win 1-0 ....
in saying that i have often thought. when 1-0 up and players take it into the corner at the end why dont we go 1-0 up early put the ball in our corner and have a 10 man shield around it for the rest of the game? boring but it gets us 3 points
Width is not just about crosses. I think you will find Barcelona play with width. If you watch. It is the wide players dragging the defence around that allow the players in the middle the room to do their stuff. If you compress the pitch whether lengthways or widthways it makes it difficult for players to perform - at any level and especially at this level. Or park football.:facepalm:
Barcelona though have incredibly more talented players than we have and have players who can cross.
When you have players so gifted on the ball you can play the way Barcelona play.
This is League One though unfortunately. We need pace and we need width. The crossing of our fullbacks isn't good enough and the crossing from the likes of Baker and Bell is even worse.