Team (1 Viewer)

[TrevorsathisPeake]

If the season was to start today,which team would you put out.this would be mine


Westwood
Crainie McPake Wood O'Halloran

Baker Clingan Doyle McSheffery

O'Donovan Eastwood



I've gone for 4-4-2 although it's now a thing of the past.But Clingan and Doyle could just sit letting the 2 full backs and Baker and Macca to bomb on.
Not very happy with left back,close between O'Halloran and Hussey and im certainly not happy with the stike duo.I'd much rather us play a 4-5-1,turning into a 4-2-4 whilst attacking but we have'nt got the players for it at the minute.Im happy with 3 of the back four and 2 of the four across the middle,and obviously the keeper.
Boothroyd has said today that Crainie is staying and has been impressed with him in midfield,so i think he'll start with Keogh at right-back with Crainie in midfield.

 

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[smileycov]

LET'S PRAY IT ISN'T BUT........
westwood

Keough Mcpake Wood O'halloran

Cranie

Baker Clingan Mcsheffery

Donnovan Eastwood
He likes martin as a holding midfielder, but too be honest would like to see a couple more friendlies where we are fitter and nearing the starting 11. we still haven't seen that as yet.

 

[TrevorsathisPeake]

I think the right hand side of midfield is a tough one to pick.Ive gone for baker as Him and McSheffery are forward thinking,which would be needed with 2 holding centre mids.But we also have Mcindoe,who gets alot of stick,but i dont think he's to bad,one of them players you dont appreciate when playing but you notice it when he isnt.Then theres David Bell,who hasnt been fully fit scince he's joined us,but he's a decent ball player who seems to chip in with an important goal here and there.The thing is with Baker which concerns me is he scored for fun at a lower level,joined us,then scored ZERO goals for remainder of the season.
With one or two injuries/suspensions we are gonna be in serious trouble!!

 

[smileycov]

YEA YOUR RIGHT, we have 3 decent options for the right, maybe weak on the left (as back up to sheffers), but we can shift the midfield around a bit if needed. i hope baker scores a few co's i do like him as a ball player. i always come back to the strikers though and i realy feel aronn, bell,baker even mcindoe could develop but without a goalscorer the pressure is gonna be too much again.

 

[SkyBluesAndy]

I'd go for a 4-2-3-1

Westwood

Keogh/Cranie Wood McPake O'Halloran

Clingan Doyle

O'Donovan Baker McSheffrey

Eastwood

I know a lot of CCFC fans don't like us playing with a 5 man midfield but I like this set up. The 3 attacking midfielders all have an eye for goal so I think they are certainly capable of chipping in with goals. Eastwood is an excellent goal poacher in my opinion (when played upfront) and at the moment we don't have any other out and out forwards - admittedly his form is questionable but he has showed us that he can score when playing upfront and not on the left midfield. He is a goal poacher, you don't poach goals from left midfield.. always annoyed me when he was playing there. Having 2 holding midfielders is good as well because it gives the 3 attacking midfielders better peace of mind when they are trying to attack and this also occasionaly allows the full backs to bomb forwards to really pile on the pressure. I also think Clingan and Doyle make a great holding midfield partnership - Doyle running around doing the nasty stuff, getting into opposition faces and getting stuck in with tackles while Clingan sets attacking moves up by pinging the ball around here there and everywhere. On the back foot the midfield simply tightens up into more of a 4-5-1, it would be hard to break down a 5 man midfield before you even get to the back 4. Unfortunatly there is no formation you can apply in this league that will prevent 1 decent longball from the opposition finding there big striker who scores totally against the run of play!

 

[TrevorsathisPeake]

I'd like to go with a formation like that,as i said 4-4-2 is a thing of the past,as shown at the world cup.Some people seem to think when you play 4-5-1 your being defensive,but thats garbage.When we get the ball it turns into a 4-2-4.
Anyway,the only problem i think we would have in playing it is that i don't think Eastwood could act as the lone front- man.Just cant see him putting a foot on it to bring the others into play.
Maybe if we bring in someone better suited to leading the line,Eastwood could be one of the 3 sitting behind with more license to roam.

 

[SkyBluesAndy]

I'd like to go with a formation like that,as i said 4-4-2 is a thing of the past,as shown at the world cup.Some people seem to think when you play 4-5-1 your being defensive,but thats garbage.When we get the ball it turns into a 4-2-4.
Anyway,the only problem i think we would have in playing it is that i don't think Eastwood could act as the lone front- man.Just cant see him putting a foot on it to bring the others into play.
Maybe if we bring in someone better suited to leading the line,Eastwood could be one of the 3 sitting behind with more license to roam.

I'd see him here as being someone to poach the goals rather then being a ball winner, McSheffrey and Baker can shoot from range (not sure about O'Donovan haven't seen him play) and Eastwood would be the kinda player to pick up any spills from the keeper and stick them in, I think his positioning in the box is good. I do see your point though because in that team there isn't a single person who can win the ball in the air apart from the centre backs - unfortunatly I think someone like King would be perfect for the position I put Eastwood in... this set-up is only using the players we have at the moment though, could change depending who we sign. Starting with that 11 aswell always gives options of Gunnarsson, Bell, McIndoe and possibly Cranie to come on and change the game depending on the situation. Also highlights the need for more strikers, possibly start Gunnarsson where O'Donovan is just to have O'Donovan as another striking option on the bench. I think I would prefer O'Donovan there though and have Eastwood and another striker on the bench...

 

[TrevorsathisPeake]

Yeah,he wouldnt have to be a ball winner.Just roaming around behind and around the striker,bit like Gerrard at liverpool,Lampard At Chelsea,Fabregas at Arsenal and so on.Teams who basicly play the formation youve put down.
I'd say only about 10% of teams in world football play 4-4-2 now,England was one of em!!!

 

[SkyBluesAndy]

Yeah, I find it funny how Coventry fans were chanting 4-4-2 at games last season - I bet the same ones were asking why Capello was insisting on playing in that formation! 4-2-3-1 would work well with England as well if Hargreaves was fit, could have had Barry and Hargreaves as the holding midfielders, Rooney the lone striker and heck, Gerrard and Lampard could even play together in attack - and it would work! Joe Cole LAM, Gerrard CAM and Lampard RAM. I've solved the Gerrard and Lampard crisis

 

[TrevorsathisPeake]

I just think theres more flexibility in a 4-5-2,4-2-3-1,4-2-4 or whatever you want to call it.When a team plays with 2 holding midfielders it gives more freedoom to the 4 ahead of them and also allows the full-backs to bomb on.Liverpool have Lucas and Mascerhano,Arsenal have Song and Diaby,Chelsea Mikel and Essien,Spain Alonso and Xavi,Holland Van Bommell and De Jong,Man City Barry De Jong,Madrid Alonso Diara.All these play with 2 holding midfielders and 1 striker.So anyone who says it doesnt work are clearly wrong.
Even teams such as Bolton,Blackburn,Wolves and Fulham play in the same way so its not just top teams.Maybe we havent got the attacking options to join in with the striker.

 

[ccfctommy]

I still think we need two proper strikers, as Eastwood is hardly prolific and Aidy himself has said he sees McSheffrey as a winger. Midfield dosent look too bad though, Doyle will be like a new signing for us hopefully.

 

[Coventry La La La]

Maybe a 4-3-3 with
Cranie/Keogh - Wood - Mcpake O'halloran
Gunnarson/doyle - Clingan - Baker
O'Donnovan - Eastwood - Mcsheffery

Preferably a new signing where Eastwood is ( ST ) in the form of a targetman to get on the end of crosses and hold up the ball to allow the other attacking players to cut inside. I have included Baker in the midfield as an attacking midfield option

I really don't mind what formation/system we play next season aslong as we pick up results