Should we go 4-5-1 for the rest of the season?

[Mala591]

I think SD should seriously consider a very defensive 4-5-1 formation for the rest of the season. Four 0-0 draws won't be much to look forward to but 4 points would keep us up.

[Steve1956]

No I wouldn't do that we could end up with no points,I would shoehorn Steven Defour into our midfield and we will get three points against West Brom.

[lucs86]

No but we should be prepared to use it if things aren't going our way in a game. I don't think we had anything to lose by bringing Defour on and going 451 at 2-0 down yesterday, it would have been the perfect time to give it a go. I think Defour, Brady, Gudmundsson and Gray are going to create more openings than Brady, Gudmundsson, Barnes and Gray.

[jlup1980]

Yes we should, 100% we should. Barnes has been found out, Boyd is offering less and less by the week and Barton is looking past it.

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
JBG Westwood Defour Hendrick Brady
Gray

[claretspice]

Possibly, but we should all bear in mind that we played 4-5-1 the last time we played West Brom and we got stuffed 4-0.

And if we're playing 4-5-1, we probably aren't playing Gray. So much of our attacking game is geared around using a target man as an out ball, that it would be absolutely suicidal to ditch that now, all of a sudden, with 4 games to go. The only way I'd consider playing 4-5-1 is with Barnes tucked in wide left, where he's been fairly effective for us in the past.

[cricketfieldclarets]

Possibly, but we should all bear in mind that we played 4-5-1 the last time we played West Brom and we got stuffed 4-0.

And if we're playing 4-5-1, we probably aren't playing Gray. So much of our attacking game is geared around using a target man as an out ball, that it would be absolutely suicidal to ditch that now, all of a sudden, with 4 games to go. The only way I'd consider playing 4-5-1 is with Barnes tucked in wide left, where he's been fairly effective for us in the past.

We also used it in our best performance of the season against Watford.

[jojomk1]

When West Brom beat us 4-0 it wasn't down to the system
As Dyche said at the time - "we were drunk on possession" Far too many players were pushing forward as they allowed us to have the ball, only for them to constantly hit us on the break due to our lack of pace (same as Man Utd's first goal yesterday)
A disciplined 4-5-1 with Westwood plus Defour holding and Hendrick pushing forward would be my choice to start against Palace
But Dyche will keep to his plan A which everyone knows (us and them)

[Vegas Claret]

Yes we should, 100% we should. Barnes has been found out, Boyd is offering less and less by the week and Barton is looking past it.

Heaton
Lowton Keane Mee Ward
JBG Westwood Defour Hendrick Brady
Gray

I don;t think Barnes has been found out, since his sending off at Hull he's played far less aggressively - when was the last time you saw him being lectured about cracking someone with his elbows ??? Long time ago, he needs to get that edge back (within the laws obviously)

[ashtonlongsider]

We certainly need a plan B. At present the only alternative from my observation is switching wide midfielders or getting Joey to lay deeper. The amount of debating between SD and his team on the touchline doesn't appear to affect anything on the pitch. I'd have been more inclined to go 3-5-1 with Defour being given licence to float around the hole, but with Mee being injured I can't see that being an option. Like someone said on a previous threat we are far too predictable and teams know how to set up against us given its rigidity.

[mkmel]

The problem with that is that we have no one who can successfully play as the lone front man

[BleedingClaret]

The problem with that is that we have no one who can successfully play as the lone front man

I was going to say if Defour and JBG WERE FULLY 90 minutes fit we could consider it but they aren't and also, for the lone role, upfront we don't have a big aggressive speedster with good feet and hold up play.
So no

[boatshed bill]

5 -5- 0, if it gets us over the line!