Three across central midfield?

[Mala591]

Was executed perfectly by Huddersfield against Wolves. Obviously you need to have the right balance of energy, power and creativity and a good understanding between the three midfield players.

Imo I think it could work for us with either:

Westwood---Defour---Cork

or

Westwood---Defour---Hendrick

This would enable an alternative 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 formation more in line with other successful PL teams.

[TVC15]

Not in my view. Westwood and Defour in same team does not work...their sitting defensive style is to similar.
Defour is a much better player than Westwood so possibly Defour, Cork and Hendrick would work.

Doubt this would happen though as SD will want to play 2 wide men and will not want to leave one up front isolated - hence why he has played either 2 up top or Hendrick / Vydra in the hole.

[Spijed]

The thing is, it's the only game that it worked for Huddersfield, otherwise they would have had a better set of results.

There were good signs against Leicester, so I'd keep the same tactics for now.

[RocketLawnChair]

The thing is, it's the only game that it worked for Huddersfield, otherwise they would have had a better set of results.

There were good signs against Leicester, so I'd keep the same tactics for now.

Two games ! We didn’t get a bloody kick for 70 minutes against them.

[summitclaret]

Absolutely, the terriers did the same as against us and Newcastle will do the same. For me it needs cork and defour deeper and Brady or JBG in a nr 10. More creativy and more likely to score than Hendrick.

[jlup1980]

I'll be interested to see the starting 11 tonight. It's time to let the lads go out and play for the win in my opinion, which means getting your best goalscorers in the team.

For me we should start as below...

Hart
Lowton Long Mee Taylor
Defour Hendrick
Gudmundson Barnes Brady
Wood

... but I expect we'll start the following:

Hart
Lowton Long Mee Taylor
Defour Cork
Lennon Hendrick Gudmundson
Vokes

Hendrick was MOM for Ireland playing in his preferred position which proves a point to me. Get him in his best position Sean!!

Brady gives you set pieces and also allows JBG to cut inside and shoot from the right, Wood gives you a natural goal threat, Barnes brings the up and at 'em alongside being a natural foil for Wood.

But like I say, I expect we'll start with the mostly ineffective Lennon, Hendrick as a number 10 and Vokes up top.

[HiroshimaClaret]

Was executed perfectly by Huddersfield against Wolves. Obviously you need to have the right balance of energy, power and creativity and a good understanding between the three midfield players.

Imo I think it could work for us with either:

Westwood---Defour---Cork

or

Westwood---Defour---Hendrick

This would enable an alternative 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 formation more in line with other successful PL teams.

We can say it until we are all blue in the face but doubt anything will change. This season a `midfield 2` has been and will continue to be over run by faster, savvier, stronger and more flexible units. Our midfield 2 is so easily bypassed and then watching them chase shadows as they attempt to get back has been possibly the most obvious flaw of this season. Agree completely with you.

1
4
Hendrick (athleticism) Defour (ability) Westwood (defensive/positional/can pick out a pass)
Any 2 from Brady/Gudmundsson/Vydra
Roll a dice for the 1

[HiroshimaClaret]

I'll be interested to see the starting 11 tonight. It's time to let the lads go out and play for the win in my opinion, which means getting your best goalscorers in the team.

For me we should start as below...

Hart
Lowton Long Mee Taylor
Defour Hendrick
Gudmundson Barnes Brady
Wood

... but I expect we'll start the following:

Hart
Lowton Long Mee Taylor
Defour Cork
Lennon Hendrick Gudmundson
Vokes

Hendrick was MOM for Ireland playing in his preferred position which proves a point to me. Get him in his best position Sean!!

Brady gives you set pieces and also allows JBG to cut inside and shoot from the right, Wood gives you a natural goal threat, Barnes brings the up and at 'em alongside being a natural foil for Wood.

But like I say, I expect we'll start with the mostly ineffective Lennon, Hendrick as a number 10 and Vokes up top.

I like yor team - offers attacking threat but players who CAN revert back to a solid midfield 4 when required...will NEVER happen though!

[NL Claret]

The thing is, it's the only game that it worked for Huddersfield, otherwise they would have had a better set of results.

There were good signs against Leicester, so I'd keep the same tactics for now.

There midfield were decent against Fulham, the other Monday. Granted Fulham were poor however the 3 all offered something different. Hogg was busy and broke play up (not always fairly), Billing added strength and Mooy creativity and strength. We have no strength in the midfield and very little creativity.

[colne-claret]

Absolutely, the terriers did the same as against us and Newcastle will do the same. For me it needs cork and defour deeper and Brady or JBG in a nr 10. More creativy and more likely to score than Hendrick.

Or play Vydra in his natural position.

[FactualFrank]

Until we start pressing properly again, I don't think it matters whether it's 3, 2, or 10 in central midfield.

[HiroshimaClaret]

Or play Vydra in his natural position.

Easy tiger!!!!

[summitclaret]

I have argued for Vydra to play nr 10 for ages, but it seems that despite what we thought he is an off a big striker type. We just can't play like that when were constantly get overrun in cm.

We have been well sussed and Benetiz is dmartef than most.

If we are not going to play a proper nr 10, then we need to play 352 and then Vydra can play.

Something needs to change and it is concerning that the management dont appear to see it.

[FactualFrank]

I have argued for Vydra to play nr 10 for ages, but it seems that despite what we thought he is an off a big striker type.

Not sure what you mean by this. As that's partly what a number 10 does. He plays off the main striker and drops a bit deeper into the 'hole'. The support man.

[Mala591]

Not in my view. Westwood and Defour in same team does not work...their sitting defensive style is to similar.
Defour is a much better player than Westwood so possibly Defour, Cork and Hendrick would work.

Doubt this would happen though as SD will want to play 2 wide men and will not want to leave one up front isolated - hence why he has played either 2 up top or Hendrick / Vydra in the hole.

Ok. Let's go 4-3-3 with Cork-Defour-Hendrick then we have

--------------Hart
Lowton---Long---Mee----Taylor
---Cork----Defour----Hendrick
----JBG-------CF-------Brady

Looks good to me!

[summitclaret]

A nr 10 plays behind a loan striker and links midfield to attack like robbie Blake did. He can go either way and pass well to the wide midfielders. He does not play off the shoulder of rhe big striker generally.

Hence me preferring brady or jbg, who are both skilful and can shot.

[Bosscat]

A nr 10 plays behind a loan striker and links midfield to attack like robbie Blake did. He can go either way and pass well to the wide midfielders. He does not play off the shoulder of rhe big striker generally.

Hence me preferring brady or jbg, who are both skilful and can shot.

Who's the Striker we have on Loan what have I missed ...







Only teasing m8 bloody predictive text is a bugger sometimes.

[FactualFrank]

A nr 10 plays behind a loan striker and links midfield to attack like robbie Blake did. He can go either way and pass well to the wide midfielders. He does not play off the shoulder of rhe big striker generally.

Hence me preferring brady or jbg, who are both skilful and can shot.

Ok, so you aren't really sure of what a number 10 is. 9 and 10 play upfront. 9 is the striker. The goal scorer. 10 is either the target man, who can be a tall, big player, or someone who plays the support man role. There isn't a player who plays off the shoulder of the big striker - as that's the player supporting the forward.

Brady is certainly nothing like a number 10. He's a left winger, who's best role is to ping crosses in.

[Herts Clarets]

Its always going to be a problem until we sort out our midfield, regardless of personnel. We are neither strong enough, quick enough, nor creative enough to match most of the current Premier League sides and I am including ones below us in the table. As a result, we draw pressure onto the back 4 and keeper, hence our recent goals conceded record and lack of goals scored at the other end.

[NL Claret]

Its always going to be a problem until we sort out our midfield, regardless of personnel. We are neither strong enough, quick enough, nor creative enough to match most of the current Premier League sides and I am including ones below us in the table. As a result, we draw pressure onto the back 4 and keeper, hence our recent goals conceded record and lack of goals scored at the other end.

Like shuffling deck chairs on the titanic.

[CFS]

Two words. Jonathan Hogg.

[ChorltonCharlie]

The thing with debating and trying to define what a number 10 is, actually shows a lot of ignorance to modern football. Trying to pigeon hole a way of playing around a number based on how football was 30 years ago is plain daft. Even trying to label a position around the sorts of terms you'll see in football manager won't get you anywhere (a quick google suggests 17 different roles for what different people here are calling a number 10).Why? Well I very much doubt that Dyche has said something to Hendrick, Vydra, Barnes, etc "right, today you're playing as an enganche". I'd like to think as a successful football manager Dyches explains to the player what he wants from them with the ball and without the ball. Where to position their self of the pitch, how much to press, how much to stand off. When to break forward, when to sit back, and so on, so forth. Alongside this, players will have their own natural ways of playing. Tell Vydra, Hendrick and Barnes the same instructions, and they'll all carry out the instructions slightly differently. There is no such role as a number 10, and the sooner people realise that, the sooner that our players will stop being judged unfairly on misconceptions.

[FactualFrank]

The thing with debating and trying to define what a number 10 is, actually shows a lot of ignorance to modern football. Trying to pigeon hole a way of playing around a number based on how football was 30 years ago is plain daft. Even trying to label a position around the sorts of terms you'll see in football manager won't get you anywhere (a quick google suggests 17 different roles for what different people here are calling a number 10).Why? Well I very much doubt that Dyche has said something to Hendrick, Vydra, Barnes, etc "right, today you're playing as an enganche". I'd like to think as a successful football manager Dyches explains to the player what he wants from them with the ball and without the ball. Where to position their self of the pitch, how much to press, how much to stand off. When to break forward, when to sit back, and so on, so forth. Alongside this, players will have their own natural ways of playing. Tell Vydra, Hendrick and Barnes the same instructions, and they'll all carry out the instructions slightly differently. There is no such role as a number 10, and the sooner people realise that, the sooner that our players will stop being judged unfairly on misconceptions.

Enter button broke?

And I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but for once and possibly the only ever time, I agree with you. There's not really a consistent role as a number 10. I prefer either target man or support man. They're both supporting the main goalscorer though.

[piston broke]

Let’s go 4-3-3 and start Wood, Barnes and Vokes. We are pumping the ball up front mostly and Toon defence couldn’t handle them.
I can only remember us doing it once before, West Ham at home last season, they didn’t get long but we equalised and could have won it.

[Colburn_Claret]

I just hope there's a change, at least it will show we are trying to make a difference.
The same team, with the same tactics, with the same result will leave me suicidal.

UTC