Preferred formation

[jackmiggins]

Sick of all the numerals - 4-4-2 etc.
For me - two full backs, two centre backs. sweeper + bruiser. The other four to roam.

My Subbuteo formation was always 4-3-3, unless I played a superstar............in which case it was 7-2-1.

[ClaretMov]

4231

433

4141.......anything for a change

[Shaggy]

we need to get with the times and play with 3 at the back, Collins and Mee holding and allowing Tarkowski to play the Libero role.

pack the mid with 3 in the centre and use Roberts/Taylor as wingbacks.

[ClaretMov]

we need to get with the times and play with 3 at the back, Collins and Mee holding and allowing Tarkowski to play the Libero role.

pack the mid with 3 in the centre and use Roberts/Taylor as wingbacks.

Shaggy what have you done, the Dyche 442 love children will be after you now, dig out your tin hat

[Shaggy]

Shaggy what have you done, the Dyche 442 love children will be after you now, dig out your tin hat

Haha I don’t need a tin hat. A bit like their hero, the love children’s attacks are useless.

[Lancasterclaret]

we need to get with the times and play with 3 at the back, Collins and Mee holding and allowing Tarkowski to play the Libero role.

pack the mid with 3 in the centre and use Roberts/Taylor as wingbacks.

I have absolutely no problem with that at all, but SD sees the team in training, and his preferred formation is the 4-4-2 (which when we get it right is actually pretty fluid and effective)

The question is whether we can switch to that overnight and for us to be effective doing it

I have my doubts, certainly if we've done little or no work with it

It takes money, time and a lot of coaching to get the players to switch seamlessly I feel, and I look at the likes of Potter at Brighton (who has spent a lot of money and had a big turnover of players to make Brighton a better team than we are currently)

Worth mentioning I think that playing 4-4-2 on Sat and switching to a completely untried formation against one of the big six is possibly a risk that isn't worth taking with our current situation

[Fez]

The season after dyche left watford, they played 3-5-2. They ended up in the pplay-offs with that mad game vs Leicester I think. Not sure of the formation they played under dyche but id take a guess at 4-4-2.

[claretandbluesky]

Use Collins in midfield and then you can play 3-4-3: 4-3-3: 5-3-2 or 4-4-2.
Formations don’t matter getting your best players on the pitch do.
We are missing a trick by not playing Collins.

[SalisburyClaret]

The formation doesn’t matter that much - it’s the players in those positions that do.
Our 442 is very flexible in any case

[Boss Hogg]

4-2-3-1

2 midfielders defending back 4. Try McNeil central in the 3 behind the striker and Cornet wide left. We are drilled into 2 flat banks of 4 but the gap between. Midfield and the front 2 is often enormous.

[dandeclaret]

2-5-3

If it's good enough for table football, it's good enough for this discussion.

[Shaggy]

4-2-3-1

2 midfielders defending back 4. Try McNeil central in the 3 behind the striker and Cornet wide left. We are drilled into 2 flat banks of 4 but the gap between. Midfield and the front 2 is often enormous.

We are drilled into defence at all costs and the wide midfield players to come inside.

Our front line is so detached from the deepnlaying midfield. Even looking to play for the second phase our players aren’t close enough to take advantage and the reason being is they are far too slow if they loose the ball and get turned.

We’ve always played this way under Dyche and it isn’t going to change ever.

You can look at substitutions aswell. They are always like for like and too late in the game to change anything. He never takes off say a defender to put another man in the middle or a add another attacker. He just doesn’t do it.

Against Watford was the prime example, playing 3 at the back we we had no chance with our usual hoof it and woof it. Need to break the lines and run at them ( something else we don’t do under Dyche )

[Lancasterclaret]

Essentially this thread is people who play Football Manager and restart it if their tactical brilliance results in them getting thumped 5-0

[Boss Hogg]

Yes of course it is. I’ve never played ‘football manager’ in my life.

[Quickenthetempo]

Pros and cons

442
Pros- 2 strikers if a chance arrives. Everyone in straight lines to keep in position or play offside.

Cons- over run in midfield. Wingers have to track back 90% of the time. Vulnerable to the ball played in the channels.

352
Pros- numbers in midfield. Extra defender at the back and should force teams wide. 2 strikers up top. Players shouldn't get isolated as players should be closer together for link play.

Cons- Dyche isn't a fan of possession and might struggle to coach it.

4231
Pros- looks the system to get the best out of our players. Back 4 that the players are used to. 2 defensive midfielders for protection. A big CF that could bring the 3 attacking players into the game. The 3 attacking players should get the best out of them. Playing out wide they have all looked hopeless. That is simply not working.

Cons- the only negative I see is the oppo full backs could overload, but the players should naturally drift over to the side the ball is on to cover.

[Lancasterclaret]

Yes of course it is. I’ve never played ‘football manager’ in my life.

Right, but you think the only reason we are struggling is because we aren't playing the same formation as everyone else, and that we can change it just like that and we magically improve?

Or are you the one who thinks we've always played 4-4-2?

Or one of those that thinks that SD isn't the man to get us out of this, despite him doing just that the previous two seasons?

Or the one who thinks that we should have changed far more players in the transfer windows we've had (one that is actual one of the more sensible debating points, as there is no excuse for us not having changed more than we have done in three windows, but at the same time, its the lack of investment over six or more windows that is killing us*)

*of course, the sheer amount of money spent by the billionaire owners of other teams hasn't helped either

Some reality in these discussions wouldn't go amiss

[Boss Hogg]

Right, but you think the only reason we are struggling is because we aren't playing the same formation as everyone else, and that we can change it just like that and we magically improve?

Didn’t say this

Or are you the one who thinks we've always played 4-4-2?

Didn’t say this

Or one of those that thinks that SD isn't the man to get us out of this, despite him doing just that the previous two seasons?

Not sure on this one.

Or the one who thinks that we should have changed far more players in the transfer windows we've had (one that is actual one of the more sensible debating points, as there is no excuse for us not having changed more than we have done in three windows, but at the same time, its the lack of investment over six or more windows that is killing us*)

*of course, the sheer amount of money spent by the billionaire owners of other teams hasn't helped either

We should have had a better window yes.

Some reality in these discussions wouldn't go amiss

Maybe look at who has posted what, stop jumping to conclusions and being so quick to criticise other posters who have a different viewpoint to yours.

[Lancasterclaret]

Maybe look at who has posted what, stop jumping to conclusions and being so quick to criticise other posters who have a different viewpoint to yours.

Just some reality is all I'm asking for

Sensible discussion rather than stuff that isn't realistic

And you've posted a formation, one that might work, but won't work if we work on it Monday for a game on Tues

If we have time to drill it (couple of weeks), then I'm all for changing stuff, but we've got three games in a week, and a new signing who has been here about a week, and I think that has to be a huge factor in what we are going to be doing this week

[ClaretPete001]

We are drilled into defence at all costs and the wide midfield players to come inside.

Our front line is so detached from the deepnlaying midfield. Even looking to play for the second phase our players aren’t close enough to take advantage and the reason being is they are far too slow if they loose the ball and get turned.

We’ve always played this way under Dyche and it isn’t going to change ever.

You can look at substitutions aswell. They are always like for like and too late in the game to change anything. He never takes off say a defender to put another man in the middle or a add another attacker. He just doesn’t do it.

Against Watford was the prime example, playing 3 at the back we we had no chance with our usual hoof it and woof it. Need to break the lines and run at them ( something else we don’t do under Dyche )

Yes but the reason why we struggle to connect midfield to attack is because the press isn't what it was and winning second phase ball isn't what it was.

The attacking play of the wing backs isn't what it was

What would have happened if we had "broke the line and run at them" against Watford with Josh King et al. Likely, a 5-0 drubbing.

The squad isn't good enough to stay in the Premiership because not enough has been invested in it and the recruitment since 18/19 has been very poor.

The reason why you play a 4-4-2 or any other formation is because when you can't afford to compete in the transfer market you have to have a plan and then buy the best players for it. Otherwise, you end up like Moshiri at Everton spending 100s of millions and ending up with a rag tag bag of players that can't play together.

Of course, I'm guessing that wouldn't be an issue where Subbuteo is concerned.

[ClaretPete001]

And the above is not to say we will be relegated; rather, you need to sort the problem that you have. Improve ball retention, squeeze the press better and win more second phase ball.

And also exclude this year's recruitment, which has been more sensible