4-4-2. Bin it.

[minnieclaret]

SD has shown his loyalty to players too often but even worse is his insistence on 4-4-2.
Our 2 CMs get swamped every match. It’s time to come into this century. If any two on our books were good enough they would struggle against the quality MFs they face in the PL.
We need to go 3-5-2. Bringing Collins into the CBs would create that space for a third CM. The widemen could be Lowton/Taylor or JBG/McNeil, dependant on quality of opposition but the difference maker would be in the middle. Where we could play a sitter and two flexible but one must have license to get behind the two strikers. We get no goals from MF because they are virtually permanently 20yds behind them and never get on to any poor clearances.
Loyalty is great attribute but enough is enough.

[Vegas Claret]

I'd play Roberts long before JBG, but yes, 3-5-2 is worth a try at this point

[ksrclaret]

Definitely needs binning with the way we play it. It can still be an effective formation as it allows you to keep a good shape behind the ball and then break very directly. The problem is it requires pace in the forward areas so that the "long balls" are played into space behind the defence, rather than right in front of them up to a big target man as we do it now.

We clearly don't have that so we need to move away from it. I'd like to see us revert to the 451 we used to effectively in 2017/18, but if we were to try a 352 variant, I'd be getting Roberts on the right hand side.

[tiger76]

If you don't buy a ticket you don't win the raffle. so definitely worth trying something different, as the same old tactics are not working.

Collins has to come in, and possibly Roberts too, if nothing else just to add some athleticism to our side.

And we somehow need to get Dwight involved in games as he was when he first burst onto the scene.

[taio]

Yes it's time to try something different although it was weeks ago.

[KRBFC]

How are people still suggesting JBG to start? Have we not been watching football for 3 years?

[Colburn_Claret]

442 has worked for us.
There is a right way to play 442, and a wrong way. Unfortunately we've been playing the wrong way lately. Early doors it was fine, but we didn't get the results we deserved. Now it's our negativity on the ball that is costing us, not the formation.
I wish we mixed it up more, especially during the game, whether holding on, or chasing a result, but ultimately its the players that are the problem, and their present mentality.
I would like to see Collins especially infront of the back 4, I believe we wouldn't co cede as many chances with him there, and it would free Taylor and Lowts to be more assertive in attack.

[davetheclaret]

SD has shown his loyalty to players too often but even worse is his insistence on 4-4-2.
Our 2 CMs get swamped every match. It’s time to come into this century. If any two on our books were good enough they would struggle against the quality MFs they face in the PL.
We need to go 3-5-2. Bringing Collins into the CBs would create that space for a third CM. The widemen could be Lowton/Taylor or JBG/McNeil, dependant on quality of opposition but the difference maker would be in the middle. Where we could play a sitter and two flexible but one must have license to get behind the two strikers. We get no goals from MF because they are virtually permanently 20yds behind them and never get on to any poor clearances.
Loyalty is great attribute but enough is enough.

Im not for getting rid of our 442 but i do think against certain sides we need to change the formation, to keep the opposition guessing a lot more, by playing the same system i think it helps the opposition in their set up against us, we would currently be better with 5 in midfield, but he wont do it.

[Woonderbah]

This Saturday is as good a time as any.. we all know the result is largely irrelevant to SD but would be good to see some intent to try something positive instead of beating the same fairly worn drum.

[Woodleyclaret]

442
Pope
Lowton Collins Mee Taylor
Roberts Westwood Brownhill Mc Neil
Wood/Barnes/Vyds/ Jay

[RVclaret]

I want to see Dwight in the 10 role behind Wood. Give the midfielders an extra man that’s closer to pass to, as well as help them defensively against the 3’s they are often up against.

It’s a shame Cornet is now off for a month. I would have had him on the left, Lennon right, then possibly Stephens and Brownhill as a midfield two following that rubbish the other two served up yesterday.

Collins in for Tarkowski and potentially Roberts for Lowton (yes he’s been a better performer but at the end of the day something needs to change).

Pope
Roberts Collins Mee Taylor
Lennon Stephens Brownhill Cornet
McNeil
Wood

Same formation that we played in the successful 2017/18 season without the quality of Defour (a new signing this month should be a ball playing midfielder who can play those line breaking passes and be comfortable in possession).

Of course Cornet is away for a bit so we really ought to bring in another winger asap, as JBG isn’t good enough I’m afraid and can’t keep starting if we are going to start winning games.

[MT03ALG]

Assuming Mee and Tarkowski stay at the club, the back 3 should be Tarkowski - Collines - Mee
Build the rest of the team from the back 3.
3 central midfielders
2 wingbacks (either full backs or wingers)
2 forwards
Certainly worth a try, the wingback positions are very flexible with a 3-5-2

[NewClaret]

4-4-2 works when your strikers are in form and scoring. Less so when they’re not. Not helpful that we have such a weak midfield because it’s hard to think of players you’d play over selecting two strikers.

Here’s hoping we strengthen there in January and it gives us more options.

[welsbyswife]

It worked when the midfield were physically in their prime. Unfortunately Cork's best days are behind him. A two with him and Westwood just can't get any foothold in the game. Brownhill gets stick but at least he has an engine. I think we have missed him.

[davetheclaret]

It worked when the midfield were physically in their prime. Unfortunately Cork's best days are behind him. A two with him and Westwood just can't get any foothold in the game. Brownhill gets stick but at least he has an engine. I think we have missed him.

We have missed him, he gets stick from people who don't understand the game, the same ones who want to drop McNeil.

[warksclaret]

Its also time for SD to grow a pair and bring Collins into defence.His choice as to who he replaces, but my choice would be to pair him with Tarkowski . You cant go one win in 20, let stupid goals in, and not make changes .He is the most promising player we have, and keeping him out in a team on a losing run is highly demotivating. In midfield we need someone yesterday who can go straight in to replace Cork. In attack decide who the front two are and give them a run. Again grow a pair and drop Wood. He has been more than loyal to a group of players contributing sweet fa

[Johma]

How are people still suggesting JBG to start? Have we not been watching football for 3 years?

JBG has never brought anything to the table to improve us
Hes simply a teamsheet filler

[IanMcL]

I will leave it to Mr Dyche.

[FCBurnley]

Here is a list of who I believe are our 11 best players ( in no particular order)

Pope
Lowton
Tarks
Mee
Taylor
Collins
Cornet
Westwood
Brownhill
McNeil
Wood

Now mold them into team that gets the best out of all of them. It’s not that difficult

[CharlieinNewMexico]

We have so many options, but we never try the options. People moan about players not being effective or losing value or pace as they age, but we can accommodate that. Cork played center half at Southampton when he was 27. We could go 3 at the back , one of them a ball player, and seeing everything in front of him. Pieters, im sure, would be a calm foil in front of 2 centre halves at the back of a 5.
Jay Rod has lost that pace to chase around with. But has that tricky clever brain that would make him a prompting 10.

But we never do this because? We just go 442.

[superdimitri]

I'm a believer of sticking to what you know and not changing things round so much when you're doing badly.
Making big changes is more something to do gradually and you slowly adjust the squad too as some players move on and new ones come in.

The obvious issue with changing the system is the players in our squad. To start playing with 3 central midfielders we'd need to get another. One spare just isn't enough. McNeil can certainly play there too but they also means we would be one winger down.

5 at the back? 433? Similar story. We'd only have one backup.

And then you have to think playing with one striker when we have 4 on the books doesn't add up either.

The premise of our play this season has been to sit deep like we have before, but we've also worked a lot on pressing our opponents more aggressively than we have done before. Unfortunately the more aggressive press means we're caught out more often. The 442 system suits the players we have and the way they play. They can't keep the ball well so knocking it forward fast and trying to make space behind our opponent's has always been the way.

In other words, direct, counter attacking football a bit like Leicester played when they won the league.

But the problem with this system is that we lack pace. We knock the ball for Wood to try and run on to but he's not fast and he is often caught out for trying to make the runs onside. If we had pace it would work a lot better.. but playing long balls and trying out physique our opponents is what Dyche believes is our best strength.

In the long term if we can't get pace then we really should look at changing the system and the squad but right now it should be back to basics and hope we have enough grit to get over the line.