Which Formation/System

[Shabby Russian]

do you think would get the best out of the squad.

I ask because there seems to be a lot of discontent with the current 433 formation . I also have misgivings with 433, especially when the front 3. like last night, don't make a lot of contribution. And the midfield can often be hopelessly outnumbered with few options when we have the ball.

That said I am no clearer on what would be a better system for this squad .

[boingingbaggie]

Everyone moaned about it but I still think 3 at the back would work at home.
It gives us chance to play Gayle and JRod through the middle, someone (Murphy I suppose) in behind and Phillips and Gibbs as the wing backs. Obviously based on Phillips ever being able to play more than 10 games consecutively.

[HeathAyIt]

3 5 2 at home (where teams have figured us out)

4 3 3 or 4 4 2 away (where we struggle to cope with being exposed in the channels if playing 3/5)

[KratosBaggie]

I don't care what formation is played, Gayle shouldn't be played wide left or right.

[Shabby Russian]

I don't care what formation is played, Gayle shouldn't be played wide left or right.

I would like to see a heat map for where Gayle was on the pitch last night. Because my impression unlike everyone else's and admittedly watching with a bout of manful (heavy cold) was that he was more central than wide .

[CA Baggie]

2 hone wins in 10 league games. That’s an awful statistic and tells you that what we’re doing at home doesn’t work. It’s clearly much better away from home as teams will naturally push on a bit more but we’ve got to find a way of opening teams up. For me we need to up the tempo and press teams much more, last night we looked plain lazy.

I’m not sure how much we can change the formation. The problem with the squad is that I can’t see a 3rd centre half, certainly not one to play on the left, which may rule out 3 at the back and I cant’t see a midfield pair with enough all-round game about them to not get over run, especially when many of the opposition will play 3 in there at our place.

I think it’s more about the personnel than the system. Livermore was so bad last night it was embarrassing - why not Field in that role? Do we even need someone sitting in front of the back 4 at home? How about Harper and Johansen to get up/down and a more attacking option as the 3rd central midfielder. Gayle simply isn’t a wide left player, that’s where we miss Barnes.

We desperately need Phillips back to run with the ball, highlighted even more in Barnes’ absence. Murphy doesn’t look like he’s ever played football before at the moment, I’m hoping the goal will give him some confidence. At the moment I’d suggest that Burke would have been a better use of that position.

[Tom Joad]

I think we frequently need the extra man in midfield, (at home, I mean). 442. Gibbs and Holgate can push on, protected by whoever is in the middle. Time and again we are losing the midfield simply due to lack of numbers. It would also allow Gayle and Jrod to play a little narrower and thus be closer to each other as they link up very well when they aren't miles apart. Just my onions.

[Bartley_baggie]

Whatever system we play BD has got to stop the fannying about at the back, of the pass is not on then it’s got to be safety first otherwise it’s a free hit for the opposition!

[Dumbo]

4-2-3-1

Johnstone
Holgate Dawson Hegazi Gibbs
Harper Barry
Murphy Rodriguez Phillips
Gayle

[Cunninghamismagic]

Can't see Phillips be g fit to play for a couple if weeks yet.
Think I'd sooner have Montero than Murphy. Murphy very much seems a confidence player. Not sure we have the luxury of waiting to see if his confidence builds though.