Formation

[Ayrshire Blue]

The diamond formation that i think we have been playing in most pre season games isnt working imo. I think we should go back to the old 4-4-2 formation.

What are other people thoughts on this ?

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

Depends on the personnel we end up with. If we can't sign another wide player and we've seen the last of Foran as a first teamer, then I'd be inclined to go 4-3-3 rather than try to clumsily piece together a 4-4-2 using players like Walker out wide.

 

[Boreham Shrimper]

4-3-3 for the same reasons as Sussex Shrimper, although my first choice would be 4-4-2. It's the de facto formation for a reason!

 

[SUFCLiam]

I would say 4-4-2.

 

[Andyhsufc]

4-4-2 got us promoted twice so dont really see the need to start faffing around with all these other formations although i would like us to be comfortsable playing 4-3-3 for when we are finding it hard to break teams down at home

 

[Shrimper]

The Diamond would only work if we had Kevin Maher at the club. 4-4-2 is the way to go, why complicate things?

 

[dashman]

OTHER

Why? Because we need to work more than 1 system to survive, any team can break you down when you use the same system.

 

[Angell Delight]

I'd actually like to see us try a 4-3-3 to have a Plan B. Personally I think we have the players to cope with that system (using Scannell as the wide right forward in that formation and Walker left). I really don't like the thought of using Walker out wide in Gower's old position. Personally I think if we still had Gower then a front 3 of Gower/Barnard/Scannell would be dynamite at this level. With the likes of Macca, Bailey and either Moussa or Grant (if he signs) strong in the centre of midfield I think that a 4-3-3 system - once we'd got used to it as it doesn't happen overnight - would serve us extremely well as a different option to 4-4-2 (especially at home). Of course without the ball the 2 wider forwards would need to sit a little deeper than they would when we have possession to give some cover for the full-backs. Would like us to try and find a quality left-winger though to replace Gower if we can, he's going to be sorely missed until that happens.

Full credit to Tilly and Brush for trying out a new formation this pre-season but I can't help feeling we'd be better served by 4-3-3 than the diamond.

 

[Beefy]

I don't think Tilly is a tactical genius. Maybe I'm doing him a disservice, but my take on his management has always been that he sets the players out in a basic formation and then gives them the confidence to play the game as it comes naturally to them. English players know a standard 4-4-2 - it's what they played at school, it's what they played in the youth team and it's what they've mostly played in their careers at Southend and at other Clubs. The idea of us playing a different way under Tilly surprise me and I have a feeling that it won't be successful.

 

[Angell Delight]

I don't think Tilly is a tactical genius. Maybe I'm doing him a disservice, but my take on his management has always been that he sets the players out in a basic formation and then gives them the confidence to play the game as it comes naturally to them. English players know a standard 4-4-2 - it's what they played at school, it's what they played in the youth team and it's what they've mostly played in their careers at Southend and at other Clubs. The idea of us playing a different way under Tilly surprise me and I have a feeling that it won't be successful.

I can understand that Beefy, certainly if we're playing it safe then 4-4-2 would be the best choice. If we are to do this however then we DEFINITELY need to find a quality replacement for Gower whose natural position is left-wing (or preferably either wing). To have Walker there for the start of the season doesn't exactly fill me with any kind of confidence, square pegs in round holes and all that.

All I'm saying is that in my opinion we have the players now to cope with the 4-3-3 as an alternative if we are having trouble breaking teams down, I believe to play that way you need a very strong midfield 3 and I think we have that. Walker would be more in position than he would be out wide and I think Scannell could really hurt teams both out wide in a 4-4-2 AND in an advanced position in a 4-3-3. However I'd be very wary about trying the 4-3-3 now with only 2 weeks left til the season opener and to be honest I would think we'll most likely go with 4-4-2 from the start. In my opinion if we were looking for a Plan B I'd have preferred us to have experimented with a 4-3-3 from the start of pre-season to see how it worked rather than the diamond.

 

[Draft Shrimper]

I can understand that Beefy, certainly if we're playing it safe then 4-4-2 would be the best choice. If we are to do this however then we DEFINITELY need to find a quality replacement for Gower whose natural position is left-wing (or preferably either wing). To have Walker there for the start of the season doesn't exactly fill me with any kind of confidence, square pegs in round holes and all that.

All I'm saying is that in my opinion we have the players now to cope with the 4-3-3 as an alternative if we are having trouble breaking teams down, I believe to play that way you need a very strong midfield 3 and I think we have that. Walker would be more in position than he would be out wide and I think Scannell could really hurt teams both out wide in a 4-4-2 AND in an advanced position in a 4-3-3. However I'd be very wary about trying the 4-3-3 now with only 2 weeks left til the season opener and to be honest I would think we'll most likely go with 4-4-2 from the start. In my opinion if we were looking for a Plan B I'd have preferred us to have experimented with a 4-3-3 from the start of pre-season to see how it worked rather than the diamond.

Well that's an opinion i respect...

 

[OldBlueLady]

The way the personnel stand at the moment, it ought to be 4-3-3, but as Dash says, and several others have said at various times in the past, we need to have the flexibility to adapt if our formation isn't working for whatever reason. There were several times last season where the old 4-4-2 was completely ineffectual but we didn't seem able to adjust to counteract the other team's style.

 

[steveo]

Depends on the personnel we end up with

Tilly should decide the formation - 4-4-2- the one that has always worked for him before- and buythe personel to suit. Selecting the 11 you want on the field and trying to get a formation to suit the players is wrong and smacks of Sven and MaCarens efforts for England.

 

[IloveShrimp]

5 - 3 - 2 for me

 

[mattytheshrimper]

not sure how anything can be justified for not having a left winger. seems stupid to me

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

Regarding some of the doubts about our ability to pull off a 4-3-3, I actually think that we've played some of our best football in recent times in that system. The game that stands out for me is Norwich at home in the Championship, when we were getting thoroughly outplayed until we switched systems and turned the tide.

I've thought for a while now that we struggle to get good value out of our wide players when we play 4-4-2. It's easy to pin the blame on individuals like JCR, but by all accounts he has done well for Barnsley. You could point to Gower as an exception to the rule, but how much of his best work came form cutting infield as opposed to wing play?

What could make or break our ability to pull off a 4-3-3 is the willingness of the two wide forwards to do their defensive duties and prevent us from getting overrun in midfield, and I think that we'd be pretty well off in that respect with Scannell and Foran.

 

[Angell Delight]

well that's an opinion i respect...

yooooouuuuuu!!!!!!

;)