Time to ditch 343 (with current squad)

[PatrickA]

I think there’s a valid argument to change our tactical approach to games.
This is not just based on today, but on our overall performances this season with our available players.

Every game we’re being outnumbered in midfield soldiering on with a clearly unfit Wharton meaning his central midfield partner is often having to battle 3 players single handed.
This means we’re not defending properly and not creating much as we don’t have good possession in the right areas.

We’ve also lost one of our key components of the system, Anderson, who was tailor made for the central role with his distribution from the back.
We’ve shifted Guehi to the role, where he does a job, but is less comfortable than on the left of the 3.
This in turn has affected Mitchell who no longer has Guehi covering him.

We are no longer capable of pressing as high, but are still leaving huge gaps in midfield for the opposition who have acres of space to run into unchallenged.

Time for 451 or 442 with a solid midfield to consolidate our position in games, become more competitive and try and string together a few results.

If we get the right players in the future there’s no objection to reverting to 343, but in my view it doesn’t suit the available current players.

 

[Lanzo-Ad]

I think there’s a valid argument to change our tactical approach to games.
This is not just based on today, but on our overall performances this season with our available players.

Every game we’re being outnumbered in midfield soldiering on with a clearly unfit Wharton meaning his central midfield partner is often having to battle 3 players single handed.
This means we’re not defending properly and not creating much as we don’t have good possession in the right areas.

We’ve also lost one of our key components of the system, Anderson, who was tailor made for the central role with his distribution from the back.
We’ve shifted Guehi to the role, where he does a job, but is less comfortable than on the left of the 3.
This in turn has affected Mitchell who no longer has Guehi covering him.

We are no longer capable of pressing as high, but are still leaving huge gaps in midfield for the opposition who have acres of space to run into unchallenged.

Time for 451 or 442 with a solid midfield to consolidate our position in games, become more competitive and try and string together a few results.

If we get the right players in the future there’s no objection to reverting to 343, but in my view it doesn’t suit the available current players.

Its the Stubbornness of Managers that amazes me, as you obviously say we haven't the players for that, and the signings don't add up to what we needed, Vieira with his two number 8s and a 6 in midfield was the same, flexibility is the key to a manager with a limited, but good squad.