4-2-3-1: Should we give it a go?

[The Prophet]

Inter won the Champions League playing it, the Dutch and Germans have reached the world cup semi-finals emplying it so is there something in the 4-2-3-1 formation?

 

Watching the Germans toy with Argentina certianly highlighted the benafits of playing said formation over 4-4-2. It provides defensive insurance, an extra body in the middle and played correctly little is sacraficed going forward. There aren't many Premier League mangers willing to move from two banks of four so a 4-2-3-1 could certainly bring something new to the table.

 

Given we'd still need to improve certian positions we could line up like this:

 

-------------------------------Harper--------------------------------

 

Simpson------------Taylor--------------Colo------------Enrique

 

-------------------Smith------------------Guthrie------------------

 

Routledge--------------------Nolan-------------------------Jonas

 

-------------------------------Carroll---------------------------------

 

We'd have the extra insurance of Smith throwing himself around at the back or engaging in a man marking job and we'd still have a fairly direct front four. Obviously the limited nature of Smith and Nolan as footballers would still be a worry but I'd feel safer with the extra insurance as a pose to the immensly unfit pairing of Guthrie and Nolan.

 

Obviously it's unlikely a coach of limited nature such as Hughton would ever play such a formation. It would also rely on everybody being well drilled and orgnaised, something we'll need anyway if we're to stay up. It could easily back fire but if we're wanting to try something outside the box I'd certianly give it some thought.

[madras]

barton for smith and the emergence of vuckic for nolan over the course of the season out of the current crop.

[LiquidAK]

Would love that tbh, though I think we'd need someone with more pace than Nolan to play in the hole. Ozil is so effective in that role imo because he can make runs from deep and make the defence work hard to stop him.

[J7]

I would like to see it. However throw Barton in that team instead of Smith.

[Guest ObiChrisKenobi]

Its this generation's 3-5-2/4-4-2. They play it at Academy level and the reserves were using it last year, so I wouldn't be too shocked if they started to use it at First Team level too. Ultimately, someone will find the counter formation for it and it'll fade away and be replaced with another hot formation.

[The Prophet]

I'd like to see Taylor moved to right back and Williamson in the middle too but it's never going to happen. I think if we played Barton it would probably be in place of Routledge knowing Hughton.

[Guest BooBoo]

Not a bad idea. Not sure whether our players have the brains though to make it work well.

[SEMTEX]

Flaw: would need competent players.

[Robster]

It feels like the game is getting overly complicated now and is being over analzysed.

Get the right type of players, playing the style of football they enjoy, and you 90% of the way there.

[Gash]

Brilliant formation which played with 2 good defensive minded/decent breaker upers of play makes it very effective and Nolan could score 20 goals with the freedom 

[J7]

It feels like the game is getting overly complicated now and is being over analzysed.

Get the right type of players, playing the style of football they enjoy, and you 90% of the way there.

In the dark ages.

[Neil]

I'd like to see Taylor moved to right back and Williamson in the middle too but it's never going to happen. I think if we played Barton it would probably be in place of Routledge knowing Hughton.

 

Said for a while Taylor should be given a shot at RB. Obviously you lot will know better: are there any major reasons why he shouldn't be given a go here?

 

Enrique-----Colo----Williamson----Taylor

 

seems a relatively strong backline.

[Neil]

As for the formation, I'm a big fan of 4-2-3-1 but you need good organisation at the back, the 2 midfield players need to be well-drilled and have the quality to keep possession and feed it to the wingers and 'number 10'. It is, in my eyes, just an extension of a 4-5-1/4-3-3 system. It is also the way forward IMO.

[gazza ladra]

Whatever we do, Barton will start.

[The Prophet]

I'd like to see Taylor moved to right back and Williamson in the middle too but it's never going to happen. I think if we played Barton it would probably be in place of Routledge knowing Hughton.

 

Said for a while Taylor should be given a shot at RB. Obviously you lot will know better: are there any major reasons why he shouldn't be given a go here?

 

Enrique-----Colo----Williamson----Taylor

 

seems a relatively strong backline.

 

Enrique playing righ back? Really?

 

 

Seriously though you can only assume he doesn't like playing there/Hughton doesn't like playing him there. I'd certianly feel more comfortable with Williamson in the back four than Simpson though.

[Colocho]

----------------------- Harper

 

Simpson -- S. Taylor -- Williamson -- Enrique

 

---------------- Coloccini ---------------------------

 

----------------------------- Barton -----------------

 

Routledge ---------- Nolan ------------ Gutierrez

 

----------------------- Carroll ----------------------

[Neil]

It feels like the game is getting overly complicated now and is being over analzysed.

Get the right type of players, playing the style of football they enjoy, and you 90% of the way there.

 

Germany yesterday produced a simple performance; players knew exactly what they needed to do, all worked together, and broke at pace. It wasn't Barcelona but it was still brilliant to watch.

[madras]

As for the formation, I'm a big fan of 4-2-3-1 but you need good organisation at the back, the 2 midfield players need to be well-drilled and have the quality to keep possession and feed it to the wingers and 'number 10'. It is, in my eyes, just an extension of a 4-5-1/4-3-3 system. It is also the way forward IMO.

also need a bit more mobility from the front man. i know carroll has provided some fantastic balls from out wide but i cant imagine him doing the movement necessary when on his own.

[The Prophet]

A midfield of:

 

-----------------------Colo-------------------Guthrie-----------------------

 

Routledge----------------------Barton------------------------------Jonas

 

...could work actually. Obviously Hughton would never drop Nolan but Colo is streets ahead of Smith on the ball while Barton would probably provide more pace than Nolan.

[gazza ladra]

RE: Germany

 

Scoring the first goal helped.

[The Prophet]

RE: Germany

 

Scoring the first goal helped.

 

It usually does.

[Neil]

As for the formation, I'm a big fan of 4-2-3-1 but you need good organisation at the back, the 2 midfield players need to be well-drilled and have the quality to keep possession and feed it to the wingers and 'number 10'. It is, in my eyes, just an extension of a 4-5-1/4-3-3 system. It is also the way forward IMO.

also need a bit more mobility from the front man. i know carroll has provided some fantastic balls from out wide but i cant imagine him doing the movement necessary when on his own.

 

I don't know, I can see him learning and developing next season. I also think Nolan could do a decent enough job 'in the hole'. Cahill has shown you don't need to be some sort of creative mastermind to do a good job in that position.

[Guest]

I think this will be how we go tbh. Jonas and Routledge on the wings, Barton and Guthrie in the centre, with Nolan behind Carroll. G think we could do pretty well with it.

[Colocho]

A midfield of:

 

-----------------------Colo-------------------Guthrie-----------------------

 

Routledge----------------------Barton------------------------------Jonas

 

...could work actually. Obviously Hughton would never drop Nolan but Colo is streets ahead of Smith on the ball while Barton would probably provide more pace than Nolan.

 

Colo absolutely must become a CDM this season.

[Pilko]

Can no-one remember Colo playing DM at Man City last PL season and being really really turd?