We have to get back to a four man defence

[matty1878]

If we do sign Cody it tells us that we will be going with three since he can’t play in a four which is why he’s apparently available.

yup

 

[matty1878]

I reckon having no actual forward with the ability to stop the ball coming right back at us was a bigger hindrance. One of the few times a game may well have really suited Rondon (No, I can't believe I'm saying it either!).

The back 3/5 allowed Mykolenko & Patterson to take up good positions with Iwobi especially picking them out well at times with the option to swiftly move the ball. With two mobile and defensively adequate midfielders either side of a deep Iwobi there is scope for playing two proper forwards or at least one and a deper link-up player with that 3/5 at the back.

 

[Armaghtoffee]

Bar the brain fart a chara, i thought Doucoure was excellent yesterday, im not sure how its going to look creatively, but Onana, Gana and Doucoure in the center is going to be very hard to break down.

The days of keep it tight and try and pinch one are well and truly back.

 

[Nymzee]

Quite ironic how we love playing in a formation that requires more of a position we can’t keep anyone fit in.

 

[Neiler]

The days of keep it tight and try and pinch one are well and truly back.

If its get us to 40 points mate, im in, goals worry me, we wouldn't have scored there yesterday if we were there for a month, in the back end of last season we were creating noting and anything we did score was a scuffed one, deflection or something Richarlision created.

 

[MisterJ]

Don't mind if it's a 3 or a 4; but they have to get the personnel to make it work and drill the defence until its second nature

 

[Armaghtoffee]

If its get us to 40 points mate, im in, goals worry me, we wouldn't have scored there yesterday if we were there for a month, in the back end of last season we were creating noting and anything we did score was a scuffed one, deflection or something Richarlision created.

Yeah this year is all about mid table stability and I think we’ll do that OK. With a fit DCL I would go as far as saying we are decent.

 

[Rooney_Tunes]

This present system of three is not us and it's not that effective, as seldom do we have five at the back when we have to transition when the ball is with the opposition. It's alien to us and it's showing. We're playing it because of personnel, not because it's a tactical strength. Lampard is frustrated we dont have the people here to go with 4 at the back and 3 in midfield and said so recently.

We conceded yesterday because the players we have just cant work the system and we end up with non-defenders bundling over the opposition to hand pens and victories to them.

I thought it was very effective yesterday against one of the best club sides in the world.

You are thinking it did not work because we lost, but it definitely did work, and we were just unlucky that Godfrey and then Mina went off injured, and DCL was not available.

Don't let the loss cloud your judgement; think of the three in isolation...it worked.

 

[Rooney_Tunes]

If its get us to 40 points mate, im in, goals worry me, we wouldn't have scored there yesterday if we were there for a month, in the back end of last season we were creating noting and anything we did score was a scuffed one, deflection or something Richarlision created.

I thought we were unlucky not to score.

We created panicked clearances on more than one occasion, and they did not have a canny CB that stopped a pass to Gordon and blocked a shot from Gray, we would have scored one of those.

Just my opinion.

 

[Neiler]

I thought we were unlucky not to score.

We created panicked clearances on more than one occasion, and they did not have a canny CB that stopped a pass to Gordon and blocked a shot from Gray, we would have scored one of those.

Just my opinion.

Fair points mate, i still think we lacked that focal point.

 

[davek]

I thought it was very effective yesterday against one of the best club sides in the world.

You are thinking it did not work because we lost, but it definitely did work, and we were just unlucky that Godfrey and then Mina went off injured, and DCL was not available.

Don't let the loss cloud your judgement; think of the three in isolation...it worked.

But we're not going to be playing 'Chelsea's' all season are we? We're playing 'lesser teams' most of the time when getting that many behind the ball simply wont be tolerated or (in many cases) required.

The manager wants to get to a 433 ASAP. The players we have right now are shackling that ambition.

Attritional football is all well and good against certain opponents, but the bulk in this league we need to get out and attack a lot more against.

 

[davek]

Dont think we got much choice now

We do. The window is open and we can get players in still.

Gueye coming back would add security to a four man defence.

 

[davek]

I disagree. I think we are more solid defensively with 3 CB at the back in particular Tarkowski is the leader that we need. If Coady comes in we are fine with 3 CB.

Midfield is no longer a problem as Doucouré and Iwobi were fine yesterday and with Onana and Gana coming in we are loaded in CM.

The problem is the ability to create and score goals which means we must add more forwards and strikers ideally two more signings. One striker who can hold on the ball and score plus the other being a wide forward who can assist and score goals.

The current options are limited:

McNeil - New signing. Give him benefit of doubt.
DCL - Hardly played last season and now is quite injury-prone.
Gordon - Still developing. I don’t think he should be a starter at this point as he simply does not provide enough assists and goals. 3 of the 4 goals he scored last season were deflections.
Gray - His goals disappeared since last November. His bad decision making is on par with Gordon. He is pacy that’s about it.
Townsend - Should only be a squad player and will leave on free next summer anyway.
Iwobi - The number of his goals and assists are low but he redeems himself with his energy and workrate.
Dele - 7 games and we have to pay £10m, what should we do next?
Rondon - Umm…

We are not going to get all those signings so we have to be able to change formation. It's as simple as that.

 

[davek]

…not sure it exposes the confusion of defenders but it certainly highlights their failings, whether it be back four or back 3. Holgate, for example, often finds himself the wrong side of the ball and out of the game regardless of system.

I’m not a fan of 3 at the back because whenever we play it, it invariably ends up as a back 5. I don’t get hung up on systems but whatever you play you need players to fit it. Lampard has set his stall out & I was actually quite content with us looking solid yesterday, but even taking away the lack of a potent striker, both WBs were too safe and offered little in the top third.

We often end up as a confused and inadequate looking four when the ball is in play, with Mykolenko dropping into a more orthodox FB role and Godfrey being forced to be a RFB which he isn't suited to...clearly.

This manager is playing a system he doesn't wish to play. The players know that too and it's looking like what it is: a change of shape to suit circumstances rather than a firm and trusted method of setting up.

 

[Eggs]

We often end up as a confused and inadequate looking four when the ball is in play, with Mykolenko dropping into a more orthodox FB role and Godfrey being forced to be a RFB which he isn't suited to...clearly.

This manager is playing a system he doesn't wish to play. The players know that too and it's looking like what it is: a change of shape to suit circumstances rather than a firm and trusted method of setting up.

….I thought we were playing a 3 because that’s the system Lampard prefers.