More and more teams at this level are going to 3-5-2, especially after the success Hull and Watford got out of it last season. Leicester played it at the weekend and I believe Huddersfield are also playing this way?
If I was Sordell I'd be a bit upset that I'd been relegated to 4th choice striker though!
Sordell has to prove that he understands the team work ethic, and he to reprove that he is a decent footballer and cannot live off his reputation. He also needs to prove that he wants to be here, if not then back to Bolton. There is no space for a Hasselbaink like billy big boots attitude, the team and the charlton crowd needs to see a strong work ethic. Thats why Charlton fans have taken to Church, he has got a great attitude.
Happy to give him a chance to prove himself.
Hopefully you aren't suggesting sordell has a hasselbaink-like attitude as I've not seen or heard anything to suggest that. I think he's also a good player and wondered why piggott was on instead (who I though did very well indeed btw).
Church scored before sordell so he's in the team now - sometimes it goes like that.
Had we been chasing the game, Sordell probably would have come on. As it was we were defending a lead and Piggotts's hold up play was more likely to relieve pressure on the defence. It's not always a case of being first, second or third choice, sometimes it's about being best suited to a certain job at a certain time.
One of the advantages of 352 in these days of FFP is it allows you to run a thinner squad. In theory you only need 20 players (5cb 5cm 4cf 4wb 2gk) where for 442 you need 3 or 4 more players to ensure adequate cover.
The issue of course is how you handle a decent 451 opponent, where you need your centre backs to be mobile and aware enough to prevent the opposition doubling up on your wing backs. It also requires your midfield to be aware that gaps may appear in the back line as the centre back shuffles across.
The other solution is one of the midfield 3 to help out in the wide position and the second striker to drop deep to keep it at 3v3 in the middle.
Guess that's why coaching is so important, so that players are aware of their job in any given situation.
It is about the personnel at your disposal. It felt like it suited our midfield on Saturday. Yes Leicester had their moments but they are a good side and we did look better than them.
You also need wing backs who do their job offensively and defensively. I think there is one more thing that makes it look attractive. Nigel Pearson mentioned it after the game. He said we are a team that rely on set pieces a lot and we have big players and our delivery is very good. In all honesty, I haven't seen any team with the same level of ability at our level when it comes to taking corners and if you add to that 3 big men and Kermogant to defend, opponents have their work cut out.
Apart from our goal in the first half - we had a couple of great chances to score.
I didn't particularly think we were a proper 352 system saturday, Morrison was playing right back and Wiggins left back for most of the game with a pretty narrow 4 man midfield.
Seriously Red- Watford also use a 3-5-2 system. That will be a real test, as they've been playing that way for over a season now. They build up from the back and keep the ball well, getting the wing backs forward at every opportunity.
Teams playing 4-4-2 against 5-3-2 gamble on their central midfield pair competing effectively against the opposition 3 man central midfield. If they hold their own, they then capitalise on having a full back / winger combination creating 2 v 1 situations against the opposition lone wing back on either side of the pitch.
It's usually a case of who blinks first and changes their system to match-up with the opposition. At Watford last season, CP pulled the right midfielder inside to match up 3 v 3 in the central midfield, leaving Solly to cover the right flank and pick up the Watford left wing back coming forward. The result was an open game and we came out on the right side of a 4-3. A great example of being positive in the choice of system and game-plan. In the Middlesbrough home game we tried to play 2 v 3 and came unstuck.
Some of the posters are also basing the success of the system on Saturday by the result. Don't forget we had a one man advantage for 40 minutes, during which Leicester still created chances and they got around the outside of the three man central defence on a couple of occasions, including the goal. So not a true test, as there wasn't time to see how Pearson had adjusted his tactics to counter our system. The first half had been fairly even, the difference between the two sides was a well executed set play.
Many thanks for that explanation and might make the trip to Vicarage Road just to watch this...
Despite what you say about Leicester having only 10 men I think that we saw enough the other day and last season to know that a five man midfield works best with what is available in our squad. 4-5-1 at home before last Christmas was viewed by some as too negative but we needed results just as we do now. People used to rave about the defence, especially Solly and of course we have Kermorgant up front but we were all wary about the midfield even in League 1... So packing centre mid with three makes sense... but where does that leave Harriott?
I personally think wing backs is the way forward for us. IMO we constantly get over run in Midfield and I feel our best players our Solly and Wiggins so they can cope with the tougher roles. With this formation I do fear for Harriot as I dont think he has the defensive ability to play wing back and also Danny Green is completely screwed which IMO doesnt bother me as I dont think he is a championship player.
I really hope we keep Pritchard CM as its like having 4 CM's when he plays there.
am in favour of 352 to accomdate strengths in squad, in our case it seems to be to accomodate weakness i.e. leaking goals, weak midfield, and the need to play Wilson when Solly unfit.
I know it's effectively a variation on a 4-4-2 but with Stewart and Harriott pushing on, Kermorgant coming back into midfield as he seems comfortable doing might not be a bad option. Especially when you think back to Barnsley and how he released Church from deep for his equalising goal.
Comments
The issue of course is how you handle a decent 451 opponent, where you need your centre backs to be mobile and aware enough to prevent the opposition doubling up on your wing backs. It also requires your midfield to be aware that gaps may appear in the back line as the centre back shuffles across.
The other solution is one of the midfield 3 to help out in the wide position and the second striker to drop deep to keep it at 3v3 in the middle.
Guess that's why coaching is so important, so that players are aware of their job in any given situation.
We were 4-0 down by half time en route to a 5-2 loss!
Didn't try it again for about 10 years!
Apart from our goal in the first half - we had a couple of great chances to score.
Despite what you say about Leicester having only 10 men I think that we saw enough the other day and last season to know that a five man midfield works best with what is available in our squad. 4-5-1 at home before last Christmas was viewed by some as too negative but we needed results just as we do now. People used to rave about the defence, especially Solly and of course we have Kermorgant up front but we were all wary about the midfield even in League 1...
So packing centre mid with three makes sense... but where does that leave Harriott?
I'm sure he knows what to do about that...the season is long and he'll get his chance.
I really hope we keep Pritchard CM as its like having 4 CM's when he plays there.
----------De Gea
--------Jones Rio Vidic
Valencia--------------Coentrao
-----Fellaini Carrick Kagawa
---------RVP Rooney
Oops! aha... Still works with Evra though!
---------Hamer---------
Solly Morrison Cort Wiggins
-----Pritchard Jackson-----
Stewart Kermorgant Harriott
---------Church---------
I know it's effectively a variation on a 4-4-2 but with Stewart and Harriott pushing on, Kermorgant coming back into midfield as he seems comfortable doing might not be a bad option. Especially when you think back to Barnsley and how he released Church from deep for his equalising goal.