Seems to me that we have may of the ingredients for a 352 to work.
Firstly strikers, Kane could partner any of Rooney, Vardy & Strurridge and link up well, and other good partnerships are possible.
Secondly, we have little natural width in the team. Sterling is off form really, Lallana always comes inside. But we have excellent attacking full backs in Walker & Rose who provide width for Spurs week in and out.
Thirdly....none of our CBs are at the exceptional level that the likes of Terry, Rio, Campbell, King etc were at. CB is probably the weakest position in the team. Having 3 can lead to some confusion but would be perfect to bring in the likes of Stones, someone who can step out with the ball and still have 2 CBs behind him, players longside him who can cover him.
Fourth: with 3 CBs there only really needs to be 1 true DM and the other CMs perhaps have a bit more freedom, and can be a bit more advanced, which would be ideal for the likes of Wilshere or Alli, and if one CB steps out from the back they can all push forward.
The best thing about it for me is the ability to get 2 genuine strikers up top without too much need for them to do any defending and without exposing us like a 442 would. It puts a big demand on the wing backs but as Walker & Rose have shown this season they are fit enough to get up and down the wings.
I dont suggest it should be our plan A but it should be in the locker. Instead Roy went with that fecking awful diamond vs Portugal simply to shoehorn in all our trending players + Rooney.
I cannot recall us toying with a 352 in the last 2 years of Roy and I think he has failed to prepare us properly in this respect, especially when you look at the strengths of individuals in the squad. a 433 and a diamond means form players either get left out or play out of position. a 442 simply is not an option as our midfield will be overrun.
SHould Roy have toyed with a 352 formation.
posted on 9/6/16
Interesting idea. I agree it plays to the strength of our strikers, but I don't think our midfield, unless full strength (Alli-Dier-Rooney/Wilshere) is particularly strong in that. I also think wingback is quite a specialist role that not just any attacking full back can fill. Need exceptional stamina, tactical nous to an extent, but good on the ball and in final third. Different to when a full back can get away with aimless deep crosses from halfway into opposition half, need to know what to do with the ball in dangerous positions in the final third
posted on 9/6/16
comment by Admin 1.0 (U1641)
posted 2 minutes ago
Interesting idea. I agree it plays to the strength of our strikers, but I don't think our midfield, unless full strength (Alli-Dier-Rooney/Wilshere) is particularly strong in that. I also think wingback is quite a specialist role that not just any attacking full back can fill. Need exceptional stamina, tactical nous to an extent, but good on the ball and in final third. Different to when a full back can get away with aimless deep crosses from halfway into opposition half, need to know what to do with the ball in dangerous positions in the final third
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I get your points but i think that it is something that could and should have been worked on over the last 2 years.
It seems strange that we arrange a friendly vs Portugal and then player players out of position all over the pitch just to get them on the same team sheet....why experiment in that way at the 11th hour?
This give me a general sense overall that Roy is reactive, he has not prepared us fully, and rather than picking a team /squad based on his strategies (plan a, B, C etc) he is picking players and trying to make a strategy work around them.
posted on 9/6/16
It's a formation that works on paper but in reality is extremely difficult to pull off (much like the diamond actually)
Firstly none of the centre backs are familiar with it at all. As you say, adding an extra centre back doesn't always shore up the defence - in many cases, and I saw this with United last year, it just confuses the hell out of them and makes them look much worse.
Secondly, I dont trust the full backs to do it. Attacking full backs don't automatically make good wing backs - the responsibility of defending as well as being a key attacker requires a fair bit of tactical discipline which I don't think Walker or Rose have. At all.
It can be a very effective formation with the right players, but I dont think ours have the discipline to do it. I wouldn't even go there.
posted on 9/6/16
Dont think it matters what formation England play really too little true quality throughout the squad. Roy should have gone after the atrocious display at the world cup.
Hoddle played 3-5-2 at France 98 and it worked well. That squad deserved to go much further and if it wereny for his dopey comments who knows what may have been at Euro 2000. However as already stated compared to the squad now the talent gap is immeasurable.
Spines of the team '98 and '16:
Seaman - Adams - Ince - Shearer
Hart - Smalling - Henderson - Kane
Goalkeeping and up top we're as good but you wont do anything with a weak middle.
posted on 9/6/16
I was thinking the exact same thing the other day
after I failed to be able to make a team I liked with 4 at the back with the team selector
Too late to try it now.
Unless we're chasing a goal in a knockout I guess as a secret weapon - we almost have too many mids and forwards
posted on 9/6/16
Hart
Stones Cahill Smalling
Walker Dier Milner Rose
Alli
Kane Rooney
Would be really good.
posted on 9/6/16
I'd drop Walker and Rose for Clyne and Sterling
posted on 9/6/16
He should have toyed with a toaster in the bath..
posted on 9/6/16
toasterist. What did they ever do to you?
Labour says toasters add £4bn to the economy every year and don't take jobs away from open pit fires