For me, I see the benefits of both 4-2-3-1 and 4-1-4-1 either as plan As or interchangeable - dependent upon opponents and/or individual or collective form of players.
What has become apparent is that when we opt for 4-2-3-1, with Choudhury dropping to make a 3 and Chilwell and Ricardo pushing on, it allows for the option of 3 more central/creative players but is also heavily reliant on the aforementioned players providing pretty much all of the width...I don’t actually see this as a bad thing but it isn’t really affective without these two having a good 8 out of 10 game.
When we play 4-1-4-1, the obvious benefit is further attacking intent down the wings but with less support from Chilwell and Ricardo as the solitary DCM is doing his job in the middle rather than dropping to create a 3. Again, I don’t see this as necessarily a bad thing - in theory, it would mean one less centrally creative player behind Vardy but placing the wide attacking responsibility mainly at the feet (excuse the pun) of the wingers rather than full backs isn’t exactly a bizarre strategy.
Where I think we perhaps could improve is our player selection within these two formations at times in terms of round pegs/round holes but I am optimistic that things will fall into place naturally from this perspective as the season progresses.
Whichever formation we play, we still have competition for places and genuine competition - not just two players in each position. This is an area I feel we have finally started to build on.
For the Liverpool game, there are 5 places up for grabs between the back 5 and Vardy:
Barnes
Albrighton
Perez
Tielemans
Maddison
Praet
Ndidi
Choudhury
Dilemmas...
Formation set ups & competition for places
posted on 2/10/19
Actually Joby I think it's likely to be simpler than that:
1. We pick a formation.
2. We lose.
posted on 2/10/19
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 10 hours, 17 minutes ago
Well, regardless - I'm going to be miserable and say I want us to set up with two defensive midfielders on Saturday, keep it tight and try to nick a goal on the counter. If we're behind at half time or beyond, then we can try to step it up. But not until then.
Most games, I'm happy with the attacking approach. Liverpool and Man City away? I believe they're too good for that.
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I'd be happy with two CDM's if we were actually more solid but we're not, we've been an utter shambles and conceded early against Chelsea and United and I don't believe we would be any different if we played against Liverpool, who are obviously a superior side to both of them.
posted on 3/10/19
Our GD is currently the joint best in the league with 5 goals conceded.
We’ve conceded 2 when we’ve started with 2 CDMs and 3 when we haven’t
In the same period we’ve scored 13 goals. How many of those when we’ve started with 2 CDMs?
ONE!
posted on 3/10/19
Watching some of last nights game, Liverpool can definitely be got at with the right approach. Yes, granted they're very likely to outscore us. But at least you give yourself a chance like Salzburg did. If we approach the game to contain i.e. 2 CDMs et al, we will undoubtably lose without a cat in hell....
posted on 3/10/19
Ok cool. I desperately want us to go 4-1-4-1 now do we find out either way.
I would love it, love it if we beat them and I’m proven wrong.
posted on 3/10/19
comment by Jobyfox (U4183)
posted 4 hours, 9 minutes ago
Our GD is currently the joint best in the league with 5 goals conceded.
We’ve conceded 2 when we’ve started with 2 CDMs and 3 when we haven’t
In the same period we’ve scored 13 goals. How many of those when we’ve started with 2 CDMs?
ONE!
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To be fair though, using 2 CDMs is against the Top Teams, you'd expect to score less.
posted on 3/10/19
comment by True Blue (U9486)
posted 40 minutes ago
comment by Jobyfox (U4183)
posted 4 hours, 9 minutes ago
Our GD is currently the joint best in the league with 5 goals conceded.
We’ve conceded 2 when we’ve started with 2 CDMs and 3 when we haven’t
In the same period we’ve scored 13 goals. How many of those when we’ve started with 2 CDMs?
ONE!
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To be fair though, using 2 CDMs is against the Top Teams, you'd expect to score less.
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Man Utd, Wolves & Chelsea.
I’ll give you Chelsea - which is actually the team we scored against
posted on 3/10/19
That Man Utd game still angers me. Why oh why oh why did we treat them as if they are Liverpool, when they are currently closer to Accrington Stanley (no offence to AS!).
I said at the time and I say it again now, that was a game we should have gone 4-1-4-1 in.
Grrrrrrr.
posted on 3/10/19
If you aspire to be top six or four you have to beat half of them! Mersey, I agree with you about the Man U game. I would prefer the bus to break down than set up like that again. No point in showing up otherwise...... Fight and lose 5-0 would be fine with me.
posted on 4/10/19
comment by Jobyfox (U4183)
posted 14 hours, 11 minutes ago
Our GD is currently the joint best in the league with 5 goals conceded.
We’ve conceded 2 when we’ve started with 2 CDMs and 3 when we haven’t
In the same period we’ve scored 13 goals. How many of those when we’ve started with 2 CDMs?
ONE!
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We had switched it when we scored against Chelsea, Maddison was back in the middle and Choudhury off.