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These 43 comments are related to an article called:

3 Games 3 Formations

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posted on 29/10/20

comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 3 minutes ago
Clueless PE teacher, has no idea about tactics, just sends players out and tells them to have fun.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a serious thread, save that type of response for the lame articles below.

Plus it's taken him a while to figure out that 4-2-3-1 just doesn't work for us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Plus 4-2-3-1, although I’m not a fan at all, has delivered consistently for us under Ole and powered us to third place with a sub third-placed squad last season.

What was it, 17 games or something unbeaten playing 4-2-3-1?

posted on 29/10/20

comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 1 second ago
comment by merrysupersteve (monitoring the situation) (U1132)
posted 1 minute ago
I prefer that we can be adaptable in formations. For all the media fawn over playing in a set manner with a set formation, if you can only play in that way, you are going to be in big trouble when you're trailing, having an off day or just simply get figured out
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, any team should have at least two formations they can switch between comfortably depending on the situation. The question is which two?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It isn’t that serious a thread is it?

There isn’t any given ‘best way to go against teams we should be beating’.

Different teams offer different challenges, and when plan A isn’t deemed to be the right approach there’ll be calculated adjustments.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well let's just say it's the most mature post match thread.

Anyway, yes there needs to be a flexible approach. Maybe Ole is now understanding this, although a better squad helps.

posted on 29/10/20

But City haven’t been found out. They’ve had a regression within the squad.

posted on 29/10/20

comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 7 seconds ago
comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 3 minutes ago
Clueless PE teacher, has no idea about tactics, just sends players out and tells them to have fun.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a serious thread, save that type of response for the lame articles below.

Plus it's taken him a while to figure out that 4-2-3-1 just doesn't work for us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Plus 4-2-3-1, although I’m not a fan at all, has delivered consistently for us under Ole and powered us to third place with a sub third-placed squad last season.

What was it, 17 games or something unbeaten playing 4-2-3-1?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Teams learnt to counter it, plus the Bruno factor helped. Hence adaptability, which I think we all agree we need.

posted on 29/10/20

comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 16 seconds ago
comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 7 seconds ago
comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 3 minutes ago
Clueless PE teacher, has no idea about tactics, just sends players out and tells them to have fun.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a serious thread, save that type of response for the lame articles below.

Plus it's taken him a while to figure out that 4-2-3-1 just doesn't work for us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Plus 4-2-3-1, although I’m not a fan at all, has delivered consistently for us under Ole and powered us to third place with a sub third-placed squad last season.

What was it, 17 games or something unbeaten playing 4-2-3-1?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Teams learnt to counter it, plus the Bruno factor helped. Hence adaptability, which I think we all agree we need.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Which teams?

We were the best team in the league from the end of January through the end of the season in goals scored, goals conceded and points accumulated if I’m not mistaken?

posted on 29/10/20

comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 16 seconds ago
comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 7 seconds ago
comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 3 minutes ago
Clueless PE teacher, has no idea about tactics, just sends players out and tells them to have fun.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a serious thread, save that type of response for the lame articles below.

Plus it's taken him a while to figure out that 4-2-3-1 just doesn't work for us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Plus 4-2-3-1, although I’m not a fan at all, has delivered consistently for us under Ole and powered us to third place with a sub third-placed squad last season.

What was it, 17 games or something unbeaten playing 4-2-3-1?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Teams learnt to counter it, plus the Bruno factor helped. Hence adaptability, which I think we all agree we need.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Which teams?

We were the best team in the league from the end of January through the end of the season in goals scored, goals conceded and points accumulated if I’m not mistaken?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We were. The Bruno signing provided a spark. Then Pogba came back, and he doesn't work in that system.

posted on 29/10/20

comment by Donny The King van de Beek (U10026)
posted 20 minutes ago
But City haven’t been found out. They’ve had a regression within the squad.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Think that if you will. If you don't think only being able to play one way has had a detrimental effect on them and led to a complete inability to win when they go behind, then fair enough. I disagree

posted on 29/10/20

And surely if the ability of the players in the squad is more important than the actual tactics used by City, that only backs up my point that players are more important than having a set formation and style of play? And that adaptability is a great strength to have? No?

posted on 29/10/20

But it’s a myth they can only play one way. And they changed around their formation under Pep while being successful and unsuccessful.

It’s nonsense that they were just figured out. Kompany retired, Laporte got injured, this caused them to use Fernandinho at cb when he’s their dm. Age started to show with Silva. Sane was injured which gave them less depth in attack and was the only winger of his kind in the squad - which means they couldn’t change how they attacked from the left wing.

Teams as good as that City team don’t get found out, if they did they wouldn’t get 198 points over two seasons. But they do get worse, and it’s because their squad did.

posted on 29/10/20

comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 1 hour, 18 minutes ago
...........................De Gea

.....AWB.....Tuanzebe.....Maguire......Telles

...........................Matic

................Fred......................Pogba

...........................Bruno

................Rashford............Martial


This has a nice balance imo.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

It does if you remove Matic and put in McT.

posted on 29/10/20

I didn’t say adaptability isn’t a good thing. I’m saying having a set formation and a set way of playing (no team plays the exact same way 100% of the time anyway) is clearly a positive if you are bloody good at it. And all the best teams tend to have them.

posted on 29/10/20

comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 1 hour, 38 minutes ago
comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 16 seconds ago
comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 7 seconds ago
comment by N2 (U22280)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by rosso - it’s not good enough to be right; you have to be effective (U17054)
posted 3 minutes ago
Clueless PE teacher, has no idea about tactics, just sends players out and tells them to have fun.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a serious thread, save that type of response for the lame articles below.

Plus it's taken him a while to figure out that 4-2-3-1 just doesn't work for us.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Plus 4-2-3-1, although I’m not a fan at all, has delivered consistently for us under Ole and powered us to third place with a sub third-placed squad last season.

What was it, 17 games or something unbeaten playing 4-2-3-1?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Teams learnt to counter it, plus the Bruno factor helped. Hence adaptability, which I think we all agree we need.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Which teams?

We were the best team in the league from the end of January through the end of the season in goals scored, goals conceded and points accumulated if I’m not mistaken?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We were. The Bruno signing provided a spark. Then Pogba came back, and he doesn't work in that system.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pogba can play just fine in a 4231 as long as you're playing him in the 3...

posted on 29/10/20

city regression is, even if true, down to squad strength

as mentioned above, Kompany leaving and Laporte missing basically a season with an aging CM called into CB was a big factor, but also Pep has bought some odd players in recent years.

he actually has quite a history of weird transfers that don't pan out.

aguero needed replacing (not literally this season sold), there should be a world class forward in that squad as he is on the decline physically now but there isnt.

then you have Liverpool, a very good first XI but a pretty poor second XI. everyone knew they were a key player long term injury away from trouble and now they find themselves in that spot.

what's more fascinating about them though is even upto that injury, teams had started to find a way to exploit TAA in behind and a lot of teams recently have played that card. now with VVD out they will be more exposed than ever.

especially if Klopp drops the tactic of 3 worker bees in midfield and plays Thiago. suddenly you only have 2 DMs not 3, and a significantly weaker back line.

teams have cycles, some last longer than others but if you don't invest, rely too heavily on the first XI you come and you go.

dynasties build teams that are fighting for top honors for decades, not a season or two.

posted on 29/10/20

comment by Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 5 hours, 21 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 1 hour, 18 minutes ago
...........................De Gea

.....AWB.....Tuanzebe.....Maguire......Telles

...........................Matic

................Fred......................Pogba

...........................Bruno

................Rashford............Martial


This has a nice balance imo.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

It does if you remove Matic and put in McT.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
this is why the diamond suits the players we have. We can take advantage of the depth we have in midfield.
McT can easily come in for matic/fred position
VDB can easily come in for pogba
and pogba for bruno

upfront
greenwood/cavani can come in for martial/rashford

comment by Busby (U19985)

posted on 29/10/20

Thought Mctominay changed the game when he came on. Winning the Ballard distributing quickly and offensively.

How many times dod Fred win the ball then give it away, or make a sloppy pass on general? Neither Matic nor Fred show for the defence either, which means we struggle playing from the back.

Fernandes and Pogba also shown why they are higher in the pecking order than VDB for those begging for him to be starting every week.

posted on 29/10/20

Who didn't like McTominay winning the Ballard

posted on 29/10/20

comment by Jim Lahey (U22183)
posted 1 hour, 47 minutes ago
city regression is, even if true, down to squad strength

as mentioned above, Kompany leaving and Laporte missing basically a season with an aging CM called into CB was a big factor, but also Pep has bought some odd players in recent years.

he actually has quite a history of weird transfers that don't pan out.

aguero needed replacing (not literally this season sold), there should be a world class forward in that squad as he is on the decline physically now but there isnt.

then you have Liverpool, a very good first XI but a pretty poor second XI. everyone knew they were a key player long term injury away from trouble and now they find themselves in that spot.

what's more fascinating about them though is even upto that injury, teams had started to find a way to exploit TAA in behind and a lot of teams recently have played that card. now with VVD out they will be more exposed than ever.

especially if Klopp drops the tactic of 3 worker bees in midfield and plays Thiago. suddenly you only have 2 DMs not 3, and a significantly weaker back line.

teams have cycles, some last longer than others but if you don't invest, rely too heavily on the first XI you come and you go.

dynasties build teams that are fighting for top honors for decades, not a season or two.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pep doesn’t buy players. He’s involved far less than even United managers are in the process.

posted on 29/10/20

comment by Busby (U19985)
posted 3 hours, 6 minutes ago
Thought Mctominay changed the game when he came on. Winning the Ballard distributing quickly and offensively.

How many times dod Fred win the ball then give it away, or make a sloppy pass on general? Neither Matic nor Fred show for the defence either, which means we struggle playing from the back.

Fernandes and Pogba also shown why they are higher in the pecking order than VDB for those begging for him to be starting every week.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You do realise 3 of our goals came from Fred winning the ball and setting up the attack, and a 4 was an assist from him? Yes he was a little inefficient and maybe he could have started attacks for 8 goals instead, but come on...

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