If we were to play 4 at the back we are incredibly weak in the full back positions. On the left Baines is no longer good enough for what we want to achieve and he has no real cover. On the right, we are going to be without Coleman for probably half the season and there is a chance he won't get back to his best. Whilst Kenny looks a good prospect, I think it is to much of a gamble to throw him in as first choice RB in the mean time.
The fact we haven't signed or have been heavily linked with any full backs or wing backs could suggest Koeman could have a different idea in mind, and thinks he has the personnel already in the squad to do that.
Potentially he could be looking at 3 CB with some Guadiola style Wingback/wide defensive mids who come into a more defensive central midfield role when we have the ball.
If you look who could potentially fill that role then Davies on the right and Gueye on the left. Both players have the defensive instinct, high energy, the ability to carry the ball forward (Davies down the right against city springs to mind) and most importantly can play in midfield. They also wouldn't be required to provide the level of defensive cover a fullback would as there would be 3 CB behind them.
This concept failed at city this season, but mainly because Zabeleta/Sagna/Kolarov/Clichy where poor at the centre midlfield part of the role, gave the ball away a lot and got caught out of position. They are also not the best defensively either IMO. I think Davies and gueye would be much better suited to this role.
This may also be the reason Koeman is strengthening so heavily in the central mid/advanced mid positions, as gueye and Davies may play a little wider.
THIS IS JUST A THOUGHT AND WOULD FIT THE DUTCH TOTAL FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHY, AND MAY LOOK LIKE THIS Off THE BALL....
.....................PICKFORD
........HOLGATE WILLIAMS KEANE
..DAVIES.....SCHNIEDERLIN...GUEYE
.....................KLASSEN
.........ROONEY ............ SIG
.....................SANDRO
We would have good cover with Baines and Kenny, with Coleman to come back and good flexibility. If we got Giroud too and Barkley stays there would be a lot of rotation in the front 4 with potentially 7/8 players competing for the spots.
I'm with you as far as the inverted full backs, nice suggestion given their attributes.
However, the reason that this particular formation works is because the width is provided higher up the pitch with very wide wingers. Unfortunately for us, we simply don't have that option!
---------------Pickford----------------
--Keane----Schneiderlin---Williams--
--------Davies-------Gueye----------
--------Klaassen-----Barkley---------
Mirallas--------Rooney--------Sandro
This would probably be closest to how it would work when in possession given the personnel we have, with Schneiderlin dropping back between the CB's to receive and bring the ball out.
But I don't like the idea of Mirallas playing as an out-and-out winger and Sandro, by all accounts, likes to cut in from the left; again meaning no width.
I'd also struggle with seeing Davies and Gueye falling back into full back positions.
I think we might end up seeing a 4-4-2 diamond formation:
----------------Pickford----------------
Holgate---Keane----Williams---Baines
--------------Schneiderlin--------------
---------Gueye----------Davies--------
----------------Klaassen---------------
------------Rooney----Sandro---------
Again though, this formation requires very attacking full backs. I'm very surprised that we haven't been in the market for either a RB or LB; Baines just can't get up and down the flank the way he used to, and we might be without Coleman for the majority of the season.
