That's true enough.
But I fear that - just as teams late on in Martinez's first season figured out that we went with split CBs and built up from that the press came and we struggled - enough poor teams will turn up between now and the end of the season and sit very deep and only counter.
I really think we need to be a lot bolder if that happens.
I take the point made by you and others that the first goal dictates matters and I'd mix it up in different games and play Beto and DCL from the off, get the lead and revert back to one up front and hit opponents on the break.
I dont necessarily disagree mate, if i was me id play against us and ask us to break my team down. However i do think we have a couple more layers, we've snares all over the pitch, and a press on each line, until it comes to the danger zone and then a full on low block, i think we are less suspectable to the counter - i think Brighton was the last goal on the counter and that was a freak, we look a ot more solid. Another facet is we bully teams physically and athletically, we are big team, we are a high engine team, we are a hard team - so if you wan to impose your game on us - you have to beat us on those three measures to assert dominance.
As i say with Dom, Beto Harrison. McNeill and the Duke available it will be a good team that keeps us out and if they do they deserve it - i think we only had the Duke in the Wolves and Fulham games.
Id like to see us with a player that can stand on the ball more to be honest, that Arteta or Jamo - maybe that will come.
The Duke is a big miss, hes te lynch pin of that system. So id be very open minded at being flexible with a formation, with DCL and Beto a 3-5-2 maybe particualrly with the Duke out......