The Wall - stick or twist?

[blueloon]

Personally I think 352 should be the way forward now Iwobi has looked settled as a RWB and Richarlison is looking useless not being in the centre

Olsen
Keane Mina Godfrey
Iwobi Allan Doucoure Digne
James
DCL Richarlison

Think that side brings out the best in a few players.

On paper that’s a great shout, getting our best players on the pitch. I’ve never been convinced about the back three though, we always seem to look disjointed , the midfield over run , the wing backs not contributing as much as they do in their “ normal “ positions. That’s why I’ve voted for the let Carlo sort it option. Once Allan is back we’ll have a better idea of how we’ll be playing .

 

[Eggs]

Why do we 'need' full backs to cross the half way line? It seems that our best run of games has been with the current system.

Also, Id say that if we went with 2 attacking full backs then we would need to change the current centre backs as well.

In Godfrey and Digne we have two players ideal to play CB and LB in a high line, if we add in an attacking right back then how to play Mina or Keane as they'd be done for pace. Possibly Holgate of course...

I dont really go with the idea that we 'do something in between'. Id rather we were able to mix it deep and / high but currently we dont have the personnel for a high line.

Holgate Mina Keane Digne

Or

??? Holgate Godfrey Digne

For me...

....Ancelotti has done very well finding a formula that works whilst missing creative players, but to get to the next level we have to be able to mix it creatively with the better teams.

Digne is a fantastic creative source and carries real threat from LB. That ammunition needs to be exploited, not nullified by playing him LM. Let him bomb on, but have legs in CM and real pace & power in Central defence that keeps the door shut at the back.

The great mid-80s team is still a decent blueprint. Two full backs with Rolls Royce engines who created so much in the top third. Two CMs who rarely cross the half-way line and a CB (Ratcliffe) with rapid pace. The Reds won the league with a similar profile in those positions.

We are grinding out great results with this system, but a 1-0 win at Sheffield United could easily be a 1-0 defeat on another day. West Ham were just as well organised and turned us over.

 

[Hickson9]

The simple answer is that it depends on the opposition and the context of the season at that time.

I'd expect Digne to play left back against Newcastle on Saturday and Coleman may also come back in at right back.

 

[Lord Buckethead]

These walls are just another excuse for Skateboard Tom to lie down on the job.

 

[Lanolin]

Why do we 'need' full backs to cross the half way line? It seems that our best run of games has been with the current system.

Also, Id say that if we went with 2 attacking full backs then we would need to change the current centre backs as well.

In Godfrey and Digne we have two players ideal to play CB and LB in a high line, if we add in an attacking right back then how to play Mina or Keane as they'd be done for pace. Possibly Holgate of course...

I dont really go with the idea that we 'do something in between'. Id rather we were able to mix it deep and / high but currently we dont have the personnel for a high line.

Holgate Mina Keane Digne

Or

??? Holgate Godfrey Digne

For me...

With the current options further forward we 'need' the full backs to attack because we don't have anywhere near enough creative threat from the forward players to allow the full backs not to contribute at all. If we get more creativity in the side we may manage without, but at the moment it's clearly an issue. It's also worth pointing out that it's not just the back 4 who have been responsible for us being solid. The whole set up recently has been defensive, with the midfield sitting right in front of the centre halves and an extra full back on the wing. The balance of the team needs to be right; in some games this set up has been perfect, in others it hasn't. In our last 7 home games against top flight opposition we've won 2 drawn 1 and lost 4, only scoring 4 goals. If that continues we'll slide right down the league. We need to find a way to offer more threat going forward, and if there are no players coming in in this window, the only way I can see to do that is to mix things up with the defence occasionally.

 

[MACCA75]

Good question.

Leicester won the league with 2 full backs that didn’t get ahead of the ball BUT they had an outstanding and effective counter attack. We certainly don’t.

The obvious answer is choose the defence on a game by game basis, and if that means Lucas should be on the bench sometimes, then so be it.

 

[BlueToff]

Why do we 'need' full backs to cross the half way line? It seems that our best run of games has been with the current system.

Also, Id say that if we went with 2 attacking full backs then we would need to change the current centre backs as well.

In Godfrey and Digne we have two players ideal to play CB and LB in a high line, if we add in an attacking right back then how to play Mina or Keane as they'd be done for pace. Possibly Holgate of course...

I dont really go with the idea that we 'do something in between'. Id rather we were able to mix it deep and / high but currently we dont have the personnel for a high line.

Holgate Mina Keane Digne

Or

??? Holgate Godfrey Digne

For me...

Well we need to start creating more than 1 decent chance per game Zat.

Full-backs are a big part of that. Need to stretch teams. It also creates space for Iwobi and Richarlison and James etc, behind Dom.

We'll get the balance right, i'm sure, but can't play 4 CBs in every game. We should have, and did, play it last night and that's fine, but has to be horses for courses.

 

[BlueToff]

Good question.

Leicester won the league with 2 full backs that didn’t get ahead of the ball BUT they had an outstanding and effective counter attack. We certainly don’t.

The obvious answer is choose the defence on a game by game basis, and if that means Lucas should be on the bench sometimes, then so be it.

Or it's perfectly fine playing him as a left mid. In the first half yesterday it worked a fair bit once we got through Leicester's initial spell of pressure. It helps us stretch the pitch and keep solid at the same time. However, all he can do as a left mid is basically stay wide and whip crosses in, so Dom and Rich have to be on point. But we know it can work to an extent.

We have options, which is what's important.

 

[LocalNative]

Or it's perfectly fine playing him as a left mid. In the first half yesterday it worked a fair bit once we got through Leicester's initial spell of pressure. It helps us stretch the pitch and keep solid at the same time. However, all he can do as a left mid is basically stay wide and whip crosses in, so Dom and Rich have to be on point. But we know it can work to an extent.

We have options, which is what's important.

DIgne would've had an assist if DCL didn't miss that sitter too.

'The Wall' works against the teams with free-flowing attack, but invites a lot of pressure onto us too and that can be hard to sustain over a long period. I think whenever he's fit, Digne has to play LB. I really like Godfrey and his promise, but he's not a LB and has very little attacking impetus.

 

[navidson]

Keep the current four until we replace Coleman

 

[ForeverBlue92]

DIgne would've had an assist if DCL didn't miss that sitter too.

'The Wall' works against the teams with free-flowing attack, but invites a lot of pressure onto us too and that can be hard to sustain over a long period. I think whenever he's fit, Digne has to play LB. I really like Godfrey and his promise, but he's not a LB and has very little attacking impetus.

Think the system is fine when Doucoure and Allan are playing.

Davies & Gomes are just not good enough.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

I think we'd go up a level with a quality, ball-playing CM to help in the transition. With the likes of Dom, James, Richarlison, Iwobi and even Digne we do have some good players there who operate in the opponents half and stretch the play - we just need a tidy player in the middle to tie it together.

With this, we can stick with 'The Wall' and hopefully be able to maintain the good defensive record in tandem with some better transitional play.

 

[PaddyJames]

Personally I think 352 should be the way forward now Iwobi has looked settled as a RWB and Richarlison is looking useless not being in the centre

Olsen
Keane Mina Godfrey
Iwobi Allan Doucoure Digne
James
DCL Richarlison

Think that side brings out the best in a few players.

This with tubular bells on.

 

[MisterJ]

Whatever Carlo wants; Carlo knows.

Nice problem to have though.

 

[LocalNative]

Think the system is fine when Doucoure and Allan are playing.

Davies & Gomes are just not good enough.

Maybe. But when playing those 4 at the back we're very reliant on a piece of magic or set-play, it's not sustainable for that to carry on. Besides it's utterly turgid to watch. Understand we've been forced to do it this year and it's paying some dividends, but would hope in the next transfer window we'll get the players in to play some better togger.