So being firmly in the camp of those who think we need to do away with the 4231 formation, for the benefit of Hiddunk when he browses through the site I thought it would be interesting to have a dedicated thread for any and all tactical variations we could implement. Going to start by copying what I posted in the match thread last night.

 

One other thing that bothers me in all our games is that we never throw in any surprises for the opposition. Even if we change up the AM trio they are still going to interchange and play the same way game after game. Just every now and again go for a 433 or a 442 or even a diamond with a DM at the back, a Playmaker/B2B in the middle and an AM behind either Costa/Remy or perhaps Costa/Hazard having a free role. Whilst no-one is happy with these results, I think the vitriol would be lessened if we at least looked like we were doing something to amend it rather than persist with the same tactics game after game.

 

Also going to add in that when we take the lead, we need to stop sticking instead of twisting. It fails far more times than it works and just invites pressure onto an already tired team.

 

 

Basset needs to take Emenalo's role

I'm pretty sure we already have a tactics thread....

 

But anyway I'd love to do away with 4231 too. Sick of it. 

I'm pretty sure we already have a tactics thread....

 

But anyway I'd love to do away with 4231 too. Sick of it. 

 

Me too its not working for us. I have wanted us to go with 2 upfront a while i really think Costa and Remy can form a good partnership, Remy will get us goals. Try a diamond with them 2 and Hazard in behind. If not then my favourite formation the xmas tree 4321 something like this

 

Oscar/ RLC   Matic   Fabregas

 

    Hazard     Willian

 

             Costa

Me too its not working for us. I have wanted us to go with 2 upfront a while i really think Costa and Remy can form a good partnership, Remy will get us goals. Try a diamond with them 2 and Hazard in behind. If not then my favourite formation the xmas tree 4321 something like this

 

Oscar/ RLC   Matic   Fabregas

 

    Hazard     Willian

 

             Costa

Wouldn't that just make our lack of width problem even worse? None of those players naturally drift wide or stretch the defense. I think that would make it too easy to for teams to get down the sides. (Ultimately we probably need a couple of new players)

 

Our biggest problem this season for me has been our fullbacks going forward, or not going forward. If those two are the only wide players we're going to use they need to be up for it every game. Dave's goal against WBA was a good example of what width in the team brings and I wish we could see more of it NOT from our fullbacks but actual wingers. 

Clearly time to ditch this 4231 system. Hopefully the next manager has different ideas.

Sick of how we play defensive midfielders, yet they never seem to stop oppositions running at our back 4.

------------------- Courtois --------------------

 

Azpi ------ Zouma ----- Terry ---- Baba Rahman

 

----------------- Mikel ----- Fabregas --------------

 

------------------- Loftus-Cheek -------------------

 

Willian ---------------------------------------- Hazard

 

-------------------- Diego Costa ----------------------

 

 

 

Worth a try to give this lineup a run of few games. 

I think more importantly we should address the personnel 1st before the tactic.. starting with defence, I think Azpi-cahill-zouma-baba should make that back line.. In the everton game, at times, it did look like zouma was covering jt and ivan which is shame.. I know pace isn't everything for a CB but that is only true if the tactic is to play defensively.. Maybe JT is the best among them in term of air ball and reading of the game but without pace, that will count for little especially when we are to take the game by our hand.. 

 

Put mikel in front of that back 4 and instruct him to focus on being a genuine DM, to the level of that 'mikelele' role that we know he can.. forget about the attacking part, I think it's high time for all of us to come to term that the mikel that once rival messi sometime ago in the past is just simply a thing of the past..

 

I think hazard-cesc-costa-willian combo should be good enough to provide the ammunition for the offence, oscar and pedro will chip in too occasionally, too bad it's occasionally, not consistently.. 

* Matic and Mikel should never start together. And Based on form Matic should not be starting at all. 

* Kennedy needs to start instead of Pedro. They both do the same amount of attacking and defending and their pace is comparable. Kennedy has the advantage of physicality and a better chance to win headers. 

* With this squad, never sit back and defend. We are better off attacking them relentlessly even if it means exposing ourselves to counter attack.

* As long as Ivanovich is starting we need our right winger (Willian) to be more prepared to track back. Dragging Zouma out wide to cover for Ivanovich creates a gap in the central defense which puts more pressure on JT and Mikel.

* Costa should always be mandated to remain centrally and give Fabergas something to target, no drifting to left or right. 

Im positive nobody tells Costa to drift wide. Its a sign of how tactically aware he is that he fills the space our 'wingers' vacate. Try playing with everyone inside the fullbacks, it doesnt work.

If someone was already there Costa wouldnt be. He doesnt want to be there but its counter productive to ask a forward to stay in the middle when every other attacking player we have plays through the middle.

I've been sayin it all year, we need someone who plays wide naturally with some pace. Gareth Bale would make us unstoppable

Thats why i'd like to see that trickster Bolassie signed, but to be fare to Pedro yesterday he must of put 6 crosses in from the left in the second half!

There is not much attacking speed in our game, basically due to the fact, that we had a sh*t pre-season consequently most of our players look knackered before we even kick off a match, as obviously they are only half fit, except Dave and Willian who usually run their socks off. Although Costa has started to run a lot more since Jose left.

The club needs to start planning a proper pre-season camp, instead of flying round the world playing exhibition matches.

There is not much attacking speed in our game, basically due to the fact, that we had a sh*t pre-season consequently most of our players look knackered before we even kick off a match, as obviously they are only half fit, except Dave and Willian who usually run their socks off. Although Costa has started to run a lot more since Jose left.

The club needs to start planning a proper pre-season camp, instead of flying round the world playing exhibition matches.

 

I think the 'half-fit' mantra has now worn thin.

 

We are around 30 games in total into the season and if they aren't fit by now then we are well and truly fooked.

 

I thought the extra rest pre-season was part of a philosophy that said that our lads with a slightly delayed start would be mega-fit come this January when all around other teams were starting to falter.  Whoever dreamn't that one up is a total d**khead.