Why can't we play four at the back?
So I was thinking about this on Sunday. I've seen a lot of comments which seem to make sense as to why a back four won't work.
Some include:
We needed a specialist defensive midfielder!
We need a quicker, more dynamic midfield two!
We need a faster right full-back!
We need two better central defenders!
We need to play three at the back!
We need to drop Anderson!
We need to drop Noble!
We need to drop Zabaleta!
We need to drop Ogbonna!
SAM OUT!
So what are everybody's thoughts? This is a thread specifically on the formation of the side & whether four at the back can work, how can it or will it never work with the current squad, or is it 'outdated' (which is how one report described our formation on Saturday).
As a comparison, Bournemouth also lined up with two strikers & four in midfield, four in defence. They played two central midfielders in Surman (aged 32) & Gosling (aged 28), compared to our midfield two of Noble (31) & Wilshere (26). How were they able to do it successfully, & have done for a while now?
17 of the current 20 Premier League sides operate with a back four. Wolves, Man City, Southampton are the only sides who have used a back 3/5 so far this season.
Can anybody solve this case?
Some include:
We needed a specialist defensive midfielder!
We need a quicker, more dynamic midfield two!
We need a faster right full-back!
We need two better central defenders!
We need to play three at the back!
We need to drop Anderson!
We need to drop Noble!
We need to drop Zabaleta!
We need to drop Ogbonna!
SAM OUT!
So what are everybody's thoughts? This is a thread specifically on the formation of the side & whether four at the back can work, how can it or will it never work with the current squad, or is it 'outdated' (which is how one report described our formation on Saturday).
As a comparison, Bournemouth also lined up with two strikers & four in midfield, four in defence. They played two central midfielders in Surman (aged 32) & Gosling (aged 28), compared to our midfield two of Noble (31) & Wilshere (26). How were they able to do it successfully, & have done for a while now?
17 of the current 20 Premier League sides operate with a back four. Wolves, Man City, Southampton are the only sides who have used a back 3/5 so far this season.
Can anybody solve this case?
Comments
Genuine questions, if we are comparing us in that formation.
I just fail to see how we can't master playing a back four, even with our midfield options. Sanchez & Obiang, even Noble & Wilshere, are experienced enough to play a disciplined midfield role. We have two very fast full-backs, who should be capable of marking any winger & then it comes down to whoever is playing in those attacking positions (the wingers & forwards) doing their defensive duty for the side. So Anderson & Antonio/Snodgrass/Yarmolenko getting back to cover the full-back, as well as Arnie & Hernandez/Perez etc putting pressure on high up the pitch so sides can't just pick passes at ease. I mean all that any player with a brain would no to do without instruction from the coaching staff but Pelle needs to get the side doing it.
Pelle said he wanted an attacking, pressing game but, & I know it takes time, there has been no evidence of us pressing & closing down the opposition so far, just sitting back & defending.
Our defence were dozy. They need to concentrate for full game.
Imo it's leadership on the pitch we are lacking, we need players who are not afraid to tell our players. Whether it's praise them or to to blast them.
We as a team are too quite on the pitch.
It's early days yet. I'm hoping it will get better.
We bought two defenders yet I do think we moved the best defender we have into midfeild.
Then again Dave Allen must know what he is doing and changing an ethos of a club takes time. We may need to get worse before we get better.
we are performing at the moment is about as good as an average
Championship side. If we havn't sorted this debacle out within the next couple
of games, I can see us once again being in a relegation dog fight once again.
Pellegrini has got his work cut out if he wants to play 4-4-2 & go for games.
Over the last 2 seasons, we’ve conceded 2.24 goals playing 4 at the back vs 1.43 playing 3 at the back (although 1.43 still isn’t that good!).
Taking out the top 6, we’ve conceded 2.09 goals playing 4 at the back vs 0.9 goals playing 3 at the back.
That being said, I don’t see why we can’t play 4 at the back. It will just take time to get used to the formation.
It was just a poor tactical decision from Pelle, which he hopefully won’t do again.
If we play 4 at the back and we have 1 true defensive midfielder, then we need to play a midfield three (i.e. 4-3-3 with Noble and Wilshere slightly ahead).
If we play 4 at the back and we have 2 true defensive midfielders, then we can have everyone else attacking (i.e. 4-2-3-1 or 4-2-2-2).
We have better players than last season and Pelle needs to get the most out of them.
For me
GK
3 x CB (Rice, Ogbonna +1)
2 x WB (Masuaku and Fredericks)
2 x CM (Wilshere and Obiang or Noble)
3 x Up top (Anderson, Arnautovic +1)
This set up is similar to Bilic and Moyes, but with 3 - 5 better players (on paper at least)
GK
3 x CB (Rice, Ogbonna +1)
2 x WB (Masuaku and Fredericks)
2 x CM (Wilshere and Obiang)
3 x Up top (Anderson, Arnautovic +1
Answer......we can. We can play any formation the manager chooses. However, it might not be right for that game. Or it might be.
Still, you never know. I’ve lost track since football became a science and not a sport.
Key player for us now, IMO.
Think both of then have been massive I these last 2 wins
Also massive respect for zab who has shown his class the last few games
Anothwe shoutout to Obiang who has risen to the occasion and givesthe midfield real energy and athleticism. He closes down the opposition as good as anyone in our team which means they have less time to pick their passes
We are gonna have games where we struggle but Pellegrini has managed to find a balance