Three At The Back - The Way Ahead?
It worked very well today and Slav has said he really likes this formation, so is this how we'll look to play from now on?
We have two natural wing-backs on both sides (Cress, Arthur, Byram and Antonio) and with three senior centre backs, plus Kouyate and Oxford, we have the players (when fit) to make it work.
It certainly made us look stronger today and I for one would like to see us perservere with it.
We have two natural wing-backs on both sides (Cress, Arthur, Byram and Antonio) and with three senior centre backs, plus Kouyate and Oxford, we have the players (when fit) to make it work.
It certainly made us look stronger today and I for one would like to see us perservere with it.
Comments
But I agree, if we went with three, Tomkins, Reid and Ogbonna looked like the logical choice ;hmm
Adrian
Kouyate - Reid - Ogbonna
Antonio - Noble - Obiang - Cresswell
Lanzini - Payet
Ayew
Randolph, Collins, Masuaku, Nordtveit, Fernandes, Feghouli, Carroll
Is going to be the way forward this season. My only concern is whether 1) Kouyate will be happy to play CB all season when he's said he prefers playing midfield and 2) whether Antonio is going to knuckle down with the right attitude as a RWB.
To be honest, Antonio is replaceable. Gone off him a bit this season. If he isn't up to it stick Byram in.
All his goals came when he was playing in a more advanced role, he obviously prefers to play further forward and it appears he plays better further forward. Playing three at the back with wing backs leaves us with only two places for attacking midfielders, in order to play Antonio in his best position we'd need to drop Lanzini or Payet and that isn't going to happen.
Which means Antonio is playing in a position where he's less effective, he obviously knows he's better suited to playing further forward and its hardly a surprise he's less than happy with the situation.
Not right with him in what way?
His game just doesn't suit wing back, he's too far away imo. He has further to travel to get forward and more bodies to get past.
He struggles in that his delivery isn't great which is needed for a wing back, hence Cresswell being so good
I love Antonio but if we are going with a wing back he isn't enjoying it and with Fernandes doing so well and Feghouli in the wings he may be in trouble
Take the sunderland game, they were very defensive, deep, lots of bodies back and doubled up on him, so without Carroll or an out and out CF to occupy their CB's and create some space for our midfield centrally, Sunderland wouldnt be manipulated and could just play everything in front of them. We made lots of crosses, which werent that good, but unless the delivery is perfect Sunderland could deal with it easily simply because of how many they had back and how deep they were; all we could do is dominate possession, territory and keep going hoping for a bit of magic or lack of concentration as a result of our dominance.
His progress since he joined us has been wonderful and has become a fans favourite in such a short period of time because of his attitude, character and personality on and off the pitch. If anything, he could just do with a game out or on the bench because he hasnt had any time off due to the england call ups (and with an out and out CF to play off as well !)
I do like the 3 at the back system but that's because we have just won back to back games using it. We have good wingbacks (if Antonio is playing well) who are well suited to this style. It may well be that Slaven will pick his system determined by the players and style of the team that we are actually facing in any particular match. I think that would be the sensible way ahead.
v Bournemouth – LW, switched to RW, scored, 4 attempts
v Man City – RWB, switched to RW after Byram came on, scored, 1 attempt,
v Watford - RW scored twice, 7 attempts
v WBA – RW scored, 8 attempts
v Saints – RW, 2 attempts
v Boro – CF, 5 attempts
v Palace – RWB 1 attempt
v Sunderland – RWB, substituted after 63 minutes 1 attempt
To state the somewhat obvious when Antonio plays WB or FB he gets fewer chances to score, its not hard to imagine why that might be frustrating and why his game has been off.
Watching the Sunderland match there were a couple of times when Antonio got onto the far post, the sort of position he scores from, he had his arm in the air almost begging for someone to cross the ball to him, the lad wants to score and he knows he's unlikely to do so if he's asked to play deeper
He's a great right winger, but the team can't play well with 4 at the back
I have faith in him, he has the right attributes just there is competition so if he can't deliver then sadly he may need to lose his place in the team
Perhaps
Adrian
Kouyate Reid Ogbonna
Fernandes Obiang Noble Cresswell
Antonio Zaza Payet
Risk losing Lanzini though
Most Completed Passes: Mark Noble
Mark Noble has completed 314 passes this season with a pass accuracy of 88%, of which 71% were forward passes.
Saturday: Most passes completed in the Premier League today:
Mark Noble (92)
Mohamed Elneny (91)
Francis Coquelin (80)
Jordan Henderson (76)
;ok
Sure he wouldn't disappoint and would contribute with more dribbles
If it ain't broke don't fix it. Lanzini and Payet have developed a great understanding and have formed a great partnership, the same with Noble and Obiang, they're playing well together.
Unless Arbeloa is available then I'd stick with Antonio as RWB.
I thought he played really well on Saturday and links up with Dimi brilliantly. Him and Obiang are a very good partnership IMO
Against Palace I wouldn't have put him in the top 7 or 8 players on that pitch, he was probably ahead of Payet and Antonio and at a push Zaza in that game. not saying he has to be outstanding every game but he isn't one of the top performers for me so far.
There is also definitely a need for someone who can just spread the ball to the full backs in games where you want to slow it down say against a Man City or so to disrupt the flow and to regain some possession to calm things. But against Sunderland and Palace teams we want to be putting ourselves in their half for as much time as possible I would want someone like Lanzini sitting in that CM position driving forward and hitting those passes into Zaza or fizzing one to Antonio in a 1 on 1 with the full back, not a little pass to Obiang or a 1-2 with Kouyate where we just invite pressure then end up chucking a ball at Zaza and Payet and saying do something.
We were saying the same during the game.