Wing-backs
One thing the signing of Jordan Obita gives us is pair of proper wing-backs, along with Jason McCarthy on the other flank.
That gives Gareth the option of playing a back three if he wanted to. If fit, Knight, Stewart and Tafazolli look a pretty decent proposition, although Jack Grimmer could also play in their too.
I watched QPR tonight, and did the other week too when they played Luton. With the signing of Charlie Austin they’ve moved to three at the back and are now playing Ilias Chair in the hole. They look a lot more solid and results seem to have picked up with wins against Luton, Cardiff and Watford of late.
I can’t say it’s always been my favourite way of playing - particularly if you don’t have the right players, but sometimes you just have to work with what you’ve got.
It certainly worked for us in the run to the FA Cup semi-finals and in the old days at Loakes Park under Jim Kelman, with Steve Abbley and Sean Norman down the flanks. Less so under John Gregory though.
Gareth’s flirted with it before, often in cup football, the League Cup game against Norwich springs to mind but he’s never really had the proper personnel.
He does now though, may just be a decent option to have up his sleeve.
Comments
I think we might play a back 3 plus wingbacks on occasion. We need to change things to chase wins and it works well against teams who play with one up, I..e. maybe when we are at home at adams park. It requires tremendously fit wingbacks as they will be playing the ‘backs’ role a lot. It also needs a lot of practice to get it right.
That could give us a 3-5-2 option or 3-4-3 which would be very brave.
Yes agree, Gareth is a bit reticent to just have two in the middle of the park. Last season we played 4-3-3 in most matches and this season it’s been the diamond with the two wide players tucking right in to increase the number of bodies in the middle, but it does sometimes leave us a bit exposed on the flanks like on Saturday.
Playing 3-5-2 might suit us a bit better now we’ve got wing-backs that can get up and down an provide the right balance of defence and attack, as well as giving us the three in the middle of the field and two upfront which seems to be Gareth’s preference at the minute.
I think many players would have to readjust their positions is we switched to a completely different formation - maybe focus on this idea next season?
I think given that Stewart, Knight and Tafazolli are three of our best players there is an argument to find a way to get them all on the pitch at the same time.
Also having all those three up for corners alongside Wheeler and Ikpaezu/Bayo would be a hell of a job to defend against..
Never confirmed but I got the impression JJ wasn't particularly comfortable with that system and getting up and down the left side a lot. Possible we'll see it more with Obita and Grimmer. Would allow Knight and Stewart to bring the ball forward and some crosses from the fullbacks with cover if we lost the ball.
Yes one of the things about playing 3-5-2 is that it just doesn’t suit some players. JJ and Jack Grimmer are more full-backs than wing-backs and it wouldn’t be great for either.
Although they’re both such good defenders that I could imagine either of them playing the left or right centre back role of the three if required. Grimmer could play right wing-back as well but he’s not as naturally suited to it as Jason McCarthy whose final delivery is better. Not sure JJ would have it in him to cover the whole of the left flank.
Ben Chilwell seems to have found himself in similar circumstances at Chelsea with Thomas Tuchel coming in and moving to a 3-4-3 formation and picking Marcus Alonso who is more of a wing-back over him.
I would be surprised if GA and Dobbo made a major change to formation at this time. They certainly have some choices to make now with recent arrivals and fingers crossed players coming back from injury. The centre of defence is interesting to say the least but just cos 3 into 2 doesn’t go I just can’t see wing backs being the solution.
Can't see Ainsworth going to three at the back but it's an interesting debate. I always prefer full backs getting help from wide players and think wing backs create too much spsce out wide when you don't have the ball.
If we want to get our three best centre backs on the pitch Knight becomes a holding midfielder for me.
Finally we have to get JJ in to our side when he's fit. He's not really a wing back.
I would imagine we'll need to bed Obita in to our present formation first and see how he works out won't we?
I agree @Right_in_the_Middle . If all fit, I would play Stewart and Taff at centre back and Knight in midfield.
A midfield of Knight, Ofoborh and Thompson would be pretty solid
Some players' reputations seem to benefit from their being absent. Gape doesn't appear to be one. Even in the Age of Uche, he'd still be the first name on my team sheet, given how much more solid he makes us, breaking up opposition play and shielding the centre-backs.
Me too. Gape is a key player in our system. Hope he's back available soon. Been a horrible season for him so far with injuries and possibly illness
I'm all for a 4-3-3/4-3-1-2 with the midfield 3 being solid (3 of Thompson, Ofoborh, Gape, Adeniran, Knight) and the full backs given licence to bomb up and down. The level of fitness required to do that, combined with the sheer number of games we have coming up, makes that very difficult to do effectively. However, I firmly believe that we can use the 5 sub rule in our favour to that end. Obviously you can only stop the game 3 separate times to make your 5 subs, but could we not tell the fullbacks to go at it for 55-60 minutes, and assuming no other concerns replace them both at the same time? Once JJ is back, we have 4 decent fullbacks, two more attack-minded and two more defence-minded. I'm sure there's a balance we could strike there. For now we just need Obita to play 190 minutes a week at full pelt until JJ's back!
I suppose bringing in Oforborh means the much discussed idea of Knight moving into midfield is less likely?
Will be interesting to see how the centre back situation develops. Plenty of games coming up to mix and match. Also it's still to be seen that Tafa can play 4-5-6 games in a row.