2-5-3

[Hauler]

Im just wondering about this formation we were using in the second half of the aalborg game. It seemed to work pretty well for us. Im wondering could we possibly see this go into effect against B City this weekend? Im not saying that we should make it our regular formation but I do think it could work against lesser teams that we want to keep the pressure on. L'pool, Man U,Cheski are teams that I think would eat us alive if we did that. Arsenal too.

What are your guys thoughts on it?

[N-I-C-H-O]

Our back line is bad enough we don't need to strand two back there.

[Hauler]

I meant 3 at the back, Zokora playing D mid having 4 in the middle and 2 up front. Sorry I didn't know what the format for the formation is so

3-5-2

[soccernutter]

Our back line is bad enough we don't need to strand two back there.

You lost me after the first three words.

[N-I-C-H-O]

leaving two crap backs wont solve any thing... and after rereading my original statement it made no sense.

[Spur_Forever]

A 3-5-2 would make sense if Rocha, Kaboul and King all remain injured. Chimbonda simply does not have the positional discipline to play in the centre, and I'm not interested in seeing any of our other full backs try their hand there either - mostly because of their slight stature and physique.

It might also be a good option to use when we're down and need a few goals.

[DigitalTron]

We've been playing a variation of the 352 for about 3 years now Hauler, don't be decieved by the labelling of our left-central midfielder as a "left winger" or our left wingback as a "left fullback" ... our left back position plays wingback, and has since Jol got here. That's why he brought in YP Lee, and that's how we're using Bale ... it's not a complete 352 because Chimbonda is playing a more traditional fullback role on the right, and Lennon is a classing right winger ... but our back line shifts left every time Bale/Lee move forward, because those are primarily attackers and Chimbonda is primarily a defender.

We haven't had a true left winger since pre-Jol, hell prolly all the way back to Christian Ziege. When Bale played there or when Lennon was forced there were the only times we had left wingers since. Davids and Tainio were left-central Dmids, Zokora was a central Dmid, Jenas was a central mid, and Malbranque is a central attacking mid. We've always been playing an unbalanced formation because Levy/Comolli wouldn't get him a real Left Winger. Ramos is no fool, he sees this too, and uses the same formations.

By the way, formations are always listed from back to front ignoring the keeper, so it's a 352 you're talking about.

-Digital

[mattie g]

Dig - I'd say this is more like a traditional 3-5-2, especially with what we saw today. Zokora was moved to center back, with Dawson and Chimbo on the outside. Bale and Lennon on the wings, Hudds in front of Zokora, Steed in front of Hudds, and Keane in front of Steed. Then Berbs and Defoe up top.

I personally like the idea of the 3-5-2 and think that Zoks isn't a bad option there. He made the one mistake today that cost us the second goal, but, then again, Dawson had a lot to do with that goal, too. Despte giving up the two goals in the second half, it looked decnt today. But whether we could play the 3-5-2 against better opposition is another questions altogether.