Death of 4-4-2

Discussion in 'Premier League' started by Andyobri, Jan 10, 2008.

  1. Andyobri

    Andyobri New Member

    Nov 15, 2006
    Haslingden. Rossenda
    The formation of Premiership football is changing. The most function formation was 4-4-2 and system deployed by every team in the land, but now with foreigners allowing for flexibility we can now see more entertaining football by other methods. Arsenal have played 4-5-1 with Adebayor upfront with Hleb and Rosisky wide. Basically a 4-3-3 when needed, a sysatem used by united, Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo basically playing as a front three wityh Ronaldo and Rooney allowed to drift. Chelsea play 4-3-3 easily adaptable to a 4-5-1 with players like Cole and Wright-Phillipos or Malouda playing in support. Liverpool have tried on occasion but can't get it right, too caucious, they played against rovers Sissoko and Macherano with gerrrard as the midfield and Voronin, Kuyt and Torres this is 4-3-3 of a different kind and there was no interllink play between the wide men, midfield and strikers.
    The system is spreading, Rovers Now deploy Santa cruz as lone man with Pedersen and Bentley playing behind (this is Bentley's best role).
    ity was a system devised in truth (certainly in the Prem) by Chris Coleman, critised for 4-5-1 he adapted it to 4-3-3 with Boa-Morte and Malbranque on the wing, this is quite attacking.
    Whats your preference, i feel its a system that should be replicated at international level under the tactical guidence of Capello, it allows Hargreves Gerrard and Lampard in a Midfield (although G&L would not be in my England team) with eiyther 3 strikers or wider men and a big man, Rooney could even play on the left as he does with united, with Betley wide right to allow roqaming, ofcourse this is whgen Beckham has his 1090th cap and retires.
     
  2. LG David

    LG David Member

    Dec 9, 2007
    Liverpool
    Club:
    Everton FC
    4-4-1-1 is when we are at our best.

    This allows a holding midfielder (Lee Carsley) to protect the back four with two talented wingers (Pienaar and Arteta) and also allowing Tim Cahill to do what he does best. Yakubu as the lone striker where his strength can allow him to hold up the ball or his pace and ability to turn the man and stick the ball in the net.

    - - Carsley - -
    - - Pienaar - Osman - Arteta - -
    - - Cahill - -
    - - Yakubu - -​

    This is all due to change with the influentual Manuel Fernandes due to arrive on loan with a view to a permanent. ​
     
  3. Balteagle

    Balteagle New Member

    Jan 10, 2008
    Baltimore
    It is funny how these trends develop.

    Arsene Wenger started playing a 4-5-1 in the Champions League because his players were suffering from numerous injuries and he had Henry up front who was able to hold the ball and either, wait for support, or create chances by himself.

    It was certainly not something he WANTED to do. With only one striker it limits your options up front and allows your opponents time and space in the back, it also makes possessing the ball difficult and tires your team out.

    Aresnal's success spread the formation like an un-wanted plague on the game. In World Cup 2006 I could see England, the USA, Italy, France and even Brazil, stifling their players with this terrible formation.

    Don't get me wrong some teams need to do it, like some newly promoted teams getting used to the Premiership. Reading's wide open performance has demonstrated that even League Championships teams don't need to pack it in if their strength is youth and speed.

    It is possible for coaches to overthink their tactics. When teams start playing 4-4-1-1, its really just a 4-4-2 with one striker playing set up for a finisher. The same goes for 4-3-3, where the center forward is really an attacking central midielder.

    Much of this is just psychology. I coach and avoid assigning too many players the forward position. It is easy to convince any players, even defenders to attack, but if you assign someone to play striker, they are slow coming back.

    The important thing is to read the opponent, Reading beat Man United in 2006? by pressing them hard and not staying back, Palace held Arsenal to a draw by staying tight and allowing Andy Johnson to run free up top.
     
  4. Teso Dos Bichos

    Teso Dos Bichos Red Card

    Sep 2, 2004
    Purged by RvN
    The formation/system has nothing to do with either Fulham or Arsenal.
     
  5. Grinners89

    Grinners89 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 8, 2007
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Liverpool havent played that system once this season...the closest it got to that was a 4-2-3-1/4-2-1-3 with Gerrard as the attacking midfielder and when fit, Xabi Alonso and Mascherano as the CM's who can also push forward.

    Kuyt and Voronin played that game because Pennant, Kewell and Benayoun were all injured and Rafa has been easing Babel into the EPL by starting him on the bench, which has worked as he has already scored 6 goals this season, 5 off the bench.

    The problem with the formation was that Gerrard was trying to do too much by playing in his usual CM position and making attacking runs when he shouldve been making those runs from an advanced position.

    Remember, formations are just general numbers, but systems are specific positions and movements.
     
  6. Andyobri

    Andyobri New Member

    Nov 15, 2006
    Haslingden. Rossenda
    Liverpool fail at this because Gerrard is one dimensional, and liverpool are a functional side with Rafa claiming to be techniqual, he can do it in Europe but not the prem, teams like Reading play a rigid 442 and keep shape but liverpool lack disipline and have no real squad players who are commited to the team unlike Everton. Everton play great football, i enjoy to watch them, i hope they can make the signings of fernandes and pinaar perminant, they are both great players and allow for grat flexibility through the midfield, with Ateta and Cahill i doubt there are midfiels as strong. they have movement and techniqual ability, unlike Liverpool who are too fixed in position, Gerrard, Alonso, Pennant et al are grat players but only in a 442. Rafa is trying to convert to other systems and this is when they fail. This is one reason why united beat them as liverpool have no back up plan other than crouch.
     
  7. Grinners89

    Grinners89 BigSoccer Supporter

    Jul 8, 2007
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Australia
    Ive got a few questions about your post.
    What have Liverpool failed at? We havent had this many points in the season for years...since before Rafa.
    What makes you think Gerrard is one-dimensional?
    You say that Liverpool lack discipline yet we have the 2nd best defensive record in the prem and over all competitions we have also scored 1.94 goals per game, behind only Arsenal (above 2) and Man Utd (1.96).

    We have also created the most chances out of any team, only 3 out of our 4 strikers arent able to tap the ball into the back of the net.

    No squad players committed to the team...how about Dirk Kuyt who gives his all every single time he is on the field, whether for 5 minutes or 90 minutes...running from box-to-box even though he is a striker, just to help out. Or Carragher, Hyypia, Gerrard, Alonso and Torres who have all played with such injuries that they shouldve never have made the bench. Or Gerrard who has individually won us games (Villa and Derby), performed such that he directly influenced the result (Marseille, Cardiff, Newcastle)...and thats just this year. He has dragged the team along when it has performed badly and has shown that when he isnt playing, the team is flat and isnt 100%.

    United beat us by congesting the field and hoping for a lucky goal, which is what they got, while we have been playing football, everyone comes to Anfield and to quote Lionel Messi..."they play anti-football".

    It seems that you think you know about Liverpool because of what youve read in the paper...hmm, good ploy...the same papers that said Klinsmann was coming to Liverpool and Rafa was already sacked.
     
  8. revelationx

    revelationx Member+

    Jun 5, 2006
    London
    So you accuse Liverpool of tactical inflexibility? LOL. The media keeps bashing Rafa claiming he does not have a settled system.

    You're a funny guy, Andyobri. Keep up the jokes.;)
     

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