What is our best formation?

[Lighthouse]

We seem to be experimenting a lot with a 541/433 formation and although you can say it's only a preseason and results don't matter etc. we haven't exactly been impressive either. I'm not sure why we're persisting with it if I'm honnest. It doesn't seem to suit any of our players. Lallana isn't as effective sitting deeper in the middle, Rodriguez isn't a winger and Lambert seems to be isolated.

 

I personally am a fan of a 4-2-3-1 formation. I vaguely remember something similar under Poortaloo, the formation was good we didn't have the players to pull it off. A good idea poorly executed.

 

We could go with a front six of something like.

 

- - - - Davis - - - Morgan - - -

 

Guly - - - Lambert - - - Lallana

 

- - - - - - Rodriguez - - - - - -

 

 

I think it has a lot of benefits. Lallana and Guly would both be able to go forwards freely knowing Morgan and Davis can cover them from behind if we lose the ball. It suits Lambert a lot more as he would have a lot of players around him to feed of his neat build-up play. Rod obsiously is better in a central roll, rather than out wide.

[itchen_dan]

Totally agree. Did this earlier. Looks so much more balanced and natural for our side.

 

                     Davis


Clyne        Fonte             Hooiveld        Fox


          Schneiderlin      Davis


Puncheon             Lambert             Lallana


                   Rodriguez

 

 

I have always been quite a fan of the diamond myself and I also feel that compliments the current side. Gives you a good balance going forward and defensively.

 

                     Davis


Clyne        Fonte             Hooiveld        Fox


                 Schneiderlin     

     Davis                        Puncheon  

                   Lallana


            Lambert      Rodriguez

 

Personally, I'd have these 2 plus the standard 4-4-2 as last minute hit and hope backup for this season.

[The Kraken]

Lambert isn't mobile or quick enough to play in the hole. He just isn't that player at all. He's a target man with a great touch and great awareness, but that role would just negate him totally.

 

I don't like the idea of us shelling out £7M on Rodriguez and playing him out of position. We know we need a new RM. We know we need a new CB or two. Formations IMO are not even the half of our problems, we need better players than we have. And fast.

[Roger]

Lambert isn't mobile or quick enough to play in the hole. He just isn't that player at all. He's a target man with a great touch and great awareness, but that role would just negate him totally.

 

I don't like the idea of us shelling out £7M on Rodriguez and playing him out of position. We know we need a new RM. We know we need a new CB or two. Formations IMO are not even the half of our problems, we need better players than we have. And fast.

 

Agree.

[Saint Martini]

Davis

Clyne Fonte Hooiveld Fox

----- Schneiderlin Davis -----

Puncheon ----- ----- Lallana

----- Lambert Sharp ------

 

Give both Fox and Clyne the liberty to attack with both Schneiderlin and Davis covering for them. Lallana and Puncheon can both drift inside at times to find space between the opposition defense and midfield. I'm not at all a fan of playing 4-5-1 if you don't have the quality to dominate possession of the ball, its a tactic that can be used to close out games when you have a lead but to use it from the get go is not smart imho. The risk of having your centre forward isolated is too big.

[Lighthouse]

Lambert isn't mobile or quick enough to play in the hole. He just isn't that player at all. He's a target man with a great touch and great awareness, but that role would just negate him totally.

 

I don't like the idea of us shelling out £7M on Rodriguez and playing him out of position. We know we need a new RM. We know we need a new CB or two. Formations IMO are not even the half of our problems, we need better players than we have. And fast.

 

You could quite easily swap Lambert and Rod around in the 4231 formation, infact there are a lot of options available to us. Lambert, Rod and Sharp can all play up front, you could also have Guly, Lallana, Puncheon or Lee in the hole. Puncheon, De Ridder and Chaplow can play out wide. Cork can play the holding role too.

 

I agree with your second point entirely. I don't think we're good enough yet, we need 3 players in at least. Will we get any before Man City? It's looking unlikely.

[S-Clarke]

Stick Lambert and Rodriguez up front together for a start. We're wasting £7m playing him in a position he clearly doesn't like.

 

He scored 23 goals last year, so play him where he can get them. Simple.

[Roger]

Stick Lambert and Rodriguez up front together for a start. We're wasting £7m playing him in a position he clearly doesn't like.

 

He scored 23 goals last year, so play him where he can get them. Simple.

 

 

Couldn't agree more. Stupid playing jay rod there and system doesn't play to Rickies strengths at all.

[S-Clarke]

Couldn't agree more. Stupid playing jay rod there and system doesn't play to Rickies strengths at all.

 

Rickie seems increidly isolated, he's the sort of player that needs bodies all around him to pick up the scraps/flick on's. Tonight he won the ball and there wasn't anyone within 10 yards. Can't see any benefit of playing him in such an isolated role.

 

If we are going to play him that way we need genuine pace on either flank to back him up, without that it's an ugly watch.

[SNSUN]

We don't have decent wingers... yet. I'd have a narrower 4-1-2-1-2 formation like Itchen Dan.

 

Best team:

 

Davis

 

Clyne Fonte Jos Fox

 

Morgan

 

Davis Cork

 

Lallana

 

Jay/Billy Lambert

 

or someting like dat. :-) (Mmm, beers.)

[shurlock]

Stick Lambert and Rodriguez up front together for a start. We're wasting £7m playing him in a position he clearly doesn't like.

 

He scored 23 goals last year, so play him where he can get them. Simple.

 

Unlikely to work. Both like to drop deep and so need players playing on the last shoulder or breaking forward. That's also a problem at the moment with two deep-lying CMs and bits and pieces for width but at least we're a bit tighter defensively.

[Roger]

Unlikely to work. Both like to drop deep and so need players playing on the last shoulder or breaking forward. That's also a problem at the moment with two deep-lying CMs and bits and pieces for width but at least we're a bit tighter defensively.

 

More likely to work than that rubbish. Need to give them a chance to make it work.

[The9]

Rickie seems increidly isolated, he's the sort of player that needs bodies all around him to pick up the scraps/flick on's. Tonight he won the ball and there wasn't anyone within 10 yards. Can't see any benefit of playing him in such an isolated role.

 

If we are going to play him that way we need genuine pace on either flank to back him up, without that it's an ugly watch.

 

You mean we need a lone striker who can create things on his own? Who'd have thought it...

 

Oh yeah, me, a few days ago when everyone took it as a criticism of Lambert. We do either need players getting up and past him or we need someone else there.

 

I completely disagree with the person who said he can't play in the hole though, that way he's linking and his hold up play allows the midfielders to support - plus the formation means there's someone already up with him.

 

We need a flexible formation (and have one) but need creativity for the times the lone striker is 30 yards from everyone else.

 

I didn't go btw, just responding to the problems people who did go have raised.

[The9]

I'd say that the difference between a 442 and a 433/451 with our personnel is only how advanced the wide midfielder is on the side without the ball. I don't think it's the system, it's our ability to support the forward ball with numbers, especially in matches where we're defending a lot.

 

Think of Ji against City for Sunderland last season. Would Lambert have the ability to make that halfway line run with the ball in the 94th minute and still finish the move in the box with the last kick? Would Rodriguez? Would Sharp?

 

As for the 4231, it's just a defensive 442 with a midfielder/2nd striker in the hole at the point of the diamond, not much different and therefore easy to switch to. Systems alone will not solve Prem problems.

Edited 11 August, 2012 by The9

[MAY-Z]

I'm not sure what are biggest problem us - the lack of a centre back or our disorganized formation

 

For me Adkins has his preferred formation in his head but doesn't have the players to implement it

 

Either he has been let down in the transfer market by not being able to sign what he wants or he is to stubborn to change his idea

 

Teams should always build their structure and tactics around their players not try to make the players fit a structure

 

A it stands we have wasted 7m to put a good player where he shouldn't be, we have nullified our best goal scorer and reduced the effectiveness of our most creative player

[SNOWY]

4-4-2 at home. 4-5-1 away.

[Saints foreva]

Stick with 4-4-2. It's by far the best formation for the players we have.

 

Davis (sigh)

Clyne - Fonte - Jos - Fox

Guly - Davis - Schneiderlin - Lallana

Jay Rod - Lambert

 

This formation Adkins has been testing in pre-season isn't going to work IMO, Jay Rod is wasted in a wide position.

[The9]

Stick with 4-4-2. It's by far the best formation for the players we have.

 

Davis (sigh)

Clyne - Fonte - Jos - Fox

Guly - Davis - Schneiderlin - Lallana

Jay Rod - Lambert

 

This formation Adkins has been testing in pre-season isn't going to work IMO, Jay Rod is wasted in a wide position.

 

Great idea, let's play a completely rigid, predictable formation that has plenty of spaces between the lines for players to exploit and which with 2 defensive midfielders isolates the front players.

[kpturner]

Great idea, let's play a completely rigid, predictable formation that has plenty of spaces between the lines for players to exploit and which with 2 defensive midfielders isolates the front players.

But it is a 4 4 2 where the 4,and the 4 and the 2 play in a straight line of 10 across the pitch....therefore no space between the lines because there is only one line.

[shurlock]

I'd say that the difference between a 442 and a 433/451 with our personnel is only how advanced the wide midfielder is on the side without the ball. I don't think it's the system, it's our ability to support the forward ball with numbers, especially in matches where we're defending a lot.

 

Think of Ji against City for Sunderland last season. Would Lambert have the ability to make that halfway line run with the ball in the 94th minute and still finish the move in the box with the last kick? Would Rodriguez? Would Sharp?

 

As for the 4231, it's just a defensive 442 with a midfielder/2nd striker in the hole at the point of the diamond, not much different and therefore easy to switch to. Systems alone will not solve Prem problems.

 

Agree about the wide men. An interesting question is what kind of skills they need. Dont think pace is a must, though it would be nice. A good engine to get up and down the pitch and an ability to support the strikers is arguably more important. Its a position that requires discipline balancing defensive and attacking responsibilities. As such, wonder if a forward-minded player is really suited to the role given many are defensively naive and end up chasing the ball or getting dragged out of position, leaving us isolated if and when we get a chance to break.

[derry]

I think we should forget about the numbers. It's about the best collective team and how the players complement each other. At the moment we have a pedestrian middle and nothing up front. At least two strong quick players are needed in midfield and play two up front.

[Armchair]

I see no issue with us playing with the 4-3-3 formation but I am not convinced about Lallana playing centre midfield. I would like to see Lallana playing in front 3. With 3 others in centre midfield this would perhaps give Lallana more freedom to roam. Steve Davis and Ward-Prowse both like to make runs into box so we would still carry a threat from midfield.

 

Davis

 

Clyne Fonte Hooiveld Fox

 

Davis/JWP Morgan Cork

 

Puncheon Lallana

Lambert

[david in sweden]

after yesterdays' performance, maybe consider 11 men linking arms in a line on the goal line..?