What's our team? 532

[Worthy4England]

We're nearly at the end of a "big January"...Assume we get Dempsey (just to make it interesting)...

We have no injuries. Kacha, Xav, Sheehan, Izzy, all good.

We've moved to the gaffer's favoured three at the back 5-3-2....

We can only pick eleven.

What's your eleven and who are your subs?

[GhostoftheBok]

Round pegs in round holes.

Screenshot 2022-01-29 110826.png (284.92 KiB) Viewed 898 times

Bench: Dixon, Aimson, Gordon, Lee, Williams, Dapo, Baka.

Bench would likely change if Kachunga and Izzy were fit.

[TANGODANCER]

If so, Ghost,( Front) five all new faces, six if you count Trafford and seven if Fossey is included., and a slight indication that rotation (during the game) may be in mind. Bit surprised M.J isn't in there, Still, we're a strong looking side now it has to be said. COME ON YOU WHITES...

[Prufrock]

I'm still not convinced it's right to say Evatt prefers 3/5 at the back.

He started at Barrow with 433, but moved to a 5 and then had success.

Then vice-versa here. And then obviously back again for 2 games. If anything that suggests 433 would be his preferred shape but really I don't think he has one.

I've wanged on plenty about how I think it's very difficult to play 352 AND the high pressing high line stuff and how if he wants to do that I think we'll end up going back to 433 or 343. Far more likely the former as I don't think we've played the 343 at any point.

I think we'll stick with the back 5 today, match Sunderland up. And if we win probably stick with it until we don't. After that I think it'll be game by game but it's hard to see beyond 433 being the what we've recruited to unless he's seriously given up on a few.

Forward/midfield players I would expect to be pushing hard and potentially playing regularly: MJ, Lee, Sheehan, Morley, (Dempsey), Dapo, Kachunga, Amaechi, Sadlier, Charles, DadBod, Baka, Isgrove

Obvs won't see any of Sheehan or much of Issy/Kacha this season. Obviously no guarantees Xav will be here next year, and wouldn't surprise me to see Baka surplus to requirements, but we're will very top heavy to a "front 5" rather than 6.

I think we're a centre back, left back and MJ cover away from being pretty much there for a 433 though. (+ RB and GK in the summer)

[BWFC_Insane]

The problem is we’ve recruited quite solidly for a two hour front. Charles needs a partner. Doesn’t look like a wide player.

Bod looks like he will play well with Dion.

Baka is a good option off the bench.

I think he likes the look of 352. It will mean we continue to sit just that little bit deeper but that’s fine.

MJ plays until we get a robust and equally physically competent replacement. Sadlier is the one we need to find a way to fit in but I assume number 10 from what we’ve heard.

[GhostoftheBok]

It's not much of a stretch from what we've played in the last two games to a 3-4-3. In the press and in possession we had a genuine front 3, out of possession we saw the 10 drop back into formation. How you write it down doesn't really matter much.

[Worthy4England]

I'm still not convinced it's right to say Evatt prefers 3/5 at the back.

He started at Barrow with 433, but moved to a 5 and then had success.

Then vice-versa here. And then obviously back again for 2 games. If anything that suggests 433 would be his preferred shape but really I don't think he has one.

I've wanged on plenty about how I think it's very difficult to play 352 AND the high pressing high line stuff and how if he wants to do that I think we'll end up going back to 433 or 343. Far more likely the former as I don't think we've played the 343 at any point.

I think we'll stick with the back 5 today, match Sunderland up. And if we win probably stick with it until we don't. After that I think it'll be game by game but it's hard to see beyond 433 being the what we've recruited to unless he's seriously given up on a few.

Forward/midfield players I would expect to be pushing hard and potentially playing regularly: MJ, Lee, Sheehan, Morley, (Dempsey), Dapo, Kachunga, Amaechi, Sadlier, Charles, DadBod, Baka, Isgrove

Obvs won't see any of Sheehan or much of Issy/Kacha this season. Obviously no guarantees Xav will be here next year, and wouldn't surprise me to see Baka surplus to requirements, but we're will very top heavy to a "front 5" rather than 6.

I think we're a centre back, left back and MJ cover away from being pretty much there for a 433 though. (+ RB and GK in the summer)

Remember your GCSE. Read the fcuking question!

[BWFC_Insane]

It's not much of a stretch from what we've played in the last two games to a 3-4-3. In the press and in possession we had a genuine front 3, out of possession we saw the 10 drop back into formation. How you write it down doesn't really matter much.

Except we had two strikers closer to each other. And didn’t have wide forwards.

We can play a 343 sure. But not with Charles.

[Worthy4England]

Round pegs in round holes.

Screenshot 2022-01-29 110826.png

Bench: Dixon, Aimson, Gordon, Lee, Williams, Dapo, Baka.

Bench would likely change if Kachunga and Izzy were fit.

I think this is what he has in mind too. I had a big problem when I got to the Sadlier role, as I had a huge long list and none of our summer signings in it, but kept coming back to, that has to be Sadlier...

I was also reluctant to "flirt MJ"...and despite anything else Dapo is sat on 10? Goals...

The bench looks a lot stronger so I could see some "starters" and "finishers"

Interesting that no on from summer gets a slot.

[GhostoftheBok]

Except we had two strikers closer to each other. And didn’t have wide forwards.

We can play a 343 sure. But not with Charles.

You're focused too much on how stuff looks written down.

Our current system isn't symmetrical and the positions aren't fixed.

Late on against Shrews Dapo was drifting about as a third man in response to the movement of the strikers and Fossey was playing right wing, with Morley occupying half spaces opposite Dapo. They've fairly obviously been working on a Mancini/Guardiola grid at some stage.

The defence was almost like an old inter-war system. John, Williams and Jones as half backs and Santos and Johnston as classic fullbacks.

None of the terminology or how you'd write it down is really important.

[Prufrock]

I think it's a big stretch to doing it well though. They were a front 3 in the sense that they didn't do any defending but they all stayed narrow and Shrewsbury got out down the sides pretty regularly.

Tbf Charles and Daps did end up running back a fair bit but it looked "oh feck I need to plug that gap" rather than by design. Full backs are where it is hard to press in that shape. It's doable certainly, and I thought where we'd end up after the last two weeks, but recruitment seems to point to 433 or there are too many to get in IMO.

I think Charles' best position looks to be up front in a 2, but he can definitely also play through the middle on his own, and as one of the "wider" players in a 343 (who tend to play narrower, more like having two 10s) and he could defo also play wide in a 433.

I'd be very happy with:

(Traf)/Dixon

Geth/(Forsey), Santos/Aimson, CB/Johnstone,
LB/John

Dempsey/Lee, MJ/CM, Sheehan/Morley

Sadlier/Izzy Charles, DadBod/Baka, Dapo/Kach

For next year, and think we'd be top 6

352:

(Traf)/ Dixon

Jones/RCB, Santos/Aimson, GJ, LCB

(Forsey)/Izzy, Demspey/MJ, Morley/Sheehan, John/LWB

Lee/Sadlier

DadBod/Baka, Dapo, Charles, Kacha

Looks top heavy to me, and needs more work at the back. And even then weaker to me. I'm still far from convinced by Fossey, or Izzy at RWB. Or Lee at 10 on the regular.

[Prufrock]

I'm still not convinced it's right to say Evatt prefers 3/5 at the back.

He started at Barrow with 433, but moved to a 5 and then had success.

Then vice-versa here. And then obviously back again for 2 games. If anything that suggests 433 would be his preferred shape but really I don't think he has one.

I've wanged on plenty about how I think it's very difficult to play 352 AND the high pressing high line stuff and how if he wants to do that I think we'll end up going back to 433 or 343. Far more likely the former as I don't think we've played the 343 at any point.

I think we'll stick with the back 5 today, match Sunderland up. And if we win probably stick with it until we don't. After that I think it'll be game by game but it's hard to see beyond 433 being the what we've recruited to unless he's seriously given up on a few.

Forward/midfield players I would expect to be pushing hard and potentially playing regularly: MJ, Lee, Sheehan, Morley, (Dempsey), Dapo, Kachunga, Amaechi, Sadlier, Charles, DadBod, Baka, Isgrove

Obvs won't see any of Sheehan or much of Issy/Kacha this season. Obviously no guarantees Xav will be here next year, and wouldn't surprise me to see Baka surplus to requirements, but we're will very top heavy to a "front 5" rather than 6.

I think we're a centre back, left back and MJ cover away from being pretty much there for a 433 though. (+ RB and GK in the summer)

Remember your GCSE. Read the fcuking question!

A good answer answers the question. A great answer questions the question. Or something.

[Prufrock]

Except we had two strikers closer to each other. And didn’t have wide forwards.

We can play a 343 sure. But not with Charles.

You're focused too much on how stuff looks written down.

Our current system isn't symmetrical and the positions aren't fixed.

Late on against Shrews Dapo was drifting about as a third man in response to the movement of the strikers and Fossey was playing right wing, with Morley occupying half spaces opposite Dapo. They've fairly obviously been working on a Mancini/Guardiola grid at some stage.

The defence was almost like an old inter-war system. John, Williams and Jones as half backs and Santos and Johnston as classic fullbacks.

None of the terminology or how you'd write it down is really important.

All opinions and that but it looked a lot more "on the hoof" working it out on the pitch to me. Which is fine given we changed two weeks ago. I have vivid recollections of them countering down our right with Dapo, DadBod and Charles all stood within 10 yards of each other in the centre circle and thinking "Dapo is playing a lot higher than Kieran was"!

[GhostoftheBok]

All opinions and that but it looked a lot more "on the hoof" working it out on the pitch to me. Which is fine given we changed two weeks ago. I have vivid recollections of them countering down our right with Dapo, DadBod and Charles all stood within 10 yards of each other in the centre circle and thinking "Dapo is playing a lot higher than Kieran was"!

I think I said at the half that we'd made a big mistake switching the midfield. We went back to the Ipswich midfield when Dapo came on and we pushed that 3 up top - looking better for it, I thought.

We are certainly looking forced at the moment and some of it is ad hoc as they get used to the new system. There's definitely been a lot of coaching work done, though. You can see the lads adjust to standard distances when players transition into wide, half and central zones. I think the clearest example was Morley (I think it was) stopping, looking around him at the fact three were now in his corridor and sprinting to shift out of it.

It'll get more natural as they play more. I've no idea if we literally have a training pitch laid out now (I doubt it), but the ideas are clearly there.

[nicholaldo]

If it's a 3-5-2, my best answer would be that the back five currently picks itself and for the front two I'd prefer for the time being a big one and a smaller one (at least to start). My first choice front two would be Dad Bod and Charles.

As for the best combination in midfield, I'll have to reserve judgement until I've watched them all play for us.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

There’s a lot of unknowns, and presumptions, but in a back three I think I would agree with Ghost’s XI - Trafford; Jones, Santos, Johnston; Fossey, Morley, Dempsey, John; Sadlier; Charles, Bod - as being Evatt’s starting gameplan. That’s what I meant about missing out surefires - couple of months ago the idea of a preferred XI without MJ and Dapo would be laughable.

It also helps to have Sadlier as something between a midfielder and a forward. I hear Pru’s pleas for three up top but it worries me that if they get through that hurst high press they’re running at a four-man midfield.

If fit, which he ain’t (but is on the question sheet), I think Sheehan might edge out Morley.

I wouldn’t worry about Charles as lone forward in a 4231 because it’s essentially Doyle’s role last season. Also gets Dapo on the left. But it’s Bod benched.

It’s all horses for courses though. Stronger opponents might have MJ in for Morley, for example.

[Worthy4England]

Remember your GCSE. Read the fcuking question!

A good answer answers the question. A great answer questions the question. Or something.
[/quote]
An approach I'd heartily recommend except when it's my question!

Edit: That's fcuked it!

[BWFC_Insane]

Before we go down too many rabbit holes I think signing Bod and Charles does suggest an intention to try and play two strikers closer together at least sometimes.

Need to see Bod more but obviously he could also be the one in a three up top but not as convinced Charles suits the right hand side.

We’ve got options to adjust the top end but midfield and defence still looks light to me.

On Charles he looks to me like he needs someone near him to allow him to be most effective. And I think for now we stick with this system. I do like a 343 but it requires a lot of mobility in the midfield and I’m certainly not seeing that in what we’ve got.