Fixture for Sunday 14/11/04

It's Aubrey by the way

I dont understand Jimbob, help you with what? Help you see your toes by holding a mirror at a convienient angle?

Your not thinking of moving away from 4-4-2 are you??? But what if the world ends? What if your formation is what finally calls the dark lord to prominence?

Seriously tho, the players we have are very inflexible and 4-4-2 (or 4-4-1-1) is the only way we can play. The ideal formation for O'Neills is wingbacks as we don't have the intelligence in the team to utilise the wingers and play the wide open space that is invariably in front of them. We did it for a game, won 7-1, lost the following week (when we had several players out) and the same old players started calling for 4-4-2 saying that all they want to do is score goals.

Nearly every Sunday league team picks their team this way...

* Who are our best defenders? Right, they go centre back.
* Who are our best midfielders? They go centre mid.
* Who are our greediest players? They go on the wings.
* Who has the hardest shot, or can dribble round a player? They go up front.
* Who's left? They go full back.

Look at our line ups, and the ones I picked. There are some exceptions, but generally this is how it's done.

The idea is to pick a line up that counteracts the usual. We play 4-4-2 and we gain no advantage. We play 3-2-3-2 and we gain a slight advantage.

They have 2 strikers, we have 3 centre backs to cover them. They have 2 centre midfirelder, we have 3 to cover them. It means more work for the wingbacks, but as most teams don't use their wingers or full backs properly it shouldn't be a problem for them.

The players we have are afraid of change. 4-4-2 is the only way to go with most of them. (Guess which formation I am planning to play at Mitcham...)

When I tried to do something that would improve the club is was either mocked, or the players had decided it wouldn't work before the game had started (the "Darryl is fucking about with the formation again" effect).

I understand where you're coming from but i've put forward this option on the basis of our last result against them. I'm trying think tactically here. At training it was as clear as day that we've got a squad of 1500 midfielders, couple of strikers and four defenders. The last time we played them we lost the game, they didn't win it. For this game we are going to be full strength so why not logically go out there and try and thump them. We are to scared to take risks but a 5-3-2 with wing backs isn't a risk. I'm talking about just three at the back, 2 infront in the midfield. 2 wingers with the option of tracking back. Well it's about not being selfish but the main perogative is attack. Then with a creative player just behind the front two who knows what damage we could cause. I'm quite happy to sit infront of the defence and run around like a headless chicken to protect them but this gives the others the license to stream forward. For Sundays game we have got our three strongest defenders who all have pace and aren't afraid to stick in a challenge. I was thinking of starting with this formation and if we are looking shaky then of course revert back to the 4-4-2 but it's worth starting the game with all guns blazing. Guy and Pat only need a sniff of goal and they need people to provide them with the chances. Our problem is constantly playing midfielders at full back positions when they are clearly uncomfortable there. Obviously not on the same level but it's like sticking Giggs at left back or Ljunberg at right back. Just because they have loads of abilty they are just not defenders.

Nie to see passions running so high, just a thought as the elected manager any chance i can have a little say in what formation/tatics we might try on sunday?

As a matter of interest who are the best three defenders mentioned?

You talk about midfielders playing out of position to be homest some people don't actually know their best position they think they are something they are not, but are playing well where they are put.

just a little insight to my thinking for sunday 4-5-1 was a possible option for the start but i'll save it for sunday.

8-)management1