Just to change the direction of the discussion a little bit, what do people see as the general advantages and disadvantages of a 4-3-3 system (in comparison to 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2)? And what do people think are the advantages of us playing 4-3-3, in terms of how well it suits the players that are currently in the first team squad?
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AVB's System, 4-3-3, and the Transfer Window
- Thread starter DMac
- Start date
scotty220
Matthew Etherington
I think the OP breaks down the 4-3-3 tactic very well. In my view I don't think 4-3-3 works maybe quite as well as it may have done in the past. It seems a few years ago 15 or 16 PL teams would play 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 was for the more adventurous attacking types. Now it seems most top-half clubs play a version of 4-3-3 and it almost cancels each teams tactic out. I think for us 4-3-3 would create more space up front as players like Parker and Sandro won't go bombing forward and overcrowd the area. I think if we were to adopt it we'd have to have very disciplined players. I think this year some of the players have found it difficult to change from Harry's free-flow-play-where-you-like tactics to AVB's 'strict' system where each player has a defined role. It hasn't helped with injuries either where we've had to fit players into positions that they don't necessarily enjoy playing in or are familiar with. As for 4-4-2, we simply don't have the required quality strikers and way too many attacking midfielders for it to work
africanspurs
Justin Edinburgh
thanks BoL
Spursalot
Jimmy McCormick
Personally i think Bale would be more apt as a right forward than an AM. A right forward relies far more on the power of the player, whilst the AM role is a far more technically creative based wrong. Don't get me wrong, i think Bale is technically good, however his best attributes are most visible when running at people, which isn't always possible in the AM role as the space can get very tight.
Also it would allow us to include a more creatively gifted CM alongside our best midfield duo of the season. Sandro and Dembele. With Sandro back Dembele would hopefully return to his better days, and the new CM would help us break down park the bus teams with incisive passing and the ability to switch the play quickly, whilst also adding to the defensive steel nature of the team.
I agree regarding Bale (though I think he should play as the No.10 in tougher games where we're likely to get more opportunities on the break - IMO he is most devastating when attacking space down the middle of the pitch.
But as for your second paragraph, doesn't that leave us with too few options in the final third? If you're removing a No.10 and replacing him with what sounds like a deep playmaker? I do agree that we need a more creative / passing central midfielder, but I think playing him alongside two other CMs that are excellent defensively is defensive overkill.
Spursalot
Jimmy McCormick
Well Dembele is excellent defensively but is at his best when he runs at players with the ball. I would be trying to convince him to do this far more then he seems to do with Parker by his side.
My three mid's would be:
Creative - Defensive - b2b
Dembele would play the b2b role, he wouldn't be a classic b2b, but i think it's the type of role he would excel in.
Picking up the ball, spinning past his marker and running at the defence, whilst Bale and Striker attempt to run the channels or break the back line and on the other side a player keeps the width and keeps himself available for the easy pass.
Added to the fact that you have three in the middle, Sandro and the creative would be free to wander off if they feel it is needed. Sandro on one of his powerful runs (though he needs to work on releasing the ball at the end of them) or the creative could move forwards and combine with the front three. It would just be a far more fluid formation in my book. Any of the middle three could go forward, whilst the third would be able to do a decent job defensively.
Granted against the harder teams i would be more likely to tell Sandro to sit back more though.
To top it all off you'd have Walker overlapping Bale keeping the width on his side and giving the left back even more to think about.
This is just how i would play it though.
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I just question whether you need a dedicated defensive midfielder as well as another defensively-good player (i.e. Sandro as well as Dembele) in games where the opposition spends most of its time sitting back and defending. I prefer the Hudd - Dembele - Holtby trio, i.e. a deep passer, a box-to-box and a more advanced passer.
Spursalot
Jimmy McCormick
Maybe not, it's a squad game. If you get in another decent passing midfielder you could insert him into the squad for the easier home games. That does seem to be the area in which we struggle more than anything.
Dembele - Creative - Holtby could be apt. However at that point you are telling Dembele to be the more defensively minded player, at which point you dull his effectiveness going forward in my mind.
That's why I think Huddlestone (or any other similar deep-lying passer, like Carrick for example) and Dembele would compliment each other nicely, as Dembele still has the license to get forward (as he has clearly done IMO when Hudd has come on).
I do agree that 4-3-3 has the potential to be more fluid, and I do like that about it.
Spursalot
Jimmy McCormick
Carrick would work, i'm still not entirely sure Huddlestone has regained enough mobility to cover the back four. Which is why i am saying a creative mid rather than him. He's improved recently though, but he's going to have to keep at it for a while in my mind, if he survives he summer that is.