New Formation

[Broga81]

Does anyone else think we should be changing our formation? I always feel we lack in midfield and really struggle to get the ball forward quickly.
I would like to see us try the same formation Man Utd had yesterday against Liverpool (3-4-1-2).

----------- Roberto----------
-----Zabaleta-- Diop--Ogbonna-----
Fredricks---Noble---Rice---Masuaku
---------- Lanzini----------
------ Haller----- Anderson-------

The reason I would play Zabaleta in the right centre back spot is so when the ball is coming down our left masuaku drops back in at left back so its a back 4 with fredricks free to go after the player with the ball. Same applies for ogbonna who has played left back before (obviously not very well) but Masuaku should be able to get back to support him.
The key and what worked well for united yesterday was getting the ball away to the wing backs and moving at pace through the middle, switching the play quickly too.
Also by having anderson in a free role to support haller we may actually get the ball to him once in a while, instead of him coming looking for it.

Just my thoughts, what do you guys think? Would this potentially work better than our 4-2-3-1?

[Whiskyman]

If, as I think we should, we play a back 3. which we won't btw, then imo Balbuena has to come in alongside Diop and Ogbonna. He was unfortunate to lose his place after the City game as he wasn't the only defender who had a shocker. Nothing against Zabaleta who imo is a model pro but no way would I play him centrally. I would, however, seriously consider partnering him with Rice in central midfield when we're up against sides who zip the ball around in midfield. Zabaleta is probably the best reader of the game on our books imo and his awareness of situations could stop a lot of problems before they bite us on the arse.

[palerider]

No way will MP play 3-5-2 or 3-5-1-1 or whatever formation involves three centre-backs and two wing-backs.

He's never to my knowledge ever fielded a team that way so why would he start now in autumn / winter of his managerial career ?

[Broga81]

I obviously understand that Pellegrini is unlikely to change, i was after everyones opinions

[IronsForever]

I obviously understand that Pellegrini is unlikely to change, i was after everyones opinions

I think its time for a change in the formation for sure. We have struggled to create chances last 2 games and Anderson seems like he is continuously running into brick walls.Fornals was stuck wide right the weekend. Whats that all about?
When Anderson goes on a run he needs Fornals and Lanzini close to him.Haller is marked by 2 defenders so the offensive need to attack as a unit and open them up. How does that happen with one offensive wide right, one wide left and one ( Lanzini) in the center. This is why we have too many gaps allowing the other team to walk through our midfield. Its when we try and get an attack going we are most vulnerable.
Time to sacrifice an offensive and play 3 central defenders,, Subs bench would be colorful when needed.
we have 2 full nacks with speed!! use them! We could have 3 solid central defenders !! Use them as Flappy is out for over 2 months. If we go behind in a game we can always switch back taking a central defender off and add another offensive , but for now we need to show a lot more bollocks and grit. Does Sheff utd fear playing against our current system? Our 2 holding Mid players are too far apart as Noble is asked to make a third offensive when possible. Our Striker has 2 defenders on him like glue and left back gets caught up field at least twice during a game. Freddy also gets caught when we need a goal. Let them both play the wings and bring in that 3 cent defender Pellegrini ya stubborn git.

[jameskel]

I love the forum and all the cunts that are on it !

We beat Man U and its fucking swords out swashbuckling fucktoids.

They are a piss poor team

Now, a few games later, it's all change

Bottom line is, we look poor. Haller for me, is not a goalscorer, Anderson is a complete luxury, not sure we can cope with that. Fornals (I like him) looks well off the pace and will take a while, like Anderson, we cant cope with that. MASUAKU, is shit

I think Sheff Utd will kick us all over the place and nick a win

[terrya1965]

I love the forum and all the cunts that are on it !

We beat Man U and its fucking swords out swashbuckling fucktoids.

They are a piss poor team

Now, a few games later, it's all change

Bottom line is, we look poor. Haller for me, is not a goalscorer, Anderson is a complete luxury, not sure we can cope with that. Fornals (I like him) looks well off the pace and will take a while, like Anderson, we cant cope with that. MASUAKU, is shit

I think Sheff Utd will kick us all over the place and nick a win

I think a lot of us were happy to beat United,but many thought,we played average that day,including myself.

[palerider]

I love the forum and all the cunts that are on it !

We beat Man U and its fucking swords out swashbuckling fucktoids.

They are a piss poor team

Now, a few games later, it's all change

Bottom line is, we look poor. Haller for me, is not a goalscorer, Anderson is a complete luxury, not sure we can cope with that. Fornals (I like him) looks well off the pace and will take a while, like Anderson, we cant cope with that. MASUAKU, is shit

I think Sheff Utd will kick us all over the place and nick a win

I think a lot of us were happy to beat United,but many thought,we played average that day,including myself.

United put in a shift yesterday.

Had they played like that against us the result would most likely have been different.

[Mancunian Hammer]

It may be time to look at a change in formation but as many have said its looking unlikely from Pellegrini, he doesn't seem to be interested in trying different systems. Having said that if our players are as gutless as they were on Saturday it will not matter what the formation is we will lose, second to everything, couldn't win a header and couldn't match Everton for effort and commitment. We need to attack the ball, win our fair share of headers and 50/50s, and just do the basic things right. Everton are not a particularly good team but they were all over us and a 2-0 defeat flattered us. When I looked at the starting lineups, even though like most I had an issue with Fornals in for Yarmalenko, I thought we had the superior players, it certainly didn't look like that. I thought Pellegrini may change the formation or do something at half time as it was so bad.

We seem to lose the battle in central midfield regularly. On paper i really like Rice, Noble and Lanzini but they seem to lose the battle a lot so maybe altering the formation will help, nevertheless we will need a lot more effort than we gave Saturday.

Pellegrini tends to make wholesale changes in personnel when we have this kind of performance but the formation tends to stay the same. When the opposition have the ball we look slow.

I saw on Saturday a number of times our players shrugged off and then looking to the ref for a foul, we are not physical enough and we are not aggressive enough. We need our players to have some fire in their bellies. When we are able to match teams for commitment we will look a different side as we have the quality to open teams up.

[Whiskyman]

I think a lot of us were happy to beat United,but many thought,we played average that day,including myself.

United put in a shift yesterday.

Had they played like that against us the result would most likely have been different.

They did put in a shift. But it could also be said that Liverpool were, the last 25 minutes or so apart, pretty bloody dire.