Could 3-5-2 be the answer ?

[Crowbar6753]

I saw that Chelsea were struggling at the start of the season so Conte changed their formation to 3-5-2. Would this be an option for big Jaap?
It would give us the option of two up top, and we do have three center backs to make it work.

Al-Habsi
McShane Moore Blackett

Evans Quinn

Gunter Swift Obita

Samuel Kermorgant

The three at the back plus the two holding midfielders give up more options to play out from the back, and with two up top plus an attacking midfielder and the two attacking wing backs give up more dimension up front. The downside is we lose Beerens and McCleary, but neither have really tore up this league so far.
Just an idea, but could be an option, thought anyone?

[Ian Royal]

Yeah, I suggested it as a possibility about a week or two ago and at least a couple of people agreed it was a possibility. Without having seen Chelsea play a minute too.

[Crowbar6753]

It just gives us more options when playing out from the back, and the wing backs when defending will create a back 5, and can then bomb forward on the counter giving extra width up front, Gunter plays in this position for Wales with great effect.. Kermie is crying out for a partner up front, and i think Samuel would be an ideal partner. He proved against Arsenal that he has good pace.

[Top Flight]

I agree Crowbar, I think it would be a system that would be much better for Kermie. He has a thankless task on his own up front.i don't think Jaap will change his philosophy though.

[Crowbar6753]

I like Jaaps philosophy of passing football, and this should easily work using the 3-5-2 system and hopefully allow for fast counter attacking football. That extra defender should allow an extra passing option out of defense, especially if the two deep midfielders show for the ball as well, this is an area where we have been struggling which has caused unrest amongst supporters recently.

[Top Flight]

I totally agree.

[Sutekh]

As a plan B perhaps?

[tidus_mi2]

It's entirely plausible to switch to a 3-5-2 mid game should the situation arise, Van den Berg or Evans can shift to central defence, with Obita and Gunter as wing backs, McCleary can push up front with Swift replacing him on the wing.

[genome]

It's entirely plausible to switch to a 3-5-2 mid game should the situation arise, Van den Berg or Evans can shift to central defence, with Obita and Gunter as wing backs

Isn't that what we are doing when we don't have the ball?

I'd like to see this system tried for a whole game though. 3 proper centre backs and the wing backs actually attacking, not turning and passing in field when they reach the halfway line.

Obita should be doing that although I don't think Gunter is particular inclined, so I'd like to see McCleary back there.

[OLLIE KEARNS]

I saw that Chelsea were struggling at the start of the season so Conte changed their formation to 3-5-2. Would this be an option for big Jaap?
It would give us the option of two up top, and we do have three center backs to make it work.

Al-Habsi
McShane Moore Blackett

Evans Quinn

Gunter Swift Obita

Samuel Kermorgant


The three at the back plus the two holding midfielders give up more options to play out from the back, and with two up top plus an attacking midfielder and the two attacking wing backs give up more dimension up front. The downside is we lose Beerens and McCleary, but neither have really tore up this league so far.
Just an idea, but could be an option, thought anyone?

Two issues with that. First, 3 centre backs and two holding midfielders is hardly going to put us on the front foot. Second, you note that McCleary and Beerens aren't tearing up the league but expect that Gunter and Obita will do better. In terms of the wing back theory we actually already play that way when we have the ball in any case with the holding midfielder dropping in between the split centre backs and the full backs pushing on.
I don't disagree with trying to switch in order to get the two up front though but we'd need far more creativity from our two full backs to make it work. Shorey for example would have been in his element as a wing back but I don't see Gunter ever being able to supply a steady stream of quality crosses.
Maybe a simpler tweak would be Samuel for Beerens or Mcleary but having him play more central ? It then gives us the option of going long to Kerm in the knowledge that we'd actually have someone running in behind to get on the end of his flicks.

[PistolPete]

+1 for the 3-5-2 idea, was thinking about it too yesterday.

Gunter or G Mac could work, Obita or Quinn on the left.

[Maneki Neko]

It's entirely plausible to switch to a 3-5-2 mid game should the situation arise, Van den Berg or Evans can shift to central defence, with Obita and Gunter as wing backs, McCleary can push up front with Swift replacing him on the wing.

weren't we pretty much playing that system for much of the early season.
VDB/Evans dropping into the back line while obita/gunter spent most of their time in the opposite half, and swift was playing as a 10.

[George_]

Would also like to see a 3-5-2:

-----------------------------AAH----------------------------------

------------McShane--------Moore--------Blackett

McCleary------------------------------------------------------Obita

-----------------Williams------Swift---------Quinn-----------------

--------------------Yann------------------Samuel-----------------------

[bcubed]

It's entirely plausible to switch to a 3-5-2 mid game should the situation arise, Van den Berg or Evans can shift to central defence, with Obita and Gunter as wing backs, McCleary can push up front with Swift replacing him on the wing.

weren't we pretty much playing that system for much of the early season.
VDB/Evans dropping into the back line while obita/gunter spent most of their time in the opposite half, and swift was playing as a 10.

yes we were

[TBM]

How can you drop Beerens?! - he provides us with, what little, attacking threat we have

[Maneki Neko]

as frustrating as his end product can be, im inclined to agree.
the only player who can consistently beat a man we have.

[bcubed]

GMac

[Maneki Neko]

doesn't even try to most of the time

[Saaaaaaaammmmmm]

I've always thought it would suit us, especially when watching Wales use it at the Euros and seeing Gunter bombing down the wing

Obviously it would work if we spent time on it training, and really learned how to play it, but I don't think we've been doing that

Hence suddenly switching to 3-5-2 would probably be a bit risky, and the months we've spent learning the current system would then pretty much go to waste

Obita is perfectly suited to the wing-back role, although I think he's been a bit hesitant going forward in recent years given he constantly claims he's a winger, it's actually his defending I'm always most impressed with. As mentioned, Gunter's done this at international level for years

Presumably then it would be McShane, Moore and Blackett as the three? I like Jules and Dickie and think they'd be pretty suited to the left and right centre-half roles, although no one seems to really want them anywhere the first team as of yet

Kermorgant and Samuel/Mendes/Rakels would be up top but then how would you pick the three in the centre? I'd like three centre-mids, of which we have an endless supply (Swift, Joey, Evans, Williams, Quinn, Kelly, Wieser), but then you'd have no room for any wingers at all. Stam is hardly going to drop both McCleary and Beerens (on form, he should though), but then you'd still be cutting off any opportunities for people like Harriott, Meite, and newly converted wideman Danzell

So yeah maybe just stick with what's working. At least this gives a chance to have a moan again about how the squad's too big

[Crowbar6753]

I saw that Chelsea were struggling at the start of the season so Conte changed their formation to 3-5-2. Would this be an option for big Jaap?
It would give us the option of two up top, and we do have three center backs to make it work.

Al-Habsi
McShane Moore Blackett

Evans Quinn

Gunter Swift Obita

Samuel Kermorgant


The three at the back plus the two holding midfielders give up more options to play out from the back, and with two up top plus an attacking midfielder and the two attacking wing backs give up more dimension up front. The downside is we lose Beerens and McCleary, but neither have really tore up this league so far.
Just an idea, but could be an option, thought anyone?

Two issues with that. First, 3 centre backs and two holding midfielders is hardly going to put us on the front foot. Second, you note that McCleary and Beerens aren't tearing up the league but expect that Gunter and Obita will do better. In terms of the wing back theory we actually already play that way when we have the ball in any case with the holding midfielder dropping in between the split centre backs and the full backs pushing on.
I don't disagree with trying to switch in order to get the two up front though but we'd need far more creativity from our two full backs to make it work. Shorey for example would have been in his element as a wing back but I don't see Gunter ever being able to supply a steady stream of quality crosses.
Maybe a simpler tweak would be Samuel for Beerens or Mcleary but having him play more central ? It then gives us the option of going long to Kerm in the knowledge that we'd actually have someone running in behind to get on the end of his flicks.

Maybe you are right Ollie, just looking at possible solutions to solving two of our issues we seem to be having with the current system, which is playing the ball out from defense and the second striker. I do think that Obita/Blackett and Gunter/GMac could work as wing backs though. And yes i know, it means Beerens is left redundant!!