Backup Strikers

[The Verminator]

Who would people prefer to see play if Giroud was unavailable or needed resting? Personally I would give Theo a go up front and put Rosicky or perhaps Wilshere in his place.

Not including the injured OX and Poldi, I'd go for:

:::::::::Theo:::::::::
Cazorla:Özil :Rosicky

Out of our so-called backup strikers I think Park is the best of the poor bunch right now but I'd rather field Bendtner as the sole striker. As much as signing Özil is amazing (and I actually think he's the more proven player we've signed in my time as a supporter - even more than Dennis Bergkamp), I think we really fucked up not signing a top-notch striker too. But we have what we have, at least until the January window.

Who would get your vote?

[Cripps_orig]

Theo is our best option up front if Giroud isn't around but that leaves us with a problem on who goes on the right.

Our squad is wafer thin at the moment and the kids coming up aren't very good. We have a core of players who we will have to pray don't get injured/tired/lose form and take us up to January at least where we are hopefully strengthened by more arrivals.

[Boss]

Giroud, then Theo, then Bendtner.

Then everyone else in our squad, then Sanogo.

Midfielders up front brings back unpleasant memories of the time we used Diaby as a striker.

[Nayan]

interesting to see if we go 4-4-2, and then does theo get to pair up with giroud or is ozil supposed to be the next bergkamp in a 4-4-1-1 shadow striker sense?
If we go 4-4-1 then I guess the pecking order would be giroud, then podolski then either bendter or sanogo.

On taht last bit - bendter has been a dick but he does have a point in seeing no alternative to moving in order to get first team football. He went about it badly and hopefully got a massive relity check from his juve experience. Its now on him to show he is professional enough to make hiomeslf available for selction and force his way back into the manager's plans. His attitude has been the weak spot , but he can actually play a bit. If he does all that people should get over their (understandable) skepticism

[Seaman's Ponytail]

I think it's clear Theo is our # 2 striker and, when back from injury, Poldi is # 3. Whilst i think Wumger probably will use Bentner personally i'd never let the cunt anywhere near the club again, cancel his contract and let him go somewhere on a free.
From what i saw pre-season and in the under 20 world cup, Chuba rates ahead of Sangogo for me. Sanogo will get a few chances in the CC, seen to be crap and farmed out on loan for the next 4 years. Personally i'd recall Joel Campbell and give him a crack, the new Carlos Vela

[Marc Overmars]

Theo will probably move in the centre if needs be, but our style of play might not be the same because he's the complete opposite to Giroud. Then we also have a gap on the right to fill, is anyone as effective as Theo there?

Wenget wanted a striker, so I'm hoping he still does come January. Anything from Sanogo would be a bonus and I certainly don't think Bendtner deserves another chance at all.

[Tipsychubbs]

Think Theo is too useful as a winger/wing forward to move into the centre. His pace is an outlet to stretch play, plus he makes those Ljunberg style darting runs into the box which can be hard for defenders to track. He's also less effective with his back to goal than Giroud.

From the statement yesterday personally I'd use Bendtner as a No.2 if he gets his head down and works hard as he says, then he can be re-integrated. If someone like Tevez can be reinstated with his club and play for them again then so can Bendtner. Why would AW cancel his move to Palace if he didn't intend to use him? Plus it keeps the squad fresh by having at least 2 players for each attacking position. We don't have many other options till Jan.

[Penguin]

Theo is our first choice right winger. If Wenger saw him as our 2nd choice striker he wouldn't have been trying to get Demba Ba on loan in the final hours of the window (and a cheeky bid for Rooney too, if you believe the reports). It's much more likely that Bendtner will be the back up for now. Last chance saloon for Niklas, he better not fuck it up for his own sake.

It's worrying how stretched our squad is.

[Dein-machine]

Think Theo is too useful as a winger/wing forward to move into the centre. His pace is an outlet to stretch play, plus he makes those Ljunberg style darting runs into the box which can be hard for defenders to track. He's also less effective with his back to goal than Giroud.

From the statement yesterday personally I'd use Bendtner as a No.2 if he gets his head down and works hard as he says, then he can be re-integrated. If someone like Tevez can be reinstated with his club and play for them again then so can Bendtner. Why would AW cancel his move to Palace if he didn't intend to use him? Plus it keeps the squad fresh by having at least 2 players for each attacking position. We don't have many other options till Jan.


Putting Bendtner in the team with a 5 man midfield of Santi, Jack, Ramsey, Ozil & Walcott would be like putting a Vauxhall badge on a Bentley - he is a total waste of space & will ruin all the good work of those mentioned.
The Ozil signing is wonderful but to not get a decent striker in was woeful. Lets face it, Giroud is scoring goals but not the finished article by a long way so whoever came in had a good chance of 1st team football.

[Zerlathon]

Putting Bendtner in the team with a 5 man midfield of Santi, Jack, Ramsey, Ozil & Walcott would be like putting a Vauxhall badge on a Bentley - he is a total waste of space & will ruin all the good work of those mentioned.
The Ozil signing is wonderful but to not get a decent striker in was woeful. Lets face it, Giroud is scoring goals but not the finished article by a long way so whoever came in had a good chance of 1st team football.

I have to agree, I've supported Arsenal for 2 decades and out of all the Players who have been & gone Bendtner has to be one of the worst Players to wear an Arsenal Shirt. Skillwise he's average, but his deluded opinion that he is one of the best Strikers ever to live is mind bogglingly stupid. If he was as good as he thinks he is, then he wouldn't be having such a torrid time in seeking a move away from Arsenal.

My biggest regret of this TW is that we didn't stump up the additional £'s to sign Higuain. He was worth the extra simply for the fact that we could of finally got rid of Bendtner!

[Alpha]

In case , God forbids as they say , Giroud is unavailable to play , we will revert to 4-4-2 . We can pair Bendtner and Theo upfront or play Bendtner on his own if need be .
We need to understand that it is a professional game . Bendtner has messed up but he deserves a second chance . He knows he should have left as Wenger made it clear he was no longer in his plan . But , the club interest must come first . If we have no options and Bendtner is there , we have to swallow our pride ( emotions ) as fans and get behind him for the sake of the team .

[Power n Glory]

Higuain and Ozil would have been fantastic additions. We’d have been title contenders for sure. But I also think we can make better use of Podolski and Walcott up front. Pod really has to work on his movement but I’m hoping with Cazorla and Ozil behind him, they’d draw more defenders out and create a lot more space for him to ghost around. Theo….I think he just needs games and he’d be a handful for anyone. Really not a fan of him playing on the right flank.

[Power n Glory]

There is no way in hell we're going back to 4-4-2.

[Cripps_orig]

Which is a shame.

4-4-2 is the formation which brought us all our success.

4-5-1/4-3-3 has been a disaster.

Not saying we should stick with 4-4-2 all the time but to mix it up a little.

[Power n Glory]

Which is a shame.

4-4-2 is the formation which brought us all our success.

4-5-1/4-3-3 has been a disaster.

Not saying we should stick with 4-4-2 all the time but to mix it up a little.

That was over 10 years ago. Football has moved on.

[Cripps_orig]

That was over 10 years ago. Football has moved on.

Well it's clear our current formation hasn't and isn't working.

We started to play it to bring the best out of Cesc to the detriment of the team. Likewise when he left, we did it for RVP. They individually were great. Team wise we sucked.

Both gone. Time for 4-4-2 to come home

[Power n Glory]

Well it's clear our current formation hasn't and isn't working.

We started to play it to bring the best out of Cesc to the detriment of the team. Likewise when he left, we did it for RVP. They individually were great. Team wise we sucked.

Both gone. Time for 4-4-2 to come home

How many teams play a successful 4-4-2 formation now?

Plenty of teams have played with our formation or a variation of our formation and won. There is nothing wrong with it.

[Cripps_orig]

How many teams play a successful 4-4-2 formation now?

Plenty of teams have played with our formation or a variation of our formation and won. There is nothing wrong with it.

Couldn't care less who else plays it. It's the best for us. Quite clearly in fact.

But to answer your question, man city won the title playing 4-4-2. Man utd played Wazza and the cunt up front last season. Guess what they won the title as well.

Nothing wrong with the formation if we have the players capable of playing it. We don't. We don't ave a genuine winger in the squad and that pretty much kills the formation.

However we are short on strikers this season so do what we are doing til January and hope against all hope we are still in the race for a trophy or and then get a striker in and go back to the tried and trusted.

[Marc Overmars]

No one plays with 2 strikers anymore really, even the Mancs use Wazza in a deeper role now or leave him on the bench.

[Power n Glory]

Couldn't care less who else plays it. It's the best for us. Quite clearly in fact.

But to answer your question, man city won the title playing 4-4-2. Man utd played Wazza and the cunt up front last season. Guess what they won the title as well.

Nothing wrong with the formation if we have the players capable of playing it. We don't. We don't ave a genuine winger in the squad and that pretty much kills the formation.

However we are short on strikers this season so do what we are doing til January and hope against all hope we are still in the race for a trophy or and then get a striker in and go back to the tried and trusted.

But we don’t have the players. The midfield is too small and we don’t have the wingers. We’re struggling for fluidity already and there is no way we’d get away with it. What’s the team we’d play or what’s your idea for a 4-4-2? I flat midfield is certainly out of the question in my eyes. And Rooney played behind the striker.

If we don’t have the wingers for a 4-3-3 then why play a 4-4-2 where we have wide players sitting even further back from the final third and have to depend on their dribbling skills to move things forward? The only reason why Theo and Pod work and get the numbers they do now is because they’re always playing in the final third and getting the space they need.

What team would you play in a 4-4-2?

[Niall_Quinn]

How many teams play a successful 4-4-2 formation now?

Plenty of teams have played with our formation or a variation of our formation and won. There is nothing wrong with it.

Irrelevant. It all depends who you put on the pitch and what works best for them. There's absolutely nothing wrong with 4-4-2 if you have the midfield players that can make it happen.

[Marc Overmars]

Irrelevant. It all depends who you put on the pitch and what works best for them. There's absolutely nothing wrong with 4-4-2 if you have the midfield players that can make it happen.

I think formations evolve along with the type of players out there.

How many super quality "traditional" wingers are out there at the moment? I can't think of many, all the best midfielders in the world are the holders and the ones who like to cut inside and create.

[Niall_Quinn]

I think formations evolve along with the type of players out there.

How many super quality "traditional" wingers are out there at the moment? I can't think of many, all the best midfielders in the world are the holders and the ones who like to cut inside and create.

Of course you are forgetting Ashley Young.

[Power n Glory]

Irrelevant. It all depends who you put on the pitch and what works best for them. There's absolutely nothing wrong with 4-4-2 if you have the midfield players that can make it happen.

True, but you guys keep forgetting that we struggled to hold the ball against teams that had an extra man in the midfield.

If you think we have good enough players to overcome that then fine. But I have serious doubts and I remember we'd get kicked off the park by lower league teams on a regular basis. If we were too open last season in the middle of the park, how more so will we be without that extra man?

Again, come up with a 4-4-2 you think is good enough and we can discuss further. But I'm not convinced.

[Niall_Quinn]

True, but you guys keep forgetting that we struggled to hold the ball against teams that had an extra man in the midfield.

If you think we have good enough players to overcome that then fine. But I have serious doubts and I remember we'd get kicked off the park by lower league teams on a regular basis. If we were too open last season in the middle of the park, how more so will we be without that extra man?

Again, come up with a 4-4-2 you think is good enough and we can discuss further. But I'm not convinced.

I was responding to the idea that 4-4-2 doesn't work because the "game has moved on", rather than suggesting we have the players to use it.

[Cripps_orig]

But we don’t have the players. The midfield is too small and we don’t have the wingers. We’re struggling for fluidity already and there is no way we’d get away with it. What’s the team we’d play or what’s your idea for a 4-4-2? I flat midfield is certainly out of the question in my eyes. And Rooney played behind the striker.

If we don’t have the wingers for a 4-3-3 then why play a 4-4-2 where we have wide players sitting even further back from the final third and have to depend on their dribbling skills to move things forward? The only reason why Theo and Pod work and get the numbers they do now is because they’re always playing in the final third and getting the space they need.

What team would you play in a 4-4-2?
Closest we have come to the title in 8 horrendous years is 07/08 season.

Our midfield then was Rosicky, Flamini, cunt and Hleb. Neither Hleb or Rosicky were natural wingers. Likewise before them, Pires and Freddie, they weren't wingers. Both preferred playing more centrally but did a superb job out wide.

Basically in a 4-4-2 you don't need to be a natural winger. In a 4-5-1/4-3-3 you do.

Rooney playing behind RVC makes no difference. Still classed as a 4-4-2 just as when Bergkamp played behind Henry.

Midfield 4 would be

Cazorla Flamini Wilshere Ozil

Theo Giroud

Lot of variation there, theo can drop back on the right enabling Cazorla to push in centrally when we don't have the ball. Starting point should always be 2 up front though. Just need to mix it up a bit

[Power n Glory]

We lacked width during those years and teams were able to sit deep, stay compact and we'd struggle to break them down.

[Cripps_orig]

We lacked width during those years and teams were able to sit deep, stay compact and we'd struggle to break them down.

Which is where full backs come in.

Cole and Lauren were great at it.

Eboue and Clichy not so much.

Sagna can't cross for shit. Gibbs is our saviour

[Power n Glory]

I think that would leave us badly exposed and I think Giroud and Theo would struggle from a lack of service. We'd need a man to play in the hole and between the lines. I don't think we'd get the best of Nasri, Hleb and Rosicky out wide and the started to play a 4-5-1 for a reason. When teams started to field the extra man and sit deep, we struggled to cope. We need to evolve. Looking at old blueprints won't help because teams were very different when we played a 4-4-2.

Do you think our fullbacks will be able to get forward when they're up against Chelsea's 4-3-3 with wingers like Hazard? They'll get pinned back. They'd also be able to stick a DM on Wilshere to stop him from playing all game, we'd really need Wilshere playing up close with Giroud and Theo because both like to run on to passes. Flamini on his own leaves us with a 2vs 1 situation but throwing JW further back means we lose some creativity in the final third. Ozil and Cazorla would have to play a lot more in the middle for it to work. I just can't see Wenger allowing that. Would have to be more like Brazil's old formation.

[Nayan]

when he gets it right sagna crosses very well. He's not consistent though its true

[Nayan]

I think that would leave us badly exposed and I think Giroud and Theo would struggle from a lack of service. We'd need a man to play in the hole and between the lines. I don't think we'd get the best of Nasri, Hleb and Rosicky out wide and the started to play a 4-5-1 for a reason. When teams started to field the extra man and sit deep, we struggled to cope. We need to evolve. Looking at old blueprints won't help because teams were very different when we played a 4-4-2.

Do you think our fullbacks will be able to get forward when they're up against Chelsea's 4-3-3 with wingers like Hazard? They'll get pinned back. They'd also be able to stick a DM on Wilshere to stop him from playing all game, we'd really need Wilshere playing up close with Giroud and Theo because both like to run on to passes. Flamini on his own leaves us with a 2vs 1 situation but throwing JW further back means we lose some creativity in the final third. Ozil and Cazorla would have to play a lot more in the middle for it to work. I just can't see Wenger allowing that. Would have to be more like Brazil's old formation.

what 4-2-4?

[Syn]

You can play two strikers but everyone has to put in a massive shift - even if you're Van Persie. Before it used to be something that endeared you to the fans but now its a minimum requirement. That much has changed a little.

And to this day I still believe Wenger went to 4-5-1 because Cesc couldn't put in a solid defensive performance. Not through a lack of trying but because he was slow. Ramsey and Flamini definitely could last 95 mins at full pelt. Well, remains to be seen if Flamini can but he looked nippy enough against Tottenham considering he hasn't played a game for 4 months and hasn't had a preseason.

[Power n Glory]

More like a 4-2-2-2 but we'd really talented attacking wing backs with loads of pace for that. We just don't have it. That's what the formation would turn into if we have Ozil and Cazorla pushing in from wide.

[Penguin]

Our most successful 4-4-2 was with Bergkamp playing in the number 10 role behind Henry (and Wright before him). I could argue that's not much different to the role Cazorla has been playing for us, or what Ozil will do now.

I don't think anyone plays successfully with two out and out strikers in a 4-4-2 now.

[Power n Glory]

You can play two strikers but everyone has to put in a massive shift - even if you're Van Persie. Before it used to be something that endeared you to the fans but now its a minimum requirement. That much has changed a little.

And to this day I still believe Wenger went to 4-5-1 because Cesc couldn't put in a solid defensive performance. Not through a lack of trying but because he was slow. Ramsey and Flamini definitely could last 95 mins at full pelt. Well, remains to be seen if Flamini can but he looked nippy enough against Tottenham considering he hasn't played a game for 4 months and hasn't had a preseason.

But we won't get the creativity from Ramsey and Flamini. We'd have to play someone like Ozil or Cazorla in the hole. It made sense for Wenger to switch to 4-5-1 with a player like Cesc in the team.

[Özim]

What about JET, he's a beast?

[Dennis Bendtner]

Surely Bendtner has to actually try to do something good on a football pitch this year. The braindead idiot's done nothing but turn down good moves for about three years. Now there's no chance he's getting another deal here and he won't even get half of what he gets now from some other lunatic club if he doesn't actually score a few goals. Don't think World Cup selection's much of a factor as Denmark probably won't qualify. But given the guy is still around you can't completely rule out using him. He's better than a lot of the available rubbish we might have been looking at on deadline day. Chamberlain and Podolski are out until the window opens again so we're light and would find it hard to move Theo into the middle. Sanogo is raw. Akpom...do not forget as well you know we have Akpom. But yeah, admittedly it's not a brilliant plan and relies on Bendtner using common sense.

[Syn]

when he gets it right sagna crosses very well. He's not consistent though its true


But we won't get the creativity from Ramsey and Flamini. We'd have to play someone like Ozil or Cazorla in the hole. It made sense for Wenger to switch to 4-5-1 with a player like Cesc in the team.

I think we'll get plenty of creativity from Ramsey and he's starting to show that now. But even if we don't, Man Utd keep winning the league with no playmakers in the centre. Playing the star players out wide doesn't mean they'll be less influential. If we've got an energetic midfield trying to move the ball quickly, Ozil and Cazorla out wide is like the Pires-Ljungberg.

But anyway, I don't think Wenger will (or had to) change things. I have little idea what to expect now so let's see what sort of football we play with our 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1.

[Niall_Quinn]

Don't care as long as the final ball into the box improves (by around 100%)

[Dein-machine]

Irrelevant. It all depends who you put on the pitch and what works best for them. There's absolutely nothing wrong with 4-4-2 if you have the midfield players that can make it happen.

Absolutely true - When we were "Invincible" we had the footballing brain of Bergy with the pace & quality of Henry. Pires & Freddy weren't fast wingers, they linked up & did most damage from a central position. Ozil can give us the cleverness of Bergy but we will have to play differently as Giroud is no Henry!!!! - Theo gives us pace but he's too lazy & doesn't use it enough ( didn't take on Risse once against Fulham & he's shit ) & his crossing along with ALL of our full backs is worse than my lads sunday league U14 team. We need to use Giroud as the fulcrum & have the likes of Santi, Theo going beyond him & Ozil & Wheelchair finding them with accurate through balls. Theo should have got at least 3 against the Spuds on Sunday if we had better quality through balls.
When we're attacking it doesn't matter if were 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 or 4-4-1-1-, the movement will mean this is irrelevant. Same principal they teach at La Masia ( I spent 6 months with Barca coaches doing my Futsal diploma ) - the only reason we should take notice of formations is to keep shape & to make sure we are in a position to defend should a move brake down. This is something we are very poor at - how many times do you see crap teams like Villa attack us & have men over. We have to make sure at least one of our midfielders is way behind the ball which for us & the players we have would lend itself to 4-5-1.

[Power n Glory]

I think we'll get plenty of creativity from Ramsey and he's starting to show that now. But even if we don't, Man Utd keep winning the league with no playmakers in the centre. Playing the star players out wide doesn't mean they'll be less influential. If we've got an energetic midfield trying to move the ball quickly, Ozil and Cazorla out wide is like the Pires-Ljungberg.

But anyway, I don't think Wenger will (or had to) change things. I have little idea what to expect now so let's see what sort of football we play with our 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1.

Man Utd play a different brand of football to us. It's more direct and the players are more disciplined with their positions.

Also, Pires and Ljungberg especially were effective because they had Bergkamp and Henry up front. Two very unorthodox forwards. Henry would drift to the left and confuse the left fullback giving space to Cole and Pires. Bergkamp would drop very deep which opened up space for Freddie run in on the space behind. Giroud and Theo are very different players and get goals when the ball Is played into space in front of them. We'd have to wait and see how it would work but I wouldn't compare this team to past Wenger teams and think it could operate in a similar fashion. I'd go as far as saying the reason the Invincible team worked was because it was completely organic. The movement and positioning just formed naturally because it’s how they wanted to play.

We'd have to see how things pan out but I don't think Ramsey has the quality to hold down the middle on his own. He'd be seeing the ball much more often and would be surrounded by more players. The centre is like the hub. He'd have to pick out passes quicker, more accurately and constantly be on the move. A bad touch or dwelling too long on the ball means he'd get clamped down on.

[AKBapologist]

OK.


Some notes:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BTTpD84CAAAYKHW.png


We will almost certainly be playing 4-2-3-1 / 4-5-1 all season.

Park will never play another game for us again.

Note how AOC has been described as a striker, which may be significant given that he's always been described as a future midfielder. I think he, in a different way to Theo, could potentially thrive as a CF, but would take 5-7 YEARS to get there.

Sanogo, he's going to be given a lot of chances, a lot of sub-ins, especially before the new year, let's see how quickly he learns. He has a really weak shot, rarely hit's the ball cleanly, he needs to fix that part of his game asap.

Theo, as I've mentioned is too important not to be played in the right. I suspect that if he's not playing on the right, he's probably not playing at all, nevertheless, Carzola could take his place, Ozil on the left of the attacking 3, with theo as the lone striker.

Giroud is getting really good at winning and holding the ball up front, the only thing he lacks is the ability to create space and chances for himself around the box, and I haven't been convinced about his shooting from outside of the box either.

Sadly, if RVP had stayed, we'd be looking at a title winning team here as he has most of the things we need in a striker right now. C'est la vie

[Marc Overmars]

Lewandowski in January. Do it.

[Dein-machine]

Lewandowski in January. Do it.

Couldn't agree more - he's perfect fit with rest of the players. Also make Ozil realise we mean buisness.

[Marc Overmars]

Out of contract next summer so I don't see why we shouldn't put our name in the mix. Bayern will be front runners but you can't win the raffle if you don't buy a ticket.

[Tipsychubbs]

Irrelevant. It all depends who you put on the pitch and what works best for them. There's absolutely nothing wrong with 4-4-2 if you have the midfield players that can make it happen.


You can play two strikers but everyone has to put in a massive shift

Yup, it can still work but you'd have to have the right personnel and the work ethic of the team as a whole to get the best of it i.e. Man Utd with Fergie or the Arsenal Invincibles team.

Still I personally prefer a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 as it they seem more flexible overall.

[Kano]

Out of contract next summer so I don't see why we shouldn't put our name in the mix. Bayern will be front runners but you can't win the raffle if you don't buy a ticket.
i dunno, i'd rather we go for realistic targets.

klopp himself said it was pretty much a done deal, so you can imagine the contract is all laid out, just missing his signature.

we'll have suarez by then anyway and can concentrate on bringing bale back home...

[Power n Glory]

I was responding to the idea that 4-4-2 doesn't work because the "game has moved on", rather than suggesting we have the players to use it.

The game has moved on. The Manchester teams can't play 4-4-2 like that against top teams or in Europe.

[Dein-machine]

The game has moved on. The Manchester teams can't play 4-4-2 like that against top teams or in Europe.

4-4-2 is possible for any team if they have strength in midfield - City do with Yaya. 4-5-1 is a great formation to try & dominate a game. The ball is on the middle third of a pitch for 60% of the game ( unless your playing Stoke!!! ). However if you are strong defensively & have the right players ball retention wise along with quick passing it is possible for 4-4-2 to work.
The problem is having the players to do it & keeping to it - you can't chop & change every week.
I don't think we can be successful with it because we are not strong enough defensively & we don't have the physicality in midfield, nor do Man U. We miss a Viera, they miss a Keane.

[Power n Glory]

4-4-2 is possible for any team if they have strength in midfield - City do with Yaya. 4-5-1 is a great formation to try & dominate a game. The ball is on the middle third of a pitch for 60% of the game ( unless your playing Stoke!!! ). However if you are strong defensively & have the right players ball retention wise along with quick passing it is possible for 4-4-2 to work.
The problem is having the players to do it & keeping to it - you can't chop & change every week.
I don't think we can be successful with it because we are not strong enough defensively & we don't have the physicality in midfield, nor do Man U. We miss a Viera, they miss a Keane.

It's not impossible but I don't think many teams have the players to play it. Not only that, I think most teams will find themselves too open and overwhelmed in the middle if going up against a team with 3 central midfielders vs 2. At International level and CL level, there aren't many teams playing 4-4-2. I can't recall any. We'll also see what happens if City try a 4-4-2 in Europe. But under new management, I doubt they'll play it.

I honestly think the game has moved away from 4-4-2. It will come back again but the number 10 Bergkamp role strikers are practically non-existent. The playmakers are playing deeper in the field these days. Would be interesting to see if one of the big teams can make a 3-5-2 formation work or 3-4-3.

[AKBapologist]

I'm a big fan of 3-5-2, but you need extraordinary wing backs to make that work.

[Cripps_orig]

Play 4-4-2 at home against the pub teams.

For too long we have struggled to break down defences with only one up top.

Have 2

[Power n Glory]

I'm a big fan of 3-5-2, but you need extraordinary wing backs to make that work.

Yeah, there have been a few coaches that have messed with this formation. If world of football switches to 3-5-2 we can go back to 4-4-2. :lol:

[Nayan]

when we last one things we were playing 4-4-1-1. Bergkamp being the withdrawn striker, and with two powerhouses in midfield (one being vieira who was box to box).

Thats not so very different from our current 4-2-3-1 if you think about it. The central midfielder is basically a number 10, and the inside forwards are akin to attacking wingers
Of the two other central midfielders one tends to drive forward with the ball while the other mops up

[milla]

Yeah, there have been a few coaches that have messed with this formation. If world of football switches to 3-5-2 we can go back to 4-4-2. :lol:

Sven :haha:

[Dein-machine]

I'm a big fan of 3-5-2, but you need extraordinary wing backs to make that work.

You also need players who retain the ball & don't give it away cheaply a-la Xavi,Messi,Iniesta. If you don't you will be murdered with only 3 defending.

[cricketsi]

We have Sanogo, and he'll be awesome. :good:

[Xhaka Can’t]

Out of contract next summer so I don't see why we shouldn't put our name in the mix. Bayern will be front runners but you can't win the raffle if you don't buy a ticket.

I've got dozens of e-mails telling me you can.

[JonasTC]

I've got dozens of e-mails telling me you can.

Nigerian raffle :bow:

[Özim]

Lewandowski in January. Do it.
+1