why not change back to 4-4-2

[Doublespeak]

I just don't understand why he is so stubborn.

We don't have wingers, instead we have an extremely complex system where wide players run inwards at exactly the moment when the midfield makes opening runs and for about one third of a second there is a free pass that needs expert marksmanship.

Compared to a straight forward 4-4-2 where proven players like Podolski, Arteta, Cazorla, Mertesaker can help the young guns to develop their skills in a simpler system.

We've played the worst teams in the division and won once (because QPR had a sending off). And if AW refuses to budge, it would be better to have someone else in charge.

[Ashberto]

[JJSB]

or at the very least there was a main striker and then a shadow striker like Bergkamp, ****tingham etc. Often the one striker gets isolated in this system.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Doublespeak]

and that works to some extent but you need a simple structure, as we had when DB10 dropped deep. The problem now is we don't have anyone dropping deep to open things up.

[Classic Jorge]

[redgunamo]

[Hillary]

[Tai Lopez]

[Billy Goat Sverige]

We're one player away from a feasible midfield diamond formation http://www.awimb.com/images/smiley_icons/cloudnine.gif

[ROSSCO DISCO]

[JJSB]

Or a main striker and deep lying striker in Tevez/Rooney.

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

[Doublespeak]

I'm sure a change to 4-4-2 would have problems as movements would be different. BUT the individual responsibilities would be clearer.

I could see a midfield of Jack-Arteta-Coquelin-Ox. Arteta pushed up a bit so we don't have to see him receiving 1 meter passes from the defenders.

[JJSB]

Look what happened when Utd bought Veron and tried to play Scholes further forward as the deep striker, didn't work.

[JJSB]

Cesc as he did not have the physicality for a role as one of two?

[Maravilloso Marvo]

Do you manage an under 8s football team by any chance?

[Doublespeak]

Giroud, podolski, Walcott, Arshavin, and Chamakh would all improve. Also Cazorlas as a number 10 would be somewhat different, but I don't think he needs that much of the ball away from the opponents penalty area

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[Doublespeak]

under 12s, but the point is that the midfield needs to be balanced in terms of moving up and down. And that is easier when there is simpler distribution of responsibility

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[Mack]

[JJSB]

[Classic Jorge]

Are you also saying the players dont understand their own roles? This could possibly be more to do with you not understanding their roles, couldnt it?

Surely the fact we dont have the personnel would write it off as a silly idea

[Maravilloso Marvo]

Spain.

[Bergkamp's Brain]

Once Eduardo got injured, Wenger switched hleb to play in the advanced midfield role but for 3/4ths of the season, it was Cesc and Flamini with 2 of RvP, Eduardo and Adebayor up top.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

[halfsharkalligatorhalfman]

We don't have the wide or central midfielders to do it

[Classic Jorge]

[JJSB]

perm most of the possible combinations out of that and you still get two strikers. Ferguson has rarely deviated from a two striker system

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[Bergkamp's Brain]

http://www.awimb.com/images/smiley_icons/smile.gif

[JJSB]

[Bergkamp's Brain]

he plays 4-5-1/4-3-3 in Europe with Rooney out wide a lot of the time and 3 solid in midfield

[Billy Goat Sverige]

[JJSB]

having said that Wilshere is probably not well suited to a midfield four either

[Bergkamp's Brain]

by the end of the following week, ManU were 1 point behind.

[JJSB]

on the pitch, or on the bench, is that they can be utilised in their natural positions if you're chasing the game

[Doublespeak]

we don't have proper wingers, we have no ball winning midfield, we have full backs that would like to push forward but their runs are blocked by teammates...

[JJSB]

[Classic Jorge]

use them, we use wide forwards in this formation.

Utter nonsense about the full backs, mind.

[Bergkamp's Brain]

What about the offside goal for Chelsea

or the offside goal that Middlesbrough scored, or the perfectly good goal that was given offside, that we scored, in the same game?

[Classic Jorge]

Deviate from the sacred 442 and you get burned at the stake.

The irony being, of course, that the 66 world cup winning team played a thoroughly unorthodox version of 442 anyway.

[barrybueno]