Closed Wigan vs Chelsea

[Jase 43,479]

It's hardly a massive change, though. Lampard et al will enjoy the move back to that basic formation, because he knows he has plenty of cover. Given that the players have played a mildly similar structure before, it doesn't require a huge jump for them to play like that again.

Di Matteo needs to have the bollocks to try something like that though. The main problem being the dearth of world class left backs in general. Cole isn't equally good in attack and defence. We'd have to purchase Lahm to fill that role, and such a lopsided formation can't work unless you have an LWB motoring up and down that flank.

Still. RDM looks like one of those managers who will stick with his preferred formation through thick and thin and will only change it on the rare occasions and even then, that change might be the 4-3-3.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Still. RDM looks like one of those managers who will stick with his preferred formation through thick and thin and will only change it on the rare occasions and even then, that change might be the 4-3-3.

Tinkerman Ranieri time!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

then Ramires is not good enough to be in the team. he runs into blind alleys as a winger

I really don't think there is a good spot for Ramires in 4-2-3-1. I'm becoming more and more convinced that we should go back to 4-3-3 with the players we currently have.

[Strike 6,958]

I really don't think there is a good spot for Ramires in 4-2-3-1. I'm becoming more and more convinced that we should go back to 4-3-3 with the players we currently have.

we will have to wait and see the new signings we will make in the next fortnight and also see how sturridge and oscar fit into the system but yeah, as of now 4-3-3 seems better than 4-2-3-1 inspite of the dreadful performance against Brighton

We had no passer at Brighton and Hazard was cutting infield way too much. There was good pressure in Brighton's half and if we replaced Ramires with Marin and Meireles with Mata, the 4-3-3 will be much better

[The Skipper 20,593]

Ramires has played in the pivot what... Once? With Meireles? It's unfair to write him off without actually seeing him there. I think it could work if he's used in the right way.

[Kojo 4,676]

Can't we just invent a new position to play for Ramires?

Right winger who doesn't cross sounds good. Tactical innovaters .

Seriously though I think he'd do great in a 4-3-2-1 that looked like this, when we have the ball:

And like this when defending:

Effectively giving our right winger a free role, clearing him from any defensive duty at all. Would be great for Hazard/Marin as they aren't really the type you can ask to track back often. It also gives us 7 at the back rather than 6 as we would get with a 4-2-3-1.

For the first one, Cole will not play that far up field.

[zolayes 14,489]

Can't we just invent a new position to play for Ramires?

Right winger who doesn't cross sounds good. Tactical innovaters .

Seriously though I think he'd do great in a 4-3-2-1 that looked like this, when we have the ball:

And like this when defending:

Effectively giving our right winger a free role, clearing him from any defensive duty at all. Would be great for Hazard/Marin as they aren't really the type you can ask to track back often. It also gives us 7 at the back rather than 6 as we would get with a 4-2-3-1.

judging by pre season it would take 5 minutes for us to get from attacking formation to defensive. Seriously we were caught by fast breaks so

easily ,,given time to get back we are OK. It seems weaker sides are more dangerous to us

[JBagley 2]

Losing 4 on the trot so far and leaking goals at the back isn't exactly inspiring stuff.

Guys need to get it together at the back, no need for Mr. cowboy Luiz to try anything crazy. Hazard disappeared against City. I guess he needs game time in the Premiership, but he needs to step up - there are enough quality youngsters ready to play...

[Kinol 337]

I really don't think there is a good spot for Ramires in 4-2-3-1. I'm becoming more and more convinced that we should go back to 4-3-3 with the players we currently have.

The only players i think are more suited for a 4-3-3 formation are Ramires and Lampard and i dont think we should change formation just so it suits those 2.

[capriccioso 2,545]

For the first one, Cole will not play that far up field.

I already said that Cole would be the problem. We would have to purchase a proper wing back, with a lot of stamina plus being equally good going forward and in defence. Cole possesses the stamina, but I think he's not that good at attacking as say Lahm.

[Kieran. 6,317]

I already said that Cole would be the problem. We would have to purchase a proper wing back, with a lot of stamina plus being equally good going forward and in defence. Cole possesses the stamina, but I think he's not that good at attacking as say Lahm.

Bertrand could be moulded into a world-class wingback.

[steve_n17 31]

a year on and rdm still doesn't know his best formation, avb mark II

[CHOULO19 24,332]

The only players i think are more suited for a 4-3-3 formation are Ramires and Lampard and i dont think we should change formation just so it suits those 2.

There's also Oscar. And it would also solve the 'fight' over the place behind the striker. Anyway, I'm still not fully convinced with the double pivot.

[The Rising Sun 696]

There's also Oscar. And it would also solve the 'fight' over the place behind the striker. Anyway, I'm still not fully convinced with the double pivot.

I agree.

Its not that there is anything wrong with a team playing the Double Pivot, but if you dont have the correct players for that setup, then forcing the Double Pivot formation just to accomodate players is not right, and will affect the team negatively.

We really only need 1 holding midfielder if we want to move on as a club and change our style. The problem lies with Lampard, and that cant be ignored.

In terms of starting 11, he cannot be accomodated as a AM anymore( in every game i.e.), therefore the double pivot is the only place where he can be accomodated with the hope that he can take on that role. Sadly, I feel we are only playing the DP to include Lampard.....subsequently somehow Ramires is now being treated as A RW, instead of being in Midfield.

Everyone is saying that he provides defensive cover, thats why his positioning at RW works.... well if Our double Pivot was good enough, then you wouldnt have to deploy a RW for his defensive abilities, to cover for a 2 man double pivot.

Really anxious to know if RDM knows the best way to change our style of play, as nothing of what he has said or done in preseason has pointed in that direction.

Wigan will be our first test.

Also, im not slating Lampard, Mikel's Gandhi Like approach to being a DM also hinders Lampards ability to truly take on that role.

[termninja 5,290]

a year on and rdm still doesn't know his best formation, avb mark II

Nope, AVB knew it. His mistake was that it contained Bosingwa, Torres and Meireles

[Kinol 337]

a year on and rdm still doesn't know his best formation, avb mark II

RDM has played almost all of the games with us with a 4-2-3-1 formation and i think he sees it as our best formation. He just tried some other formations during the pre season.

[Strike 6,958]

the heat is on di matteo for the next few months. he has to get the team to gel and put points on the board. united and city look far ahead of us atm

[ChelseaRanger 4]

The team need time to gel but still we should be looking to take 3 points