3 at the Back

3 at the Back

Are we still really considering this??

i think we are playing it in this weekends game.

No.

and the winning right back is?

Mulligan.

 

 l

OUGHTON.

NZ lacks quality out wide.  Ricki hasn't gone berserk, though - he'll run two defensive midfielders.

That formation may have got us there.....but it doesn't mean it's gonna work when we're actually there.....

Class opponents, a step up....and credibility to be considered and possibly held on the international football scene with the chance of a draw or a win at a World Cup tournament.....

Not the ideal defensive formation when playing superior opposition.....

He probaly would be our starting cb if we had a good rb ahead of Siggy or Vicelich.

Let's not kid around.  Tony Lochhead will be on the left, failing injury.

Wouldn't be too surprised to see Leo Bertos pressed into service as a wing-back on the right.

if the back three is really a slanted back four in disguise (which is sort of what it was against Bahrain), with lochead really playing as a left full back (or smith or whoever), with one of the three centre mids (in this case it was sigmund) tending to play on the right side of defense and with Bertos providing additional cover on the right but with more licence to get forward, then im not too fussed.

Sigmund at CM Marius?  Now that would be a bolter.

we should play 8 at the back

Only 8? Madness!

Just line up the whole team on the goal-line.

This.

EG FTW. I'd like to Siggy in the middle of the park. Imagine him and Brown shutting Pirlo down...that's some minced Italian for ya!

we cant ask Reid to play a full back roll in a 352. He's a right footed centreback (ok, ive never actually seen him play, true, but that's the word).

I'm sure he could do a job at full back. Otherwise you could put Bertos there, but we would be exposed defensively more so if he was full back opposed to Reid.

1. There are no major international teams or major champions league teams playing 3-5-2, they re doing that for a reason. 2. Reid is a classic CB, maybe, maybe he could do a job in a 4-4-2 at the back, no way is he athletic enough to be a wing back. There are teams who play with 4 centre backs in a back 4 (Argentina, Stoke) 3. Apart from against Bahrain in the second game when has this magical 3-4-3 or whatever it is actually looked good?

Well if you're so against it why did you start a thread on it? 

Think we'll be playing a 5-3-2 with nominal wing-backs who'll in reality will be more like fullbacks, i.e. not venturing forward too much. Picking Leo and Lochy for those roles. Leo may not have the best defensive skills, but he has the pace out wide, and will have help in the form of the additional CB and what I suspect will be two deep midfielders.

i tend to agree with agree with el grap, but the subtlety may be that is will be a lop-sided back line, with Lochead/Smith playing as more of a conventional left back, one of our centrebacks taking responsibility on the right side of defence, with Bertos providing additional cover on the right but being given more of an opportunity to press forward than Lochhead/Smith. This is basically how we played in Welly v Bahrain. what this means is that one of the central midifelders has to tend left to support the left back and we end up playing what is actually a 442 in disguise (or a 433 depending on what he does up front).

i started the thread because I am dead against it but all signs are still suggesting that this is how we're going to line up

So were you looking for a healthy discussion on the pros and cons of this particular formation/tactic or were you just looking for a bunch of people to agree with you and validate your opinion?

I agree that a fit Lochy is a cert at LB. The worry, as people have pointed out that it does become lopsided if you have Bertos covering the RB position from midfield. Italy an Paraguay are experts in turning over possession and then instigating very quick counter attacks. If Leo pushes up and we lose possesion we would be very exposed on that flank. Asking one of the CB's to cover out on the right is too much for them... the likes of Siggy are not quick enough to get out there and defend against world class attackers.

well, im just suggesting that's what they'll do.  and what you're suggesting, ie putting a "stopper" out there in Reid is basically what a lopsided backline would involve. the distinction between 352 and 442 is potentially quite minimal depending on how it is operated.

I'm interested in seeing who our two DM's will be.

i think it will be three of our strikers playing - Wood included

We'll see how it goes against Aussie, if it fails miserably then Ricki will have to look at changing it. However, if it proves successful then we can move forward with it.

Not the worst ranked either.

Smoke and Mirrors from Ricki. 

Playing the formation against Italy and Paraguay is footballing suicide.

Now we have Reid I expect we will see:

Reid---Nelsen---Vicelich---Smith/Lockhead

And I feel that Smith will get the nod as Locky is error prone and sporting an injury.  If anything Lochy might start at left mid!

4-3-3? I dunno, I'm not a total football tactician, but i will learn. I Think, just play the offensive like a mad man. Who knows, might do awesomely.

But thats just me.