Tactics

[PaulWinch again]

On the evidence of today and recent weeks it must surely be clear to Lambert that 4-4-2 does not and will never work. We consistently get dominated in the midfield and are getting worse by the week unfortunately. We need to shift to having some form of 5 in the midfield, whether that's 2 sitting and 3 in front or something else we do need a change. It also doesn't help that we don't even pick our best players. Delph and Albrighton shouldn't be in any midfield combination.

[eastie]

Many things wrong and today was very poor.

[Ad@m]

On the evidence of today and recent weeks it must surely be clear to Lambert that 4-4-2 does not and will never work. We consistently get dominated in the midfield and are getting worse by the week unfortunately. We need to shift to having some form of 5 in the midfield, whether that's 2 sitting and 3 in front or something else we do need a change. It also doesn't help that we don't even pick our best players. Delph and Albrighton shouldn't be in any midfield combination.

Agreed.

It's quite strange though that even with 4 central midfielders most of the time the back four never has anyone to pass to resorting instead to eventually lumping it forward to Benteke's head.

The insistence with 2 up front has to stop though.  As does the insistence on playing strikers in midfield.  Lambert's substitutions today were baffling.

[Shrek]

It's not that 442 doesn't work it's the players in the system aren't working.

We need to get Weimann in the starting 11, he has the energy hunger and threat on goal we need.

Today when Norwich had the ball, Gabby and Benteke were just standing on the half way line, we need someone like Weimann who will drop back in and help out when we don't have possession.

[eastie]

It's not that 442 doesn't work it's the players in the system aren't working.

We need to get Weimann in the starting 11, he has the energy hunger and threat on goal we need.

Weimann and benteke would be my choice as I said In the pre match thread- both provide movement and options.

Midfield is shockingly bad though.

[Tony]

I don't think 4-4-2 is the problem, it's not marking, not closing down and not tackling that are the problems, it doesn't really matter what formation you play, if you won't mark, tackle and close down opponents you're going to struggle.

[Monty]

'Twas ever thus. Trying to accommodate the two forwards throws up so many unnecessary problems. For instance, when trying to play the ball out of defence we're clearly undermanned in midfield and face two options: boot aimlessly or risk losing the ball in a very dangerous situation. When we have the ball in midfield the players clearly lack options and movement around them, and there are two guys hanging around impotently on their 18-yard line miles away from the play - what do we do? Well, usually get pressured backwards and thump it vaguely to a big man. It's like last season, no change, because this problem won't go away while we persist with this two forwards nonsense.

[nigel]

It's not that 442 doesn't work it's the players in the system aren't working.

We need to get Weimann in the starting 11, he has the energy hunger and threat on goal we need.

Weimann and benteke would be my choice as I said In the pre match thread- both provide movement and options.

Midfield is shockingly bad though.
[/quote

Agree.
I've said for a while that we need a player in the Essien mold

[PaulWinch again]

I think I'd play a midfield/attack of something like -


                                       ---------El-Ahmadi-----------Herd/Westwood----------------

                    -N'Zogbia--------------------------Ireland-------------------------Weimann
                       
                                                      --------Bent/Benteke

Allowing Ireland to drop back in to help the midfield and Weimann to join the striker. It would prevent us being out numbered and allow us to retain possession.

[eastie]

I think I'd play a midfield/attack of something like -


                                       ---------El-Ahmadi-----------Herd/Westwood----------------

                    -N'Zogbia--------------------------Ireland-------------------------Weimann
                       
                                                      --------Bent/Benteke

Allowing Ireland to drop back in to help the midfield and Weimann to join the striker. It would prevent us being out numbered and allow us to retain possession.

Would be happy to see that given a go, with westwood and benteke starting rather than herd or bent.

[Lambert and Payne]

Albrighton was fucking awful, I'd rather give Gabby a turn on the wing, we look awful, absolutely no width to the side

[Mister E]

Well, I thought Herd was outstanding today.
And Delph demonstrated his fallibility.
So it'd be this for me:
                                   Guzan
          Lowton    Vlaar      Dunne / Baker  Bennett
                          Herd                Clark
                                        KEA
                     Holman                  Weimann
                                    Benteke

[PaulWinch again]

Well, I thought Herd was outstanding today.
And Delph demonstrated his fallibility.
So it'd be this for me:
                                   Guzan
          Lowton    Vlaar      Dunne / Baker  Bennett
                          Herd                Clark
                                        KEA
                     Holman                  Weimann
                                    Benteke

Nowhere near enough creativity in that midfield i'd say.

[Risso]

It's not the formation, it's the quality of our midfielders.  Delph is horrendous, and should be dropped for Herd immediately.

[Monty]

It's not the formation, it's the quality of our midfielders.

It can be both. We played the wrong players and the wrong system today.