3-5-2.

[SoccerHQ]

What do people think about us apparently playing this at QPR?

Do we think it's a one-off or do people think we might see more of it particularly away from home?

Don't quite see the logic when Lichaj is supposed to be the left attacking full back for one.

[cdbearsfan]

I couldn't really tell what formation we played. Might have been a 0-0-0? We were shite, especially Lichaj, who I normally like. Stick to four at the back and hope Bennett and/or Stevens are back soon, Lichaj can return to competing with Lowton for the right-back spot.

[SoccerHQ]

I agree.

I presume we changed it to man mark Taarabt?

[claret and blue blood]

would be nice to have a bit of width to our play, we seem to play a very narrow formation with the odd deep cross from the fullbacks. Enda Stevens seems to have put the best crosses in , Bennett hasn't settled down yet , Albrighton is suffering a crisis of confidence , maybe Charles can do something ? The 3-5-2 is not going to give us loads of chances?

[SoccerHQ]

Who crossed for the Benteke offside goal? That was perfect.

[Summers]

Who crossed for the Benteke offside goal? That was perfect.

Lowton, I think..

[tomd2103]

would be nice to have a bit of width to our play, we seem to play a very narrow formation with the odd deep cross from the fullbacks. Enda Stevens seems to have put the best crosses in , Bennett hasn't settled down yet , Albrighton is suffering a crisis of confidence , maybe Charles can do something ? The 3-5-2 is not going to give us loads of chances?

Don't know about that.  It means we could keep the shape we currently have in midfield (two defensive midfielders and an attacking one), but could also have options out wide as well.  From what I have seen of him, Bennett looks like he would be suited to that role, but I'm not sure if Lowton is and whether he would be better as the right sided CB iof the the three.

It also allows the possibility to partner Bent with Benteke.

[Legion]

Who crossed for the Benteke offside goal? That was perfect.

Lowton.

[Dante Lavelli]

Nzogbia has played a fair few games at LB so could be considered for the left wing back position.
If he can be arsed of course.

It's not a formation that I particularly like but it could allow us to shoe-horn Bent into the team without forfeiting the midfield.

[john2710]

3-5-2 worked well under Taylor in the early nineties, with good attacking fullbacks it gives us some much needed width & we get to have 2 forwards. We would need better players than Lichaj & Herd but it could give some better attacking options.

[Steve R]

It wasn't obvious from the stream I wasn't watching that we were playing 3-5-2

Neither full back got forward, both Gabby and Holman were often occupying fairly wide positions.

Herd seemed have been given the kind of thankless job that supporters tend not to  notice.  He must have done it very well because I didn't notice him at all.

[ozzjim]

Herd was very anonymous. Williams gave much better balance on the left, and looked a bit quicker than Lichaj, who did ok on the right. Lowton was pretty attacking at Sheffield United, and Bennett is very much the wing back style player, so it could work very well, but you need Clark to step out of defence with the ball into midfield and the back 2 then to be Vlaar and someone mobile.

[supertom]

I couldn't tell either. Some players just kept drifting everywhere. The team page on Yahoo's matchcast listed Herd in midfield which threw me off a little. If he was playing as a mid then he was very poor and anonymous. As a third centre-half then I guess his anonymity was a good thing. As normal he defended pretty well.

But yes, the formation became clearer after the subs were made.

It could work. I think on the left, we need better. Delph or maybe even Williams who seems to have a turn of pace, would be a reasonable wing back option. Lichaj is too slow and clumsy on the ball. As one of the 3 CH's, Lichaj would be okay.

With this formation I couldn't really see a place for Ireland particularly. I mean when we played it under Gregory, Merson played as the more advanced of a mid- 3 to great effect but A-he's a different class of player, and B- He had Tayls and Boateng mopping up behind him.

I still thing we look better playing a 4-3-3 in all honesty. We seem too narrow up top with two front men. Gabby didn't really pull wide enough against the R's. He's more effective on the flanks these days than he is through the middle.

That 3rd cb made us look a little more solid in some regards but then again we didn't keep a clean sheet, unlike the previous two games.

[SoccerHQ]

The Sun and Evening Mail both classed it as a 3-5-2 which is why I posted this thread.

[ciggiesnbeer]

This been posted yet? Interesting take I thought, shows how much thinking Lambert puts int these things.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1429809-aston-villa-analysing-paul-lambert-the-latest-to-try-a-3-man-defensive-system