3-5-2.

[Matt Collins]

I agree about Lowton, I think he's a player of the year contender so far. I think he's been brilliant.

[Archie]

I think it's been more a 3-4-1-2- than a 3-5-2 so far, with Holman playing in the hole between the midfielders and the forwards.

[Monty]

I think it's been more a 3-4-1-2- than a 3-5-2 so far, with Holman playing in the hole between the midfielders and the forwards.

Agreed. It's reminding me of the classic Roma title winning side in terms of shape, especially the way the outer centre-backs go very very wide when we have the ball (you'll know what I'm gabbling on about, Archie!).

[Archie]

Mate, I understand what you say, but please note that that A.C. Roma 1927 coached by Luciano Spalletti was never a "title winning side".
They played very well, I must admit, but they arrived second. . .

[Monty]

Mate, I understand what you say, but please note that that A.C. Roma 1927 coached by Luciano Spalletti was never a "title winning side".
They played very well, I must admit, but they arrived second. . .

I'm talking about the Capello side, in particular the way the full-backs play as well. We'd be alright if we had Vincent Candela on the other side to Lowton!

[Archie]

Ah really? I think that our current style of play is most similar to the Spalletti side instead, because if my memory doesn't fail me, Capello played with 4 defenders, whereas Spalletti was  one of the firsts that launched the 3-4-3 in Italy.

[Monty]

Ah really? I think that our current style of play is most similar to the Spalletti side instead, because if my memory doesn't fail me, Capello played with 4 defenders, whereas Spalletti was  one of the firsts that launched the 3-4-3 in Italy.

That's not what I remember. I remember Spalletti's teams of the 90s like Empoli launching 3-4-3, sure, but his Roma side kind of innovated into the 4-6-0 as a way of getting Totti to play as both trequartista and centre-forward. Capello was tactically flexible and often played 4 at the back, but he also played a broken team style 3-4-1-2, with Candela and Cafu getting really far advanced from full-back, Tommasi and Emerson holding with Totti behind Delvecchio and Montella. (All these names are giving me a nice rush of nostalgia, by the way!)

[SoccerHQ]

Batistuta was in that team wasn't he, probably my favourite forward growing up.

Lowton is a class act.

[Monty]

Batistuta was in that team wasn't he, probably my favourite forward growing up.

Lowton is a class act.

That's right, he came in as Montella was edged out. He was brilliant, as is Lowton - very differently.

[Matt Collins]

That Roma side was brilliant, and made for 3412. They had Totti in the no 10 role, and cafu and candela as wing backs. I'm quite looking forward to seeing us play it with a proper left wing back. Bennett or Stevens should be a much more natural fit than lichaj who's basically quite shit I've concluded

[ozzjim]

Interesting reading Lambert talking about it on the main site and saying we may stick with it for a while now. Always been my favourite formation for Villa, back from the Little days to the early Gregory ones, where it worked so well.

We have 3 really good centre backs in Baker, Clark and Vlaar too, all can play a little, and all are damned good defenders, so together I can see them really clicking. Maybe need another one in as backup still, although the joy of it is that the 3rd centre half does not have to be massive so Herd works there well as he is a good footballer.

If Lowton can bomb on the way he did at Norwich, and Bennett can find his feet attacking down the left it gives us the width, we still have 3 bodies in the centre of midfield and can attack with 2 strikers and an attacking midfield player. I am surprised at how little it is used these days, but as the OS says, Lambert played in it at Dortmund.

[Matt Collins]

Although the official site gives a headline suggesting we may stick with 352 long term, I don't think Lambert has actually given a particularly strong signal. I imagine we'll see the shape vary between games still.

Lambert said of the new system: "The reasons were a bit half and half for us bringing it in.

"First we played Reading and then QPR and we thought we had to protect things a little.

"But the system also allows you to have good passages of playing football and is a system that is working well."

Asked whether he'd stick with it when Ron Vlaar returns to full fitness, he added: "I don't see why not.

"I might vary it from time to time and the great thing is if you can adapt, then you've got good players on your hands."

[PaulWinch again]

Seems to suit us at the moment, we look solid and we're creating more chances. I guess it's just a case of being flexible and fluid as we develop as a team.

[Steve R]

...

We have 3 really good centre backs in Baker, Clark and Vlaar too, all can play a little, and all are damned good defenders, so together I can see them really clicking. Maybe need another one in as backup still, although the joy of it is that the 3rd centre half does not have to be massive so Herd works there well as he is a good footballer.

...

The advantage of having Herd in there - and Clark for that matter - is that if we are getting tatered down the flanks either of them can be pushed forward into midfield mid-match to switch to 4-3-3/4-2-3-1