Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Heroes & Villains => Heroes Discussion => Topic started by: Mellin on September 26, 2025, 05:56:58 PM
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Pinched from Drummond in another thread. Very little out wide. It is the way.
Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Mings
Torres
Maatsen
Kamara
Tielemans
Mcginn
Rogers
Watkins
That naturally relies on Rogers and Watkins remembering how to play football. Sancho and Malen until that point. Elliott too. Think I'd try Guessand at full back. Plenty of depth to fill in at centre mid. What do we think?
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This will become more heated than the Maccabi TA thread.
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Dear oh dear.
* adds Mellin to list of enemies.
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No no no no noooooooo
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What's the purpose of switching though?
We already have very different (and clear) formations for attack(325) and defence(442) so what issue are we addressing by removing 2 wide players to bulk out the centre of the pitch, especially when a big part of our trouble has been that we're too easy to defend because we're too narrow?
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Bosnich
Charles
Ehiogu
McGrath
Southgate
Wright
Taylor
Draper
Townsend
Yorke
Milosevic
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What fresh calumny is this?!
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First he was having a pop at accountants, now he want us to play 3-5-2. Mark my words, the OP's a wrong 'un.
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Dear oh dear.
* adds Mellin to list of enemies.
I’m surprised it took 9 minutes and 50 seconds for you to respond 😂
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Bosnich
Charles
Ehiogu
McGrath
Southgate
Wright
Taylor
Draper
Townsend
Yorke
Milosevic
A bit old now, I’m sure?
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First he was having a pop at accountants, now he want us to play 3-5-2. Mark my words, the OP's a wrong 'un.
😂😂
That Bozzie team is my favourite Villa 11. Probably why I'm so open to playing this beautiful, beautiful formation.
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Dear oh dear.
* adds Mellin to list of enemies.
I’m surprised it took 9 minutes and 50 seconds for you to respond 😂
I was too angry to type.
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Calm down, brother. Think of the opportunity.
January deadline day signing of Connor Coady. Negligible PSR ramifications 🤤
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Calm down, brother. Think of the opportunity.
Waste of time, you'd have more success offering a bacon sarnie to a member of ISIS.
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FFS, why? How many times.
No, close the thread.
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Pinched from Drummond in another thread. Very little out wide. It is the way.
Martinez
Cash
Konsa
Mings
Torres
Maatsen
Kamara
Tielemans
Mcginn
Rogers
Watkins
That naturally relies on Rogers and Watkins remembering how to play football. Sancho and Malen until that point. Elliott too. Think I'd try Guessand at full back. Plenty of depth to fill in at centre mid. What do we think?
We signed three wingers so put in a formation that doesn't have any? I like Matty Cash but he would be horrible at wing back. Mings can't kick a ball with his right foot. Tielemans wouldn't work in a 3 I think either.
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So you're saying there's a chance?
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Bosnich
Charles
Ehiogu
McGrath
Southgate
Wright
Taylor
Draper
Townsend
Yorke
Milosevic
Brian signed players to fit his system and utilise what he already had. Genuine wing-backs, an impregnable defensive unit and a perfectly-balanced midfield. More than that they were all big-game players. You wouldn't get any of them not turning up when the situation demanded.
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In addition to all the other complaints 532 (and it's definitely a back 5 no matter how often people pretend it's not defensive) is a really dated approach. I've posted about it many, many times now but 325 is THE attacking shape of choice across all 5 major European leagues which means pretty much every decent manager is trying to find a defensive structure that quickly translates into that.
The common solution now, if you play with 3 CBs, is to play with a 343 and your RM and LM are the 2 that move forward. That means most of the team are in roughly the same position in defense and attack and, if you've got the training right the RM and RW are able to cover for each other (and same on the other side) so you're less vulnerable to quick counter attacks. If you need to make a back 4 it'll often be a CM that steps back instead of letting the wide players do all the work as it puts less reliance on them having the engine to get up and down the pitch all game.
The traditional 532 fell out of favour because it is far too easy to isolate the wingbacks. It worked well when a lot of teams played a rigid 442 though because you could outnumber teams through the middle of the pitch and force players out of position. Modern coaches are a bit to savvy to fall for that though and will find way to both counter it and overload you on at least 1 wing.