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Author Topic: Current Formation  (Read 7284 times)

Offline tomd2103

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #45 on: March 03, 2020, 11:35:14 PM »
Been thinking about what is going to be the best formation for us in the run-in.  We need to get it spot on, as we can't afford to get it wrong and need as competitive as we can in every single game.

The dilemma is that although Mings and Engels as a pair are probably our strongest central defensive option, our full-back options are not great defensively and this would be exposed in a back four.  Guilbert, Elmohamady and Targett are more suited to playing wing-back, but then only Mings and possibly Konsa look comfortable playing in a back three.

I think we simply need to play three in midfield and try and get a bit of solidity in there.  For all his nice touches, I feel Douglas Luiz is more suited to coming off the bench at the moment.  I would potentially look at the option of playing Konsa alongside Marvellous to try and tighten things up a bit with someone playing in a more advanced role in front of them. 

Who that someone is depends on what formation we play in the final third.  I like Jack Grealish in that advanced wide left role, as he links up well with Targett, but would also potentially like to see him behind a front two.  If we go 4-5-1 like we did on Sunday, with Grealish supporting Samatta, I wonder whether we go with Elmo and Targett as our wide players just to try and make us a bit more solid, with either Hause or Taylor coming in at left-back.

I think Dean Smith and his staff have got some big decisions to make and need to get it right if we are going to stay up.

Offline Drummond

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #46 on: March 04, 2020, 07:45:08 PM »
We need to be fluid and change with the circumstances. Everyone was happy when we went from a back 4 to a 3 and now people want a 4 again. It all depends on the opposition, who's fit etc.

We've done well and badly with both. Let's hope we pick the right ones against the right teams.

Offline Ads

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #47 on: March 04, 2020, 07:45:55 PM »
Basically it changes when I say it does.

Online Lastfootstamper

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #48 on: March 04, 2020, 08:54:06 PM »
Basically it changes when I say it does.

Some of us still haven't recovered fully from your last reign of terror.

Offline Ads

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #49 on: March 04, 2020, 09:00:07 PM »
Silence!

You'll be fisting pumping in the aisles at a glorious 0-0.

Offline Luke8

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #50 on: March 05, 2020, 09:07:26 AM »
We need to be fluid and change with the circumstances. Everyone was happy when we went from a back 4 to a 3 and now people want a 4 again. It all depends on the opposition, who's fit etc.

We've done well and badly with both. Let's hope we pick the right ones against the right teams.

It’s also the personnel. It’s March and I’m not sure that we know, or certainly at least haven’t consistently played, our best XI.

Obviously there have been various, and generally understandable, reasons for this but I think it’s telling that we have only one player that has played over 2000 minutes whereas Sheffield United, Leicester and Wolves all have eight or nine that have. It’s not hugely surprising that we have been inconsistent and look quite disjointed.

Offline tomd2103

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #51 on: March 06, 2020, 01:14:41 AM »
We need to be fluid and change with the circumstances. Everyone was happy when we went from a back 4 to a 3 and now people want a 4 again. It all depends on the opposition, who's fit etc.

We've done well and badly with both. Let's hope we pick the right ones against the right teams.

It’s also the personnel. It’s March and I’m not sure that we know, or certainly at least haven’t consistently played, our best XI.

Obviously there have been various, and generally understandable, reasons for this but I think it’s telling that we have only one player that has played over 2000 minutes whereas Sheffield United, Leicester and Wolves all have eight or nine that have. It’s not hugely surprising that we have been inconsistent and look quite disjointed.

Agree.  I think Wolves and Sheff Utd are examples of teams who have a pretty consistent formation and way of playing, and it works for them. 

I take Drummond's point about the need for flexibility, but I'm not sure we have the personnel for that.  The problem I see I'd that whichever formation we play, it leaves us with problems in certain areas.  Three CBs - Engels struggles in that formation and Hause doesn't really look up to it.  Four at the back - Engels and Mings is probably our best CB partnership, but the full-backs are suspect defensively. 

There are similar issues in other areas.  Jack has looked most effective this season in a wide left position with Targett supporting him from a wing-back position.  To play that formation, we could only play two in midfield and we get overrun in there when we do that. 

It will be interesting to see how we line up against Leicester and whether Dean Smith throws up a few surprises.

Offline Abbeyfealeavfc

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #52 on: March 06, 2020, 09:27:28 AM »
I f-cked that table of info up! I'll have to try again
« Last Edit: March 06, 2020, 09:29:09 AM by Abbeyfealeavfc »

Offline supertom

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #53 on: March 06, 2020, 10:40:56 AM »
4-5-1 in defence. 4-2-3-1 going forward. I think a big issue we have is not supporting our backline enough through the spine of midfield. Two need to sit and stay quite disciplined. Then we can attack with the 3 behind Samagoal. A frustrating thing for me with Nakamba has been a reluctance to really get into the opposition. He seems like he holds back sometimes. He was a lot better the other day, and his form has largely picked up through Jan, but he'd had a couple of poor games again in the league.
Obviously he was a bit too aggressive with that Aguero tackle, but I'd like to see him be a nuisance. He's our sitter, so he's got to be a pain in the arse all game. There's been too many games as a whole side where the opposition seem to have limitless time on the ball and our closing and pressing is poor. If Nakamba isn't going to do that, or has been told to play cautiously, then there's no point playing him.
We need aggression. For me Nakamba shouldn't cross the half way line. If he has Drinkwater or Dougy alongside, or better yet SJM, the other can break forward intermittently, but stay pretty disciplined too.

The three, at the moment I'd go Grealish left, Conor middle (let him take up that pocket of space) when we're in possession) and probably AEG right. Then have a bit of flexibility. Grealish can come in, Conor drift left. That worked a few times when Conor had a brief run earlier in the season.

Offline Abbeyfealeavfc

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #54 on: March 06, 2020, 03:43:10 PM »
If we assume Jack, Ally and John McGinn (when he returns from injury) should all be definite starters, then what about the rest of our midfielders/wingers?
Danny Drinkwater should never start another game for Villa. It's worth noting that in the 4 games he's started we've only managed 4 points and those were only secured after he'd been substituted off (Brighton away and Watford home)!
There's a case for starting Trez in more games, perhaps at the expense of Anwar, to shake things up a bit. In the 13 games he's started the team has won 14 points. Similarly In the 10 games Conor has started Villa have won 11 points. Marv should be our starting dcm for the remainder of the season as he's a little more consistent than Luiz (Villa have won 15 points from his 17 starts).
As for Luiz I still think he's best and he has more impact, when coming off the bench. He's been subbed on 8 times this season helping the team to win 11 points in those games.
Stats are just stats and can be read in many different ways, but when we need at least 12 points to avoid relegation (with 11 games remaining), it makes sense to select players who average at least a point a game when they start matches or when they are subbed on. UTV!

Offline tomd2103

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #55 on: March 06, 2020, 09:32:40 PM »
If we assume Jack, Ally and John McGinn (when he returns from injury) should all be definite starters, then what about the rest of our midfielders/wingers?
Danny Drinkwater should never start another game for Villa. It's worth noting that in the 4 games he's started we've only managed 4 points and those were only secured after he'd been substituted off (Brighton away and Watford home)!
There's a case for starting Trez in more games, perhaps at the expense of Anwar, to shake things up a bit. In the 13 games he's started the team has won 14 points. Similarly In the 10 games Conor has started Villa have won 11 points. Marv should be our starting dcm for the remainder of the season as he's a little more consistent than Luiz (Villa have won 15 points from his 17 starts).
As for Luiz I still think he's best and he has more impact, when coming off the bench. He's been subbed on 8 times this season helping the team to win 11 points in those games.
Stats are just stats and can be read in many different ways, but when we need at least 12 points to avoid relegation (with 11 games remaining), it makes sense to select players who average at least a point a game when they start matches or when they are subbed on. UTV!

Konsa was supposed to be a centre half / defensive midfielder when he signed wasn't he? If we go back to four at the back with Engels and Mings at CB, then I would definitely consider pairing Konsa and Nakamba in midfield with a more attacking option in front of them. 

Offline Footy-Vill

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Re: Current Formation
« Reply #56 on: March 09, 2020, 12:30:00 AM »
I think it's time  Villa and Smith go back to what he knows with the formation of the  4-1-4-1 formation- fluid to the attacking 4-3- 3 to the Defensive organised shape of 4-5-1.

Set up like that for the remainder of the season.
It's what brought us the promotion and what the initial system was before the change to a 3 centre back

 


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