Summer Transfer Thread and Gustavo Cisneros Type Rumours.

[Risso]

I think you can always tell what a manager feels about his midfield by the amount of long ball the team plays. Villa play quite a bit.

He's played Luiz and McGinn in front of the back two for the last two seasons, and it hasn't really worked consistently. Of course we've had some great results, but almost despite those two and not usually because of them. McGinn showed what he is good at today, getting forward and getting shots off on the edge of the area. A defensive sitter he is not.

[sickbeggar]

2 up front for me. need to get away from ratboy formations. He's gone.

[Monty]

2 up front for me. need to get away from ratboy formations. He's gone.

It was two up front in the first half today, and we were absolutely horrible with enormous gaps between the lines, no link up through the middle and constant space behind an outnumbered and outbattled midfield duo. I don't see how 4-4-2 is at all a good idea.

[LukeJames]

2 up front for me. need to get away from ratboy formations. He's gone.

It was two up front in the first half today, and we were absolutely horrible with enormous gaps between the lines, no link up through the middle and constant space behind an outnumbered and outbattled midfield duo. I don't see how 4-4-2 is at all a good idea.

How? It looked like 4-2-3-1 to me.

[Dave]

2 up front for me. need to get away from ratboy formations. He's gone.

Which successful teams are currently using a two-striker system?

I reckon Inter, and that's about it.

[sickbeggar]

2 up front for me. need to get away from ratboy formations. He's gone.

It was two up front in the first half today, and we were absolutely horrible with enormous gaps between the lines, no link up through the middle and constant space behind an outnumbered and outbattled midfield duo. I don't see how 4-4-2 is at all a good idea.

I'm not sure we were. it probably looked like that though Anyway there's variations possible like the diamond etc..

[Monty]

2 up front for me. need to get away from ratboy formations. He's gone.

It was two up front in the first half today, and we were absolutely horrible with enormous gaps between the lines, no link up through the middle and constant space behind an outnumbered and outbattled midfield duo. I don't see how 4-4-2 is at all a good idea.

How? It looked like 4-2-3-1 to me.

I could be wrong but my distinct impression was Buendìa played much closer to Ings than a 10 in a 4-2-3-1 normally would. That's why he only ever got the ball with his back to goal.

[sickbeggar]

2 up front for me. need to get away from ratboy formations. He's gone.

Which successful teams are currently using a two-striker system?

I reckon Inter, and that's about it.

As I said there's variations. One playing just behind the other. At the moment we seem to be attracted to buying players to suit a formation rather than a formation to suit the players. Watkins will be wasted if we shoehorn him in behind in a version of today's line-up

[Ads]

We don't take care of the ball enough and we're not strong enough off it in midfield.

[LukeJames]

The Inter 3-5-2 worked because they had Hakimi and Perisic as wingbacks. We could not replicate that with Cash and Targett.

[Villan82]

Would it be worth reverting to the old 4-3-3 with Bailey, Ings and Watkins as a fluid front three and Luiz/new player anchoring behind McGinn and Buendia/another?

               new anchor/Luiz

         McGinn    Sanson/Buendia

    Bailey          Ings      Watkins

[sickbeggar]

deffo need something  Since ratboy left its been nagging away at me, and after today's debacle I had a look at last season's formations with and without him. Interesting......

[Taylor]

As depressing as it sounds I don’t think anyone else is coming in. We’ve lost our our main creative talent. We’re not going down, but Europe, not a chance.

[mr underhill]

there never was once Mr G jumped ship and if we stay as we are, top half is going to be difficult. We need at least 2 more in.

[PaulWinch again]

I think 2 up top would be a terrible idea, except from possibly when chasing a game. We need to control the midfield and 2 up top won’t allow that.