How should the team be set up?

[LeeB]

I really can't see past 4-2-3-1 with the team we have. 4-3-3 just doesn't seem to suit the players at all. Having the two players in front of the defence will make even more sense when Kamara is fit, him and Luiz will be as good a ball playing double pivot as just about anywhere.

He's been playing 4-4-2 a lot season according to that video posted earlier

[olaftab]

The team should be set up to win all matches. There you go, that's my expert opinion.

[Risso]

I really can't see past 4-2-3-1 with the team we have. 4-3-3 just doesn't seem to suit the players at all. Having the two players in front of the defence will make even more sense when Kamara is fit, him and Luiz will be as good a ball playing double pivot as just about anywhere.

He's been playing 4-4-2 a lot season according to that video posted earlier

Well you'd assume if that's true he's got the players to do it. I think that would be even worse than 4-3-3 with our current team.

[Monty]

I really can't see past 4-2-3-1 with the team we have. 4-3-3 just doesn't seem to suit the players at all. Having the two players in front of the defence will make even more sense when Kamara is fit, him and Luiz will be as good a ball playing double pivot as just about anywhere.

He's been playing 4-4-2 a lot season according to that video posted earlier

Well you'd assume if that's true he's got the players to do it. I think that would be even worse than 4-3-3 with our current team.

Yeah the trouble is the forwards. You can adjust the midfield 4 style he used at Valencia, with two sitters-and-shuttlers (especially when Kamara's back), one true winger and one more tucked in on the other side like an attacking Des Bremner (Coutinho, Buendia, Ramsey, maybe even McGinn could do this). The problem is, you need two forwards sufficiently mobile to drop wide and technically able to take up creative duties. Not sure we have those.

[LeeB]

I really can't see past 4-2-3-1 with the team we have. 4-3-3 just doesn't seem to suit the players at all. Having the two players in front of the defence will make even more sense when Kamara is fit, him and Luiz will be as good a ball playing double pivot as just about anywhere.

He's been playing 4-4-2 a lot season according to that video posted earlier

Well you'd assume if that's true he's got the players to do it. I think that would be even worse than 4-3-3 with our current team.

Yeah the trouble is the forwards. You can adjust the midfield 4 style he used at Valencia, with two sitters-and-shuttlers (especially when Kamara's back), one true winger and one more tucked in on the other side like an attacking Des Bremner (Coutinho, Buendia, Ramsey, maybe even McGinn could do this). The problem is, you need two forwards sufficiently mobile to drop wide and technically able to take up creative duties. Not sure we have those.

The asymmetric 442 looked to me what I'd always seen Ferguson's peak Man Utd team as, Giggs flying and advanced in front of solid Irwin and on the other side, Beckham deeper with Neville overlapping him.

[Monty]

That's the thing though, it's not quite that because of the forwards. That older style of 4-4-2 had two out-and-out central strikers (Cole and...him) or split forwards that basically made it a 4-2-3-1 (Sheringham dropping deep).

The latter is obviously a default formation these days but the former is basically impossible as you leave too much space in midfield, either in the attacking bit or the defensive bit. So the successful strike partnerships these days involve forwards who double as wingers and deep-forwards, which involves learning a lot of pretty complicated movements. We'll see if our lads are up to it, but I'm not sure.

That said - to repeat my earlier point, if Emery thinks it might work then who am I to complain? Guy knows so much about football obviously, amazing position to be in for us.

[Drummond]

I think with Watkins prepared to run all over the shop, and having an ability a bit wider (but not too wide) and Ings ability to drop a bit deeper, it can work.

[LeeB]

That's the thing though, it's not quite that because of the forwards. That older style of 4-4-2 had two out-and-out central strikers (Cole and...him) or split forwards that basically made it a 4-2-3-1 (Sheringham dropping deep).

The latter is obviously a default formation these days but the former is basically impossible as you leave too much space in midfield, either in the attacking bit or the defensive bit. So the successful strike partnerships these days involve forwards who double as wingers and deep-forwards, which involves learning a lot of pretty complicated movements. We'll see if our lads are up to it, but I'm not sure.

That said - to repeat my earlier point, if Emery thinks it might work then who am I to complain? Guy knows so much about football obviously, amazing position to be in for us.

I'm optimistic as I think they are suited to it and are actually crying out for someone like Emery to plan and train for it properly.

[Monty]

Well if he can't, hard to imagine who could! It is clearly harsh to judge them on how they played under the coaching vacuum that was Steven Geeven.

[ChicagoLion]

We tried 4 4 2 with a diamond 4 and Ings Watkins up front.

[boozey182]

In the Claret & Blue Podcast interview, Guillem Balague dismissed the question of how Emery sets up in terms of formation saying something like "nobody plays like that anymore". He went on to say that we'll have a different shape depending on whether we have the ball or not, how the opposition set up, what the score is etc. It's all about flexibility.

I think that will suit our squad perfectly. Players like Buendia, Watkins and Doug are all capable of playing in different positions, and it might benefit players like Bailey, McGinn and Bailey too who will be properly coached. Too often recently the players have looked like they don't know what they should be doing, that won't be the case anymore.

[brontebilly]

We will be rinsed in midfield and full back playing 442 against decent opposition. Ok for the odd game, as is 433 as seen v Chelsea and Citeh but 4231 suits our group better.

I really don't know what Gerrard was thinking with sticking to 433. The likes of Coutinho, Ings, Bailey can't/won't press like Salah/Mane et al. So we were allowing opponents basically walk into our midfield most weeks. Then, either Luiz or Kamara were often left isolated in midfield as Ramsey or McGinn had to screen over Cash or Digne getting caught up the field. Konsa and Mings getting dragged out to the full back spots too and Martinez increasingly rooted to his box. It was a mess. At least Young improved things by not getting caught ahead of the ball.

[Scott Nielsen]

In the Claret & Blue Podcast interview, Guillem Balague dismissed the question of how Emery sets up in terms of formation saying something like "nobody plays like that anymore". He went on to say that we'll have a different shape depending on whether we have the ball or not, how the opposition set up, what the score is etc. It's all about flexibility.

He did and I think the interviewer felt a wee bit sheepish too.

[eamonn]

He was certainly chastened but Guillem went up in my estimation. His hourly rate is through the roof, he didn't have to lower himself to some indie club podcast.

[London Villan]

4231 with our current squad is so obvious. There is cover for each position (when Bert returns) and it's shown to work.