5-3-2

[Richy_Seagull]

Can't remember us starting a game with this formation before under Gus? Liked the idea but seemed clear that CMS and Buckley weren't on the same wavelength which may the be the reason it only lasted about 20 mins. With a fully fit Bruno along with Bridge could see it working well with them as wing-backs.

 

[Withdean Wanderer]

Not on the same wave length? An understatement. The two of them running into each other would have been comedy gold had they not been playing for us.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Not on the same wave length? An understatement. The two of them running into each other would have been comedy gold had they not been playing for us.

Now that was funny

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Can't remember us starting a game with this formation before under Gus? Liked the idea but seemed clear that CMS and Buckley weren't on the same wavelength which may the be the reason it only lasted about 20 mins. With a fully fit Bruno along with Bridge could see it working well with them as wing-backs.

It was 4-5-1, surely?

Otherwise who would you have counted as the five defenders?

 

[Richy_Seagull]

It was 4-5-1, surely?

Otherwise who would you have counted as the five defenders?

Lopez on the right, Bridge left? Buckley up top with CMS. We kept that shape for a good 20 mins until El-Abd switched to RB and subsequently CB when Dunk was subbed.

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

It was 4-5-1, surely?

Otherwise who would you have counted as the five defenders?

Personally, I thought we started like this:

-----El-abd Dunk Greer-----
David-----------------Bridge

 

[Colossal Squid]

Not on the same wave length? An understatement. The two of them running into each other would have been comedy gold had they not been playing for us.

f*** me in all the excitement I'd forgotten that. What an absolute f***ing shambles that was. I bet the Millwall fans thought it was already Christmas when they got to wet themselves over that gobsmackingly woeful mishap.

The worst part is that absolutely nobody seemed surprised by it, which says it all really

 

[Sergei's Celebration]

Personally, I thought we started like this:

-----El-abd Dunk Greer-----
David-----------------Bridge

Spot on, that was exactly the starting line up.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Personally, I thought we started like this:

-----El-abd Dunk Greer-----
David-----------------Bridge

It's very hard to tell these days with over-lapping full-backs and wingers expected to defend. I thought Lopez was a bit too advanced to be counted as a full-back but I can definitely see where you're coming from.

 

[pasty]

Must admit I struggled to even work out what formation we were trying to play from the start. Whatever it was, it didn't bloody work! At least GP seemed to realise that and changed it before half time; a first?

 

[Seagulltonian]

I thought Lopez started off as part of a five-man midfield. Then Kazenga came on, and Lopez got pushed back to the right-back position. Didn't appear to be entirely happy with that position when he trooped off at half-time. Thought he became more involved in play in the 2nd half, and I think we may have even switched to 3 across at the back as the match went on, as Lopez pushed forward more. Thought he became more dangerous as the game wore on, and he didn't run out of energy tonight like he did on Saturday.

 

[Deleted member 18477]

We started with... 5-3-2 or 3-5-2 (basically the same thing in today's game - wing backs!!)

David - el abd - Greer - dunk - bridge
---- crofts ---- bridcutt --- Hammond ---
-----------Buckley ----- CMS -------------

We finished with... 4-1-2-3 or 4-1-5

David - el abd - Greer - bridge
------------ Hammond ------------
Buckley --------------- LuaLua
--- Hoskins - CMS - Barnes ---


What a funny old game!

 

[Foolg]

-----El-abd Dunk Greer-----
David-----------------Bridge

--------- Bridcutt ----------

--- Hammond --- Crofts -----

-----Buckley ----- CMS ------


That is SUCH a negative team to start any home match, not a wonder we're struggling at the moment.

 

[Theatre of Trees]

With just 4 fit defenders and three of those centre backs I' m assuming Poyet used the system out of necessity rather than anything else. It did not so he changed after 20 minutes.

 

[Springal]

Wasn't 5 at the back, Bridge and Lopez were way too high up the pitch for it to have been 5-3-2.

 

[Icy Gull]

-----El-abd Dunk Greer-----
David-----------------Bridge

--------- Bridcutt ----------

--- Hammond --- Crofts -----

-----Buckley ----- CMS ------


That is SUCH a negative team to start any home match, not a wonder we're struggling at the moment.

Annoyingly he changed the tactics to a negative one last season against Millwall as well with pretty much the same result. Not sure why he thought it would work last night, especially as we came so close to brushing Nottingham Forest apart in the early part of the game on Saturday. Gus seems to play with fear sometimes, maybe he looked at how big the Millwall players were and decided to change our tactics to combat their size and aggression

 

[seagully]

Pretty sure we played 3-5-2 against Coventry on NYE last year with Noone and someone else as wing backs. It didn't work then either.

 

[The Hon Sec]

Pretty sure we played 3-5-2 against Coventry on NYE last year with Noone and someone else as wing backs. It didn't work then either.

I thought he had used it before and it was rubbish then but I thought it was done out of necessity this time because of the lack of right backs

 

[Richy_Seagull]

Wasn't 5 at the back, Bridge and Lopez were way too high up the pitch for it to have been 5-3-2.

Well to be fair that's the point of the system, especially at home the wing backs are meant to bomb on. Once Millwall got control though both Bridge and Lopez were struggling to get forward at all.

 

[willyfantastic]

Well to be fair that's the point of the system, especially at home the wing backs are meant to bomb on. Once Millwall got control though both Bridge and Lopez were struggling to get forward at all.

isnt it meant to be 5-3-2 when we defend then switch quickly to a 3-5-2 as we attack? like hjow Juventus play (to amazing effect at the moment) the difference being the wing backs need to be able to both attack and defend and have some pace, something david lopez doesnt have..... its something that could work with bruno/calderon and bridge playing. but it nullifies any potential threat we have from buckly/lua lua on the wings as surely they cant fit that system?