Leicester's most successful formation?

[digitalalba]

Brian Little used a 5-2-3, Martin O'Neil used a 5-3-2, and although we won the Championship with a 4-4-2 at a canter. The recent run of six Premiership wins (18 points in 7 games) is 5-3-2 / 5-2-3, as opposed to 19 points in 29 games 4-4-2 previously.

 

I imagine when we came second in the top flight we played a 4-4-2?

[Ollie93]

Our recent formation is 3-4-3, its a lot more attacking than a 5-3-2

[Jazzy_Jeff]

If being picky its more of a 3-4-1-2.

 

I do like it but needs a tweak when going to Stamford Bridge, Emirates etc.

[Jakemoore]

We weren't really a 4-4-2 side at all this season. At times we played 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-1-1 in fact, we have even gone 4-2-4 in desperate times. But yes this 3-5-2 or whatever you want to call it works wonders because we have two very attacking wing backs who don't neglect their defensive duties. Long live king nige for getting it so right! I think he was waiting for Huth and Upson before risking 3 CBs per game...

[Carl the Llama]

We weren't really a 4-4-2 side at all this season. At times we played 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-1-1 in fact, we have even gone 4-2-4 in desperate times. But yes this 3-5-2 or whatever you want to call it works wonders because we have two very attacking wing backs who don't neglect their defensive duties. Long live king nige for getting it so right! I think he was waiting for Huth and Upson before risking 3 CBs per game...

Spot on.  Schlupp & Albrighton have been a revelation in those WB roles lately.  It's definitely one of the areas we need to strengthen the most this summer because if either one takes a knock, with our squad we're pretty much forced to revert to a flat back 4 taking a lot of the impetus out of our counters.

[kingfox]

3-4-3 or 3-5-2 seems the way forward for us.

[Guest Sharpe's Fox]

It's working now but things change. One injury or player coming and going and the whole system becomes untenable to play. If Schlupp, Huth or Cambiasso drop out of the squad for whatever reason would you feel confident enough to carry on with 3-5-2 over the course of, say, 10 games?

[Fox92]

343.

[Captain...]

Playing with "5" at the back is always my favourite formation, looks so solid with 3 centre backs, 2 midfielders in front, and then the key position is the wing backs, that is where this formation lives and dies, you get the right players here and suddenly you have width going forwards and cover defensively effectively 2 players doing the job of 4. Schlupp seems made for this role, RDL too, I was saying this last season, and probably the season before that. Albrighton has been more effective than I thought he would be in that role.

 

It gives a team more time at the back on the ball as they have more options, it allows play to build slowly and when unleashed in full on attack mode you have width going forward knowing they have cover from the centre backs and midfield, and players already in advanced positions. It also has players playing in between the lines, much harder to pick up and defend against. Especially the way our front 3 rotate, one always drops off, normally Ulloa for the flick on, one stays forward keeping their defence back, Vardy with his pace, creating space for our midfielders and other attackers to run into.

 

The down side is of course the risk of being doubled up on the flanks, but if that is happening then one of the centre backs can move across safe in the knowledge that he has 2 centre backs in the middle to protect his ass.

[RedSoxUK]

Would argue our best formation this year has undoubtedly been 3 - 4 - 3 and the 3 - 4 - 3 / 3 - 4 - 1 - 2 as of late has been our game.

 

Problem with so many of the LLLLLLLLs has been our plan and tactics to match the opposition rather than play to our own strengths and our own game, I think the management were too worried about losing that they actually kept losing. 

 

Right now we have an identity and I love it.

[Monsell1976]

I would say adapting to the premier league, the current formation is the best, but mentality has a big part to play.

And the formation brings out the best of the current squad, new players in, and a new formation might be required again

[shailen]

Have to say a formation is only as good if the players are performing. As others have mentioned the formation is heavily reliant on the wing backs, so if either have a bad game, it will look poor. Our full backs have been immense but if they go through a bad spell, than it will look bad. Currently we look good in a 5-2-3, but there will be a time where we will be better set up in a 4-4-1-1 or whatever other formation. The point being, I'm not sure formations are too important if the players are not performing because we won't win regardless. However formations are important to find a way to play to the players strengths, but if someone like Schlupp goes on a bad run of form or gets injured we may be better off readjusting the formation than to play Konchesky there.

[cc_star]

Our current 3-4-1-2 is working

 

But imagine Schlupp being out, and Konchesky playing it for more than a one off?

Huth being out and Morgan+Was+1 ?

 

It suits the players available, but one injury changes everything

 

We can swap quite a few players and as long as the intensity is there, we would manage, but a couple of players our cover is inadequate for anything more than a one off

[Captain...]

Our current 3-4-1-2 is working

 

But imagine Schlupp being out, and Konchesky playing it for more than a one off?

Huth being out and Morgan+Was+1 ?

 

It suits the players available, but one injury changes everything

 

We can swap quite a few players and as long as the intensity is there, we would manage, but a couple of players our cover is inadequate for anything more than a one off

 

I think Moore would thrive playing in a back 3, he adds a bit of pace and has 2 experienced centre backs to cover his sometimes suspect positioning and decision making.

 

RDL also looked pretty solid there against Chelsea, he can also play either LWB or RWB, but if we are to continue with this formation then we do need to invest in more cover for those wing backs, not just in case of injury, but also burn out/tiredness, 70 minutes of bombing up and down the flanks bring on some fresh legs to keep the impetus up.