Formation?

[cc_star]

Still unsure as to what our formation actually was today, think it was a 4-5-1, but at times we played it as a 4-2-3-1 like ManCity frequently do

OK, we started off piss poor - really awful and Hull had all the time in the world and took advantage of our confusion, but once we scored we seemed to settle into it a bit and we comfortably had the game with Hull limited to a few shots from outside our box. Whereas we created lots of reasonable opportunities, even when we down to 10 and played 4-4-1,

After the formation settled down Beckford ran the line well, chased everything & made himself available to passes

Behind him there was lots going off with

Dyer getting through Hull, beating his man and using the kind of pace that defenders hate when he got the ball it always felt like something would happen

Marshall played a free role and caused Hull problems

Danns & Drinkwater helped defend the defence - something that's been missing most of the season as we don't have a natural defensive midfielder.

Felt Schlupp might have been better on the left than Nugent & still do, but Nugent tracked back well and put his usual hard work in, wihich with the free flowing Dyer & Marshall in the side probably meant it was better balanced.

Now I'm not going to say we were world-beaters, in fact we weren't great, but I think the flexibility offered by the 4-2-3-1/4-5-1 could serve as well, both in defending the defence but also from a creativity point of view

This formation change was forced on us by an injury to Wellens and with Danns & Drinkwater playing through the pain barrier it was obviously felt we should have more bodies in there -

But where do we go from here, I feel it has more to offer and would like to see it again, some more work on the training ground and an easy win against Forest could help it bed in

Although if Wellens returns from injury, I don't think he should be in the team replacing Danns' suspension as Wellens is only good further up the pitch, when he's on the edge of our box is when he's at his worst.

What say you, should we rever to 442, pushing two back up top, but losing out in the middle or do you think (with a bit more work) the 4231/451 has more to offer?

[Jimmy]

it's probably our best system and Marshall seemed to love the position in the hole

[Dan]

[cc_star]

Thumbs up from me, with possibility of Schlupp flying up the left

[Saxondale]

I think it was Mike Basset's 'Christmas Pudding' formation.

[Raw Dykes]

It certainly looked effective after our 1st goal today. It's good to know that we have another option, and one that we can switch to whenever without making any substitutions.

Nugent wasn't at his best today, but I'm not sure if that's a problem with the formation necessarily. He's been slightly off the boil recently - it could just be a dip in form or fatigue catching up with him. He did play very well on the left wing for Preston, and he might just need to stay in that position a few more times to get back into the swing of it. This was maybe the formation's only con today compared to 4-4-2.

There were plenty of pros:

• Using two holding midfielders protecting the back four is a good idea while we don't have a proper defensive midfielder. I wonder if this had much to do with our much improved defensive display. Apart from Hull's goal, they never really seriously threatened our goal.
  
• Beckford makes a very good lone striker, and probably does slightly better alone up top than as half of a pair.
  
• It looks to me like Marshall is just as good in the hole as on the wing. Maybe Gallagher could do a job here as well if we need him to.
  

I'd like to see us use this formation again soon. If it turns out Nugent continues to struggle to find his best form, Schlupp could be given a go and Nugent could be given a well-earned rest for a game or two.

[marbelladave]

Christ, are you guys serious?........

Why the hell do you think that so many people have the hump with City in recent years?

We have been playing a rigid 4-4-fooking-2 system that is practicaly medieval, some of us have been calling for a change for a very long time, in my case late 2009.

So with several of our dynosaurs sidelined we actually pick young, new players and let them play in a modern flexible style, sure it is very much a work in progress and I doubt we have done any work on playing this way until it was 'forced' on us this week, so it took us a while to find our feet but it did show a few glimpses of what is possible......

[brockmyster]

One thing that will happen if we scrap 442 is that nugent will score less imo as wont be in spaces he has been for most of season