In possession - a weak 3-5-2

[Matt_1]

It looks like when we are in possession, Carlos wants us to fall into a 3-5-2 shape with one of Bannan or Butterfield dropping almost alongside Lees and Loovens.

 

Sometimes both our CM's dropping way deep to sit directly in front of them to try and start attacking move.

 

At the same time, Hunt / Fox pushing up as wingers with Reach / Wallace moving a little narrower. Sometimes even dropping into CM.

 

Why are we doing this? Our most creative player in Bannan is forced to try and start moves from our own half. Even then, we seem to be under instructions to not make too many forward runs when he has passed. I saw few instances when he or Butterfield had released the ball, and they didn't run for a return ball or 1-2 or whatever. They seem to stay a little static and end up getting the ball back from a sideways pass or the player they passed it to backwards.

 

Why are we playing so negative in possession?

 

Why not set up as an actual 3-5-2 with 3 defenders and 3 central midfielders and wingers playing an actual wide position?

Put Van Aken at the side of Lees and Loovens to start passing moves. Sit Butterfield in front of the back 3 to protect them when we're dispossessed and help JVA start attacking moves.

Move Bannan and Lee to actually play as centre mids in the middle, linking up play with Hooper. Let Reach play as a winger / wingback. We might have issues asking Wallace to cover that much ground as a wingback but I think Hunt / Pudil should be able to do that job, they are both athletic enough.

 

The cautious play and negativity is so far from what Carlos's footballing mentality is supposed to be. 

 

When we made the changes last and allowed our actual CM's to push up, we saw the differences. We saw how much better we were when we had men making forward runs with wide players actually playing wide.

 

If you want the team to line up as a 3-5-2 in possession, put the right players out on the pitch.

[SallyCinnamon]

Yeah but Carlos Carvalhal 

[Matt_1]

Would Ian Holloway still be foaming at the mouth if he watched us play now?

[Towcester Owl]

I completely agree with Matt_1. I can't understand what Carlos is trying to do? Last night in the 1st half, at times Butterfield and Bannan were so deep it was like playing with 4 centre backs. When Lee came on in the second half and it was switched to a diamond, this allowed Bannan to get further forward and we improved a bit, but overall I thought we were lucky to get anything from the game at all, especially as Loovens should have been off early on. Carlos is completely deluded if he still thinks we're going to get anywhere near the playoffs playing this way. Sort it out Carlos or find a new job!

[Beholder]

Defo a weak 3 5 2 with someone like hunt getting forward. 

 

Such a frustrating player I really can't understand why he is considered undroppable. 

 

Even when he gets a rest and we win with palmer, he still gest back in next game.  

[Adem Poric]

We should have been playing 3-5-2 all season. Our players, and that's all of the squad, fit into that formation better.

 

Every time we chase the game we seem to revert to it anyway. Why not be aggressive and play that way all the time?

[Fibonacci91]

1 hour ago, Matt_1 said:

It looks like when we are in possession, Carlos wants us to fall into a 3-5-2 shape with one of Bannan or Butterfield dropping almost alongside Lees and Loovens.

 

Sometimes both our CM's dropping way deep to sit directly in front of them to try and start attacking move.

 

At the same time, Hunt / Fox pushing up as wingers with Reach / Wallace moving a little narrower. Sometimes even dropping into CM.

 

Why are we doing this? Our most creative player in Bannan is forced to try and start moves from our own half. Even then, we seem to be under instructions to not make too many forward runs when he has passed. I saw few instances when he or Butterfield had released the ball, and they didn't run for a return ball or 1-2 or whatever. They seem to stay a little static and end up getting the ball back from a sideways pass or the player they passed it to backwards.

 

Why are we playing so negative in possession?

 

Why not set up as an actual 3-5-2 with 3 defenders and 3 central midfielders and wingers playing an actual wide position?

Put Van Aken at the side of Lees and Loovens to start passing moves. Sit Butterfield in front of the back 3 to protect them when we're dispossessed and help JVA start attacking moves.

Move Bannan and Lee to actually play as centre mids in the middle, linking up play with Hooper. Let Reach play as a winger / wingback. We might have issues asking Wallace to cover that much ground as a wingback but I think Hunt / Pudil should be able to do that job, they are both athletic enough.

 

The cautious play and negativity is so far from what Carlos's footballing mentality is supposed to be. 

 

When we made the changes last and allowed our actual CM's to push up, we saw the differences. We saw how much better we were when we had men making forward runs with wide players actually playing wide.

 

If you want the team to line up as a 3-5-2 in possession, put the right players out on the pitch.

Good post

[SiJ]

Good post. 

 

We tried something similar last season with Hutch dropping in to form a three. 

 

It just doesn’t work though going from 4-4-2 to 3-5-2. 

 

For one the midfielder dropping back vacates space in the middle, meaning Bannan is often isolated against the opposition. Then you have Wallace and Reach (who are not central midfielders) still operating in the channels. To cap it all off our fullbacks consistently fail to put good balls into the box. Oh and you need mobility and pressing up top, which neither Hooper or Rhodes do. 

 

Complete clusterf*ck of a system which more often than not makes us look completely disjointed. 

Edited November 23, 2017 by SiJ

[Mike Hunt]

With the players we have its a no brainer , except to