442 anyone?

[Spurge]

We all know pellers likes a bit of 442, he was criticized for sticking rigidly to it last season before eventually reverting to one up top towards the end of last season when we finished with 6 wins on the bounce.

So what now? The signings over the summer are more inkeeping with playing the one striker but we are struggling for form. Will pellers revert to his favoured 442 particularly at home with Sunderland the visitors next? Lets face it two up top is serving Leicester and Watford well enough.
Would pellers go against the powers that be and play his formation?

If he's moving over for pep in the summer what's he got to lose. Sterling an Navas could provide the blend of natural width and pace and maybe deliver a decent ball in the box for two strikers to get on the end of and push on both full backs to support the central midfield.....just a thought

[Douglas Higginbottom]

As ever I don't think it matters what system we play as long as we play well and with pace. We know how BFS will set out to play so let's just get at them and get the early goal and batter the buggers

[Pretty Boy Lee]

Two strikers on the park would mean we're more likely for one to find a good run, but they will have to work and dominate cos we don't have two in the middle that can keep us assured

[sheblue]

Our attacking players don't track back quickly or hard enough for 442, especially with yaya in the middle.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Yes please. Sunderland at home and we can't play two strikers?
Attack Ffs City

[Nigels Tackle]

would work if we had tevez....

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

It'd suit Bony and we know Aguero functions well in a partnership, as long as he's the main man anyhow.

[bigblue]

Bony should be starting ahead of Aguero, but once Aguero gets up to full fitness it's impossible to drop him.

I'd be a big fan of 2 strikers up top. We often get into good attacking positions but have too few options in the box.

[nottsblue]

Like the idea. Not the reality. Sooner have one up top as it were with three behind, a perm of Silva KDB Sterling Navas Yaya Roberts. Two up front means less creative players as otherwise we leave holes at the back

[gillie]

How about this for 442.

Hart
Zabaleta Kompany Otamendi Kolarov

De Bruyne Fern 1 Fern2/Delph Silva


Yaya Aguero

Or we could go 4 4 1 1 with Yaya just behind Aguero.

[Spurge]

How about this for 442.

Hart
Zabaleta Kompany Otamendi Kolarov

De Bruyne Fern 1 Fern2/Delph Silva


Yaya Aguero

Or we could go 4 4 1 1 with Yaya just behind Aguero.

The fear with the 4 in midfield you chose is that with kdb on the right and either Silva or delph on the left is that there is no real pace or natural width. Pace is something we really need to inject into our game right now as well as accurate passing.
Now you should expect decent pass completion with both Silva and kdb but whilst I don't know the stats from the arse game both ( particularly kdb) were sloppy with their final ball particularly in telling situations.
Navas and sterling would provide both width and pace and with any luck a final ball to go with it.

[Spurge]

Reasons pellers might be thinking 442
1) it's his preferred formation
2) two up top will help kun having just returned from injury - takes the pressure off and has a strike partner to share the burden with.
3) we should be able to carry the game to Sunderland at home without worrying if they will overrun us in midfield - it's not Bayern or barca after all
4) after Sunderland our next two games are at Leicester and Watford who both play 442 so we would be like for like in midfield and not overrun
5) navas on the right sterling on the left gives us the injection of pace and width we need.

Sorted!!! Silva,kdb and prob Yaya on the bench.

[Moonchesteri]

Reasons pellers might be thinking 442
1) it's his preferred formation
2) two up top will help kun having just returned from injury - takes the pressure off and has a strike partner to share the burden with.
3) we should be able to carry the game to Sunderland at home without worrying if they will overrun us in midfield - it's not Bayern or barca after all
4) after Sunderland our next two games are at Leicester and Watford who both play 442 so we would be like for like in midfield and not overrun
5) navas on the right sterling on the left gives us the injection of pace and width we need.

Sorted!!! Silva,kdb and prob Yaya on the bench.

Pellers doesn't have the balls for that.

But 442 for Sunderland with
Navas - Fred1 - Delph - Sterling
Aguero - pony (just cos Pellers doesn't have the halls to play nacho)

And we keep Yaya Silva KDB fresh for Leicester & 4-2-3-1...

Six points, good finish to a year and happy new year.
(One can dream right?)

[Spurge]

442 today I'm sure pellers had been itching for the chance. The FA cup I know but he did have the balls - Silva and yaya left at home kdb started on the bench. 3 goals and clean sheet away from home. Last time we achieved that away from home was first game of the season at wba.

[iwasthere2012]

442 today I'm sure pellers had been itching for the chance. The FA cup I know but he did have the balls - Silva and yaya left at home kdb started on the bench. 3 goals and clean sheet away from home. Last time we achieved that away from home was first game of the season at wba.

I really think with a hard working midfield four, Kun and Nacho could become quite a partnership.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Obviously we won with a clean sheet bI guess you had to be there to know if the formation really helped the result that much or were Norwich awful and we played well. I get the feeling it was a bit that Norwich were awful.

But I have no doubt two things helped a lot. First and most important was Aguero because when he is good he wins matches and it seems he is starting to get right. Scoring a great goal and setting up Kelechi and didn't he take it well.

Then there is the missing Silva and Yaya and we filled it with 2 midfield players who work hard and we had 2 wide players who also get involved in the middle.As long as we play well up front ( 2 goals instead of misses said we did) we can manage very well without 2 players who have been sensational for us over the years but njow arguably are not as crucial as they once were.

Can I really say that about Merlin?

[iwasthere2012]

Obviously we won with a clean sheet bI guess you had to be there to know if the formation really helped the result that much or were Norwich awful and we played well. I get the feeling it was a bit that Norwich were awful.

But I have no doubt two things helped a lot. First and most important was Aguero because when he is good he wins matches and it seems he is starting to get right. Scoring a great goal and setting up Kelechi and didn't he take it well.

Then there is the missing Silva and Yaya and we filled it with 2 midfield players who work hard and we had 2 wide players who also get involved in the middle.As long as we play well up front ( 2 goals instead of misses said we did) we can manage very well without 2 players who have been sensational for us over the years but njow arguably are not as crucial as they once were.

Can I really say that about Merlin?

You might get away with one of Silva/KDB with Fern 1, but they'd want to be working a lot harder out of possession than we are now. All four including wingers would. ( I've no problem with Jesus there).
Speed the ball up in possession and I don't see why it wouldn't work.
We have to move on from fitting in Yaya.

[Piccsnumberoneblue]

Obviously we won with a clean sheet bI guess you had to be there to know if the formation really helped the result that much or were Norwich awful and we played well. I get the feeling it was a bit that Norwich were awful.

But I have no doubt two things helped a lot. First and most important was Aguero because when he is good he wins matches and it seems he is starting to get right. Scoring a great goal and setting up Kelechi and didn't he take it well.

Then there is the missing Silva and Yaya and we filled it with 2 midfield players who work hard and we had 2 wide players who also get involved in the middle.As long as we play well up front ( 2 goals instead of misses said we did) we can manage very well without 2 players who have been sensational for us over the years but njow arguably are not as crucial as they once were.

Can I really say that about Merlin?

No you can't !

[Spurge]

Obviously we won with a clean sheet bI guess you had to be there to know if the formation really helped the result that much or were Norwich awful and we played well. I get the feeling it was a bit that Norwich were awful.

But I have no doubt two things helped a lot. First and most important was Aguero because when he is good he wins matches and it seems he is starting to get right. Scoring a great goal and setting up Kelechi and didn't he take it well.

Then there is the missing Silva and Yaya and we filled it with 2 midfield players who work hard and we had 2 wide players who also get involved in the middle.As long as we play well up front ( 2 goals instead of misses said we did) we can manage very well without 2 players who have been sensational for us over the years but njow arguably are not as crucial as they once were.

Can I really say that about Merlin?

I was there and you raise a valid point. I'm not sure if Norwich were awful or whether we were just too good for them maybe a bit of both.

The formation appeared to work as our shape out of possession was good the midfield got behind the ball quickly and we recovered possession time and again. Sergio and Iheanacho gave their defence a lot to think about and were a constant threat.
So I don't think that 1 game is enough to go on. The only thing I would say is that whatever formation we do play is that all players in midfield need to understand that its imperative they work as hard without the ball as they do with it in some formations its easier to get a defensive shape than in others but discipline is key either way.

[Crossie]

Our attacking players don't track back quickly or hard enough for 442, especially with yaya in the middle.

Exactly right.

4-4-2 with no Yaya and Sergio + other busting their balls to help the midfield would work well again.

I wonder if injuries have prevented us playing 4-4-2 as much this season. We also had more strikers last season to try and keep happy (except Jovetic, no one ended up caring about him!)