Bobby Robson thinks Dyer plays better in a three man midfield, so why not do it? Switching to 3-5-2, may even help our defence out. We have no left winger and Quinn is recognised aa a wing-back. Sure our defenders have looked uncomfortable in a three man defence but they look uncomfortable all the time so what differs. Given

Barton-Goma-Hughes

Griffin Quinn

Acuna-Dyer-Speed

Shearer-Ameobi

Hughes has played left back as well as centre back, Barton has played right back as well as centre back. If they defend as a five they might be able to cope!

We may lack a bit of creativity if Acuna and Speed hold the middle of the park but can it be any worse than now? If we are to persevere with Dyer in the middle of the pitch, at least start him there (Personally I'd play him right winger in a 4-4-2, but I'm trying to understand what Robson does!) Why not????? Can it get any worse???

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

Answers

Answers page for this. Oh and I intended Griffin and Quinn to play a bit wider than that!

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

The problem with 3 - 5 - 2 is it looks good on paper, but they play on Grass and the players don't feel comfortable with it. One top notch (Japp Stam type) of central defender would help greatly to Uniteds lack of clean sheets in a 4 - 4 - 2 formation.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

DB,

This is pretty well the team I proposed for Saturday in the Team Pick competition - with Lee in for the injured Speed - and IMO represents our best combination - always providing BR wasn't tempted to play Solano at RWB. He is playing like a f@rt in a bottle at the moment and should be warming his @rse on the bench for a while.

This combination seems to put the least number of square pegs in round holes - which is something we have become League Champions at!

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

But until the transfer system is resolved we have to work with what we've got and it's obvious we need to change something.

A change of formation may lift the players because they see an effort to remedy the situation not just patching things up and hoping for the best. I appreciate it may have a bad effect but as I've said above, can it get much worse?

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

Surely Robson hasn't played 4-4-2 all his management career, so he must know a thing or two about the system. Has he the will to change it?

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

It doesn't matter what formation you play if the players can't be arsed once they're on the pitch.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

That's another thing entirely!!

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

This transfer system sh*te is an lame abrogation of management responsibility to manage our way out of a declining situation.

Wakey, wakey you dozy b@st@rds at SJP

-

do something!

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

Good grief, Mr Clark, things must be in a bad way to have you hurling abuse. With you every cuss of the way, but.

Talk about counting your blessings - I feel bad enough, again, from just reading about it without having had to watch it.

There're only a possible 15 points left at home - can't see us getting much away, so we'd better get a grip soon, I'd say, cos the consequences don't bear thinking about.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

Case for the defence? I'd go with individual pine boxes.

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

3 points needed from a maximum of 15

if we cannot make this we deserve to go down

simple

-- Anonymous, February 26, 2001

Given the lack of midfielders on Saturday and the need for a result are we going to see Robson go for a 5-3-2?

Given

Marcellino-Goma-Hughes

Griffin.....................Quinn

Solano-Lee-Bassedas

Ameobi-Shearer.

Maybe the back five wouldn't need so much protection from the midfield and Solano can get forward a bit more?

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2001

Hmmm - I've seen worse.
The problem, as SGE clearly understands, is that footballers are not overly bright, and have real difficulty coping with complexity and accomodating change. It was very noticeable last night that a key plank in SGE's philosophy is to pick only square pegs for square holes, pick the best Club players in their Club positions, and to ask players only to do what they are used to doing week in, week out.

Our players are limited in several dimensions, and so to expect them to perform diferent roles from week to week simply won't work. I happen to believe the players at BR's disposal are better suited for 3-5-2, but he doesn't, so I can't see it happening. If it does happen it's likely to fail because the players won't be able to adapt to it 'on the fly'.

-- Anonymous, March 01, 2001

My personal feeling about playing a 3-5-2 formation is thus.

I hate playing wingbacks out wide, so invariably my formation ends up more like 3-4-1-2. So our normal midfield of say Solano, Acuna, Speed, and who ever on the left. Play Dyer in the whole. At the back play three centre haves.

-- Anonymous, March 02, 2001