It's time for 4-3-3

[We'llWinThePrem]

Some may say this is a kneejerk from tonight's game but I have thought this for months. Constantly we are being overrun in midfield and our defenders not having any outball and players resorting to thumping it up the pitch and losing possession. We need that extra man in CM. I, personally, would play Holtby as the extra man. This would add an extra dimension to the attack but also to the defence. Something like:

Parker​

Holtby Dembele​

​

This would help us retain and keep possession and close out games or relieve pressure. It would also, imo, let our players play more fluidly instead of the kind of robotic stuff that we're seeing with the 4-2-3-1.

 

[Huddlestone22]

I wouldn't mind us going to a 4-3-3 but who are we gonna play left wing?

 

[mpickard2087]

I think a lot of us agree on 4-3-3, basically its been a 4-4-2 all season and when its a front two of Ade/Defoe/Dempsey (which it looks like we are going to get now with Bale crocked) I just see us getting over run.

 

[tobi]

I wouldn't mind us going to a 4-3-3 but who are we gonna play left wing?

Play Vertonghen left back and have Thor cutting in from the left.

 

[We'llWinThePrem]

Play Vertonghen left back and have Thor cutting in from the left.

This is the team I would play from here on out:

Lloris​

Walker Dawson Caulker Vertonghen​

Parker​

Holtby Dembele​

Lennon? Adebayor Siggy​

 

[CJMurray]

If Bale is injured for the rest of the season, and Lennon is out for a few weeks, then it's er, Dempsey time...

Jesus christ. I'd rather we played Ceballos or McEvoy. Or even recall Pritchard. ANYONE with a bit of craft and/or pace.

 

[dricha1]

Play Vertonghen left back and have Thor cutting in from the left.

Injuries will force this I think;

Lloris

Walker
Dawson
Verts
BAE

Parker
Holtby
Dembele

Sig
Ade
Dempsey

 

[beats1]

Some may say this is a kneejerk from tonight's game but I have thought this for months. Constantly we are being overrun in midfield and our defenders not having any outball and players resorting to thumping it up the pitch and losing possession. We need that extra man in CM. I, personally, would play Holtby as the extra man. This would add an extra dimension to the attack but also to the defence. Something like:

Parker​

Holtby Dembele​

​

This would help us retain and keep possession and close out games or relieve pressure. It would also, imo, let our players play more fluidly instead of the kind of robotic stuff that we're seeing with the 4-2-3-1.

I agree but Parker and Dembele dont have much position discipline, they both go walkies when pressing at the same time or go forward especially during a dribble. This is often leaving us horribly exposed between defense and midfield

Livermore is a very limited midfielder, but I think he has done well as a DM in the past, in the old makelele role as has done well in the past holding his position for the U21's. This would give Holtby and Dembele more freedom and going forward.

 

[idontgetit]

100% agree. Dembele and Parker are very average ball players, not having a go it's just not one of their strengths. They need a good ball player in there with them. That way Parker can go back to just shielding the back four, winning the ball and giving a 10 yard pass to a more attacking player. You could see today that playing in a pair he felt the need to stay level with Dembele and as a result neither of them were screening, it left loads of space in front of the defence and there was no pressure on the ball.

Dembele and Holtby can then take turns making runs forward which will improve our movement because it is far less predictable and far less markable than the single player in the No.10 role. They'll be free to do it because they know Parker will always be covering. With Parker being a proper DM the fullbacks will also feel a lot more comfortable coming forward. You could tell that was something we were missing today. The defence was so shaky that they never got forward and couldn't contribute options to our passing game. Its like having another 2 midfielders on the pitch when the full backs can come forward confidently.

The issue where the 4-3-3 stumbles a bit is up front. Ade (when on form) is good for the lead role but Sig/Dempsey are a little slow for the wide roles. They are intelligent players with a goal threat though so if we have good running from Dembele and Holtby it could still be effective

 

[kaz Hirai]

oh who knows, maybe Dempsey playing as a wide left forward will mean he finds that fulham form and scores alot of goals.
Hell what am i talking about, he has just been shit all season

amazing how one game can really put a black thick cloud of death on the rest of the season.


-----------------Lloris

Walker-Dawson-Caulker-Vertonghen

-------Holtby-Dembele-Carroll-------

---------Defoe---Ade---Sig


fack it, might as well go for it. Let defoe shift and shoot his little heart out from from the left and let that mid try and pass teams to death.
Oh well it's done now, wont let it stress me. Maybe AVB will show some tactical genius in the last 7. If not there's always next year huh Daniel Levy you tight wank

 

[faze_coys]

Could even go

Parker​

Holtby Sig​

Dembele Ade Dempsey​

​

dembele would be more natural there and would scare defenders more than sig​

 

[WiganSpur]

Yeah basically. Stick Holtby or Carroll alongside Parkele. A young bloke and Sig on the flanks. Dempsey, no thanks.

 

[rabbikeane]

We need at least one wide man,
can't expect team to do well with 5 central midfielders.
If both Lennon and Bale are out, then it's time for youth.
McEvoy, Ceballos, Pritchard (recall).

 

[RButch]

Agreed, Injuries now must mean we change our formation and playing style.

Lloris (Sweeper Keeper)

Walker (WB)
Dawson (CB)
Caulker (CB)
Vertonghen (WB)

Parker (Anchor/ Defensive Midfielder)
Holtby (Box to Box Midfielder)
Carroll (If fit) (Deep Lying Playmaker)

Dembele (Advanced Playmaker/ Trequartista)
Ade (Complete Forward)
Siggy (Inside Forward)

Play with an interchanging midfield and forwards (excl Ade). Adebayor must now become a target man and run those channels like mad.
Need to open teams up like Chelsea/ Barca do with quick passing and movement, and slipping in those cheeky 5 yard through balls though near the 18 yard box.

 

[mugpunt]

Could even go

Parker​

Holtby Sig​

Dembele Ade Dempsey​

​

dembele would be more natural there and would scare defenders more than sig​

I think that this is our best option until we have genuine wingers back, and if we go to Basle with the same 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 variant we will be overran again. It relies on power play rather than quick breakaways, flair and intricate build ups, but we have few other options at this point. The entire front four are 6foot plus and there are goals in each of them, and we can hopefully overpower sides with them all pressing hard from the front. Your team has winner-types all over with holtby, ade, dempesy all having captained their national sides and parker, vertongen, dawson/kaboul, lloris, are also captain types.

While with this team we wont cut either Everton or Man City open, if whl gets beind them we can still over power them both over 90 minutes and pinch the odd goal. Our defense plenty of freshness and pace to allow your front 6 to push right onto their back 4. We should have Lloris, Kaboul and Walker to step in and even Bae/ Dawson got a decent rest in so should be able to battle for what will be a highly physical game. Holtby and Siggurdson also just played an hour or so with Dempsey only playing 30 minutes.

We also have 10 clear days before City to prepare to play a highly physical game, and redrill the squad to play 4-3-3 on the training ground.

By the wigan game at the end of the month we can expect to have bale and lennon back with fair luck for the final sprint- taking 4 points from man city and everton is crucial though for us to get the Champions League....

 

[DEFchenkOE]

We should definitely go 433 with Dembele - Parker - Holtby as the central 3. Think we can get the best out of Holtby there with him and Dembele alternating getting forward and Parker holding.

 

[Gassin's finest]

Our central midfield performances over the last couple of months have not left me confident that they are strong enough to rely on such a narrow setup. I'm afraid we'll be looking at an industrial 4-5-1 with Dempsey and Sigurdsson filling in out wide.

 

[Mr Pink]

Yep 4-3-3 is definitely the way forward now. It was before anyway, but now its time. Parker, Holtby and Dembele should give us a lot of solidity. If we can keep things tight and keep good possession we might nick a few important goals in games.

 

[ItsBoris]

We need at least one wide man,
can't expect team to do well with 5 central midfielders.
If both Lennon and Bale are out, then it's time for youth.
McEvoy, Ceballos, Pritchard (recall).

That's the kind of thing I agree with but we both know there is 0 chance of it happening and I wonder why that is? Fans seem far more willing than managers to give young players a chance for some reason.

Or recall Townsend (idk if we're allowed to do that) especially if QPR get relegated early. Why have him there when he could help us achieve an objective?

But imo we need players who aren't going to be a waste of space so if possible Kaboul-Dawson CB pairing with Vertonghen LB. Carroll and Holtby to start games from now on imo, along with Dembele in midfield (maybe we can actually start playing a passing game), Lennon and Bale starting out wide to provide width, and either Adebayor or Sigurdsson in the middle. Or recall Townsend and play him on the left with Bale in the middle.

 

[UncleBuck]

I know there's a lot of flack for Deuce but, now hear me out, 433 might just well suit him more. The guy has been used to fill holes this season and employed in numerous positions/roles, if we actually use him in a similar role to the one he was playing last season (wide left) then maybe, just maybe, we might start to see a bit more of him.
The stats don't lie though, on the official website he is listed as a midfielder with 8 goals in 35, only JD and GB are ahead of him. Verts has 7 in 41, Gylfi 5 in 41 and Ade 5 in 27.
I think a front three of Gylfi, Dempsey and Ade is the way to go, especially of Lennon is out as well, all three of them can actually score goals.