4-4-2

99 was the last time 442 won anything and it was 424 and sheer belief that won in the end

Originally Posted by armchair

99 was the last time 442 won anything and it was 424 and sheer belief that won in the end

And we went from the 60's to the 00's without playing 'inside rights/ lefts" .
Against 80% of the teams in the league herraria would be fine playing as an attacking midfielder, in a role similar to scholes with any one of the sch's as a partner. For what ta worth I don't underestimate how effective anders could be in helping out the back 4 either, perhaps far more effective than scholes ever was.

Originally Posted by Wingers

And we went from the 60's to the 00's without playing 'inside rights/ lefts" .
Against 80% of the teams in the league herraria would be fine playing as an attacking midfielder, in a role similar to scholes with any one of the sch's as a partner. For what ta worth I don't underestimate how effective anders could be in helping out the back 4 either, perhaps far more effective than scholes ever was.

against any team in the league, herrera would be fine playing as an attacking midfield.

just not with only one other midfielder.

holding and attacking midfielders be damned. we just need another bryan robson.

Originally Posted by irk

holding and attacking midfielders be damned. we just need another bryan robson.

yup. robson, mcgrath and hughes. sorted.

Originally Posted by jem

against any team in the league, herrera would be fine playing as an attacking midfield.

just not with only one other midfielder.

I'm baffled as to why you'd think that. When his was at athletico, he was valued for his tackling as well as his creative play. If Keane and Scholes made a two in the middle, I can't see Anders and Bastian being any less effect. We won't play a 442, regardless of whether it's works or not, because there is no way LvG will allow that to be his 'philosophy'

Originally Posted by Wingers

I'm baffled as to why you'd think that. When his was at athletico, he was valued for his tackling as well as his creative play. If Keane and Scholes made a two in the middle, I can't see Anders and Bastian being any less effect.

Ander and Bastian could do it effectively if you transported them back in time to 1999, when they would be dealing with a host of other two-man central midfields.

Almost everyone plays with a midfield triangle now, whether a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, or 3-5-2, and nobody wants to be outnumbered there. Whatever else you might say about wingers, wide player, tracking back, the qualities of our individual players, or LVG's shortcomings, very few managers want to be outnumbered there.

Originally Posted by Wingers

I'm baffled as to why you'd think that.

yup.

Originally Posted by Grimson

Ander and Bastian could do it effectively if you transported them back in time to 1999, when they would be dealing with a host of other two-man central midfields.

Almost everyone plays with a midfield triangle now, whether a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, or 3-5-2, and nobody wants to be outnumbered there. Whatever else you might say about wingers, wide player, tracking back, the qualities of our individual players, or LVG's shortcomings, very few managers want to be outnumbered there.

I understand that. In theory you would be 2 v 3 in midfield. What you are actually doing though is asking Rooney and Mata to cover the wide areas as it is now, so surely it would be easier to ask them to step out of a central attacking role into the centre of midfield, from a 442 than expect them to cover a wide position and still score/ create goals? We all know that the only reason Rooney isn't played as an out and out striker is because his 'engine' can be utilised to cover dificiencies elsewhere.

Also you have to look at what advantages wingers have over a narrow opponent. You'd be pulling them all over the park.