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Thanks to LW, I've finally given up on wishing for 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 etc.Originally Posted by slack_pie
How many times did we see the ''Wing-Back'' experiment at Notts over the years? I'd take a guess at 15, going back to Barnwell as far as I can remember - all failed after a while and always in the same way.
The managers went to it for the wrong reasons - as a defensive move to add extra defensive insurance to stretch out their tenures (it wasn't presented to the fans like this of course). Full-backs would always be picked as the 'wing-backs', effectively we'd be playing 5 defenders - with holding midfielders and so few players willing to play in the final 3rd we'd invite teams onto us - we'd concede initiative and spend more time defending - goals would dry up and results would go south - the managers ditch it before they do actually get the sack. Even IB erred towards this with DKE and a very different Chicks to the one we saw in the first half of this season. When he realised we had to dominate games in the NL to bag a top place, he brought in Richardson - things turned around, but too late, Chesterfield and the top teams were already out of sight.
Finally, we have a brave manager going to a back 3 for the right reasons - to attack; with wide defenders who can carry the ball and are comfortable with it, and real wing-backs deployed.
Agree with Laddo that variations will probably have to be used more next season - but LW has successfully installed this very modern, entertaining and effective way of playing. He'd be nuts to abandon it.
