Formation for next season

[MancMagpie]

Only way I can see Rodders and Cal starting together is 4-2-3-1

...............Slocombe..............
DKE Rawlo Lacey Chicken
...............MF MF................
Roberts Ruben Miller (please)
..................Wooton.................

Anyone else got any thoughts/ideas?

[Chicken Balti Pie]

Only way I can see Rodders and Cal starting together is 4-2-3-1

...............Slocombe..............
DKE Rawlo Lacey Chicken
...............MF MF................
Roberts Ruben Miller (please)
..................Wooton.................

Anyone else got any thoughts/ideas?

I think Burchnall has said he's looking at keeping the back 3

[laddo]

Hopefully the flexibility that 3 at the back can offer will increase the opportunity to play both and terrorise teams next season.

[MagpieNate]

IB did say recently they were recruiting for 3 at the back so only way I see it working is Cal up top with Woots and Ruben in the midfield 3

[the_anticlough]

I think Burchnall has said he's looking at keeping the back 3

I missed that. If true, it's a very significant decision which will shape this off-season's squad rebuild.

You have to give them credit, NA and particularly IB made the best attempt at introducing this system at Notts for many a year.
Usually it took the predictable course - manager declares he's going 3-5-2 as a ruse to stave off the sack by picking 3 CBs and 2 Full-backs, all initiative is ceded to the opposition, play is in our own half, results nosedive, manager gets sacked a bit later than he otherwise would have done.

This time both men made a genuine effort at playing 3-5-2 with ball playing wide defenders (NA was sacked after playing Turner at Yeovil) and genuine attacking wide players.

It surprised me that it served us quite well for the last 20 games of the season more or less. As things stand I think we have players for the 3, but there's nobody signed up for the wide positions (apart from full-backs who can play if the guy on the other side is like Miller or Enzio). If we're to use this system, (re)signing these players is as important as the recruitment we need down the spine of the team. Over to the recruitment team.

[the_anticlough]

IB did say recently they were recruiting for 3 at the back so only way I see it working is Cal up top with Woots and Ruben in the midfield 3

Yeah, why not that?

Only...that will mean we never sign and play that pacy, goal-poaching (hopefully) 2nd striker.
That's why I hope IB reverts to something like 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 - less burden on the recruitment this summer and more suited to the players we already have.

Or is this just being greedy and having Rodrigues/Roberts/Wootton as your main attacking three all you need?

[jacobncfc]

Yeah, why not that?

Only...that will mean we never sign and play that pacy, goal-poaching (hopefully) 2nd striker.
That's why I hope IB reverts to something like 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 - less burden on the recruitment this summer and more suited to the players we already have.

Or is this just being greedy and having Rodrigues/Roberts/Wootton as your main attacking three all you need?

I don’t think there’s any way you could have those three starting regularly along with another striker as well. We’d be far too open and they’d get in each others’ way.

We’ll sign a striker, I think, but it’ll be someone who can compete with Wootton and offer an alternative rather than someone who’s going to be starting regularly with him.

[ncfcog]

There's more to a back three than 3-5-2 or 5-3-2. To get Ruben and Roberts playing together with Wootton you could actually go 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1. This would allow you to have Ruben and Roberts sat just behind Wootton with the freedom to move inside or outside as required. This way you can have two solid CM's and still utilise wing backs. You then have a massive advantage in the middle of the park with the option to overload the final third when the opportunity arises.

[Jampie]

Yeah 3-4-2-1 if you can get R&R on the pitch at the same time sounds killer. We'll concede more than last year but hopefully score a ton more.

Everything depends on the almost completely new midfield they've yet to hire... If you can win tackles there, control play and have at least one creative long passer, we're in for a great season.

[the_anticlough]

I don’t think there’s any way you could have those three starting regularly along with another striker as well. We’d be far too open and they’d get in each others’ way.

We’ll sign a striker, I think, but it’ll be someone who can compete with Wootton and offer an alternative rather than someone who’s going to be starting regularly with him.

Well I'm glad you weren't around in our top flight years to tell us, Jimmy and Wilko that you can't play McCulloch, Christie, Mair, Chiedozie and Harkouk together, which we did most games for the best part of 2 seasons! We'd have missed out on some brilliant entertainment.

I kind of agree though, you don't know what you're getting from our players now.
But Rodrigues with only Wootton (or 1 striker) ahead of him just isn't enough. I think it only worked because of our weakish run-in and the form of Miller.

All the signs are that IB is going with that 3 at the back and that does mean it's a little bit harder to see Rodrigues and Roberts together. The most likely solution is that competition for Wootton and 3 from 4 as you say.

btw, does anyone else think Harkouk is a good player comparison for Rodders?