Quote Originally Posted by fivetide View Post
Ok so here's a question - everyone saying has to be 442 or 433, four at the back at least - does MH actually think he has the players for that? Maybe the brief period in that game we looked good he had the players he knew could do it. Perhaps, he reckons we'd be even worse trying 442 with different players?

He's said a big clear out coming, he's also made a few signings, any thinking that maybe he's signing the players we need to do that - or even more controversially, is trying to sign the players that will go with the formation he wants?

Don't most sides play 4231 or variations these days too? Looking up north for teams with little cash and focused on development, Falkirk (4231) put four past Hibs (3412) at the weekend with a lad they signed from a University side up front scoring a hat trick of tap ins. They look really good to watch playing out from the back. Be worth a look at the highlights.
Not speaking on behalf of others, but it feels to me like the frustration (the genuine one, not the noise from the trolls) is that he's not changing it at all. Decent L1 players should be able to operate in two or three different systems without much fuss, but Hamshaw seems frustratingly reluctant to change it despite it looking like being one of the major reasons we're down in 23rd.

It looks like the plan is to continue to bring the average age down (fully support this) and to develop players rather than gamble on older pro's who've 'done it' before (support this also), but the formation should adapt to the available players and the opposition, not to be part of the club identity irrespective of everything else.

As the season has gone on, it's become clear that whatever else we're dealing with, we normally have two centre backs available (mostly, although a couple of games we didn't have that), and two able to play full back. Whether it's 442, 451, 433, 4141, the back 4 is the bit we can fill properly. Next season, if MH is here, who knows, maybe he signs players suited to a 3... but for all the positives a back 3 may give, a back 4 will always unlock more options with the rest of the system.