Alternatives to 4-4-2

[Son of Len]

Obviously, Sir Steve prefers the 4-4-2 alignment over any other, but what do you think? Should Reading stick with the 4-4-2? If Coppell doesn't return next season, what would you employ, taking into account the current squad.

I would like to see us try a 3-5-2 (or 3-4-3, depending how you look at it):

Fed
Rosey Pearce Armstrong
Harps Cisse
Kebe Matty Hunty
Noel Doyle

It keeps both of our holding mids in place and allows Marek the opportunity to spearhead the attack. We are definitely vulnerable to a cross from the wings, but Harper and Cisse should be able to help snuff out attacks before they are too dangerous.

Is Fed good enough to handle the chances the opposition would get? I hope so, but he's been playing with 6 defensive players in front of him so it's hard to say.

Must run back to work now...

[Sun Tzu]

We'd get slaughtered in the air at set pieces.

[papereyes]

2-3-5

Oldskool

[Sun Tzu]

2-3-5

Oldskool

Pah- that's new fangled !

The old 1-1-8 is the tops.

[The_Cat]

You can't play 3-5-2 with just one centre back!!!

[beno]

>You can't play 3-5-2 with just one centre back!!!

lol yes very true... the full backs would usually take the wing back role if changing from 442 to 352.so you would actually have an extra centre back, not one less.

[Hoop Blah]

The alternative doesn't need to be a change from 4-4-2, it could just be we need to freshen things up a bit and take out a couple of players who aren't performing.

I've never been a big fan of playing 3 at the back and having a 'flat back four' is much more flexible in terms of both defending and throwing players forward so I wouldn't change from that.

That basically leaves you with playing an extra midfilder or an extra forward and changing the shape that way.

With Marek waiting in the wings to get a run in the side I think the obvious change for us to make is to switch to a variation of 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 depending on how you use the wingers.

[SteveRoyal]

4-5-1 for away games, please.

---------------------Fed---------------------
------Ros------Dub------Pea-----Arm------
------Keb----Cis----Mat----Har---SHu-----
---------------------Doy---------------------

Sorted. Could shove Tabb in midfield in place of Kebe/Cisse/Matejovsky/Harper/SHunt.

[rg6royal]

Fed
Rosenier Doobs Pearce Armstrong
Bikey
Tabb Cisse Shunt
Marek
Doyle

[Ian Royal]

I've been saying it for ages, but I'd like us to try:

...............Hahnemann
Rosenior, Duberry, Bikey, Armstrong
........Harper............Cisse
...............Matejovsky
Kebe............................... SHunt
...................Doyle

Harper and Cisse both sitting deep. this allows them to slot into defence to allow the full backs to go forward, or burst past Matejovsky to join Doyle in attack. They can bring the ball out of attack, feed it to the wings, pump it into the channels or play it through the middle for Matejovsky to move around.

Matejovsky is the lynch pin around which everything moves.

Kebe and SHunt playing as wide forwards rather than wingers. Harper or Cisse can back up the full backs in defence, relieving some of the pressure for the ex-wingers to defend. They can go wide, or drift inside and help Doyle out.

I think NHunt and Henry would be decent bets to step in on the right. Tabb and Kebe on the left. Tabb could step into Matejovsky's role. Karacan, Gunnarsson and maybe even Bikey into Harper's and Cisse's. Lita & NHunt into Doyle's.

I think in theory it's more fluid and adapatable than 4-4-2, gives us options other than just down the wings and still retains a fair few of our strengths.

[SteveRoyal]

I've been saying it for ages, but I'd like us to try:

...............Hahnemann

Rosenior, Duberry, Bikey, Armstrong
........Harper............Cisse
...............Matejovsky
Kebe............................... SHunt
...................Doyle

Harper and Cisse both sitting deep. this allows them to slot into defence to allow the full backs to go forward, or burst past Matejovsky to join Doyle in attack. They can bring the ball out of attack, feed it to the wings, pump it into the channels or play it through the middle for Matejovsky to move around.

Matejovsky is the lynch pin around which everything moves.

Kebe and SHunt playing as wide forwards rather than wingers. Harper or Cisse can back up the full backs in defence, relieving some of the pressure for the ex-wingers to defend. They can go wide, or drift inside and help Doyle out.

I think NHunt and Henry would be decent bets to step in on the right. Tabb and Kebe on the left. Tabb could step into Matejovsky's role. Karacan, Gunnarsson and maybe even Bikey into Harper's and Cisse's. Lita & NHunt into Doyle's.

I think in theory it's more fluid and adapatable than 4-4-2, gives us options other than just down the wings and still retains a fair few of our strengths.

If only.

[PlasticRoyale]

Just everyone bundle after the ball at once, playground style. It's high risk but may spark us for the rest of the season

[AlexY25]

4-3-3 can always be good as long as you got people that are good at passing and moving in the middle. Marek, Cisse and Bikey could do that solidly in the middle. Won't happen though. Expect 4-4-2 next game with the only change probably noel for lita.

[Ian Royal]

4-3-3 can always be good as long as you got people that are good at passing and moving in the middle. Marek, Cisse and Bikey could do that solidly in the middle. Won't happen though. Expect 4-4-2 next game with the only change probably noel for lita.

But then it would be suicide to play a new system without developing it in training first. Coppell is a 4-4-2 man. It's what he knows it's what he likes and it's worked pretty well for him and us so far this season.

You can't blame him for sticking to it.

[Royalee]

4-4-2 DIAMOND

GK Federici

LB Armstrong
CB Pearce
CB Bikey
RB Rosenior

LW Tabb
DM Cisse
AM Matejovsky
RM Kebe

CF Doyle
CF N Hunt

[Ian Royal]

4-4-2 DIAMOND

GK Federici

LB Armstrong
CB Pearce
CB Bikey
RB Rosenior

LW Tabb
DM Cisse
AM Matejovsky
RM Kebe

CF Doyle
CF N Hunt

the only problem with that is leaving Cisse isolated in midfield when we're defending. Matejovsky doesn't have the athleticism to get up the pitch to help the attack and then back to help defend. And he can't tackle for shit, yet still tries.

[Royalee]

4-4-2 DIAMOND

GK Federici

LB Armstrong
CB Pearce
CB Bikey
RB Rosenior

LW Tabb
DM Cisse
AM Matejovsky
RM Kebe

CF Doyle
CF N Hunt

the only problem with that is leaving Cisse isolated in midfield when we're defending. Matejovsky doesn't have the athleticism to get up the pitch to help the attack and then back to help defend. And he can't tackle for shit, yet still tries.

Isolated? He does all the defensive work in midfield along with the wingers tracking back. Matejovsky has a free-er attacking role and doesn't need to run about at 100mph. Cisse in defensive midfield, Matejovsky as playmaker in attacking midfield - perfectly balanced midfield with everyone knowing their job and no reason for players going box to box and getting caught out of position.

[Southbank Old Boy]

Isolated? He does all the defensive work in midfield along with the wingers tracking back. Matejovsky has a free-er attacking role and doesn't need to run about at 100mph. Cisse in defensive midfield, Matejovsky as playmaker in attacking midfield - perfectly balanced midfield with everyone knowing their job and no reason for players going box to box and getting caught out of position.

That would be great if Cisse wasnt so far behind the game at times

I wouldnt mind seeing Ian Royals formation but with the possibility of having Tabb and Henry on the wings instead of Hunt and Kebe, or more realistically one of those two replacing Kebe because Hunt is guaranted to start. I dont think Kebe would score enough goals to justify playing him as one of the three forward players but in Tabb/Henry you have two players with a decent scoring record and are both adaptable enough to be able to swap around with Marek and Shunt to make the system a bit more like total football than our current ridgid 4-4-2

[brendywendy]

Obviously, Sir Steve prefers the 4-4-2 alignment over any other, but what do you think? Should Reading stick with the 4-4-2? If Coppell doesn't return next season, what would you employ, taking into account the current squad.

I would like to see us try a 3-5-2 (or 3-4-3, depending how you look at it):

Fed
Rosey Pearce Armstrong
Harps Cisse
Kebe Matty Hunty
Noel Doyle

It keeps both of our holding mids in place and allows Marek the opportunity to spearhead the attack. We are definitely vulnerable to a cross from the wings, but Harper and Cisse should be able to help snuff out attacks before they are too dangerous.

Is Fed good enough to handle the chances the opposition would get? I hope so, but he's been playing with 6 defensive players in front of him so it's hard to say.

Must run back to work now...

thats a bit too attacking for me- it worked for me on fifa 07, but im not so sure about reality!

id have to use hunt on one side, rosenior pushed forward on the other wing, with bikey and doobs joining pearcey in the back 3
armstrong and kebe out.

[SteveRoyal]

http://www.readingfc.co.uk/page/NewsDet ... 05,00.html

We might just see a slight change.
And with a 2 week break coming up, new formations could be practiced.
Intruiging.