tactics the rumoured switch to 3-5-2

[Raymond]

Tim Sherwood is considering reverting to a three-man defence following the deadline-day arrivals of Joleon Lescott and Tiago Ilori.

The Villa boss has five centre-halves at the club with Micah Richards, Ciaran Clark, and Jores Okore all competing for places alongside the two new arrivals.

Richards and Clark have started the season in the centre as Sherwood has gone with for a four-man backline.

But he sees the likes of Leandro Bacuna and Jordan Amavi flourishing as wing-backs in the future and is now weighing up a change in the system.

“Joleon allows us an option to play three at the back,” said the manager.

"He’s done it before with Micah Richards and Vincent Kompany at Manchester City so he knows what it’s all about.

“Now we’ve got the opportunity to play a different style.”

While Villa might not revert to the new formation immediately, there is serious consideration in the camp that a new way could be in place by next weekend.

Ciaran Clark has been away on international duty for the Republic of Ireland so the coaching team have had little time to see how he would cope in a three with Lescott and Richards.

But with a week at Bodymoor Heath ahead of the crunch games with Albion and Blues, that might allow enough training time to get things in place.

“We’ve not had an opportunity to work on it yet because Clarky’s been away and so has Carlos Sanchez and Okore’s not fit so it’s been difficult,” said Sherwood.

“But it’s certainly something I will be working on.”

The three-man defence and the likely inclusion of Sanchez would give Bacuna and Amavi greater protection going forward.

Sherwood sees the flying flankers as a great source of goals and has been looking at ways to maximise their attacking potential in recent weeks.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-expected-change-formation-10033043

 

Thoughts?

[KSV]

Waste of am attacking player on the field imo. Maybe against the big sides.

[VillaChris]

I would be up for it although not all the time.

 

We have wing backs who can play it no problem, Amavi would be brilliant in it I'm sure with an extra defender to cover him on the left.

I suppose the only issue for me is how you fit Grealish and Adama in the 11, maybe Grealish as part of the middle trio and Adama a free role just off the main striker.

[Czechlad]

It would have to be a 3-4-3 to work with our players. We have a lot of wingers. 

[VillanousOne]

I feel we have no clue what our best side is, so it's hard to get too hung up on formations yet

I want to see Vertout, Ayew, Gil, Grealish and Traore getting game time more than I want to see three central defenders

Also I want to see Gabby, Westwood and Sanchez rotated, none of those three are good enough to start every week with the depth we now have. 

 

Edited September 11, 2015 by VillanousOne

[maqroll]

3 at the back is nice in theory, but with 4 at the back, we still let in soft goals late in games. Lets sort out the immediate issues before we get all cavalier

[AshVilla]

I agree

You experiment with things like this either in preseason or at the end of the season when your mathematically safe

Not when every point is vital which it is at the minute

Plus even if you were going to try something like the above why would you tell all and sundry about it by releasing the details to the media sounds like a double bluff from Sherwood i think we will play the same way we did against Sunderland

Edited September 12, 2015 by AshVilla

[VillaJ100]

                Guzan

   Richards lescott Clark

Bacuna                         amavi 

         Gueye / sanchez 

Traore.                 Grealish/sinclair?

        Veretout/grealish?       

   Sinclair/Ayew/gestede 

            

Edited September 12, 2015 by VillaJ100

[VillanousOne]

                Guzan

   Richards lescott Clark

Bacuna                         amavi 

         Gueye / sanchez 

Traore.                 Grealish/sinclair?

        Veretout/grealish?       

   Sinclair/Ayew/gestede 

            

Gil and Gabby been shot then? 

[sam260689]

It's been reported in the press in the last few days that Sherwood might switch the tactics to a 3-5-2 formation. The more I look at it, the more it makes sense given the players we've got. Here's why:

1. Amavi and Bacuna are better going forwards than they are at defending. Having 3 at the back with Sanchez protecting the 3 allows the full backs to try things going forwards, and for it not to be a disaster if they lose the ball. For instance if Amavi tries to go past a player and loses the ball, Clarke will have covered for him at left back and we'd then temporarily have a back 4 until we get the ball back. It also means that Amavi and Bacuna's defensive weaknesses would be less exposed when they are in defensive positions since there's more cover.

2. We've got an abundance of centre halfs. It's a young team in general and having 3 at the back means we can fit Lescott (an experienced head) in, without letting his lack of pace cause us issues (at 33 he can't be the quickest anymore). 

3. Having Sanchez protecting 3 at the back allows Gueye and particularly Veretout to get forwards without us being exposed if we lose the ball. Obviously it would be up to Gueye, Veretout, Amavi and Bacuna to decide who gets forward for which attacks, because they can't all go at once.

4. Having 3 in the midfield lets Grealish (or Gil) play in a free role as a second striker without needing to use a lot of energy tracking back. This player will be far more creative if he can save his energy for attacking. 

I have attached an image showing what I think represents our strongest line up as a 3-5-2 (and I believe our strongest line up full stop, actually).

What do you think of 3-5-2? Worth a go? IMO potentially superior to other formations since it theoretically allows our players to play to their strengths. 

 

[AshVilla]

If we play the above formation against Leicester we will get murdered

Mahrez and Albrighton will tear us a new one

I'm not convinced with Sinclair as an out and out forward as well

 

[jackbauer24]

I like the idea of a back three and think it could work if both Amavi and Bacuna have the energy to turn it in to a back five as needed or there is a very clear understanding of how Sanchez could slot in as needed. With Richards to the right of a back three we'd be getting the best of his former RB knowledge but with less demand on pace, we'd have experience down the centre with Lescott and then Clarke helped out by the better of our two wide me in Amavi.

The midfield shouldn't be over run as you've got Sanchez stepping up if Bacuna and Amavi are back and vice versa. That's the key, Sanchez will need to be the disciplined one knowing whether to push forward or sit back and let Bacuna and Amavi do their thing.

Something along the lines of;

                               Guzan

                   Richards Lescott Clarke

Bacuna                                                    Amavi

                              Sanchez

      Traore           Westwood             Gueye

                                        Grealish

                             Sinclair

 

With changes in personnel, mostly midfield, depending on the opposition. Sinclair is scoring goals for fun and Sherwood has hinted he may use him more as a striker but doesn't mean him, Grealish and Traore couldn't be rotated and swapped for likes of Gestede and Ayew. Can't see Kozak featuring heavily and think Gabby only really has a role as sub from this point on.

 

[HanoiVillan]

If we play the above formation against Leicester we will get murdered

Mahrez and Albrighton will tear us a new one

I'm not convinced with Sinclair as an out and out forward as well

 

It says in the OP that there's 'Villa might not revert to the new formation immediately', ie. I think there's no chance we'll see it tomorrow. Hope not anyway. 

[ChrisVillan]

Clark. 

[DCJonah]

I don't like the idea. Bacuna is not good enough to be our main attacking width on one side of the pitch and that formation would leave no place for Traore.

[Nigel]

funny enough I think it could be the best way of utilising Bacuna IMO.

 

Could work, but i agree I wouldnt like to see it all the time.

[rjenkins]

Bacuna has his faults, but no one in our team got more assists than him last year. Admittedly he was launching the ball at Benteke's head and we don't have a striker of his ability now, but to discredit Bacuna or underplay his contribution in getting those assists only raises more questions about the rest of the squad for getting less.

I feel like our squad is best suited to a 4-2-3-1 now though. I think we're going to need to get Sinclair, Grealish and Adama on the pitch as much as possible this season and with Sanchez and Gana holding, I think we can be solid enough to let those three support a central striker, whether that is Gestede or Ayew (or even Adebayor after his release today).

[jonno_2004]

Still of the opinion that 3-5-2 doesn't work consistently in the prem. If it surprises a few teams and enables us to win a few games I'm all for it though. If we're going to insist on playing Bacuna then the further he is away from the defensive line the better.

[VillaJ100]

In                Guzan

   Richards lescott Clark

Bacuna                         amavi 

         Gueye / sanchez 

Traore.                 Grealish/sinclair?

        Veretout/grealish?       

   Sinclair/Ayew/gestede 

            

Gil and Gabby been shot then?

 

 

Ah yes Gil I would put on the right optional with Traore. Gabby I wouldn't let near the first team at all if it was possible

[avfc_in_essex]

Never been a fan of 3-5-2. Our most influential attacking players are Grealish, Gil and potentially Traore and we would struggle to accommodate more than one of these in this formation.  Feel far more comfortable with a back 4. I think we should start with a 4-2-3-1 like we did today and then revert to a 4-3-3/4-5-1 when protecting a lead, like we should have done today!!