Harry planning on playing 3 CB's this season

[Rangers77]

He has mentioned Ned. And Clint. And Caulker. And said "I'm looking to play three at the back this season".

[maidstone_hoop]

He has mentioned Ned. And Clint. And Caulker. And said "I'm looking to play three at the back this season".

My bad mate I just listened to the link and your spot on he did mention Ned. I had just qouted the points SSN has printed.

[Joe90]

Is Remy definitely coming back or will we be playing Zamora up front with Austin in this 3-5-2 formation? We seem solid at the back, my main worry is our midfield. Anyone else agree?

[Daz909]

Definitely need a more creative midfielder especially if Tarabt not in Harrys plans.

[hh9]

He could go for experience with Ferdinand, Hill and Dunne - Onuoha and Caulker could learn from them

[westsussexranger]

Wigan did this the season before we both went down and I remember it being very effective even against the bigger teams. Gave the centre forwards no space no the box. Would also work with the likes of Rio, Clint and Dunne because their lack of pace wouldn't be a problem as much

[Nick]

He could go for experience with Ferdinand, Hill and Dunne - Onuoha and Caulker could learn from them

Really really really hope not! You can only learn so much from the bench.... also those 3 as much as they are good, they're not fast enough for the prem. IMO we need younger player's to almost cover what these players can't do any more.

[Geng]

Hmm. I'm all for trying new formations but this feels like chasing after a trend rather than the best solution for our squad. In theory it might work, but I'm not sure Harry's coaching is good enough to pull it off.

Last season we were regularly set up very badly, without our players really seeming to have much of a plan.

So I'm a bit suspicious of the idea we'll suddenly be able to pull off a 352 in a higher league, when hardly any of our players have played the system before. Ferdinand, for instance, won't have played in a back three since Leeds 12 years ago. Same sort of thing for Dunne. I doubt Hill has ever played in one regularly, same for Onuoha.

Rogers and Martinez can pull it off but then their teams seem far better coached and organised than our lot last year.

[nasser95]

Hmm. I'm all for trying new formations but this feels like chasing after a trend rather than the best solution for our squad. In theory it might work, but I'm not sure Harry's coaching is good enough to pull it off.

Last season we were regularly set up very badly, without our players really seeming to have much of a plan.

So I'm a bit suspicious of the idea we'll suddenly be able to pull off a 352 in a higher league, when hardly any of our players have played the system before. Ferdinand, for instance, won't have played in a back three since Leeds 12 years ago. Same sort of thing for Dunne. I doubt Hill has ever played in one regularly, same for Onuoha.

Rogers and Martinez can pull it off but then their teams seem far better coached and organised than our lot last year.

That is why we have all of pre season to work on it I think. He wants to make it clear to new signings that we will be playing that formation and that is how they should adapt. looking at potential right wing backs, some are saying Simpson isn't good enough offensively or physically. Remember he has been training before anyone else so I reckon he would most likely be doing so in the knowledge that 3 atb could be played and he would need to work on stamina and attacking. Also, I think it could be interesting to try playing with 3 offensive players against weak opposition (At least towards the end of the season) where we have 1 out and out striker and two wingers playing the inside forward role. Something like this:

Phillips/Hoilett - Austin - Remy

with cm's and wing backs just behind them and our 3 cb's with one pushing up at times to close the gap in centre mid. As I said though, we should really only go this attacking when either we have confirmed survival or perhaps late on in matches that we are losing.

[Johnnykc]

That is why we have all of pre season to work on it I think. He wants to make it clear to new signings that we will be playing that formation and that is how they should adapt. looking at potential right wing backs, some are saying Simpson isn't good enough offensively or physically. Remember he has been training before anyone else so I reckon he would most likely be doing so in the knowledge that 3 atb could be played and he would need to work on stamina and attacking. Also, I think it could be interesting to try playing with 3 offensive players against weak opposition (At least towards the end of the season) where we have 1 out and out striker and two wingers playing the inside forward role. Something like this:

Phillips/Hoilett - Austin - Remy

with cm's and wing backs just behind them and our 3 cb's with one pushing up at times to close the gap in centre mid. As I said though, we should really only go this attacking when either we have confirmed survival or perhaps late on in matches that we are losing.

So.....play it all season then......

[Nick]

Just to add to an earlier debate about playing Hill, Dunne and Rio at the back... the most important part of a team IMO is the defence and if possible should not be swapped around. The players need an understanding of each other and need to be settled... its only going to be a matter of time before 1 or 2 (or even all 3) of these 3 players pick up an injury if they are to be starters for the whole season. And then that means swapping/rotating the defence... IMO we need to pick a defence that should last the whole season and a defence that is consistent together. That's why 3 at the back wont work.... if we play 4 at the back- Simpson... Ned... Rio... Yun, that would be a more a consistent defence that has realistic chance of lasting the season... Where Rio is playing we could swap between Hill and Dunne just to rest legs but at least with Simpson, Ned and Yun we have the stability of youth.

[stainrodisalegend]

He made specific reference to just our LB's, highlighting their attacking qualities. So it could be that he has a similar RB target in mind.

thanks for putting me right stanley, would make sense.

[Shepherds Mush]

How anyone can envisage a back 3 of Rio/Dunne/Hill in the PL is beyond me....defensive suicide. You need at least one pacy CB to play 3 at the back.

[stainrodisalegend]

Was against three at the back as most coaches seem to regard it as old fashioned when defences face modern attacks with deeper lying, tricky number 10s rather than two hulking centre forwards. However, am coming round to the idea as long as its not every game. Think we have to be prepared for an ugly season. This season is all about ending up with better goal difference than the team third from bottom. Teams that go down tend to lose a few matches seven and even eight nil and this knocks the stuffing out of them. A point, even at home, can be a really good result for a club like ours in the Prem so could be a lot of backs to the wall stuff.

[Shania]

We were linked to a RB of the name Aurier a few weeks back. He is quite attackminded. It could be that are still interested in him? Not the cheapest of options, but anyway..he should play well in this kind of system. From the Ivory Coast and Young. Currently at Toulouse.