Ph Is The Courier

[Wattie Rojas]

Suggesting we'll be sticking with 3-5-2 formation employed vs Celtic. 

Its not my favourite formation however for the personnel we have it's probably the best one. At least it gives us 2 up top.

[Wattie Rojas]

He mentions it simplifies things for the players which is possibly an admission that the weird 4-1-4-1 or the narrow diamond formations weren't working out.

[offshoredee]

I'm just pleased we're sticking with a settled formation going forward, just need a settled team now....

 

[WoodStein]

Having used the 3-5-2 for a lot of the 2nd half of last season, I was surprised when Hartley announced at the start of this season that he was returning to a back 4, which had varying formations in front.

I'd expected him to base the back 3 on the seemingly solid combination of Gomis + O'Dea, with either Gadz or Julen as 3rd man, and pushing both full-backs forward a bit. Saturday, though, appeared to have Holt as part of the back 3, with Williams in the left wing-back role. I appreciate Hartley needs to be able to vary the personnel a bit, to cover for injuries, suspensions, and form, but to me Kerr & Holt are our best first-choice options for those wing-back roles....they are the best defenders from the wing-back options, and both seem fit/fast enough to vary their position quickly to convert to attack. 

If he can get this half of the team working well, defending solidly & able to provide attacking width in support of midfield/strikers, Hartley may have the solution to our well-known weakness in holiding onto a narrow lead. I'd still like to see an additional full-back option added to the squad, given that these positions are 50% of the team.  

It's the other half, though, that I think presents the manager with his biggest challenges.

There are plenty of options (too many?) for the 3 central midfielders, depending on the opposition, but I still have some concerns about our tackling abilities in this area. I'm hoping Hateley will be able to provide this, and the longer passing option that we often miss.  

The front 2 is perhaps Hartley's biggest challenge at the moment. Jordi is the closest we have to a 'target' striker, but it seems a bit unfair to be pushing him into this so soon, given Hartley's initial 'one for the future' assessment. However, in the absence of a new signing (until January, it seems), we're going to have to 'make do' with who we have & hope they adapt....quickly!

 

[an-dee]

I think the 3-5-2 definitely suits our players better. Can get two up top and even a number 10 in behind against teams who might sit in and make it difficult for us. 

Edited 3 October 2016 by an-dee

[Dondeh]

After almost 90 games in the SPL, why are we still chopping and chaging formations?.

[Edin_Dee]

Agree that the 5-3-2 seems like its best suited for our squad. Think we have now found our best defence and should stick with it.

I'm really not sure what our best midfield is and I'm not sure Hartley does either. Too many players available in that position but nobody except O'Hara standing out.

El Back and Yordi look our best options upfront at the moment. Neither are scoring but both look determined to do well. Wighton and Loy have appeared to be going through the motions a bit in recent games.

 

[BCram]

3 minutes ago, Dondeh said:

After almost 90 games in the SPL, why are we still chopping and chaging formations?.

Good question Dondeh. My answer is that the defence didn't really do well when they initially tried a back 3 and there wasn't the personnel around. You then spend time trying to play a different system and then there's another change in personnel, brought about by the moving on of KT, the injury to McPake and the signing of O'Dea. Another change of personnel and McGinn, Hemmings Stewart and Harkins leave so there's a different formation used.

It looks to me as though PH has signed players who he thinks have talent, and then tries to arrange the team to make the most of that talent. It isn't an exact science and I'm hopeful that picking a formation and then finding players to play in that formation might bring us better results, if only because the players know exactly how and where they should play in either attack or defence.

[BCram]

3 minutes ago, Edin_Dee said:

Agree that the 5-3-2 seems like its best suited for our squad. Think we have now found our best defence and should stick with it.

I'm really not sure what our best midfield is and I'm not sure Hartley does either. Too many players available in that position but nobody except O'Hara standing out.

El Back and Yordi look our best options upfront at the moment. Neither are scoring but both look determined to do well. Wighton and Loy have appeared to be going through the motions a bit in recent games.

 

2

Seems to me they are coming on when the other two have not managed to make anything of their opportunities. All we are looking for is a pair, now. It must have been really depressing thinking that only one up top was going to be needed. I'd hope that if Loy and Wighton are to be the impact players and come on as subbies they would realise that they need to play for each other. They do have a chance to start games but the only way they force their way into the team is by delivering goals and playing as a pair.

[DeeMo]

1 hour ago, Wattie Rojas said:

Suggesting we'll be sticking with 3-5-2 formation employed vs Celtic. 

Its not my favourite formation however for the personnel we have it's probably the best one. At least it gives us 2 up top.

Love the title of your thread Wattie   Made me smile 

On the formation I agree with you that it's not my favourite but having 2 up top is so much better than 1 striker issolated 

[Dondeh]

7 minutes ago, BCram said:

Good question Dondeh. My answer is that the defence didn't really do well when they initially tried a back 3 and there wasn't the personnel around. You then spend time trying to play a different system and then there's another change in personnel, brought about by the moving on of KT, the injury to McPake and the signing of O'Dea. Another change of personnel and McGinn, Hemmings Stewart and Harkins leave so there's a different formation used.

It looks to me as though PH has signed players who he thinks have talent, and then tries to arrange the team to make the most of that talent. It isn't an exact science and I'm hopeful that picking a formation and then finding players to play in that formation might bring us better results, if only because the players know exactly how and where they should play in either attack or defence.

I realise that. We have the double whammy of a large turover in players AND the continual changes in formations. No wonder we lack  consistency of performance.

[eyeothedug]

19 minutes ago, Edin_Dee said:

Agree that the 5-3-2 seems like its best suited for our squad. Think we have now found our best defence and should stick with it.

I'm really not sure what our best midfield is and I'm not sure Hartley does either. Too many players available in that position but nobody except O'Hara standing out.

El Back and Yordi look our best options upfront at the moment. Neither are scoring but both look determined to do well. Wighton and Loy have appeared to be going through the motions a bit in recent games.

 

Yes I think 5 3 2 in defence moving to 3 4 1 2 in attack is our best formation. No 10 in behind and 2 up front. Even releases a defender like O'Dea or Gomis to burst forward and at corners too. Leaves 2 at the back.

We should try this for a while and see if it works out.

I think Wighton, Gowser and Ross should be the mids with Hately and O'Hara on back up. Don't think O'Hara is shining, as yet, in that position.