You've had a player sent off... - 4-4-1, 4-3-2, 3-3-3?
Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:32 pmThis is something I've been wondering since the Manure game. We went 4-4-1, with Gerrard dropping back into midfield. That weekend, or the weekend before, I watched when Blackburn won 3-1 (against Bolton, if I remember correctly) with ten men playing 4-3-2.
Now I'm not going to suggest that playing with 10 men against Manure is the same as against Bolton, but it seems to me that keeping 2 men up front makes sense. A lone target man tends to get isolated, especially as opposition fullbacks who have little defending to do can really get forward and keep your midfield busy defending. Keeping 2 players up top means that there is more chance of the long hopeful clearances actually getting to one of your players, and provides more options when you do have the ball and are looking to create something on the counter. I wonder if having that extra outlet actually makes the midfielders' job easier - despite being outmanned in the middle of the park.
So what would you do and why?
Now I'm not going to suggest that playing with 10 men against Manure is the same as against Bolton, but it seems to me that keeping 2 men up front makes sense. A lone target man tends to get isolated, especially as opposition fullbacks who have little defending to do can really get forward and keep your midfield busy defending. Keeping 2 players up top means that there is more chance of the long hopeful clearances actually getting to one of your players, and provides more options when you do have the ball and are looking to create something on the counter. I wonder if having that extra outlet actually makes the midfielders' job easier - despite being outmanned in the middle of the park.
So what would you do and why?
cheater