Formation for next season

[Toby Ward-Smith]

What formation do you think we will start with at Ipswich next season on the opening day? Watching the World Cup the most effective seems to be 3-5-2 which I could see working  with our current squad and a few additions:
GK Stockdale
CB Hutchinson, Burn, Amorebieta
RB Hoogland/ Dejagah
LB Richardson
CM New signing/ Dejagah, Parker, David
ST Woodrow/ Taggart, New signing (McCormack?)/ Rodallega

With the pace of Richardson and maybe Dejagah at wing backs they would be a threat with Parker holding.
The top two would be able to work together and Woodrow can easily hold the ball up.
The centre backs would give us defensive solidty and David can create plenty of chances for Rodallega or a new striker.

But what do u think the line up and formation should be come the opening day at Ipswich?

[cmg]

I'm the old fashioned type.
Always thought it best to see what players you've got before you decide what to do with them.

Talk about out of touch, huh?

[jmh]

I agree with cmg that it's probably too soon to say, but I have to say I like the idea of Richardson as a wing back in a back five (the distinction between 3-5-2 and 5-3-2 being a fairly fluid one) better than as a left back in a back four. 

[Craven Mad]

My prediction would be a 4-1-3-2.

[FPT]

I brought up the argument of Fulham using wing backs in early January; a 3-4-3 at the time with Riether and Richardson as the wing backs, but the three up top meant that we could still utilise Dejagah and Kacaniklic as support for Berbatov.

I do believe that Josh Passley is our best option (currently) if we were going to go with wing backs. His pace and energy would be very effective.

What I also love about the 3-5-2 is that you can play two up front without being outnumbered in the middle, and if your wing backs are good, the risks of being "out numbered" on the flanks is reduced. I also believe that this formation can accentuate the positives and hide the weaknesses of certain players.

I'm yet to see Shaun Hutchinson in action, but I think Fernando Amorebieta would be a wonderful left sided centre back; however, I would like more pace in the centre back areas, just in case they are left one on one with a nippy winger.

----------------------Stockdale
-----Hutchinson---------Burn---------------Amorebieta
Passley----------Parker---------David--------------Richardson
-----------------------Roberts
---------------Woodrow--------McCormack

Just a mock lay out, obviously we aren't finished in the transfer window and haven't signed McCormack (it's looking likely though).

[God The Mechanic]

Whichever formation best suits the players we have at the time.  We've spent the last two/three years having a bunch of players with no sensible formation with the players that we had in mind, looking forward to that not being the case.

[JackyFulham90]

I think we will be either 3-5-2 or 4-4-2

[RidgeRider]

I'm hoping one of our German posters (or anyone else), who knows Magath's tendencies from his time in the Bundesliga, would chime in here to let us know if Magath had a tendency to prefer a specific configuration when he was building his own team or did he set up based on the players he had?

[love4ffc]

My prediction would be a 4-1-3-2.

I like this formation but also like 4-2-3-1 which utilizes both attacking outside defenders and attacking holding midfielders.  Best attack comes from a good defense. 

On the flip side if you are going to use this formation you better also know how to beat this formation. 

[Big Martin Jol]

1-1-8.

Go hard or go home.

[MJG]

the majority of Championship sides last season played formations where two strikers played. abot a third of all games had 2 up front.
Compared to the Premier league where teams tended to have just 1 up top.

As long as we play 2 proper strikers (no AM behind a striker) I'll be happy and would like 3-5-2 to make a come back.

[AnotherVicHalomLoveChild]

1-1-8.

Go hard or go home.

Very dry, like it!

[Northern Cottager]

We have a friendly in less than a week and about 8 players, where will all these players come from?!?!

[MJG]

We have a friendly in less than a week and about 8 players, where will all these players come from?!?!

I know its a joke but if you actually look at the squad list we have a good number of player. Not saying they are the right players, but we have a lot.

[cmg]

The current WC will, obviously, make wing backs the flavour of the month. Doubtless some will try it out without the resources.
As it happens, as FPT says, we have in Passley, Kavanagh/Richards ideal wing-back types. Whether they would be good enough for first team use is another matter.

[Jimpav]

1-1-8.

Go hard or go home.

Or we could do a Chelski and play

8 - 1 - 1

[jmh]

I'm hoping one of our German posters (or anyone else), who knows Magath's tendencies from his time in the Bundesliga, would chime in here to let us know if Magath had a tendency to prefer a specific configuration when he was building his own team or did he set up based on the players he had?

I'm not personally familiar with his tendencies from in the Bundesliga, but I find football-lineups.com to be a great tool for this sort of research.  From what I can tell, it seems to vary pretty significantly from year to year and within the course of a given year. 

[love4ffc]

If we are smart we should be able to change formations on the fly depending on the situation, tactics needed and team we are playing.  This way we can change from 8-1-1 to a 1-1-8 on the fly.  That way we can really confuse everyone.   1500.gif