Tom Cairney

[Craven Mad]

I'm thinking we are looking more at 451/433/4231 all about getting three in the middle.

But then how do we get the gruesome twosome of Smith and McCormack up top together? Unless Ross plays #10 in the 4231, I can't see it

I think the idea would be to oust Smith and play Ross up top alone (maybe with Pringle/Pat as wide support), which wouldn't be impossible to imagine; Kit only seemed to include Matt as a last resort.

[Rhys Lightning 63]

I'm thinking we are looking more at 451/433/4231 all about getting three in the middle.

But then how do we get the gruesome twosome of Smith and McCormack up top together? Unless Ross plays #10 in the 4231, I can't see it

I think the idea would be to oust Smith and play Ross up top alone (maybe with Pringle/Pat as wide support), which wouldn't be impossible to imagine; Kit only seemed to include Matt as a last resort.

I think Smith did enough when he came back last season to be in with a hell of a shout of starting

[Craven Mad]

I'm thinking we are looking more at 451/433/4231 all about getting three in the middle.

But then how do we get the gruesome twosome of Smith and McCormack up top together? Unless Ross plays #10 in the 4231, I can't see it

I think the idea would be to oust Smith and play Ross up top alone (maybe with Pringle/Pat as wide support), which wouldn't be impossible to imagine; Kit only seemed to include Matt as a last resort.

I think Smith did enough when he came back last season to be in with a hell of a shout of starting

I agree.

But he's a marmite player; I like him because he scores, others don't like him because his style of play isn't the prettiest.

I don't think Kit's a big fan though (Matt was only given the odd chance despite scoring buckets of goals and Kit's a fan of attractive football [even if he's been useless at implementing it]). I reckon he'd drop Matt in favour of a formation to accommodate ball-playing midfielders.

Just an opinion though..

[Rhys Lightning 63]

I'm thinking we are looking more at 451/433/4231 all about getting three in the middle.

But then how do we get the gruesome twosome of Smith and McCormack up top together? Unless Ross plays #10 in the 4231, I can't see it

I think the idea would be to oust Smith and play Ross up top alone (maybe with Pringle/Pat as wide support), which wouldn't be impossible to imagine; Kit only seemed to include Matt as a last resort.

I think Smith did enough when he came back last season to be in with a hell of a shout of starting

I agree.

But he's a marmite player; I like him because he scores, others don't like him because his style of play isn't the prettiest.

I don't think Kit's a big fan though (Matt was only given the odd chance despite scoring buckets of goals and Kit's a fan of attractive football [even if he's been useless at implementing it]). I reckon he'd drop Matt in favour of a formation to accommodate ball-playing midfielders.

Just an opinion though..

And I can see your opinion (mainly because I like him too). I just think that if we go 433 or something with Ross as the main man, it would render some people surplus to requirement.

[PaulJ123]

433 surely

Parker/Hyndman
LVC Cairney
Kaca Mccormack Pringle

Smith as a plan B

[McBride78]

Any formation and combination of signings that allows Ross to focus on finishing versus have to create and finish is a win and will strengthen us. 

[hopper]

433 surely

Parker/Hyndman
LVC Cairney
Kaca Mccormack Pringle

Smith as a plan B

Nice team - but please no Kaca, has no courage or killer instinct.

[hovewhite]

We need ross in and around there box as our stand out threat .

[Wearethewhites]

Slightly worried that we're buying players who have a history of not being able to tackle. We need to defend from the front as a team, not just the back, and would like to see another Etuhu holding type player come in.

[YankeeJim]

I'm thinking we are looking more at 451/433/4231 all about getting three in the middle.

Man! That's a lot of players on the pitch at once.

[shnlwswlkr]

We need ross in and around there box as our stand out threat .

Just imagine a Ross who get's to be on the end of things and not put so much effort into creating things, just imagine!!!

[bill taylors apprentice]

You can pick whatever combination you like but it will never lead to a successful team until we get someone in the middle who is strong, athletic, intelligent and can protect the area in front of the back four.

And don't say Parker because he's not up to it.

[FPT]

I'm not convinced by Ross as a lone striker, I think he has too much of a tendency to be involved with play - and to be honest, that's how I prefer him. I like him getting a lot of touches of the ball, I like him being the link between midfield and attack, I like him finding his own space and I like him not having the entire burden of scoring goals.

I spoke earlier (you'll probably find it somewhere on the this post or the Silly Season thread) about how I personally see Tom Cairney best suited to a wide right role, almost a false winger where he can drift in, allowing us a 442.

3142? With three centre backs, two wide men, a "holding midfielder" with Christensen and Cairney ahead, Ross and another up top.

--------------Bettinelli
-----Grimmer Burn Amorebieta
---------------Parker--------------
Richards----LVC---Cairney---Pringle
--------McCormack---Smith-----------

Just spitballing of course. I don't know how we're looking to build, who and what goes where and how, we'll learn more over pre-season, of course, but at least we're getting pieces of the puzzle together - it's Kit and Mike Rigg who'll know how it all slots together.

[God The Mechanic]

I think a 4-5-1 with a holding player, two roaming/support midfielders and two dynamic wide men would suit Ross up front on his "own".  As long as there's an element of fluidity and support from the wide players allowing Ross to drift/drop off, and the dynamic off the ball movement of LVC supporting him through the middle we should do well.

It would be a formation incredibly dependent on movement, but from the attacking players we've signed it appears as though this is something we're heading towards.  It's also incredibly dependent on a disciplined holding player which we do not have as yet.

[MJG]

Frankie we will have to agree to disagree on McCormack. I want him up top right where the centre backs are, if I see him pick the ball up again off any of our CB's next season all hope is lost.

[westcliff white]

for me we will get murdered if we play 3 at the back, it wont matter how many we put in front we will be shipping them like the titanic did water thats even if we do get reinforcements there which as yet we hav enot even been rumoured to be doing.

I wuld go with a 4-2-3-1 with Ross up front doing what we bought him to do

[3rd attempt to register!]

I don't think Ross has ever played anywhere as the 'one up front' not at Cardiff or Leeds for sure. I know you, MJG and Kit Symons have a dislike of Matt Smith but for me the two of them working in tandem, with a decent supply are our greatest hope of success. Agree with MJG about Ross dropping deep for the ball, bloody infuriating that and a waste of talent.

[ToodlesMcToot]

I don't think Ross has ever played anywhere as the 'one up front' not at Cardiff or Leeds for sure. I know you, MJG and Kit Symons have a dislike of Matt Smith but for me the two of them working in tandem, with a decent supply are our greatest hope of success. Agree with MJG about Ross dropping deep for the ball, bloody infuriating that and a waste of talent.

Bloody wast of time too. We need to be far more pro-active going forward than that would allow.

[MJG]

I don't think Ross has ever played anywhere as the 'one up front' not at Cardiff or Leeds for sure. I know you, MJG and Kit Symons have a dislike of Matt Smith but for me the two of them working in tandem, with a decent supply are our greatest hope of success. Agree with MJG about Ross dropping deep for the ball, bloody infuriating that and a waste of talent.

I think that's a little unfair on me,  I've not picked Woodrow, Dembèlè or Taggart and I like all three.
My point was that it looks like they could down that route and was not aimed at just not playing Smith.

[Fulham Tup North]

3-5-2.... Mark my words!  ;)