It annoys me when people equate

4-4-2 with being positive and 4-5-1 or 4-2-3-1 with being negative. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the team or the formation we played yesterday. Had we gone 4-4-2 from the start we would have been completely bossed possession wise so playing Wes off Holt made sense.

However where there is in my view a problem at times with Hoots 4-2-3-1 is that away from home it all to often becomes 4-5-1 or even 6-3-1 because everyone sits too deep and invites the opposition onto it. When we beat United and Arsenal at home we got the balance right, pressed higher up the pitch and the full backs and wingers posed a threat. Yesterday and at Liverpool we didn't do that (aside from 10 minutes after half time) and when we play so deep defeat becomes inevitable, particularly as we still dont have any really quick players to enable us to play on the break.

4-2-3-1 is not a negative formation. However our application of it in certain away games is negative.

Posted By: Jim, Mar 3, 14:13:03