08/09 team I can remember was along the lines of McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac; Davis, Mendes, Ferguson, Lafferty; Boyd, Miller
Subs: Alexander, Wilson, Edu, McCulloch, Fleck, Naismith, Novo
08/09 team I can remember was along the lines of McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac; Davis, Mendes, Ferguson, Lafferty; Boyd, Miller
Subs: Alexander, Wilson, Edu, McCulloch, Fleck, Naismith, Novo
08/09 team I can remember was along the lines of McGregor; Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac; Davis, Mendes, Ferguson, Lafferty; Boyd, Miller
Subs: Alexander, Wilson, Edu, McCulloch, Fleck, Naismith, Novo
In my opinion his best team out his second spell as manager. He did have Cuellar in 07/08 and Jelavic in 10/11.
Lafferty was on the wing?
I can’t mind that.
Mendes, Ferguson and Davis. There's the difference between then and now. What a midfield.
My memory is that Ferguson and Mendes never worked well together.
Either played next to Thomson or Edu seemed to make us a better team.
Willing to accept I could be misremembering that.
Lafferty was on the wing?
I can’t mind that.
Lucky you.
Tbh looking back at those times whilst we had some players of the quality we don't have now (Pedro Mendes, younger Steve Davis, Bougherra, Jelavic, etc) we had some average players as well which is why I don't always agree with the narrative you see on here that we can't win the league with some of our current players.
We won 3 leagues with Whittaker and Broadfoot playing RB. You're not telling me Tav isn't a better RB than them. I'd take Glen Kamara/Ryan Jack/Scott Arfield, etc over Mo Edu. I'd rather Ryan Kent than most of the guys we played wide left back then. I'd take Morelos over most of our strikers from that time period as well.
Nah I think that's correct.
I'm sure when we signed Mendes, Ferguson was injured until about October ish and then Ferguson got dropped around April time after Boozegate before he was sold that summer - so Mendes-Ferguson probably only played together for a short 4 or 5 month period
Mendes, Ferguson and Davis. There's the difference between then and now. What a midfield.
McCulloch was the regular wide left rather than Lafferty.
In really miss the formation. Was very effective at home against every diddy team.
I remember for the run in to winning the league at Kilmarnock we played this 4-4-2 and I always thought it was effective:
McGregor
Whittaker---Bougherra--Weir--Papac
Naismith--Davis--Edu--Wylde
Jelavic--Lafferty
Whittaker, Naismith, Davis, Lafferty, Jelavic and to a (much) lesser extent Wylde were all effective attackers.
That’s the difference.
Not every week but he did do it.Remember Walter was a man who put Duncan Ferguson wide left as wellLafferty was on the wing?
I can’t mind that.
Not every week but he did do it.Remember Walter was a man who put Duncan Ferguson wide left as well
I prefer pace out wide,which is strange because my favourite ever player is Davie Cooper and he was slower than a week of back shifts.I don’t mind the idea of putting a different type of player out wide rather than two out and out wingers.
For example, I might try Arfield out on the right and let him come in more central if needed with Kent out in a traditional wide position. Like a lop sided 4-4-2
Lafferty was on the wing?
I can’t mind that.
With Thomson there to do the dirty workMendes, Ferguson and Davis. There's the difference between then and now. What a midfield.
We always played 3 centre mids in our midfield 4 and 3 centre halves in the back 4.
Papac would play left back and hardly get forward but we would have an attacking player in front of him.
Davis would generally play on the right but tuck in and play narrow, leaving Whittaker to provide the width on the right as an attacking fullback.
It's not rocket science. Scotland is a horrible wee country and its extremely physical.
I feel Gerrard is likely sticking rigidly to the 443 as Beale is one of these modern hipster type coaches who believes the only formation in the world you can play is a 433. This whole generation of coaches has grown and being influenced by Pep Guardiola but Pep is a genius. Not every coach in the world can get his team playing the perfect, fluid 433 that Pep does.
We always played 3 centre mids in our midfield 4 and 3 centre halves in the back 4.
Papac would play left back and hardly get forward but we would have an attacking player in front of him.
Davis would generally play on the right but tuck in and play narrow, leaving Whittaker to provide the width on the right as an attacking fullback.
It's not rocket science. Scotland is a horrible wee country and its extremely physical.
I feel Gerrard is likely sticking rigidly to the 443 as Beale is one of these modern hipster type coaches who believes the only formation in the world you can play is a 433. This whole generation of coaches has grown and being influenced by Pep Guardiola but Pep is a genius. Not every coach in the world can get his team playing the perfect, fluid 433 that Pep does.
That 4-4-2 was the most successful formation I think I've ever seen to handle Scottish football. It was narrow, lacked serious width at times (which was a common football phone-in topic when we drew a game), but it was very successful. Meanwhile, for the last few years we've persisted with wide teams that stretch the play, which puts too much emphasis on our centre mids to do it all themselves.
The wide right midfielder (Davis then Naismith) who tucked in to create space for the attacking fullback (Whittaker) was the best way to handle having a wingback. Davis won player of the year from there, and then Naismith did the year after. The weakest part was always finding a left winger (And Walter wanted a proper winger) who fit the system, I remember we used to change that position every week while the rest of the team stayed the same.
Would love to see us try that with our current squad. I think Arfield could play the wide midfielder role if Davis doesn't have the same energy, which would also give Tav the protection he needs.