Our 4-3-1-2 Formation From Sunday

Drumchapel-Bear

Well-Known Member
Not something that has been discussed much as far as I can tell.

It was great to see a slight alteration to our usual shape for the game last Sunday. Roofe and Morelos dovetailed superbly together and Kent was unplayable playing in the more central position, almost in a free role.

This is something I would like to see more often going forward, especially in run of the mill SPFL games. It gives teams something different to think about as all the teams know how we generally shape up and play every week now in our usual 4-3-2-1 shape.

Another sign that Gerrard continues to evolve and improve as a manager as one (legitimate) criticism he has faced at times is his lack of flexibility in shape/tactics.
 
Worked very well, as did the 4-1-2-1-2 formation we adopted against Slavia over there, he’s learning and its excellent to see.

Front three (if you will) were excellent on Sunday and if I’m being honest, think that’s the system that’s suited Roofe the best.

Also it’s one of the first times Alfie has looked comfortable with a partner, definitely a system we can use in places going forward.

Sakala will slot into that, or our usual formation very well when required too.
 
I agree m
Not something that has been discussed much as far as I can tell.

It was great to see a slight alteration to our usual shape for the game last Sunday. Roofe and Morelos dovetailed superbly together and Kent was unplayable playing in the more central position, almost in a free role.

This is something I would like to see more often going forward, especially in run of the mill SPFL games. It gives teams something different to think about as all the teams know how we generally shape up and play every week now in our usual 4-3-2-1 shape.

Another sign that Gerrard continues to evolve and improve as a manager as one (legitimate) criticism he has faced at times is his lack of flexibility in shape/tac
Not something that has been discussed much as far as I can tell.

It was great to see a slight alteration to our usual shape for the game last Sunday. Roofe and Morelos dovetailed superbly together and Kent was unplayable playing in the more central position, almost in a free role.

This is something I would like to see more often going forward, especially in run of the mill SPFL games. It gives teams something different to think about as all the teams know how we generally shape up and play every week now in our usual 4-3-2-1 shape.

Another sign that Gerrard continues to evolve and improve as a manager as one (legitimate) criticism he has faced at times is his lack of flexibility in shape/tactics.
i agree mate, teams this season sussed out how we play in the 433, down the wing overlapping fullbacks and get the cross in, changing to the 4312 let’s us be more direct and still have the width from the full backs, Kent flourished in the 10 role if he’s injured having is perfect for it too with his lack of pace he doesn’t need it being central so far up the park, hope to see it more they were not expecting it either
 
Agreed OP, whatever the results in the previous 3 matches vs the mhanks, we had gave them too much possession in the midfield and the tweaks were perfect!
 
Worked very well, as did the 4-1-2-1-2 formation we adopted against Slavia over there, he’s learning and its excellent to see.

Front three (if you will) were excellent on Sunday and if I’m being honest, think that’s the system that’s suited Roofe the best.

Also it’s one of the first times Alfie has looked comfortable with a partner, definitely a system we can use in places going forward.

Sakala will slot into that, or our usual formation very well when required too.
Agreed mate they didn’t expect it, haha would do brilliant in the 10 role aswell either as a sub for Kent or if he’s injured, hagi lacks pace so being so central and far up the pitch being it’s him also being 2 footed is a big problem for defenders

teams sussed us out constantly using the 433 they knew to push us wide and let us cross it if they could defend well and pack the middle, the 4312 let’s us be more direct and can still widen the park with full backs
 
Does that mean we pretty much played with a super duper diamond in the middle, as invented for the first time in football history by rasellik?

Where's the media wankfest?
Fortunately a better diamond than the one we played at Rugby Park a couple of years ago.
 
It took us a bit to work it out. When the game started it was like a front three, but soon you could see that we had 2 up top with Kent behind.

It worked really well for us, but that is because we had 3 players that are intelligent and can play across the park. I believe Morelos is one of the hardest players to play against already, then we add roofe to that up front! B-D

Id like us to play that more often, their isnt the greatest, but Its probably the best of the rest. Make the other teams work for.
 
It took us a bit to work it out. When the game started it was like a front three, but soon you could see that we had 2 up top with Kent behind.

It worked really well for us, but that is because we had 3 players that are intelligent and can play across the park. I believe Morelos is one of the hardest players to play against already, then we add roofe to that up front! B-D

Id like us to play that more often, their isnt the greatest, but Its probably the best of the rest. Make the other teams work for.

I totally agree with this. If we make a couple of upgrades in the summer and have players and management who continue to learn, we could dominate for years.
 
We used this in Europe as well. If we have a strong base and spine, then it's great to see we can tweak the trigger points and change it up. Sakala plays in a front 2 as well.
 
Agreed. I love the Alfie plus two number tens that we usually play, but in games where it's taken us a while to break teams down I've felt we could use two traditional strikers right up top. Definitely want to see that formation more next season, whether it"s Alfie and Roofe or a different combination.
 
Just a variation on our normal 4-3-3. Rudy Guillermo does a really good talk on playing point forward or point back on 4-3-3.

Good to see manager is flexible in approach.
 
Alfie and Roofe looked great on Sunday. Worth also noting that Itten played almost all his games in Switzerland as a partnership up front, and Fashion has been similar in Belgium.
 
The team looked pretty comfortable in that formation. May have been done to who was available and who we were playing but I like the fact that SG can mix things up. Morelos and Kent just work, and is good to see Roofe partnering well with those two which has not always been the case. Seemed to suit Aribo as well but there was a heavy reliance on Davis. Again, not a full squad to choose from so especially impressive.
 
It was the movement that pleased me the most, Alfie and Roofe pulled them all over the place allowing Kent time and space to rip them to bits
Aye absolutely! All 3 were popping up in all different areas of the park. It was brilliant to watch!
 
Not something that has been discussed much as far as I can tell.

It was great to see a slight alteration to our usual shape for the game last Sunday. Roofe and Morelos dovetailed superbly together and Kent was unplayable playing in the more central position, almost in a free role.

This is something I would like to see more often going forward, especially in run of the mill SPFL games. It gives teams something different to think about as all the teams know how we generally shape up and play every week now in our usual 4-3-2-1 shape.

Another sign that Gerrard continues to evolve and improve as a manager as one (legitimate) criticism he has faced at times is his lack of flexibility in shape/tactics.
I'll open up by saying I largely agree regarding the shape, it worked really well and there is definitely promise there, all 3 were superb.

That "legitimate" criticism claim is absolutely nonsense though.

Just because he has a strong and clear tactical base to work from, doesn't mean he lacks flexibility.
In fact, I would say it's a tremendous strength. I'll go as far as saying that our success is in a very very large part down to the consistency of our approach and every player knowing their job which can ONLY come from the consistency that Gerrard has.

Also, there are multiple instances of Gerrard making tweaks to the system to help us win.
He tweaks how the front 3 operate quite often and sometimes how the midfield operates.
His preference is absolutely a back 4 with attacking fulls backs, but has on occasion asked one of the full backs to be more reserved.

Having absolute none of that comment tbh. It's one of the biggest reasons we are successful, not a criticism.
 
In the days leading up to the game - there was at least one thread discussing / suggesting- SG should throw them a curve

I think most posts suggested playing SW would give them something unexpected - but this tweak on our formation worked a treat IMO

I reckon it was overdue as well - because IMO we've been a bit predictable / stale lately

I personally think if we'd lined up & played like that against St.J - they wouldn't have been able to deal with it

Anyway - like I said - this worked a treat & I don't think them getting reduced to 10 had much to do with it
In fact they defended more when they were a man down
 
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Keeps the opposition thinking when we can change the formation with the same players. I love to see our strikers score the goals and all 4 goals on Sunday were from the strikers, great to see.
 
Front three actually delivered what they had threatened to do all season.

Still felt we were far too open for various reasons etc.
Not a system for me unless we sign a real top midfielder against proper teams
 
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