Would a 3-5-2 Be a Better Shape for Our Squad?

We’ve arguably got the best goalkeeper in the league and real strength in depth at centre-back four players who could all operate at Championship level.

Up front, we probably have the two best centre-forwards in the division, while Ronan Kpakio looks a natural fit for the wing-back role. Bagan could do a solid job on the opposite flank at LWB.

In midfield, players like Willock, Colwill, and Kellyman all seem best suited to playing as a number 10 which a 3-5-2 system could accommodate nicely or even play 2 x 10s if we play one upfront.

At the moment, the constant chopping and changing of centre-backs isn’t working, and it’s probably my first real criticism of BBM. We looked far more solid when Lawlor and Fish were a consistent pairing, they built a good understanding, and now that’s been lost a bit.

Maybe switching to a back three would help. It would allow us to get three of our strongest centre-backs — from NG, Chambers, Fish, Lawlor, and Osho, all on the pitch, while also giving the Salech & CR partnership up front the chance to develop properly.

I think it's a good idea

I know bbm has his own style but he will have to adapt depending on who the opposition is

it will help salech find more space in the box too because everytime he's on his own he has two cbs pulling him like a Christmas cracker and it's so difficult to shake off two cbs and get into a dangerous position

I put out exactly the same post about a week ago

Playing well - 4 at the back is great, playing great football.

A bad game - we should change shape, 3/5 at the back.


Let’s not change for the sake of it. This constant changing shape/formation and style of football is why we got relegated in the first place. Managers that don’t know what they want and how we should play. Thankfully BBM has a way he wants us to play and we are barely into the season yet.

Don’t forget, this is a style of play that Cardiff players have never tried before, as it’s usually for more gifted players, but…we have some gifted youngsters. Let them get used to it.

I have had 24 hours to reflect, and this is some of the best football I have seen at the CCS so moaning sounds a bit indulgent, something I accused the players of.

My only gripe with all these system managers is their dogmatic adherence to the system. We are easy to set up against. Orient did a great job of a straight-back four who lined up a metre inside the halfway line, three midfielders who sat, and three pressers.
They left acres of space for behind them as they are pretty confident we will play out from the back, so their compact press leaves no space or passing lanes. Our goals came from a play breakdown where they were not "set up" for us.

I just wish sometimes we'd mix it up and go over the top. The ball was on for Bagan all afternoon, but he ran a few metres, stopped, and passed inside or back, and Issak Davies lived off scraps all afternoon.

We scored with pretty direct, incisive passages of play.

I can't see BBM changing systems, he appear wed to it. So i have he has a few variations up his sleeve

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