4 - 5 - 1 ANYBODY??

It appears Malky likes the system. It obviously works. Spain and Barcelona
are two of the best sides in the World.

But what do you NEED to play it successfully??

Defenders - Footballers, not hoofball merchants. They HAVE to pass the ball to their
midfielders, or HALF the team are excluded from play every time they welly the ball
up front.

Midfielders - Players who all want the ball and will look for it, they need to DEMAND it
off the defenders. TWO midfielders need to be link men. Get the ball from their defenders
and use it. Then the Three lads further up the pitch need to be quick, skilful, good feet,
confident enough to keep hold of the ball in tight situations. Composed enough to wait for
that killer pass.

The front man? His movement is the most important thing here. He need to be clever and
know where to drag defenders. Take them out wide, drag them out deeper towards the
halfway line, split the Centre Halves,open channels for the midfielders to bomb into. This
man dont need to be a giant, just know the game. Clever, strong on the ball.

To me we have all the ingredients to make this work. Except footballing defenders????

Even in these friendlies you can see they have a tendency to welly it very high and very
hard. Malky needs to educate them, and make sure players like Gunnarsson and Whitts
are not afraid to SCREAM for that ball to feet.

I think its a winner, and in no way a negative system.

Unless of course you want to call barcelona boring

It works if you have the wingers to play it also, they need to be able to switch the formation to 4-3-3 in the blink of an eye, and they need to be able and willing to defend. Hate to point this out but see Dyer/Rangel, Taylor/Sinclair with us.

Honest question, is this what Mackay has been working towards with his signings? The fact that he has worked with Brendan Rodgers in the past and that they seem to be friends, I suppose it would make sense.

It works if you have the wingers to play it also, they need to be able to switch the formation to 4-3-3 in the blink of an eye, and they need to be able and willing to defend. Hate to point this out but see Dyer/Rangel, Taylor/Sinclair with us.

Honest question, is this what Mackay has been working towards with his signings? The fact that he has worked with Brendan Rodgers in the past and that they seem to be friends, I suppose it would make sense.

DEFINITELY. He likes the system and has packed our midfield ranks with pacy, quick footed
ball players. Helgusson and Velikonja are obviously very clever players and make superb
runs off the ball. To be fair to Miller, he was let down by the quality of balls hoofed up to
him.

It works if you have the wingers to play it also, they need to be able to switch the formation to 4-3-3 in the blink of an eye, and they need to be able and willing to defend. Hate to point this out but see Dyer/Rangel, Taylor/Sinclair with us.

Honest question, is this what Mackay has been working towards with his signings? The fact that he has worked with Brendan Rodgers in the past and that they seem to be friends, I suppose it would make sense.

DEFINITELY. He likes the system and has packed our midfield ranks with pacy, quick footed
ball players. Helgusson and Velikonja are obviously very clever players and make superb
runs off the ball. To be fair to Miller, he was let down by the quality of balls hoofed up to
him.

Miller always thrived when he had a strike partner, hard working player no doubt but much better in a pairing. It'll be interesting to see how you go this year. You're match on Friday is on Sky? Might take a look.

Sometimes in the second half of last season the football that City were playing was out and out boring playing with this formation. MM even played this formation against a bottom 3 team (Coventry) at home which seemed a negative tactic. I can understand playing this formation away from home but playing at home against a bottom 3 team. We certainly lacked the pace out wide last season and it was difficult for Miller to play alone up front but MM stuck with it throughout.

We seem to have more depth and quality this season therefore this formation may work better.

I THOUGHT THE 4-5-1 WORKED LIKE A DREAM AGAINST NEWCASTLE. Mutch, Gunnarsson and Whitts linked perfectly. So with Bellamy and Kimbo to come and play on the wings it looks like the perfect mix. We have pace, creativity and also a solid defence and good choice of strikers with Helguson a poacher and Velikonja with superb movement. The formation could easily switch to a 4-4-2. I like what ive seen pre season and believe that this is the season that we achieve automatic promotion. Lots of depth which was lacking last season with quality on the bench and 7 subs allowed. Cant wait until Friday!

I THOUGHT THE 4-5-1 WORKED LIKE A DREAM AGAINST NEWCASTLE. Mutch, Gunnarsson and Whitts linked perfectly. So with Bellamy and Kimbo to come and play on the wings it looks like the perfect mix. We have pace, creativity and also a solid defence and good choice of strikers with Helguson a poacher and Velikonja with superb movement. The formation could easily switch to a 4-4-2. I like what ive seen pre season and believe that this is the season that we achieve automatic promotion. Lots of depth which was lacking last season with quality on the bench and 7 subs allowed. Cant wait until Friday!

I agree. It worked a treat on Saturday and with Bellamy and Kim Bo Kyung to come in, the 4-5-1 can easily be changed
to 4-3-3. A very fluid system, which with the quality we clearly have now in the squad, will cause real problems to most sides in the Championship. Bring it on!

The very popular 4-2-3-1 with Mutch & Gunnar sitting deep with options of Whitts there. 3 attacking mids and a central striker.

To be honest the options with this squad are boundless.

The very popular 4-2-3-1 with Mutch & Gunnar sitting deep with options of Whitts there. 3 attacking mids and a central striker.

To be honest the options with this squad are boundless.

I expected Mutch to play the holding role with Gunnarson, but on Saturday he played in front of Gunnarson and Whittingham.
Pure class!

You're never going to get a "passing" defence when you've got Ben Turner, he loves a good diagonal.

A Leon Britton type player is key, you can pass it to him anywhere on the pitch and he will deal with it, plus your fans have to be knowledgeable and patient.
Britton will never be picked for England because the dinasaur picking the side think he's is too small but he is the closest they got to anything Spanish.

The very popular 4-2-3-1 with Mutch & Gunnar sitting deep with options of Whitts there. 3 attacking mids and a central striker.

To be honest the options with this squad are boundless.

I expected Mutch to play the holding role with Gunnarson, but on Saturday he played in front of Gunnarson and Whittingham.
Pure class!

No I'd have Gunnarsson and Whitts holding all day long.

The opposition would be snookered. What do they do? Push a midfielder right up
on Whitts? Leaving a hole when you have attack minded players like Bellamy, Kim
and Mutch in front of him?... I can see Whitts having the season of his career. He
may not score as many, but he could be like General Patton back there calling all
the shots, and with Gunnarsson back there too, nothing to stop his sneaky little
trips to the edge of the opposition box

Time for a flirt.

I would say 4-2-3-1 with Whitts pulling the strings behind box-to-box Mutch and Gunnar. Malky likes Whitss to pull the strings and give the more energetic Mutch and Gunnarson licence to break.

A Leon Britton type player is key, you can pass it to him anywhere on the pitch and he will deal with it, plus your fans have to be knowledgeable and patient.
Britton will never be picked for England because the dinasaur picking the side think he's is too small but he is the closest they got to anything Spanish.

Britton will never be picked for England because he is not better than the players picked in front of him you whopper.

Hes 30 this year and spent most of his career in the lower divisions whereas the likes of Barry, Gerrard, Lampard and Parker have won countless trophies between them, and countless international and european champions / europa league experience

The nearest thing England have got to anything Spanish is Jack Wilshere but sadly his career has stalled because of injuries.

On form maybe Dyer deserved a friendly last season but please dont kid yourself that Britton is the English Xavi.

Get a grip.