Just got back

[Retdon1]

And I'm afraid fergy unless you ditch this 3-5-2 formation then you will soon be out of a job. We haven't got the players to play it simple as that... I'm struggling to think of a worst performance than we put in first half today. We did improve second half when we went back to 4 at the back, and should of taken something from the game. They were a poor side and I can't think of a save lawlor made in the whole game... the team that finished the game today bar bringing in mason or toffolo at left back should start Tuesday.

[dickos1]

I don't agree it's to do with the formation, we played it at Blackburn and we've played well in the other games

I do think the line up was wrong today though and in fergies own words we set up to frustrate them which I think is ridiculous against a side struggling as much as they are.

[Jonathan]

We certainly didn't frustrate them for long!

Didn't get to the game today but would be interested to hear from anyone that did as to how on earth we managed to ship a goal within 22 seconds?! I'm sure I read on the Twitter feed that we kicked the game off. An inexplicably poor start.

Anyone in particular at fault for the goal or were the whole team just switched off?

[Retdon1]

I don't agree it's to do with the formation, we played it at Blackburn and we've played well in the other games

I do think the line up was wrong today though and in fergies own words we set up to frustrate them which I think is ridiculous against a side struggling as much as they are.

We played 4-4-2 away at Blackburn. We just haven't got the right players currently to play it. I have no idea why he keeps going back to it.

[Retdon1]

We certainly didn't frustrate them for long!

Didn't get to the game today but would be interested to hear from anyone that did as to how on earth we managed to ship a goal within 22 seconds?! I'm sure I read on the Twitter feed that we kicked the game off. An inexplicably poor start.

Anyone in particular at fault for the goal or were the whole team just switched off?

They played a long ball over the top in the space behind Blair and to the side of Wright (basically where a right back would have been) Their player beat Wright one on one in the box and squared it to the lad who tapped it in..

[GazLaz]

I don't agree it's to do with the formation, we played it at Blackburn and we've played well in the other games

I do think the line up was wrong today though and in fergies own words we set up to frustrate them which I think is ridiculous against a side struggling as much as they are.

We played 4-4-2 away at Blackburn. We just haven't got the right players currently to play it. I have no idea why he keeps going back to it.

We played it very well last week.

[CJK]

I'd put that down to matching the way Posh set up, it doesn't seem to have the same effect when playing against a more standard 4-4-2.

Still early doors, I'm not worried. There are plenty of goals to come from the team and Houghton to put in the midfield. Personally, i would get back to the formation that served us so well last season.

[GazLaz]

There aren't many games that we don't deploy the 3 centre half system. He nearly always changes it up at some point during the match.

[dickos1]

Blackburn we played 3-5-2
Mason wright butler
With Blair and Andrew as wing backs
Midfield of coops, whiteman and Rowe
Mandy and marquis up front

[BigH]

3-5-2 is a big fad across professional football at present. And what's not to like? You free up players to drive forward and get goals.

But you deploy it at your peril. If you haven't got all-round players across the back 3 who can cover ground quickly, play the ball, get a tackle in and be first to a header then you're stuffed. And the higher up the Leagues you go the worse it gets.

I like Ferguson's positivity but, sometimes, he needs to take a leaf out of Conte's book and react more quickly when it isn't working. It worries me that he hasn't got the players, only Baudry can play it. Wright and Butler are 442 players.

[Retdon1]

Blackburn we played 3-5-2
Mason wright butler
With Blair and Andrew as wing backs
Midfield of coops, whiteman and Rowe
Mandy and marquis up front

I disagree. It was a definite 4-4-2 diamond, but lets just agree to disagree

[drfchound]

We have had this discussion numerous times and IMO our current available players are better suited to 4-4-2.
Williams should be starting with Marquis and As usual the midfield doesn't function properly without Copps.

[selby]

I think that must be a record then,22seconds and I reckon Blair was at least 30yds too far forward out of position.
   Same player, same tactic from the opposition. attack down our right flank early doors,they all know our weakness.

[since-1969]

The WILL  be changes and Blair should be left in the dressing room .

[MrFrost]

Definite 4-4-2 at Blackburn

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Yep, tend to agree we play 3 at the back better when Baudry plays. We had the same issues last season and we had the same posters saying get rid of 3 at the back.

The system isn't the issue, there's risks and rewards and there's scope to switch during a game providing we have the versatile players on the pitch who can cope with it, and visa versa.

For now, tend to agree we should be starting with a back 4 until such time we're comfortable enough to switch.

[BigH]

The WILL  be changes and Blair should be left in the dressing room .

Agree that there will be changes although I wouldn't single out Blair. He's being played out of position and needs licence to get forward and take his man on. I've never been comfortable with giving him defensive responsibility. Not quite sure where his head is at present given his personal life travails but can't believe that giving him a confused role on the pitch helps.

[dickos1]

Definite 4-4-2 at Blackburn

No way did we play the whole game 442 he switches the system constantly throughout a game.
But people say it was 442 if we play well and 352 if we don't.

Where in reality we've played both systems in spells throughout the game

[Retdon1]

Definite 4-4-2 at Blackburn

No way did we play the whole game 442 he switches the system constantly throughout a game.
But people say it was 442 if we play well and 352 if we don't.

Where in reality we've played both systems in spells throughout the game

Definite 4-4-2 at Blackburn

No way did we play the whole game 442 he switches the system constantly throughout a game.
But people say it was 442 if we play well and 352 if we don't.

Where in reality we've played both systems in spells throughout the game

Is that maybe a problem then if we're constantly changing formations and positions throughout the game. Are our players becoming confused with what is required from them

[DonnyBazR0ver]

On our winning runs last season he switched formations during games. When we play well and win, it tends to go unnoticed, at times like now it comes under scrutiny.

[dickos1]

Exactly baz
Spot on

[GazLaz]

On our winning runs last season he switched formations during games. When we play well and win, it tends to go unnoticed, at times like now it comes under scrutiny.

Sense at last. There are some absolute pure idiots on this forum and they are highlighted when we don't win for a couple of weeks.

[MrFrost]

On our winning runs last season he switched formations during games. When we play well and win, it tends to go unnoticed, at times like now it comes under scrutiny.

Sense at last. There are some absolute pure idiots on this forum and they are highlighted when we don't win for a couple of weeks.

Oh bore off.

[GazLaz]

On our winning runs last season he switched formations during games. When we play well and win, it tends to go unnoticed, at times like now it comes under scrutiny.

Sense at last. There are some absolute pure idiots on this forum and they are highlighted when we don't win for a couple of weeks.

Oh bore off.

This is a serious question, do you have some sort of autism or learning difficulties? The thinks you come out with can't be from a sound mind.

[mushRTID]

3-5-2 is a big fad across professional football at present. And what's not to like? You free up players to drive forward and get goals.

But you deploy it at your peril. If you haven't got all-round players across the back 3 who can cover ground quickly, play the ball, get a tackle in and be first to a header then you're stuffed. And the higher up the Leagues you go the worse it gets.

I like Ferguson's positivity but, sometimes, he needs to take a leaf out of Conte's book and react more quickly when it isn't working. It worries me that he hasn't got the players, only Baudry can play it. Wright and Butler are 442 players.

Lovely post.

[MrFrost]

On our winning runs last season he switched formations during games. When we play well and win, it tends to go unnoticed, at times like now it comes under scrutiny.

Sense at last. There are some absolute pure idiots on this forum and they are highlighted when we don't win for a couple of weeks.

Oh bore off.

This is a serious question, do you have some sort of autism or learning difficulties? The thinks you come out with can't be from a sound mind.

Hahahahahaha.

Construct your sentence properly before questioning someone else's level of intelligence will you?

[GazLaz]

You knew what I meant, this isn't a conversation about the quality of communication it's about the quality of points being made!

[MrFrost]

You knew what I meant, this isn't a conversation about the quality of communication it's about the quality of points being made!

You've your opinion. I have mine. Just because you don't agree, doesn't give you the green light to get personal.

[RoversAlias]

Sorry Dickos but we didn't play 3-5-2 at Blackburn, we didn't use it all season until last week, where it was effective in nullifying Peterborough's strategy somewhat.

Not down to the formation that we lost today by the sounds of it, maybe more down to the personnel selected.

[dickos1]

We might not start games with it but 100% we change to 3 at the back within games.
And we did at Blackburn