COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
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FoxyAV
VillaBill
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COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
When one looks at the stats, two teams standout who have played the 442 system over the last two years in the championship. One is recently promoted Brighton, and the other is Sheffield Wednesday. And the results from both of them over that period has been quite stunning tbh.
Brighton
2015/16 season
Played= 46
Won= 24
Lost= 5
Drew= 17
Scored= 72
Conceded= 42
Points= 89
Finished= 3rd, missed out on promotion to Boro on goal difference and then lost in the play-offs
2016/17 season
Played= 46
Won= 28
Lost= 9
Drew= 9
Scored= 74
Conceded= 40
Points= 93
Finished= Got promoted by finishing 2nd, lost out on winning the title when Grealish scored for us against them on the last day
Sheffield Wednesday
2015/16 season
Played= 46
Won= 19
Lost= 10
Drew= 17
Scored= 66
Conceded= 45
Points= 74
Finished= 6th, made the play-off finals where they lost to Steve Bruce's Hull side
2016/17 season
Played= 46
Won= 24
Lost= 13
Drew= 9
Scored= 60
Conceded= 45
Points= 81
Finished= 4th, once again made the play-offs but lost in the Semi final to Huddersfield who obviously went on to get promoted.
Now, let's have a look a typical team sheet for both of these sides.
Brighton
....................Stockdale..................
.....Bruno....Duffy....Dunk....Bong.....
.Knockhaert..Stevens..Sidwell..Skalak...
.................Murray...Baldock.................
Sheffield Wednesday
..............Westwood.................
..Hunt...Loovens...Lees...Pudil......
..Wallace..Lee...Bannan...Reach...
..........Forrestiari..Fletcher.....
Now, can anyone tell me with a straight face that either of those sides are better than this?
.................Johnstone.............
......Elmo...Chester..Terry...Taylor....
..Snodgrass..Whelan..Hourihane..Adomah...
.................Davis...Kodjia.............
Not for me. Especially when you consider that there are seven to eight internationals in the side. I guess with both Wednesday and Brighton the one thing that clicked for them is their midfield four. They all knew how to defend and attack when needed, and learnt how to cope against teams playing with three in the middle against their two. And the encouraging thing is we can tweak if needed. Jedi can come in, Onomah can come in, Hogan, De-laet etc. It also may open the door for Mccormack again as most of his goals in his last season for Fulham was when he was in a partnership with Dembele.
So IF Bruce sticks with this system then who knows what could happen? Both Wednesday and Brighton have played it to perfection and both have been comfortably two of the best sides in the division over the last two years. I believe we have a better quality of player than both of those two have/had so let's hope it clicks for us too.
Brighton
2015/16 season
Played= 46
Won= 24
Lost= 5
Drew= 17
Scored= 72
Conceded= 42
Points= 89
Finished= 3rd, missed out on promotion to Boro on goal difference and then lost in the play-offs
2016/17 season
Played= 46
Won= 28
Lost= 9
Drew= 9
Scored= 74
Conceded= 40
Points= 93
Finished= Got promoted by finishing 2nd, lost out on winning the title when Grealish scored for us against them on the last day
Sheffield Wednesday
2015/16 season
Played= 46
Won= 19
Lost= 10
Drew= 17
Scored= 66
Conceded= 45
Points= 74
Finished= 6th, made the play-off finals where they lost to Steve Bruce's Hull side
2016/17 season
Played= 46
Won= 24
Lost= 13
Drew= 9
Scored= 60
Conceded= 45
Points= 81
Finished= 4th, once again made the play-offs but lost in the Semi final to Huddersfield who obviously went on to get promoted.
Now, let's have a look a typical team sheet for both of these sides.
Brighton
....................Stockdale..................
.....Bruno....Duffy....Dunk....Bong.....
.Knockhaert..Stevens..Sidwell..Skalak...
.................Murray...Baldock.................
Sheffield Wednesday
..............Westwood.................
..Hunt...Loovens...Lees...Pudil......
..Wallace..Lee...Bannan...Reach...
..........Forrestiari..Fletcher.....
Now, can anyone tell me with a straight face that either of those sides are better than this?
.................Johnstone.............
......Elmo...Chester..Terry...Taylor....
..Snodgrass..Whelan..Hourihane..Adomah...
.................Davis...Kodjia.............
Not for me. Especially when you consider that there are seven to eight internationals in the side. I guess with both Wednesday and Brighton the one thing that clicked for them is their midfield four. They all knew how to defend and attack when needed, and learnt how to cope against teams playing with three in the middle against their two. And the encouraging thing is we can tweak if needed. Jedi can come in, Onomah can come in, Hogan, De-laet etc. It also may open the door for Mccormack again as most of his goals in his last season for Fulham was when he was in a partnership with Dembele.
So IF Bruce sticks with this system then who knows what could happen? Both Wednesday and Brighton have played it to perfection and both have been comfortably two of the best sides in the division over the last two years. I believe we have a better quality of player than both of those two have/had so let's hope it clicks for us too.
AstonThriller- Posts : 2166
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
Bruce got the win he needed to save his job. He'll drop 442 next Saturday I reckon
Villa_Dan- Posts : 4425
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
Villa_Dan wrote:Bruce got the win he needed to save his job. He'll drop 442 next Saturday I reckon
He'd be absolutely mental to go back to 451. If he does then we'll know for sure that he's really lost the plot.
AstonThriller- Posts : 2166
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
We should never go into a game at VP with only one up top, I didn't think we looked great yesterday but by giving Davis some support, we looked more of a threat, I was hoping to see Hogan come on for The Kodge & see how he played in a two.
Football isn't a complicated game, get it wide, get it in.
Bruce seemed an advocate for 442 previously but has got sucked into the vogue formations of 451 or 433.
I hope he sticks with 442 , we have enough quality battlers to compensate any disadvantage when not in possession in Whelan, Jedi, Terry etc.
Don't insult us again at VP Mr Bruce, as Mike Basset once said
4-4- fuckin 2 UTV
Football isn't a complicated game, get it wide, get it in.
Bruce seemed an advocate for 442 previously but has got sucked into the vogue formations of 451 or 433.
I hope he sticks with 442 , we have enough quality battlers to compensate any disadvantage when not in possession in Whelan, Jedi, Terry etc.
Don't insult us again at VP Mr Bruce, as Mike Basset once said
4-4- fuckin 2 UTV
VillaBill- Posts : 954
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
I DON'T KNOW BUT CAN YOU STOP SHOUTING AT US PLEASE?
FoxyAV- Posts : 2589
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
AstonThriller wrote:Villa_Dan wrote:Bruce got the win he needed to save his job. He'll drop 442 next Saturday I reckon
He'd be absolutely mental to go back to 451. If he does then we'll know for sure that he's really lost the plot.
Entirely and completely mental ... and yet he even did it yesterday when Kodjia went off.
Whelan and Hourihane worked harder, pressed more and were far more effective than they have been as a 3. Why? I would guess because there's nowhere to hide in a 2 and they knew their jobs. Get up and down, tackle and pass.
442 is the only way we should ever play. Ever.
mefromhere- Posts : 696
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
Almost like Hourihan had some of the best stats for tackles and interceptions from midfield before we signed him. Genius!
Villa_Dan- Posts : 4425
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
Also, lads, I forgot to add another team who had major success playing 442 in the championship recently. And that was Burnley.
Burnley
Season 2015/16
Played= 46
Won= 26
Lost= 5
Drew= 15
Scored= 72
Conceded= 35
Points= 93
Finished= 1st and of course got promoted
And their team was...
...................Heaton.............
..Lowton....Keane....Mee...Ward...
...Boyd....Marney..Barton...Arfield...
...............Vokes...Gray...................
They had some decent players tbf. Heaton, Keane, Gray etc. The key to their success was they went twenty odd games unbeaten at one stage and they never looked back.
So really when you do the maths, the teams who have managed to make 442 work for them over the last two years have either got promoted or got into the playoffs. And when you consider that man for man we most likely have better players than those teams in question, then why couldn't it work for us long term aswell?
Burnley
Season 2015/16
Played= 46
Won= 26
Lost= 5
Drew= 15
Scored= 72
Conceded= 35
Points= 93
Finished= 1st and of course got promoted
And their team was...
...................Heaton.............
..Lowton....Keane....Mee...Ward...
...Boyd....Marney..Barton...Arfield...
...............Vokes...Gray...................
They had some decent players tbf. Heaton, Keane, Gray etc. The key to their success was they went twenty odd games unbeaten at one stage and they never looked back.
So really when you do the maths, the teams who have managed to make 442 work for them over the last two years have either got promoted or got into the playoffs. And when you consider that man for man we most likely have better players than those teams in question, then why couldn't it work for us long term aswell?
AstonThriller- Posts : 2166
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
to me the formation does matter so much as the overall game plan. I only watched the tv highlights but it still seemed to be based on keeping it tight at the back and nick the odd goal up front.
That worked on saturday because we had a lucky break for the first goal - forcing barnsley to come at us which suits us better. Davis looks a real find though, and if JK can find his shooting boots we have a fearsome front two. I still think we lack a bit pace throughout the side though.
That worked on saturday because we had a lucky break for the first goal - forcing barnsley to come at us which suits us better. Davis looks a real find though, and if JK can find his shooting boots we have a fearsome front two. I still think we lack a bit pace throughout the side though.
smetro- Posts : 2831
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
Biggest difference at Barnsley was that Keenan was able to hold the ball up playing with his back to goal which gave time for the support to arrive.
As for Bruce, I have absolutely no confidence that he will be able to sustain a consistent improvement and will have money that he will revert into his default defensive mode at the first hint of a reversal. Easy games coming up - usually where it all goes tits up! See you all back in the pit of despair in a few weeks.
As for Bruce, I have absolutely no confidence that he will be able to sustain a consistent improvement and will have money that he will revert into his default defensive mode at the first hint of a reversal. Easy games coming up - usually where it all goes tits up! See you all back in the pit of despair in a few weeks.
big ming- Posts : 497
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
How do you all feel about Elmo at RB? I'm kind of in two minds, I think he's a rubbish winger and a rubbish wing back, but he's about as good (if not slightly worse) defensively as Hutton at RB while being significantly better going forward, and has some kind of rapport with Snodgrass. Of course it would have been nice to think that had Bruce played his players with any kind of consistence we could have seen Adomah and De Laet or Bree training together and building up their own rapport but now they're here, can they work? Was anyone at the match and able to comment on Elmo's positioning? Is his absence going to pull Chester out and leave gaping holes? If I were an opposition manager I'd be targeting our right side (I've always thought Adomah did a good job coming back to help defend and Taylor's looking better on our left) in the anticipation that Elmo will be caught too far forward, with no pace whatsoever to get back, and leaving a gap in the middle to exploit when Chester is pulled wide. Terry appears to have a very good brain but not the legs to be in two places at once.
If Adomah works on the left and Snodgrass on the right it may be that Bruce has been onto something and waiting for the pieces to fit. If that's the case it's still sheer luck Davis and Hourihane showed up at exactly the right time, but I'm not sure Barnsley were the toughest of opponents and they were still able to split us apart on a few occasions.
I still don't want Whelan or Jedi there, I just don't think we need them in this league.
If Adomah works on the left and Snodgrass on the right it may be that Bruce has been onto something and waiting for the pieces to fit. If that's the case it's still sheer luck Davis and Hourihane showed up at exactly the right time, but I'm not sure Barnsley were the toughest of opponents and they were still able to split us apart on a few occasions.
I still don't want Whelan or Jedi there, I just don't think we need them in this league.
FoxyAV- Posts : 2589
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Re: COULD 442 SAVE OUR SEASON (AND POTATO HEAD?)
I think the manager and his knowledge and skills have more to do with success rather than just a formation? I am sure you can pick as many poor teams who play 442?
Until that Potato Headed numb-nut goes we will never be promotion candidates!
Until that Potato Headed numb-nut goes we will never be promotion candidates!
DelboyVilla- Posts : 1453
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