4-5-1

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

You're such a kind and generous soul Tosh giving 1 precious point out of 12 to the opposition. I hope the other teams appreciate your magnanimous gesture :D

 

Brilliant Barry!! :D

[Andyregs]

Formation was ok Andy but the players in there weren't . BTW Mike Bassett mindset? 4-4-2 then !

 

That's what I said. Pope out wide etc.

[PV1993]

I like the idea of playing 4-5-1/4-3-3 as opposed to 4-4-2. 4-4-2 - when playing wingers - leaves us far too exposed defensively. If we are to play this tactic, we will definately need another 2 central midfielders - Hopefully 2 box-to-box workhorse types that can get up and down the pitch and aren't afraid to shoot/put in a tackle (so basically replace Loft and Knott/Morsy)

[Little_Al]

It only didn't work for England as the players in the defensive four positions and particularly two defensive midfield positions were dreadful.

 

Going forward it gave us plenty of options though like Rob I would utilise Lines in the number 10 role over people like Dodds, who should only be used as back up, and Moore whose goals record is poor.

Have you considered Line's goal scoring record and compared it with Dodds? I would agree that, if selected, Lines should be moved out of his own half.

 

 

This would give us genuine strength in the centre of the park and allow Lines to be at his creative best.

[Little_Al]

Have you considered Lines's goal scoring record and compared it with Dodds? I so agree that , if selected, Lines needs to play much further up the field and not alongside our central defenders.

[Heatwave]

'We'll play 4-4-2.'

[fairportnick]

Doesn't matter what formation we play it will still be better than last season if, as I believe, Byron is two footed, Gladys cant play him on the wrong wing. Also with no Griff we'll be kicking off with 11 men.:D Just got to avoid playing two slow donkeys at centre back now. (Didn't work for England either)

[TylerB]

Now that we have two out and out wingers Tom Pope hopefully won't be starved of service as he was a times last season. We also need midfield players that can pass the ball efficiently to the wide men so that they can Pope the ammunition he needs - which is decent balls into the box for him to attack. If he's played up front on his own it's also important that we also have somebody playing in behind him, to make runs off his flick-on's etc. Louis Dodds should be capable in this role but he's all too often flattered to deceive when given a proper chance. Maybe Williamson could adapt to this role - He has the pace but does he have the intelligence?

[Heatwave]

'We'll play 4-4-2.'

 

This post, which has apparently been edited by admin, was a direct quote from the film 'Mike Bassett England Manager' and I was sure the cultural reference would have been recognised by most Vale fans. I didn't even state the offending word in full for decency's sake. As it stands it's out of context and makes no sense at all.

 

Admins - please put your brains in gear before engaging 'delete'.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

This post, which has apparently been edited by admin, was a direct quote from the film 'Mike Bassett England Manager' and I was sure the cultural reference would have been recognised by most Vale fans. I didn't even state the offending word in full for decency's sake. As it stands it's out of context and makes no sense at all.

 

Admins - please put your brains in gear before engaging 'delete'.

 

It was this one wasn't it Mel, loved it;

[Heatwave]

It was this one wasn't it Mel, loved it;

 

That's the one. See? I knew someone would get it.

[Supervalefan1]

I think we would do well playing as 4-4-2 and have two wingers on each side and hopefully bring more crosses in for pope to score like he did in league two promotion season :).

[Shropshire_Valiant]

I'd argue the most attractive football we've played since the 90s/Rudge days was probably 03/04 when it could be said we went 4-2-4(at times). Certainly at home it worked a treat 90% of the time although the away form whatever H'pool and Swindon contrived cost us dearly as we should have walked a playoff place looking back(altho that's another debate/water under the bridge/story).

 

Getting back to the thread it's probably a non-starter with the current crop and I couldn't see Adams trying it as it would perhaps leave the defense even more exposed, but food for thought that attacking wide men and/or wingers do work at as we saw with Vincent and Myrie Williams in another way the season we went up.

[usavaliant]

I think a 4-4-1-1 would work perfectly for the vale. For the 1 player behind the striker we need to create complete creative freedom and let the play come from him. Lines would be the perfect player for that role with 2 disciplined cm's behind him. We also need to recognise that the 'back four' idea isnt the same as it used to be. The back 4 needs to be the 2 centrebacks and the 2 centre mids. these 4 need to be reading from the same page because the centre of the pitch needs to be our strongest point. of course the full backs and wingers need to do their part but if we have the centre locked down then the amount of goals we concede will fall dramatically. The problem is finding players of enough quality and discipline on cheap money.

[Desperate Dan]

Liverpool, chelsea, arsenal, spurs, even stoke play 4-1-3-2 or 4-1-4-1 , Villa play 4-4-2, couldnt comment on wba, norwich, fulham as i turn motd off then!

 

Chelsea play 4-2-3-1.