Southend Away

Southend not won a game yet and seem to be conceding some goals along the way.

1-0 win Southend anyone?

But on a serious note we need Doyle up top and Id like him with another but cannot see it with the way we have recruited players. We are going to get Scannell and Payne and probably Seedorf in the side and I can't see how we do that with two up top

 

If we lose this, he’ll be under pressure already.

 

We stop playing silly formations and go to the basics, Simples!

 

Macclesfield hadn’t won a game as well till tonight !

 

Battling draw.

 

Any chance Payne could partner Doyle? I've not seen enough to know, took his goal at Shrews nicely enough though.

 

Already a massive game for Collins

 

Bit worried about going after the last two showings but may as well experience it for myself.

@CT Bantam are you going?

 

Important to remember Macclesfield isn't an easy place to go on a moderate Tuesday night. We go again.

 

Good shout. We might not be good at a lot of things but one thing city are experts in is kickstarting other teams seasons!

 

True. But 4231 is the one that we have reverted to in each of our opening games and that is a logical and regular formation these days. And, even though I'm not a huge fan of it, I can understand the idea of playing one up front away from home.

I'd imagine Collins will stick with what worked at Shrewsbury with Doyle in up front. I think there is a case for replacing NKP & Chicksen at the back. The former especially with McGowan and Kilgallon waiting.

On the back of two losses and going into two home games, I'd take a point in this one.

 

4-2-3-1 is a truly defensive formation played mainly by teams expected to be outclassed by a better side especially away or struggling in the lower reaches of a division, ( It is really 4-5-1 ) but modern sports reporters like to make formations up so report it as 4-2-3-1, like the one with Man City on TV claiming City were going to play 4-1-4-1 which was clearly nonsense as they played 4-3-3 as they always do

 

I've never been a believer in there been a negative or positive formation, it is how they are implemented. If you have a 4-5-1 but only 1 midfielder stays back when attacking that leaves 4 to get forward and assist the striker leaving 5 attackers, on the other side a 4-3-3 can be negative even playing with 3 out and out strikers if they are told to stay wider and don't end up getting into the box. 4-2-3-1 is designed to have the 3 in behind not only get up and support the striker but to get beyond so you have 4 attackers and 2 holding midfielders, more a 4-2-4 when in attack. Most German teams have used this in the last 4 or 5 years some to great effect, some terribly. It takes more than a formation to be a positive or negative team, same with a good or bad team, it's how they are implemented.

 

As @WilsdenBantam says, it depends on the implementation of it. 4231 can quickly become a 451 if the players aren't brave enough and it did against Barnsley quite quickly. Wigan used it well against us last season with the full backs allowed to get forward because of Morsy & Power covering and Powell, Jacobs and Massey interchanging in behind the lead attacker which was Vaughan that night.

I wouldn't say its a defensive formation but it does prioritise the centre of the field which is an area we were often overrun last season and a tactic you can understand using away from home. For it to be effective, the likes of Scannell, Payne, Seedorf need to be braver than they were against Barnsley or Doyle will be on a hiding to nothing again.

 

But Collins didn't start with Doyle up front he was brought on in the 66th minute for Riley, Miller was our lone striker until then, to be fair that change made us more formidable going forward and gave Shrewsbury different situation to deal with.
I'm with you regarding taking a point.

 

Interesting game this one so early on in the 3 stooges managerial career at City.
3 defeats within a week, more unrest on the dreaded Social Media platforms and it'll certainly be a test of there grit & determination to succeed.

I'm going for a thrilling 0-0.

 

Apologies, that's what I was referring to with Doyle "in" up front. Poor choice of phrase.

That change to bring Doyle on with Miller rather than as a direct replacement made me sit up though. I thought that it showed that Collins isn't afraid to go for it. Just a shame we didn't see the same against Barnsley or Macclesfield.

 

Utter rubbish! It's played by a variety of teams with varying levels of success. Just like 4-4-2.

 

Along with 433 I'd say 4231 was the most popular formation in the game at the minute.