Formations

[rossi]

There's been a lot of talk on here recently regarding formations: 4-2-3-1 vs 4-3-3 vs 4-4-2 vs 3-5-2 etc.

I think that to a certain extend a successful formation ought to have regard to the level of football being played. In the third tier, we cannot expect to encounter the slick tippy tappy passing game of the top 2 tiers which is why I always favour having 2 up front in this league.

Personally, my formation for the rest of this season would be 1-3-4-2: I think the players we have might be well suited to that.

[Bluemike]

Wilson
Chambo Toto McGuinness
Judge Downes Dozzell Edwards
Norwood Jackson

????

[rossi]

Wilson
Chambo Toto McGuinness
Judge Downes Dozzell Edwards
Norwood Jackson

????

almost -I would have Hawkins up front with Norwood purely for his ability in the air.

And definitely not Judge because that position would require a certain amount of discipline inasmuch as sticking to the position not running around the field like a headless chicken.

[Tangfastic]

From what I’ve read about Cook he’s very stubborn on 4-2-3-1. Even more so than Lambert.

Hawkins is nearing full fitness and I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays as the lone striker. Perhaps with Norwood dropping back behind him in the Parrott role.

Cook is finding out about this squad. I don’t think Bishop and Dozzell offer enough physically together. I’d expect Downes to come in for one of them. And I’d expect Judge to be shoe-horned into the side.

[number 9]

I haven't watched Ipswich games in their entirety as much as you guys, but I do have some ideas on formations. One consistency I've found for quite a while now, is our midfield is rather light weight. A weak midfield tends to put more pressure on the back line because all too often the ball is given away in dangerous areas. To prevent this you either have to tighten up the midfield with strength and physicality, or (dare I say) have a Skuse-like defensive midfielder to play in front of the back four...cleaning up when the ball is given away.

I've always believed 4-4-2 is the best formation for most squads with normal skilled players. Obviously if you have superstars in the team, it may benefit to have one striker or three defenders etc. etc. For Ipswich at the moment when you consider the amount of goals we concede and the lack of goals we score I'd prefer 4-1-3-2. I'm just not sure who would play the 1 role.

[Bluemike]

For me in that scenario the 1 role would undoubtedly have to be Flynn Downes

[hallamblue]

Wilson
Chambo Toto McGuinness
Judge Downes Dozzell Edwards
Norwood Jackson

????

almost -I would have Hawkins up front with Norwood purely for his ability in the air.

And definitely not Judge because that position would require a certain amount of discipline inasmuch as sticking to the position not running around the field like a headless chicken.

I wouldn't be at all surprised Gary to see Cook do just this tonight … I think Norwood needs a bit more help up front. Parrott runs around a lot and "puts it about", but I'm not sure it actually assists Norwood that much.

For midfield , Id defo be pushing Dozzell much further up the pitch and perhaps bringing in Downes to sit deep. Judge I agree is a selfish player, but he can also create things ( was starting to build an understanding with Norwood I thought). the one player id definitely have out of the team is Bennetts. He reminds me so much of Danny Haynes...fast , little tricks but invariably loses the ball . No end product !

Perhaps tonight we might get an insight to Cooks type of team... I think the game vs Gills was him giving the winning side a fair run to prove it cold continue : It didn't ...but also we no doubt do have some weary legs in that 11 so changes very much ion the cards tonight.

[rossi]

Wilson
Chambo Toto McGuinness
Judge Downes Dozzell Edwards
Norwood Jackson

????

almost -I would have Hawkins up front with Norwood purely for his ability in the air.

And definitely not Judge because that position would require a certain amount of discipline inasmuch as sticking to the position not running around the field like a headless chicken.

I wouldn't be at all surprised Gary to see Cook do just this tonight … I think Norwood needs a bit more help up front. Parrott runs around a lot and "puts it about", but I'm not sure it actually assists Norwood that much.

For midfield , Id defo be pushing Dozzell much further up the pitch and perhaps bringing in Downes to sit deep. Judge I agree is a selfish player, but he can also create things ( was starting to build an understanding with Norwood I thought). the one player id definitely have out of the team is Bennetts. He reminds me so much of Danny Haynes...fast , little tricks but invariably loses the ball . No end product !

Perhaps tonight we might get an insight to Cooks type of team... I think the game vs Gills was him giving the winning side a fair run to prove it cold continue : It didn't ...but also we no doubt do have some weary legs in that 11 so changes very much ion the cards tonight.

Yes I hope so Liz - I think he is definitely going to ring some changes tonight and I would not be at all surprised to see Hawkins start.

I really hope he does go to 2 up front, but everything I've read about him suggests that the only formation he will use is 4-2-3-1, so we shall see.

The one thing I hope against hope is that he doesn't try something really radical - say a 4-4-2 with Judge and Skuse up front

[RRanger]

TWTD are suggesting Luke Matheson will come in with Chambers moving to Centre Half in place of Nsiala. I really hope that doesn't happen as I think Nsiala along with Wilson has been one of our better players recently and the two of them have been gelling in pretty well together. I'd prefer to see Chambo dropped if Matheson is brought back.

[hallamblue]

I think for the remainder of this season , Paul Cook is not only attempting to make those play offs and gain promotion (he has nothing to lose on this front and it’s essentially a free hit for him). But he’s also using these last 14-15 games to assess his inherited squad . Seeing what individuals can potentially offer. Some will be assessed purely in what little training sessions he has , some will be given odd games to see how they fit. Some players will recognise this is a trial period for them, others won’t perceive this.

I’m not expecting miracles with this squad . It is largely flat, lethargic and dare I say it incapable as a group . The summer will see PC swing into real action and he’s in many ways in a very fortunate position in that 50% of this squad will be out of contract, making his decision making much easier . But I see a big clear out and new fresh blood coming in.

Next season will be different as he’ll get players that can operate in his system.

[marko69]

I don't like the "free hit" thinking. Ok, he's only achieved 1 point from 6 but there are still 14 games to go. FOURTEEN. That's 1260 minutes (plus time added on) of watching. He will most certainly be judged THIS season if the club don't make the play-offs and f**king rightly so, excuse the French. Man my blood boils over with the slack managers get.
Much like Lambert was judged in some quarters for the club being relegated from the Championship after Hurst signed League One players, Cook WILL be judged. Of that there is no doubt.

Over to you Paul Cook. There was absolutely fk all happening v Gills......, there were glimpses v Lincoln so that is an improvement for a start. But Plymouth Argyle needs to be 3pts to get things moving.

HATE the free hit thinking. You're in the job NOW....... Gillingham was your "free hit".

[Tangfastic]

We’ve got to go for it and Cook’s landed a job where he’s got a decent chance of making it into the play-off’s. That’s lucky for him. On the down side, he’s got Lambert’s bloated squad of players to work his way through and with Sat-Tues there’s only so many training sessions to coach players. It’s a pity he didn’t come in before the last transfer window.

I’m not sure about the free hit. I won’t judge him yet, though, after two games. There’s only so much he can do on the training pitch with these players in such a short time, but he needs to pick the right players and put fire in their bellies.

I think he’ll stick with 4-2-3-1 and get stick for it. But I think he’s got history in developing teams using this system and it might take time - and probably a transfer window - to see real progression in style of play. But I still think we can stumble into the play-off’s and then it’s becomes a lottery.

[marko69]

.....and it might take time - and probably a transfer window - to see real progression in style of play.

Really do agree with that (to an extent) ........, but........., God it makes me laugh. It is just never ending for the Ipswich fans and I mean the homegrown paying fans. Jewel needed a window, MCCarthy needed a window, Hurst, Lambert......, Cook.
It's just NEVER ENDING REPETITIVE SHYTE!!

Soon.........., ... It'll be 2035 and err, (who? Let's see)........ Chambers will need a Window after Skuse is sacked. Jaysus fkn H.

But, yep......, Cook gets a summer window. Agreed.

[Bluemike]

It's a pane isn't it, all these windows.

[marko69]

[rossi]

I accept the assessment that PC will experiment to a certain extent for the rest of the season in order to find out the players capabilities and whether or not he wants them for next season.

But, there HAS to be a concerted effort to at least make the play-offs this season, and the approach MUST be to give us the best chance of doing this.

Therefore, he has to pick a system utilising the players he has at his disposal NOW. And the solution is blindingly obvious - for this season and last season we didn't score many goals and the systems used were 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1, so it's obvious to anybody that the players we have currently cannot operate these 2 systems - so change it then FFS