Is it too late to switch to 3-5-2

[smartbrother]

You can either roll with the changes or rock with it. Now that fate has ruled out our two left full backs, we need to adapt accordingly . That means we have no choice but to implement the fabled 3-5-2 system (an attacking variety) if we want to go out with a bang.
...........Enyeama
....Shittu..adeleye..Afolabi......
Ordiah...Ayila..Lukman.....Nsofor
..................Kanu..................
...........Obasi......Osaze..........

Sadly Lagerwhack doesnt seem too bright. I suspect he doesnt have the imaginationor techniccal skills required to implement this formation

[Coach]

Please detail how this line-up favours longevity any more than the gallows rope and three legged chair beneath it.

You can either roll with the changes or rock with it. Now that fate has ruled out our two left full backs, we need to adapt accordingly . That means we have no choice but to implement the fabled 3-5-2 system (an attacking variety) if we want to go out with a bang.
...........Enyeama
....Shittu..adeleye..Afolabi......
Ordiah...Ayila..Lukman.....Nsofor
..................Kanu..................
...........Obasi......Osaze..........

Sadly Lagerwhack doesnt seem too bright. I suspect he doesnt have the imaginationor techniccal skills required to implement this formation

[Coach]

Just to highlight some of the obvious attempts at suicide in the above formation. Firstly, portly Dan Shittu playing right-centre! You do realise the role of the centreback in this position is to offer cover in the channels when the wingback pushes up. With Oh'dear infront of him, its a given that the right-hand side will be rogered like a Lady Boy at Fat Ronaldo's. Do you honestly think Shittu has the mobility to cover for the 'opposite of adults' that is Chidi Oh'dear.

Left wingback you have Victor Obino Nso-headless chicken. Euthanasia meets Harold Shipman! Ridiculous. This brain-dead road runner plays with his head buried deep within the soils comfort. To ask him to man a wing on his weaker foot, is to ask Gary Glitter to babysit whilst you disappear for a quick half with the lads. You just dont.

Kanu playing as the elusive number 10? Bollocks! Guy needs to be six foot deep as far as the national side is concerned. His drag backs are greeted with nothing but chuckles from the opposition who saw it coming a mile off. He's a spent force and has nothing to offer. Fact.

Lukman has been exposed as out of his depth in this tournament. One for the future maybe, fresh ouot of the frying pan, his crashed and burned in the fire.

Then comes the 3-5-2. Smartbrother, you call your intellect into question. One can only assume you've had a few Stars and fell onto the keyboard!

[smartbrother]

Okay have it your way

......Adeleye...Shittu....Afolabi
Ordiah...Lukman..ayila..........Nsofor
.................Kanu
........Obasi...........Osaze

You're talking nonsense about Kanu, Lukman and Nsofor so they stay put in my original proposed line up.
This discussion is a moot one anyways cause Lagerback doesnt know anything beside 442

[zee]

Please detail how this line-up favours longevity any more than the gallows rope and three legged chair beneath it.

You can either roll with the changes or rock with it. Now that fate has ruled out our two left full backs, we need to adapt accordingly . That means we have no choice but to implement the fabled 3-5-2 system (an attacking variety) if we want to go out with a bang.
...........Enyeama
....Shittu..adeleye..Afolabi......
Ordiah...Ayila..Lukman.....Nsofor
..................Kanu..................
...........Obasi......Osaze..........

Sadly Lagerwhack doesnt seem too bright. I suspect he doesnt have the imaginationor techniccal skills required to implement this formation

Coach you be real crazeman

[Coach]

Nsofor and Oh'dear on the flanks? Only one ball-winning midfielder! Somebody call the coroner!

Okay have it your way

......Adeleye...Shittu....Afolabi
Ordiah...Lukman..ayila..........Nsofor
.................Kanu
........Obasi...........Osaze

You're talking nonsense about Kanu, Lukman and Nsofor so they stay put in my original proposed line up.
This discussion is a moot one anyways cause Lagerback doesnt know anything beside 442

[realtrouble]

This is more better

...........Enyeama
....Yobo.Afolabi..Adeyele......
Nsofo...Ayila..Etuhu.....Osaze
..................Kanu..................
...........Obasi......Martin..........


This is a more solid formation, with enough defensive cover and attacking options.

[Coach]

Really is no need for Kanu and Obasi here. There is enough gusto on the wings already, these added measures just push the balance towards the ridiculous. Nsofor and Osaze will offer little defensively, so the need for a workmanlike midfield becomes all the more important. push Taiwo further forward and move Osaze in-field. 6 x 4

This is more better

...........Enyeama
....Yobo.Afolabi..Adeyele......
Nsofo...Ayila..Etuhu.....Osaze
..................Kanu..................
...........Obasi......Martin..........


This is a more solid formation, with enough defensive cover and attacking options.

[ohenhen1]

3-5-2 formation


-------------------------------Enyeama----------------------------------------------------------


------------Yobo---------------Shittu-----------------------Afolabi-------------------------------------------



Odiah--------------------Etuhu----------------Ayila-------------------------Taiwo---------------------


----------------------------------Haruna---------------------------------------------------


-------------------Martins-------------------------Yakubu------------------------------------

If Taiwo is injured, Obasi would be the natural substitute for Taiwo.

[Coach]

Offers more balance, but the jurassic 3-5-2 has no business in the modern era. Even the unconventional 3-2-2-3 you suggested a few weeks back and employed by Ljungskile SK, offers more rationale. Emphasis needs to be on a compact defensive unit, with the opposition forced wide, away from goal. The over reliance on the wingback incapacitates the 3-5-2 in the modern game.

Variants have emerged with the second striker being dropped into midfield or number 10 being sacrificed for a ball-winner. The width of the 3-5-2 is in the wrong place! In days of old, route one was the orthodoxy. The hegemony of the Danubian school's teaching today played a key role in the death of this system. Short-passing, fullbacks pressing forward, the wingbacks become trapped in the defensive third and the formation falls apart. Co Adriaanse's offered a way forward for the 3-5-2 by pushing the wingbacks into a more advanced role, thus maintaining width in the attacking third and restricting the rampage of their opposite number. Very much a 3-3-2-2 or 3-3-4 according to some schools of thought. It was his overemphasis on attack, that put pain to an otherwise brilliant plan. Pursuit of balance could've brought greater sustainability to this formation.

Senol Gunes Turkey in 2002, tinkered with a 3-5-2 to forge a 3-3-3-1 and shook the world. The 3-5-2 is very dead, but within its framework lies ideas which could bear dividends.

Returning to your line-up, not enough mobility upfront with Yakubu and Ordiah being fielded because he's the only right-sided player isnt a just reason for his inclusion. Switch the shape to a 3-3-3-1, 3-3-2-2 or 6 x 4 and the discourse becomes all the more interesting!

3-5-2 formation


-------------------------------Enyeama----------------------------------------------------------


------------Yobo---------------Shittu-----------------------Afolabi-------------------------------------------



Odiah--------------------Etuhu----------------Ayila-------------------------Taiwo---------------------


----------------------------------Haruna---------------------------------------------------


-------------------Martins-------------------------Yakubu------------------------------------

If Taiwo is injured, Obasi would be the natural substitute for Taiwo.

[smartbrother]

hmm coach miay have a point.

.......Adeleye.....Shittu....Afolabi.....
.......Etuhu....Ayila.....Lukman.
.Utaka/Obasi.....Kanu............Nsofor
....................Osaze
which means Etuhu and Lukman cover the full back roles when we venture forward.
Problem with this formation is it places too much emphasis on one player (Kanu) to provide creativity

[Coach]

The role of the midfield has to be defence and transition. Those wide of centre need to be able to move into the channels to defend when possession is lost. Bielsa's Chile do it with applomb when playing 3-3-1-3. Camona, Medel, Millar are all capable of moving from centre to wide and viceversa. Lukman is not ideal for such a role.

Narrow, compact through the centre, the width has to be maintained in the attacking third or the formation collapses. The fullbacks progress unchecked and chaos reigns. The widemen need to keep the width and press the fullbacks in the defensive third. In order for this, players component enough to go outside their marker and get to the byline are essential. On these grounds, Nsofor cannot play wide left.

Kanu is not a trequartista, rather, just a Tutunkamun and needs to mummify on the bench. A defensive forward should be played in his place alongside Martins. Unfit or fat, is the conundrum we face and the former gets the nod. Obafemi showed enough playing in a 4-5-1 in his Newcastle days, to lead the line, drop deep and link up with the midfield. 2 defensive forwards, playing in between defence and defensive midfield and widemen right up against their fullbacks. In effect, your forcing the backline to stay put and defensive mids to drop deep to cover. What remains of Korea's 4-2-3-1, is the 3-1 attacking line-up, vs. a 6 man-defensive set-up. Senol Gunes, did as much with Turkey, though Hakan Sukur was a little further forward than one would have Martins. Also, Umit Davala rampaged from right-mid with Hasan Sas tucked in a little. Co Adriaanse's used a similar strategy at Porto, but was alittle too attack-minded. 6 x4 theory has to be the way.

hmm coach miay have a point.

.......Adeleye.....Shittu....Afolabi.....
.......Etuhu....Ayila.....Lukman.
.Utaka/Obasi.....Kanu............Nsofor
....................Osaze
which means Etuhu and Lukman cover the full back roles when we venture forward.
Problem with this formation is it places too much emphasis on one player (Kanu) to provide creativity

[Coach]

Though discourse has towards more modernised variants, returning to the initial question asked: Is it too late to switch to 3-5-2?...Yes, 20 years too late!