18 Sep 2026 11:08:26
No tactical expert but wonder what people think of a 3-diamond-3 set up to get our best players on the pitch in their preferred positions.
Back 3: VVD, JJ & Arajoa.
Diamond: Nyoni holding; Mac and Dom as box to box 8s; Wirtz at the top.
Front 3: Isak leading with 2 fast wide men (Barcola, Gakpo, Munoz, Rio.)

1.) 18 Sep 2026
18 Sep 2026 11:38:24
We would be so weak down the flanks imo. Opposition wingers would have a field day against that team.

2.) 18 Sep 2026
18 Sep 2026 11:47:38
You'd be asking the wingers to go far out wide and hug the touchline for width which would hamper them, since they're all better at coming in.

A back 3 would only work if we deployed wingbacks for width.

3.) 18 Sep 2026
18 Sep 2026 12:22:16
Most teams in the Premier League currently set up in a 4-4-2 shape, which is a particularly effective shape against what you are suggesting. They can double up quite naturally with, and if both "strikers" in that set up are good with their feet they can build a box midfielder that completely engulfs ours.

I personally would like to see us set up in more of a 3-2-4-1 in possession, with Ronald, Virg and Jeremy staying back. Szoboszlai/Gravenberch with Macca/Trey as the double pivot. Kerkez supporting Barcola (LW) with wide left runs, with Flo in the 10 and Gakpo/Munoz out right.

4.) 18 Sep 2026
18 Sep 2026 12:34:27
If we struggle to defend with 4 defenders on the pitch why would we change to 3? And with wingers who have notoriously poor defensive work rate/abilities? Recipe for disaster.

5.) 18 Sep 2026
18 Sep 2026 12:50:57
Yes, but. stronger and better balanced in midfield which should then help us both defensively and offensively. Dom to drop back into RB if needed in defence?

6.) 18 Sep 2026
18 Sep 2026 13:02:26
I'm with Chewy.

7.) 18 Sep 2026
18 Sep 2026 15:02:23
It's not purely about numbers, it's about qualities. I don't think anyone would disagree that Araujo is a better defender than Frimpong (I hope). Having 3 allows flexibility, E. g., one can step into midfield areas to put in aggressive challenges - either directly winning the ball back or forcing a mistake/retreat from the opponent. Jacquet could do this very well imo.

8.) 18 Sep 2026
18 Sep 2026 16:43:59
Fornax, so if we have 3 defenders on the pitch, with wingers who are terrible at defending and don't track back, then Jaquet steps up into midfield, we'll have 2 at the back. Where's the logic here? How does that improve us when we're already struggling with 4?

9.) 18 Sep 2026
18 Sep 2026 19:58:00
You will see a lot of teams playing in this structure, particularly while a team is in possession. In fact we often used this shape en route to winning the Title in Slots first season.

The starting formation morphs regularly throughout the match, dictated by the current phase of play and also the game state more generally. The example I gave could easily begin as a 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-4-1-1 or 4-1-4-1 (Guardiola ™️). You will see it if you stop following the ball for a little while during the game, or as I stole from Ed001 many moons ago, rewatching the full game the next day without the emotion.

Believe it or not, by some modern football standards the system I proposed is actually quite conservative. It is generally accepted that a 3-2 rest defence is actually pretty solid.