[Freak]

352 being blamed for everything, but it's sound in theory as it enables our so called best three players to all play, and in their preferred positions. Unfortunately they, (Rooney, RVP AND Mata) were all poor today. Who is to blame for that??

This. Rather than our defending, our static attack was the bigger problem yesterday. Wingbacks not willing to take their players on, can't put in a proper cross, strikers not making off the ball runs, Rooney can't even control a football, mata with his sideway passing and falling over when a chance presented itself, fletcher not wanting to link defence to attack. But yes, let's all blame the 352 formation. I guess it worked well for us last year when we went 4-4-2 and 4-2-2-2.

 

[JaffyJoe]

The build up is so poor. Fletcher cannot cut it anymore. It's sad to see he is very bad. Valencia and Young are the same. i was reading a guardian article, the players are not applying the philosophy and tactics properly but when we get all our layers back I am pretty confident things will improve. Rooney and RVP were poor. Di Maria was bright, he directness in the final third was welcome. I stand by my point about Mata, he didn't have a clue out there hence why i say he is a stats guy rather than a dictator. If Ozil/Silva or Fabregas was in there we would have won. He will be on the bench if all goes to plan.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

Catastrophic system failure

 

[Fahad Jawaid]

I want to ask something from people who have knowledge about 3-5-2 system, does the Wingbacks make runs inside the Fullbacks of opposition, because i don't remember young or valencia making an inside run in any of the matches by now? . I think it would open up some spaces for Rvp, Mata and Rooney.

 

[Kostur]

I want to ask something from people who have knowledge about 3-5-2 system, does the Wingbacks make runs inside the Fullbacks of opposition, because i don't remember young or valencia making an inside run in any of the matches by now? . I think it would open up some spaces for Rvp, Mata and Rooney.

Nope, seems that they're meant to hug the touchline as the zone inside is 'reserved' for the midfielders. Yesterday it was even more changed, as we've played with Fletcher behind di Maria and Mata who were meant to give width as well, you could see Mata and ADM both get to the sideline often and then cut inside or try crossing, this wasn't done before when we played with two nominal CMs and Mata as a pure #10. Yesterday it was hard to say we've had a pure #10, one could argue that we've had two #10s in ADM and Mata but that wouldn't be truth really, something like fake #10s more likely.

 

[SqueakyWeasel]

I want to ask something from people who have knowledge about 3-5-2 system, does the Wingbacks make runs inside the Fullbacks of opposition, because i don't remember young or valencia making an inside run in any of the matches by now? . I think it would open up some spaces for Rvp, Mata and Rooney.

The problem seems to come from the fact that the wing-backs don't make runs off the ball far enough forward to stretch the defence … allowing more space for the forwards and attacking mid-fielders. Probably exactly as they have been instructed to do. Dyche summed it up nicely “They were passing it along the back and we were happy to let them do that,” he said. “For long parts of the game they were miles away from our goal.”

 

[Barca84]

I'll go so far as to say we would have won if we'd simply had a competent player in Valencia's position. If you've got a man there who can't beat a man and can't put a cross on someone's head and yet you continue to give him the ball you've got a problem. Forgetting all our other problems you get a decent player in for Valencia and we are hugely improved. This kicking the ball at his opponent as an attempt at crossing is the resort of someone bereft of all ideas - please can we stop having to watch this!

 

[Sassy Colin]

I'll go so far as to say we would have won if we'd simply had a competent player in Valencia's position. If you've got a man there who can't beat a man and can't put a cross on someone's head and yet you continue to give him the ball you've got a problem. Forgetting all our other problems you get a decent player in for Valencia and we are hugely improved. This kicking the ball at his opponent as an attempt at crossing is the resort of someone bereft of all ideas - please can we stop having to watch this!

Rafael?

 

[Barca84]

Great going forward when fit yes but we know the issues with him

 

[NK86]

If you are a winger and see 7 defenders and 1 attacker in the box - how do you try to pick him out ? You can't!

He does not give himself that opportunity after hitting the first defender every friggin time. Plus his crosses have been useless for more than 2 years now. He hits and hopes or tries to blast through the defender.

 

[StephenH]