Planet Swans ArchivesThe answer really is not much, we are 3rd in the league with no runaway leaders or promotion certainties currently present so we are still in there with a massive shout of promotion.
The squad is good, although it is perhaps one or two quality players short of a squad worthy of promotion from League 1. This may be dealt with in January but before then maybe other options should be considered. Apart from a pre season flirtation with 4-3-3 Kenny Jackett has stuck religiously to the 4-4-2 formation this season. However, after looking at this for a while I am becoming convinced that it doesn’t fully suit our strengths whereas a 3-5-2 allows more of our best players a role in the starting line-up.
Obviously injuries will be a factor but let me start by giving you the team I would start using a 3-5-2 formation.
Gueret
Iriekpen Monk Austin
Forbes Britton Tudur-Jones Martinez Ricketts
Akinfenwa Trundle
Subs: Murphy Tate Robinson McLeod Connor
This team gives us 3 quality centre backs 1 of who is always unlucky to be left out when playing 4-4-2. Sam Ricketts selects himself as the left wingback, he will be used to playing it with Wales where he has consistently performed better this season. The right wingback I would select is Adrian Forbes. His work rate and willingness to get stuck in make him ideally suited. If you need further persuasion remember the Kidderminster game last season when he was put up for right back duty. The wingback role will also allow him to bomb forward on occasions and score the large amounts of goals, which even those who criticise his presence in the side can’t deny he does score.
The disadvantage of a 3-5-2 is that it prevents a team from playing 2 attacking wingers. This shouldn’t be much of a problem for Swansea as on the left Marc Goodfellow hasn’t done the business and McLeod has gone off the boil a little after a cracking start to the campaign. Leon Britton has played out of his skin on the right but isn’t really a wide man so the move to a central position shouldn’t harm his performances. Forbes should also take to his new position like a duck to water (or Swan to water).
There are plenty of options to play in the centre of midfield. Swain Tudur-Jones has impressed me enormously in the blocker position, which would be needed with only 3 at the back. The presence of 3 defensive minded midfielders enables Martinez and Britton to control the side going forwards. If Martinez is perhaps a little cautious for this job And Robinson can cover from the bench with Bean and O’Leary ready to fill in for OTJ.
The productive partnership of Trundle and Bayo would remain unchanged up front.
The great thing about 3-5-2 is it’s versatility. KJ wouldn’t need any more negative subs with 5mins to go, simply push Forbes and Ricketts back and go 5-3-2, which can be instantly transformed on the counter attack. If the formation isn’t working then changing McLeod for Forbes sees us at 4-4-2 with Ricketts at right back, Austin at left back and Britton going back onto the right.
There are plenty of options on the bench with Tate, who is unlucky not to be selected given his performances to date, covering right wing back and centre back. Robbo can play his super sub role to good effect coming on for the more conservative Martinez to play in the hole. Paul Connor provides attacking cover and has done well when required so far.
We are not in a crisis, far from it, and a comfortable win against Chesterfield will silence the moaners and put this sort of talk to bed. But should our current run of form continue then it may be time to think about a change of tactical approach. A change certainly gave us a boost last year when we played Macclesfield off the park using 4-3-3 at a time when we looked like throwing promotion away. I certainly think it would be worth trying out in the LDV Vans Trophy and at the very least I’ll have a go on the new Football Manager game!
