The 4-5-1 (or 4-3-3 depending how you view it) formation has attracted some criticism this season as the Swans have struggled for goals despite amassing an acceptable 8 point return from their opening 6 games.<\/p>\n
A lone striker supported by two wingers has yet to bear its rewards but Roberto admits that he has no plans (yet) to revert to a 4-4-2 formation and pair Scotland and Pintado up front.<\/p>\n
He told today's Evening Post "I have never played two up front<\/p>\n
"Because we have two strikers on the pitch, people assume we are playing two up front.<\/p>\n
"But that's like having Dennis Lawrence up front and someone saying we are playing with three centre-backs.<\/p>\n
"No player has a label at Swansea City — every one of them has many jobs because of the way we play.<\/p>\n
"Anyone who follows us knows we adapt things and change things round.<\/p>\n
"In modern football, there are not many teams playing 4-4-2 who are successful on a weekly basis."<\/p>\n
Scotland and Pintado spent time together on the pitch on Tuesday something that Roberto is ready to do when the need arises <\/p>\n
"At that stage of the game, that was what was needed<\/p>\n
"Derby tried to stop our midfielders so it was a great moment to bring some extra power in other areas of the ground.<\/p>\n
"The moment of the game allowed that to happen, but that's not the same as playing them in the first 10 minutes.<\/p>\n
"Sometimes it could work for 90 minutes, but that depends on where we play, who we are playing and the form of the players involved.<\/p>\n
"This is not a computer game where you pick names and say 'yes, that's going to win the game'. It doesn't work like that.<\/p>\n
"Football is a game of opinions but it's great to have different options."<\/p>\n
Chances are Martinez will disappoint those clamouring for a second, recognised striker tomorrow.<\/p>\n
The Scotland-plus-two system has served Swansea very well on home soil and Martinez would be reluctant to leave out one of his impressive midfielders.<\/p>\n
"I am sure if you turned it around and asked people who they'd leave out rather than who they'd play, you'd have a much bigger argument," Martinez continued.<\/p>\n
"In my mind we have 22 players who can start a game and I'm very happy with the options we've got.<\/p>\n
"We have got goals in the side and we have got the quality to break any side down.<\/p>\n
"It's not even a concern for me.<\/p>\n
"I would prefer to see the sort of dominant performance we produced against Derby and a 1-1 draw to a 5-0 win without any pattern.<\/p>\n
"That's what's important to me at this stage of the season.<\/p>\n
"We have just been promoted and we are competing with a lot of sides who have played in the top division, which gives them a huge advantage.<\/p>\n
"I think already we are setting the standard too high, with people thinking we should come out and hammer every single team we play. That doesn't happen. Yes, getting up to the Premier League is our aim, but this season we need to consolidate."<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The 4-5-1 (or 4-3-3 depending how you view it) formation has attracted some criticism this season as the Swans have struggled for goals despite amassing an acceptable 8 point return from their opening 6 games. A lone striker supported by two wingers has yet to bear its rewards but Roberto admits that he has no […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":453,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n