No sooner had the glorious ink dried on the Roger Johnson contract over at Compton than my mind drifted off to Ewood Park.
Everything was extremely vivid in my little daydream, bar one thing.
Our proud away following in hyper-active mode, bouncing towards the Darwen End like they’ve forgotten what football feels like.
Gold shirts shimmering in the sunshine and a big man mountain at the back, idly flipping Jason Roberts about like a coin he’d found in his Burrda pocket. Johnson will look resplendent and we will look a damn sight more competitive in the land of the Ribble Valley on August 13.
But my wistful thinking went a bit blurry when I started thinking of the formation we’d play. Probably because I haven’t got a clue what it should be.
When it comes to tactics, I’ve long preferred to leave it to the experts for fear of sounding like one of those self satisfying Cockneys on those World Cup betting adverts.
Forget Gabriele Marcotti and his Italian book of superior meditation, I am more of the Greg Downs mindset from his coaching days at Hereford United.
‘Don’t give it away. Don’t give it away. Don’t give it away,’ he’d purr to us youngsters, as if he had just cracked the Da Vinci Code.
Football, he would tell us, is a simple game.
So here’s a simple question that I think I need some help with…Do we play 4-5-1 next season or 4-4-2?
I remember it being child’s play for Liverpool, Everton, Bolton, Wigan and Blackburn Rovers for that matter, when we played a 4-4-2 system at home last season.
Yet here we have a stellar centre half worth the best part of £7 million in our ranks, so should we drop the perceived pragmatism and opt for positivity?
After all, our defence will be a damn sight stronger than it was last season with Big Roger on board, in place of the ponderous Christophe Berra (despite his new found rocket-pace in pre-season).
So what is the best system to use for the coming season?
In many ways, the very asking of this question underlines the progress we’ve made under Big Mick, just like the signing of Roger Johnson has.
Back in 2006, the very notion of a 4-5-1 system would have brought the big Yorkshireman out in a rash, but as time has evolved, so have we.
Greg Downs probably told his young hopefuls that good players win football matches, rather than formations.
But now we have an exceptionally good player on board to join O’Hara this summer, it will be interesting to see how they’ll line up one month from now.
Not sure about the initial line-up tbh just wanted to say, very excited about Johnson coming in at the back as well as the latest E&A news about Lee Wallace from Hearts being a target for our left back slot and him being only 12 months away from the end of his contract again.
It shows that the 3 Ms are looking at fixing the same areas that we’ve all been crowing about since last season so let’s give them credit where credit is due if our defensive frailties of last season (centre and left) are fully remedied before the start of the new campaign.
I’d just like to add my thoughts too, I would like to see a 4-4-2 with Kites playing as a front man of Doyle. Would love to see us take a look at Owen Hargreaves as well he could be a heck of a player for us in the midfield with O’Hara making the forward runs. We just need as we all know another centre back Tomkins from West Ham has been linked, but is he any better than Stearman, and a new left back and yeah I can see us doing well this season.
Good post Ben.
What Johnson should certainly bring to the table is some much needed power and aggression to the back four. Hopefully, we won’t have to put up with matches like Blackburn (home and away) and Newcastle away where our center backs were bullied off the pitch.
Ever since we got promoted, I’ve felt we were more vulnerable against big, physical strikers than those with rapid acceleration and I think that’s been proved with our worst performances nearly always coming against power as opposed to pace.
However, with a quality center half on board and hopefully a new left back at some point, I don’t think that should automatically mean we play 442 week in, week out.
What I would say, is that it will hopefully allow us to play that formation more effectively when Mick does opt for it.
But people who say the sole reason we got exposed in a 442 at times was because of the back four are wide of the mark, in my opinion at least.
The shape and balance of the midfield was also a huge factor, with Jarvis often coming inside and getting into strange positions in and around the strikers. And because he wasn’t working up and down, our left side was woefully exposed, which was criminal when you consider it’s our weakest position anyway.
I also feel Henry and O’Hara is a bit lightweight for a two-man midfield, particularly if we’re going to play two marauding wingers down the flanks.
Assuming that those two will nearly always start, we need the wide players to work up and down throughout. That will likely mean Hunt plays a lot of the games we go 442, as he’s the best at that particular job.
But 451 should certainly not be ignored and let us not forget this was the formation Blues often employed and got the best out of Johnson with it.
I also like a 5 man midfield because it gets Milijas into the team more often, a player I greatly admire, as well as pushing our wingers forward into threatening positions.
Yes, this means that two of Doyle, Fletcher and SEB are likely to be on the bench, but we can always switch to 442 instantly should the need arise.
In summary, I expect another season where the formation is interchangeable throughout and I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.
Hmmmm Jarvis doesn’t get up and down enough? Can’t say I agree with that Thomas, if anything his game has suffered at times because he is doing too much defensive duties.
The formation question is a tough one, mainly because we have two very good strikers. They have the potential to be a very good pairing, but we haven’t seen it because we aren’t good enough defensively to play 4-4-2 when both have been fit.
My preferred formation is 451, as I think we’ve seen much better football and probably better results with it. It also enables us to play Milijas too, who is much more comfortable on the ball than most and can really get us playing.
Mick seems determined to play 442, and with Johnson (and hopefully a left back) signing maybe we will be able to.
Thomas and I have discussed this Jarvis previously – I agree with you Louie, in that I think Jarvis was chasing back too often to cover Ward. I dont think this will be an issue next season as I think Jarvo will be on the right with Hunt on the left (and I hope we will have a new left back by then anyway!)
Thomas – Just to open discuission (and I appreciate that exceptions make the rule!) – but what about our performances against Wigan over the past two seasons with their two diddy, fast strikers? They rank as some of my worst performances!
Well, it’s all about opinions, so I’ll agree to disagree with you both on this occasion.
I sat in the Steve Bull for 19 Premier League games last season, so I got the perfect view of events transpiring down our left (well, for 45 minutes of each game) and Jarvis drifting inside was a constant issue.
Yes, left-back is a problem position and at times Jarvis would track back and have to help cover, as every left-sided midfielder should have to do by the way!
BUT…
He was obviously ordered at times to come inside and link-up with the strikers, which was fine and dandy in a 4-5-1 because we had the cover for him when possession got turned over quickly, but in a 442 we were often left horribly exposed in area of the pitch we’re weak already.
I agree with Louie in that I still believe 4-5-1 is our best formation, regardless of Johnson’s signing. It’s the most balanced shape we have and we play our most attractive football with it too.
I agree about 4-5-1 being our best formation (Man Utd play it frequently so it cant be all bad!).
However, how do we fit all of our best players into that system without having to stick Fletcher/Doyle out on the wing (or on the bench)?
Decisions, decisions! But I bet MM will still find a way to fit Ward in!
I feel 4-3-3 would suit us best as it allows us to keep a strong midfield without sacrificing front players:
Hennessey
Zubar
Johnson
?
?
Guedioura
Milijas
O’Hara
Doyle
Fletcher
Hunt/Jarvis
The above formation allows for greater versatility up front and packing the midfield means we cover the defence.
We still need another CB, LB and maybe a other defensive midfielder as I don’t think Henry should be first choice this season. I think we’d retain possesion and pass the ball better without him in the team.
Personally id go:
Hennessey
Zubar
Johnson
Craddock/New CB
New LB
Jarvis
Guedioura
O’Hara
Hunt/Hammil
Fletcher
Doyle
Seb, Kightly, Stearman, MIlijas probs our only decent subs who could replace any of the starting line up. Big George needs to harden up, hes a beast, he should make it his aim to scare the other team, wear face paint, go up the them before the match and full on growl at them, do the Ivan Draga ‘I MUST BREAK YOU’ stance, that will more than make up for his lack of football skill, especially since half of the prem wingers and strikers and little pansy girls theese days.
Hope we sell Berra and Henry just to keep them away from the starting line up though.
just what i was thinking. i wouldnt sell berra yet though, i think he has a lot of potential and we will need someone to replace craddock when he retires :(. henry though definately needs to go, he is not prem and he is dirty. we also need a new captain im thinking hunty his drive and ability is inspiring.
4-4-2
hennessey
zubar johnson (evans or lescot or dann)
(bridge) hunt
guedioura or milijas
o’hara
jarvis
fletcher
doyle
sorry i mean
hennessey
zubar
johnson
(evans or lescot or dann)
(bridge)
hunt
guedioura or milijas
o’hara
jarvis
fletcher
doyle
25 MAN SQUAD: Hennessey, De Vries, Ikeme,Foley,Zubar,Johnson,Craddock,Stearman,NEW CENTREBACK, George Elokobi,NEW LEFT BACK, Kightly,Hammill,Guedioura,Milijas,Edwards,Ohara,NEW CENTRE MIDFIELD,Hunt,Jarvis,Fletcher,Ebanks-Blake,Doyle,Keogh.
Sell : Berra,Ward,Henry.
Give Keogh,Vokes chances in the cups, and if they scores, use them in the pl.
Stefan Maierhofer should also get a last game to show his worth. if he doesnt play well, sell him.
And im very sad to see Mouyokolo go out on loan. I think he could have been a great defender for us if it wasnt for all the injuries.
Keep Keogh, get rid of Henry? Are you serious? Sorry mate but Henry brings a lot more to the table than Keogh. I agree about Mouyokolo though, had great potential.
Interesting to see most people are putting line-ups without Henry in them. I love what he’s done for us and he’ll always be a Wolves legend but in this new quality team that is being put together, he becomes obselete. We could do with getting in another quality defensive midfielder. I’d use Guedioura there but he’s so good turning and going forward that you’d need someone else to hold the position in case the attack broke down. Maybe Guiedioura could do that job? Scott Parker would be a very good stop-gap until we found a younger model.
Anyone else worry Guedioura might be a bit too maverick to play a holding role?
I love seeing him go forward, and shooting from distance but am not sure he is disciplined enough to do this dirty job? Good strong tackle mind!
I don’t know if I agree he becomes obsolete. I think even in a 442 (Which I’m not sure about quite yet) he would be a handy replacement if we are looking to shore up a game, and against the “big” teams he seems to play really well, so would be useful for 10 starts and 10 sub appearances IF we go 442. In a 451 he is even more useful.
Horses for Courses for me i will wait to see who we bring in and who goes before i offer anything more concrete im afraid
Interesting to see a few people picking an XI without Henry. I’m not against this if we are playing fantasy football – as long as we accept there is 0% chance of this actually happening!
Four of the six midfield/forward positions will surely be filled by Henry, O’Hara, Jarvis & Doyle.
The fifth will probably be Hunt – I sincerely hope he’ll be used on the right, allowing Jarvis to stay on his better wing and Hunt himself to curl in the sort of goal he scored against Blackburn. McCarthy seems to always begin with them on the wrong wings though, only switching them when it doesn’t work.
This leaves one place and is, I guess, the crux of Ben’s blog. Will we go with Fletcher or do we put a Milijas, Edwards or Guedioura into the middle?
Like Thomas says, I think the boring answer is that we’ll see another season of interchanging both between and even within games.
If we go 4-5-1 then you can be sure we’ll have Fletch & SEB on the bench to go chasing it if we are losing.
I also don’t think our 4-5-1 is as negative as it once was – we used to play Mancienne, Foley, Jones and Henry in there! Now we could support Doyle with O’Hara & Hunt as well as Jarvis.
Although one man can’t rebuild a defence on his own, you’d hope the introduction of Johnson will see more games where we keep clean sheets or at least only concede a solitary goal.
Whether this encourages Mick to be more attacking I don’t know.
What seems obvious is that if we are going to play 4-4-2 then you can expect to see it early on – the first six home games are against Fulham, Spurs, QPR, Newcastle, Swansea and Wigan.
Agree with this.
If we’re going to play 4-4-2 I’d play Guediora coming in off the right to help in the middle with Zubar overlapping him.
We are stronger now with R.Johnson on board. Yet we still have weaknesses – one man doesn’t make wonders. 4-4-2 will make us vulnerable and we will concede goals. Let’s hope we can create more chances and goals. When playing 4-5-1 I’d favor D.Edwards as one of the inner three. O’Hara didn’t have the capacity to play box to box last season – maybe that’s going to be different after pre-season. Who knows!
I expect us to play both formations, 4-5-1 and 4-4-2
No one has mentioned how McCarthy is going to shoe horn Ward into every line up?
Unless we sign someone better – Henry will start every game he is fit as we will need some steal in the midfield. At least now he can pass it sideways/short to O’Hara for him to do the creative bit!
Roll on the new season!
I’m quite sure we’ll at least start with 4-4-2 and, dependent upon results, that will be our preferred formation for much of the season.
During the 09/10 campaign we were effectively forced to abandon the attacking principles that shot us to Championship glory and adopt a more defensive model as – to put it simply – we were inferior (on paper) to the vast majority of our opponents.
Now, with yet another quality signing on board, I think Mick will favour the additional attacking prowess 4-4-2 provides. It’s been very hit and miss over our time in the Premier League, but, as you rightfully point out, that has been without Johnson at the heart of the back 4. With him there, I believe it will prove the better option.
In my opinion our biggest challenge is to better make advantage of counter-attacks, when the opposition is out of balance defensively, and their players are out of position. We almost never scores goals in those situations when we’ve got the chance. It runs out in the sand. When we’re in such situations the players should run as crazy forward. Instead they stop up and begin to play the ball sideways.
It would be great if someone with the DVD actually could analyse Wolves goals last season, how many of the were created from crosses, from counter attacks, from set pieces and so on …
Well spotted Stourbridge Wolf. I expect Ward to be a permanent fixture on the bench, unless we don`t get a left back in, then unbelievably he may be on the pitch in the starting line up.
The problem with MM and his 442, is that it often is a 424, with the two central midfielders being out manoeuvred by the opposition three. It really doesn`t matter whether we play 451 or 433, two in midfield isn`t enough in the premiership.
If the players are fit, have mobility and pace and attack and defend in numbers, then you may as well go 451. You are less likely to concede goals with that formation, and you can shoehorn in Mijas into that system for that extra bit of quality.
Its a nice problem to have, we are better placed this year to play as MM sees fit. If we play 442, and win some early games, then why not carry on, the early results will always dictate how we play as picking up points early doors is paramount.
When are the Blackburn tickets going on sale? anybody know?
Bit off topic, but fun to watch nevertheless. First game of West B***’s pre-season tour of the US, 3 minutes in….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05VhDBSQ8JQ&feature=player_embedded
How come it took them as long as 3 minutes to concede ???
Sign him up, sign him up, sign him up!
(He might even get the Wolves blog banner picture this time next year!)
If we do go 451 the Doyle or Fletcher one is an interesting question. After the way Fletcher finished last season surely he can’t be left out. We’ve finally found a striker who can score goals at this level. He’d have every right to feel aggrieved. But then leaving a fully fit Doyle on the bench is bordering on insanity. The only conclusion for me is they must play together.
But where will he put Ward???????????????
Oh haven’t you heard, he’s the new assistant manager..
To have an assistant presupposes we have a manager………………
I’d say the presupposition holds true, if you look at the relevant resources, documentation and presence of an assistant.
Can you imagine the vitriol which would be aimed at “clipboard Ward”?