Formation / best 11

[Spa Pilgrim]

So in an attempt to be proactive, assuming we have the current crop of players to work with, what's the best formation/team? We need more central defensive solidity as I don't believe the back 4 are completely to blame, the midfield just doesn't chase back or gets carved up like butter. Personally I'd put Zak into a central defensive two with Platty, add Cummins to a back 3 with Sephton & Ferguson (cartilage problem?) as wing backs. We'd also get some much-needed width to our attack. Just look how it worked with Jake's goal yesterday. Then either Chadwick or Pollock as the nu.ber 10 behind a front two of Jake & Burrows. Basically a 3-5-2 or 3-2-3-2. Views?

[Batistuta]

This is a team devoid of confidence and with nowhere near enough quality. We can't do the simple stuff well, at the moment the diamond we seem to play isn't working so I'd say back to a simple 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 is the answer.

Even then I've got no confidence it'll make any difference because this team is on a downward spiral that I can't see us getting out of.

[TheThirdTwin]

The best XI and formation would depend very much on whether you’d prefer to stop the rot, or go for broke.

On the one hand, we ship goals whoever the back line is, so maybe just pick any back 5 with Platt in front of them and play hoofball to 4 forwards? 

Oh sorry, we’ve tried that…let me throw another idea into the mix… play fullbacks on their wrong side, play midfielders at centre back and have the remaining midfielders run around like headless chickens and hope that Jake latches onto something before he loses his head?

sorry, that ideas been used too?….okay then third time lucky….get in a bunch of loan players, play them all and chuck in a couple of unfit senior players and pray that they work out how to play with each other before we’re 3 down….sorry? Also used?

Looks like I’m no good at this keyboard manager lark!

My point is that it doesn’t matter what we’ve tried or which personnel we’ve used, where we are in the league is due to all of the above, but how to get out if it is another matter altogether. Let’s just hope we can.

[Prof]

agree TTT. I am normally very 'glass half full' but I regret I've reached rock bottom. Have just watched our hapless defence on Alfreton Youtube. I can't see how we can climb out of this ATM.

[Spa Pilgrim]

Wasn't far away!