why do people insist on playing a 4-4-2....we clearly dont play well using this formation, you cant just say play 4-4-2 at home if we suck at it which we do. we haven't won a game using this formation. i for one am fed up with people going on about this, for f***k sake changing to this formation won't magically turn us into an amazing brazilian attacking team. stick to what has worked for us and that's five accross the middle with cowie and imrie supporting and vigurs and black pulling the strings.

i know a lot of people will disagree with me but the evidence so far shows that we suit the 4-5-1 much better.

Edited December 17, 200817 yr by CaleyP

I think football can be made too complicated at times.

4-4-2 is the tried and tested successful formula. 4-4-2 has been the general success story now for over 40 years, I don't think football will find another level of progression.

The 3-5-2 was introduced as the next big thing circa early 90's but the big boys eventually dumped it. I don't care what anyone says regarding the 4-5-1 being non-negative if used properly, IT IS NEGATIVE AND DULL AND BORING.

IMO you cant beat a proper 4-4-2, with 2 widish midfielders a holder and a more offensive middle man and a striking partnership.

As I say football is simple, I remember reading comments from Jim MacLean (Dundee U) saying words to the effect that forget about all the fancy stuff, the vast majority of goals come from a cross from the wing and a header from the big striker !

It's hard to say. Some say that future formations will be non-symmetrical and have arms on them, like this:

-----------------GK--------------

---RB----CB-------------CB---LB-

------RM--------CM--------LM---

--RW----------------------------

--------RF-----------LF----------

Another one could well be what Man U are doing now, with a 4-6-0, with an attacking front four which also pulls the defenders out of position. I still reckon that the 3-5-2 may still benefit ICT though, especially if a big centre-back a la Dods is signed in January.

As I say football is simple, I remember reading comments from Jim MacLean (Dundee U) saying words to the effect that forget about all the fancy stuff, the vast majority of goals come from a cross from the wing and a header from the big striker !

Thats it! we need a decent winger and a decent big centre forward, the complete inability of our team to get a cross/pass behind the opposing defence is our weakness, the times that we do manage it ie Dee utd / Midden games we score.

So really if we play 4 5 1 one of the 5 has to be a good, fast winger that can cross a ball, and at present we are getting rid of a player that can cross a ball and have an unproved player in Sutherland who aint getting a game.