"Three out and out strikers!"

[Lakeland Potter]

Three "out and out strikers" is what we play with according to Vital Football's Sheffield United report on Tuesday's game. I wonder which three players those would be? Arguably we are playing with only one striker at the moment (Fuller) with Sidibe between him and midfield. Cresswell is a striker but is playing as a scoring winger and Lawrence and both centre backs get their share of goals. But I've never regarded our formation as 4,3,3 which is what the Vital Football writer thinks it is.

Not over keen on his description of Fuller and Cressie as journeymen either - I wonder of he is related to Hudsongod? ;D

Still he thinks Robbo is cr@p so he can't be all bad!

www.sheffutd.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=92151

[bogus]

It seems to me that, when we have a head of steam up, Cresswell and Lawrence actually seem to get further forward than Sidibe, of late. When we are applying pressure it's a bit 4-2-1-3........with Sidibe the 1...........IMHO

[Lakeland Potter]

Yes, I think there is some truth in that. I've always thought we play Sidibe as a target man rather than a striker. Which is lucky, considering his scoring record!

I suppose the fact is that Cresswell and arguably, Lawrence are not wingers but have good strike records and so are happy to get into the penalty area as often as possible.

[Deleted]

Yeah, from what I've seen on the telly we play a bit of a reverse Chelski. Chelsea play a big bloke up top and three "fast men" behind him (Cole/Phillips/Lampard) two of them out wide.

We play a fast bloke up top and three slower lads behind him (two out wide, mama in the middle).

Theory is the same, end product not quite up to the same standard ... that little bit of quality and all that ...

Now stop discussing tactics before TP gets on 'ere and gives us all a bollocking for giving away our secrets!

;0)

ah

[MarkWolstanton]

bogus said:

It seems to me that, when we have a head of steam up, Cresswell and Lawrence actually seem to get further forward than Sidibe, of late. When we are applying pressure it's a bit 4-2-1-3........with Sidibe the 1...........IMHO

I'd agree with that.

The downside is that too often when we get ahead it goes all 4-4-1-1 on us which is why we lose the initiative so many times.

The middle four blend effortlessly into the back four particularly when Matteo is involved.

[RWChris]

Slightly changing the topic, it's interesting how we've scored 30 goals in the league but from only 7 (Fuller, Parkin, Cresswell, Lawrence, Shawcross, Cort, Delap) scorers with another 3 coming as O.G's.

If Eustace can start chipping in with a few then we've got a good spread of goals from most positions.

[mumf14]

All very sensible points, but all missing the real big one...If only we could get in a similar striker to Sidibe who doesn't kill as many pigeons when he hits a ball.

Someone who can score goals as well as holding the ball up...and flick-ons to the strike partner.