Spotlight on tactics: can the 3-5-2 formation work for LUFC?

So far this season, the management team at Leeds United have attempted to use an array of formations, each one presenting more tactical shortcomings than solutions. McDermott’s faith in the diamond midfield has thus far yielded almost nothing, and many twitter whites have voiced their concern that the formation is a large contributor to our lack of attacking flair and a leaky defence. Finally, it seemed we had made a breakthrough. Playing within a 3-5-2 system, our floundering squad hit their stride, annihilating an abysmal Birmingham City. With this in mind, we at @LUFC­_ Calypso have tried to assess whether the formation is a viable long-term recipe for success, or whether it is yet another short term solution to a deep-rooted problem.

On many levels, 3-5-2 makes perfect sense. Operating with 2 wing backs allows those selected (we assume Byram and Warnock) to add the necessary width that, until now, has been totally absent whilst simultaneously installing a defensive solidity (if we can call it that) that is able to deal with the counter-attacking play of our opposition. In addition, wing backs provide the extra impetus going forward and theoretically this system has the potential to provide enough attacking support to our strikers to solve our struggle to score goals.  On the subject of attacking influence, playing 2 up front could also alleviate the isolation of our strikers up top (particularly away from home). In other systems, whoever has played up front has spent the large majority of the game chasing down inaccurate ‘hoofs’ from the back. With this system in place, it encourages far more cohesion between the midfield and the forwards, something that we definitely need to continue to score more goals and win more games.

A critical advantage of this system is that it allows us to play our best XI, with each player in the position that best suits them. Too many times this season we have tried to manipulate Ross McCormack, a player who has plied his trade as a 9 or a 10 for many seasons, into a central-attacking-midfielder and clearly this hasn’t worked. It is undeniable that Ross belongs up front, working as part of an attacking partnership – he does not have the height to hold up the ball as a lone striker, but there is no doubt that he has an eye for goal that merits his inclusion in the front line. In a search for width, McDermott has taken to utilizing our plentiful supply of central midfielders out on the wings. Whether it be Austin or Green, Murphy or Mowatt, we cannot continue to field a team where at least 2 players are playing in positions in which they can at best survive and at worst become completely embarrassed. 3-5-2 uses 3 central midfielders, a system that eases McDermott’s tactical headache; he would simply need to select his best 3.

For the most part, the system seems to work. Although we must attribute a percentage of our success against Birmingham to their lack of communication at the back, the system gave us the width we needed to maximize the potency of Matt Smith in front of goal. For the first time this season, we looked consistently dangerous in front of goal and solid without the ball. Scoring more than 2 for the first time this season in the league, both Ross and Matt Smith could have taken the match ball home had they converted some of our squandered chances. However, the system clearly has frailties. Saturday’s performance against Huddersfield was largely disappointing, mostly down to the inefficiencies of the system. We found ourselves chasing back in last ditch attempts to hoard off the Town counter-attacks all too often, raising serious questions. This system is clearly dependent on high quality performances from the wing-backs, and whether Warnock has the ability to consistently deliver disciplined performances remains an unanswered question.

With the current squad that McDermott has available to him, we believe that this system has the potential to cause the most damage going forward and, as we all know, goals win games. For the sake of the players and the fans, we believe that this system must be implemented on a regular basis and continuity is the key when it comes to formation.  Going forward, the responsibility lies with Brian to pick our best XI and the players must regularly find the form that saw a rejuvenated Leeds run riot at Elland Road last time out. If the side can do this, fans can continue to harbor muted hopes of play-off action later this season.