Tactics – the options assessed

4-3-3

Would this be a controversial call? Many fans felt that perhaps the 4-3-3 left us looking blunt up front last season, but could that have been a personnel problem? After all, when your front three contains the only three forwards you have, where do you go if it doesn’t work?

For those who were critical, remember the destruction of Coventry at the Ricoh Arena. That evening the numbers were in our favour, our three over ran their defence and provided us with promotion hope that was later dashed when the same set up created nothing at Exeter.

Although the graphic shows a flat midfield three, it wouldn’t work like that. I’d envisage a diamond in the middle, with two players in the advanced role at home and two in the defensive role away from home, much like the 3-5-2. Again, it is flexible and again it could be altered very quickly in-game without disrupting too many players.

We’ve got the right numbers for this as well. In terms of a front three we’re dripping with options, Akinde or Rhead as a focal point and any from McCartan, Green, Pett and Andrade playing around them. Throw Harry into the mix too and you’ve got quite a set up. In the middle we’ve got Bozzie, Freck, Ellis and O’Connor, as well as potentially Andrade or Pett.

If recruitment is anything to go by, this set up has to be the favourite out of them all. If this is the intention we almost have two for every position as well.

Why wouldn’t it work? There’s the perceived lack of width offered by the tight front three, plus the isolation of the full backs if they do push on. It relies heavily on the centre forward holding up play too, and for him to be able to create a phase of play as much as finish it off. There’s also a reliance on the midfield players having a Woodyard-like engine when teams break quickly against us, something that might have to be offered by Ellis as the other midfielders, Bozzie included, don’t have the same zip as Alex did.

4-4-2

Old faithful, the go-to formation for the average League Two side. Once upon a time I thought football was simple. 4-4-2, quick wide players, ball winner and a cultured ball player in midfield with a big man / little man combo up front. what could go wrong?

Lots. You could have a forward who isn’t mobile enough to be an active partner, but is talented and robust and needs players around him, like Matt Rhead. You could need wingers who understand about tracking back and helping out in defence, but instead get JMD or Josh Ginnelly. You could end up with a super ball winner like Bozzie, but hope to pair him with another ball winner like Alex Woodyard. You might get a ball player like Freck fall into your hands who you then can’t slot into place adequately, eventually resulting in a 4-1 defeat at home to Crewe and an immediate tactical rethink.

Will we play it this season? I wouldn’t think so. We do have wide players, Tom Pett can operate out wide and Harry Anderson thrives on it, but I’d much rather see Andrade central and that leaves us thin on the ground on the flanks. Danny hasn’t sought out wide players this pre-season either, meaning the National League winning line-up is probably out on its ear too.

3-4-3

This could be one coming out of the blue and, if it does, one set back will be the fact it is completely untested.

The players we have fit this model if the two wide men are full backs. It is almost the 5-2-3 of the Keith era, with a possible front three of McCartan, Akinde and Green supported in the middle by any two of Andrade, O’Connor, Frecklington, Bostwick or Ellis Chapman.

There’s a few nagging doubts in my mind, even if the defensive set up is right. Bozzie could play at the back, but that would almost certainly be alongside Wharton and Wilson, but would a midfield of Andrade and Frecklington have enough bite? If not, O’Connor could play, but where will Ellis feature? He’s been around the first team all summer and is bound to be at least on the bench.

Also, what would it mean for Harry or Tom Pett? Could they play as the wider players of the front three? Or did Danny like loading the forward areas with actual strikers at the end of last season and has a preference to do it again.

Also, let’s not rule out the big man too early. He could play in this formation but it would point to a direct ball once more. Are we going to be that team once again and if so, would a 3-4-3 suit the diagonal balls in?

Conclusion

Danny is right, there’s too much stock put on tactics. My head hurts at the endless possibilities we could go with this coming Saturday. If I can’t see it, someone who writes about Lincoln every single day of his life, how do we expect Northampton Town to figure it out?

I’d imagine something akin to a 3-5-2 or a 4-3-3 suits the players we have, although I count four ‘forwards’ I think it’ll be difficult to leave out. Andrade is surely a starter, Akinde will be and I think Danny wants to have McCartan and Green on the field too. That points to a 4-3-3, but I have this nagging feeling there’s going to be a surprise when the lads come out.

I’ll be honest, I still haven’t decided which I would use and therefore I still don’t know what XI I’d start. I’m planning the article for Tuesday so I’d best get my thinking cap on.

In the mean time, why not vote on your favourite out of those five choices?

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