Polaroid Saint

Great original post LSC, I agree sir. Plus, "the Governement" or rather the FA (as it's their job not Mr Browns) ARE doing something about the current state of English football. They are attempting, from youth and grass-roots up, to put the beauty back into the game. And by jove I think it might just work, WE (all fans, players, officials) need to support it and it may take a whole generation to achieve. But it'll be worth it! in the mine time, it's lovely to see Saints playing football again. Hurrah.

been dogged by injury and a lack of his fathers willingness to put him in the first team of the club he managed. nothing unusual there. Has turned out for the welsh U21s. Could be an inspired signing. Still prefer the look of Gasmi though. *sigh*

No no no, not points scoring. Just tired of the old 'change the formation solves all problems' gambit, so tend to react strongly, sorry! ;-) English footballs tendency to dwell on the myth of magic formulas has been/is still one of its big big problems. You clearly understand how teams adapt during the course of the game and your example is great illustration of exactly that - A free flowing system that is well adapted to the laws of the game. The fact someone wanted to name a formation WM (or christmas tree or what-have-you), is all well and good and if it helps with tactics and mental approach to the game for the team (players and manager) then I'm all for it. It's probably unfair on Chapman as a manager though, to say his successes were purely down to a formation choice. (Brilliantly) it was not the fabled WM formation that was succesful, but the manager and players themselves that implemented it. The key point is that 42121, the title of the thread, is media/fan short hand for all number of possible formations Poortvliet wants his team to play in during the course of the game. People will continue to use a managers percieved choice of formation as a stick to beat him with when things ain't going smoothly (and hail his genius when all is sweet).

1965 is right Doc! He is a modern-football thinker, you, it seems, are less so! 'Formations' are the preserve of the media and fans who like to think they know what they are talking about. Formations are fluid in a 90 minute game of football and players have long been able to adjust accordingly. 442, 433, whatever, is merely short-hand for saying how many 'recognised' strikers/midfielders/defenders are on the pitch. Man Utd may well be playing a 4411 now instead of the 46 they used last season, but, really, Fergie is not bothered what YOU call it. HE calls it tactics, NOT formation. Sure it's a subtle difference; but "Change The Formation" is a completely redundant call to improve a struglling side - change the tactics, attitude, approach, etc maybe, but 'formation' is just a label old-school managers, the media particulaly and many fans fall back on when they cant see ways to improve the play of the squad through decent coaching etc. Styles of play have changed of course, but 'formations' have little use other than as a small part of in-game tactics. Although talking about their various merits make good copy and pub banter, it rarely effects the play of the team. Any famous 'formations' through the years are based in propaganda as much as any supposed effect on the team.... ...expect posts about 'wingless wonders' etc...