3-5-2 or 3-4-3

[Paloschi]

Recent comments from LJ hint at a change in formation and IMO we have been better in the last few years, under various managers, with a back 3 as opposed to a 4. A 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 would help our woes in midfield and I feel Porto, Bushiri and Hanlon all play better in a 3 where Porto and Hanlon can carry the ball, step forward and Rocky can cover.

Currently, our midfield struggle in a 3 as they don't have the pace and athleticism to cover the half spaces or the physicality to impose themselves and dominate the centre. Having a back 3 would help us strangle the middle of the park and allow wing-backs and wide forwards to cover the half space and flanks. We also lack creativity and I think we need to utilise the likes of Cadden and Carbaja in getting them further forward and crossing from the byline. Cadden is also wasted at RB. Therefore I think, with what we have available:

Mashall

Porto
Rocky
Hanlon

Cadden
JDH
Kenneh
Carbaja

Boyle
Youan
Melkersen/Tavares/Henderson

We could even add Newell, Campbell or Henderson to CM and go 3-5-2 but I prefer Boyle in a front 3. Henderson can play more advanced and dropping into the '10'.

Thoughts? I really hope we go with this. We do need CB cover but assume Miller can fill in at RCB and McClelland has looked good.

[neil7908]

Formation needs to be based on players imo and right now, I don't think we have a striker or wide players that will make a 433 work.

I also think the likes of Mitchell (when fit), Cabraja, Cadden and Miller fit the wing back role.

And Youan and Boyle up top could be a great combo.

[hibsbollah]

I think Cadden and (albeit early signs) Cabreja look two of our most dangerous players and it makes sense giving them freedom to get up and down. But the normal weakness of the 352 is the weak point is the opposition counterattacking with long diagonal balls into the corners, which is something teams do a lot of in Scotland.

It’s more about personnel than formation. Get more attacking threat in midfield and a new centre back and a lot of our problems are solved.

[Jones28]

Gotta be a classic 5-3-2 for me. Cadden and Cabraja can provide in the wide areas and it accommodates Henderson playing as a 10. Two through the middle up top, and Kennah sitting in the midfield to recycle the ball.

[Heisenberg]

Could get behind us trying a 3-5-2 again. Definitely got the players for it.

[Tyler Durden]

If we do give it a try I'd rather see Cabraja at LCB and Mitchell at wing back.

[LeithMike]

I'm not a huge fan of 3 at the back as centre backs are invariably the worst footballers but Hibs have player their best football in my lifetime in a 3-5-2.

I'm no fan of 3-4-3 which takes away the main benefit of 3 at the back of also having 3 in the middle of the park and two central stickers.

Nonetheless, 3-5-2 would mean squeezing Boyle into the team in a position which is probably not his best - which is strange to do if he is your star man. We've also signed a lot of wide forwards who wouldn't fit this formation.

I think our current problems relate more to personnel than formation and we will struggle in midfield regardless of formation until we get a proper box 2 box midfielder in.

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[PPZPOL]

What to do when you are desperately needing a centre back in the door….play 3 of them instead of just 2

[GreenNWhiteArmy]

5-2-1-2

Marshall

Cadden
Porto
Rocky
Hanlon
Càbraja

Newell
Kenneh

Hendo

Boyle
Youan/Melkersen

We need a young Darren Mcgregor to play in the middle of the back 3 and a John Mcginn if we want 3 in the middle

[JammyDoidger]

Surely the formation you pick should suit your best players, no one is telling me playing Rocky and Hanlon is a good idea never mind together.

For me our best team as it stands just now not including injurys, looks something like.

Marshall

Cadden
Porteous
Rocky
Cabraja

Kenneh
Newell
Henderson

Boyle
Melkersen
Youan

Still don't see a spine, there lies the issue. We are short at centre back, centre mid and number 9. Appreciate Nisbet and Magennis would make a difference but the problem is they're not fit and unlikely to be back fully fit till after the year.

[JammyDoidger]

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Could get behind us trying a 3-5-2 again. Definitely got the players for it.

We've no got enough quality centre halfs to play 2 never mind 3.

[Heisenberg]

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We've no got enough quality centre halfs to play 2 never mind 3.

Yeah I kind of neglected to think about our lack of centre halfs. Sign a good one before the window closes though and it gives us the option. Gets Cabraja/Cadden further forward and two up front.

[Winston Ingram]

Where's the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 option?

There are no decent attacking sides anywhere that play 3-5-2. The only teams that do play it are mid-table or relegation strugglers.

I've never understood the obsession some Hibs fans have with playing this formation.

[Jones28]

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Where's the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 option?

There are no decent attacking sides anywhere that play 3-5-2. The only teams that do play it are mid-table or relegation strugglers.

I've never understood the obsession some Hibs fans have with playing this formation.

The majority of our best attacking football under Lennon and Stubbs was played using wing backs in a 5-3-2

[Libby Hibby]

I think 3-5-2 would work very well with our current squad and injuries, 3-4-3 when everyone fit.

[Smartie]

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Where's the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 option?

There are no decent attacking sides anywhere that play 3-5-2. The only teams that do play it are mid-table or relegation strugglers.

I've never understood the obsession some Hibs fans have with playing this formation.

When have Hibs ever done 433 / 451 justice?

Almost never.

Maybe Fenlon when he could leave Griffiths up front on his own and have 10 men back behind the ball? Or Mowbray, when he had a multitude of good attacking options? Killen did a decent job up front on his own.

Every manager tries it and comes unstuck.

I have no problem with Hibs playing 451/ 433 but we have to have the players to play it. Right now, we don't have the central striker or the attacking midfielder to make it work, and we're accommodating Porto on the left of a pair at the back. Because we don't have the central striker, we play Youan there, which means we have to accommodate one of our younger projects as a wide forward then get surprised when they don't impact on the game like we want them to.

So whilst I probably wouldn't start the summer intending to play 352, if you end up where we are now, it seems the best way to get a decent defensive unit out of the options we have available, our fullbacks who can be handy wingbacks, cobble a midfield out of a selection of imperfect midfielders and get a forward line out of players who can almost all play in a pair but struggle to get into that forward line of 3.

Constants over the past few years - Hibs trying to play 433/ 451 and Hibs struggling to create and take chances. 352 might not be perfect but I've only ever seen Hibs make a better fist of that than anything else. What other clubs do is their business.

If Hibs fancy buying a top notch central striker, getting Kyle Magennis fit and signing a left sided centre back to play in a pair with either Rocky or Porto (or even getting Hanlon back up to peak fitness and form) and I'm more than happy to see us go 451/ 433. We just don't have the personnel right now so should stop pretending that it's going to start working without the missing pieces.

352 is simply a pragmatic solution to our squad problems.

[BoomtownHibees]

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Where's the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 option?

There are no decent attacking sides anywhere that play 3-5-2. The only teams that do play it are mid-table or relegation strugglers.

I've never understood the obsession some Hibs fans have with playing this formation.

We’ve been playing those all season, folk are looking at alternatives

[Fergus52]

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Where's the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 option?

There are no decent attacking sides anywhere that play 3-5-2. The only teams that do play it are mid-table or relegation strugglers.

I've never understood the obsession some Hibs fans have with playing this formation.

Chelsea last season and their champions league winning side mainly play 343, but would switch to 3-5-2 often for certain games, or at time during games.

Same with Spurs Conte.

Inter's recent league winning side played 3-5-2 every week.

Last half of 17/18 was the best hibs side I'd seen in my lifetime imo (I'd have them over peak Mowbray or McLeish just down to the consistency they showed - the form/points per game from the end of January was equal to Brodge's Celtic and good enough to win the title most seasons) and they played 3-5-2.

[Winston Ingram]

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Chelsea last season and their champions league winning side mainly play 343, but would switch to 3-5-2 often for certain games, or at time during games.

Same with Spurs Conte.

Inter's recent league winning side played 3-5-2 every week.

The last half of 17/18 was the best hibs side I'd seen in my lifetime imo (I'd have them over peak Mowbray or McLeish just down to the consistency they showed - the form/points per game from the end of January was equal to Brodge's Celtic and good enough to win the title most seasons) and they played 3-5-2.

Inter are probably the only recent example anywhere. We had a 4 month spell where it went well but we continued it for the vast majority of the 1st half of the following season and we were dreadful. I don't know what Brodge is but when Celtic last used it consistently it was around 20 years ago. Back then it was quite a common formation.

Tuchel does use it occasionally during games but it's not his go-to formation. He never starts with it. The only time I remember Conte playing 352 for Spurs was v Liverpool last year in a 2-2 and that was mainly down to the fact they were ravaged by injuries.