we didn't hoof even when we went to a 5-3-2 or a 3-5-2 because the possession game depends on having 3 in the middle so that there is always an outlet which doesn't always happen when there's only 2 in there.
I know we disagree on many things about BR but I think that the modern game is changing and we need to have a midfield 3 capable of holding onto possession regardless of who the manager is.
Don't know about that actually! If you want to play offensive attacking football you have to use an offensive formation. Putting 5 in the midfield means compromizing either your back 4 or 2-3 men upfront. Can this really be good for you goal scoring tally and/or goal chance creation? Have a look at this article and see what you think!
"On the subject of the scalene triangles, let me put it this way. If you arrange three players in the isoceles triangle you mentioned for example, the players can easily pass the ball but so too can an intercepting opponent. Hence to quash these holding triangles forming in midfield you have seen more and more clubs loading the midfield with 5 or more players to overwhelm the opposition's triangle numbers. So if you have 5 midfielders and they form a triangle that leaves two players short of a partner and almost lost to an attacking move. To solve this problem Barcelona play in elongated scalene triangles along the left and right touchline using the left back and right back as the anchors so they are able to participate but still defend. The central midfield is actually where finishing comes from via Iniesta and Messi so very little holding play is actually in the thick of the opposing midfield. Thus 5 midfielders are easily nullified because if three or four move to the left to intercept the ball on the left scalene triangle, they leave the right triangle unmarked with possibly only one or two players to cover. If the ball is switched left to right with a long ball, you get punished. That is how Barcelona dismantled Man Utd in the CL final 2011 with very little effort. The trick is to teach defenders, midfielders and one striker to play successfully in only one third the width of the pitch for the length of the field. The only way is with a scalene formation".
