Lennon - Will his planned formation dictate signings?

I see a lot of posts about much will we spend. We need a complete rebuild. There's a clear out. Lennon wants a striker. Biton & Lustig to stay.

A lot of these questions hinge on the formation Lennon wants to build and how the current squad fit in to that with minimal spending because let's be honest, that's the likely outcome.

If we look at Lennon's formation history, he played in 3-5-2 during his playing days and from his first stint here he used the same and hybrids of it, at Bolton and at Hibs he went for the same. So if Neil opts to go for that formation again, how would our current crop fit in to that.

I've went all Football Manager(not usually my thing but * it) and plopped a wee teamsheet up of what I think that may look with coverage and where I think we'd need new signings.

I've also added a wee poll to see find out what formation you think he'll settle on.

 

I think a 4 4 2 will be used but 3 5 2 could be done but you couldn't have a back 3 of Lustig, Ajer and Tierney. 1 full back at a time in the back 3.

 

2/3 upfront domestic and 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 in European games

Will it dictate signings? Of course, as it should. A new striker is main imperative and at least one defender, ideally three.

 

I can see why we would keep John Kennedy as his assistant, continuity etc..

But, my fear is Lenny tries to play a kind of hybrid of his and Rodgers tactics and we get the kind of inept performances we’ve seen recently.

It’s difficult to rip up a successful blueprint, but in truth lots of teams have set up successfully against us when we play 4-2-3-1, that system is so reliant on Rogic, fully firing wingers and Edouard playing as a lone striker.. Sinclair isn’t the player he was but his stats are essential and Edouard is getting better in the lone role but for me we need to find a system that makes us more dynamic in the midfield and utilises our forward players.

Would like to see us vary systems too..

We can still use 4-2-3-1 when in suits and for me it’s essential Broonie starts to become more of a squad player.

Bain
New RB Ajer Simunovic KT
Henderson/Ntcham McGregor Christie
Forrest Edouard Shved

Bain
Ajer Simunovic New CB
New DM
McGregor Christie
Rogic/Shved
Forrest Griffiths Edouard


Bain
New RB Ajer New CB KT
Forrest New DM McGregor MJ
Edouard New ST
​

 

I think domestically we can afford to play with an extra forward player and one less midfielder. Although i voted 4-4-2 I don't think it should be your basic, rigid 4-4-2. It should be a case of getting more attacking bodies on the pitch and getting players forward who can then comfortably interchange positions across the forward areas. We've become far too predictable and basically teams have become wise to setting up against us. Time to start going for the jugular in games. Get our full backs bombing on and our front 4 come off the wings and interchanging. McGregor pulling the strings playing deep and Christie hounding the life out them. In Europe bring Brown in to give us an extra body in midfield and set up 4-5-1.

I.e........

................Eddy............
...................Shved.........
...Mikey...................Forrest..
...........Christie.................
......................McGregor.......

.KT.......Ajer....New CB.....New RB

 

I see it being a 4-4-2 myself it allows our best players to play in natural positions domestically in Europe against better sides it might be more of a 5-4-1 or 5-3-2

 

Getting a RB who can get up and down would be huge..

 

2 strikers. Griffiths will be back to 40 goals a year aswel. He just gets Lennon's game. Signed him and instantly was scoring Hatricks. Bet suddenly every * will be able to score from a corner aswel, been * at that since Lennon left.

 

I'm expecting at least double figures next year from corners. Classic example is wanyama against Barca. Definite tactic NL used, so I see no reason why he wouldn't adopt more "plays" from the vast number of corners and set pieces we get.

 

I'm predicting some usage of the diamond, maybe to allow Forrest rest time. Lennon loved the diamond in his first tenure.

 

Lennons tactics can be more cute than he gets credit for. I loved our asymetric 442 with Commons on the left and Brown on the right, which switched to a 433 when needed. Whilst I'm sure he has a plan now, I think a full system will fall into place after he finds out what players we do and don't sign

 

I think it’s going to be a carbon copy of the first time he was here with the 442 then 1 up top for Europe.

 

People actually think anyone at the club has some sort of plan...

 

If we could get another striker in similar to dembele (probably no chance) then I think a partnership with edouard would see us destroy everything

 

Don't think we have the players for that at the moment. We're far more reliant on wingers now and don't have guys like Ledley or big Vic who can protect the defence when full backs bomb on.

 

Seeing Hendry's name on a Celtic team sheet gives me the fear...

 

Very hard to predict a new season line up. All depends who comes in and who he really sees fits in to his 'system'.
But I'd imagine something like this
Bain
LUSTIG/NEW/RB AJER JOZO KT
JAMESIE CAL MAC BROWN SINCLAIR/NEW LW
EDDY NEW ST

 

Im worried lennons going to try rodgers tactics,im hoping he only kept same tactics as not to unsettle sqaud,as brendan was a big loss.I hate that the balls keeps going back to the cbs,and jozo just clumsy as * when bal gets passed back tohim.When teams suss how consistent we are of passing back to jozo n ajer quite a lot, were in trouble,next year.Its frightening when we only have johnny the only player thats trying to start attacks at times.

 

442 is outdated and only works if you have the players and system to do it right, the midfield is easily outnumbered and easier to defend against.

We need to play 3 in the middle with a sitting mid like McGregor then box to box mid like Christie next to him and a no.10 like Rogic. Makes it a lot easier to dictate and control the game.

Our biggest weakness this season has been fullbacks in Lustig getting caught for pace and not got the legs to get up and down the line plus KT’s injuries and not staying fit.

An attacking variation of 433 is best with the players we have.