Newcastle Need To Play This Fluid 4-3-3 Formation

Without Siem De Jong, the rigid 4-2-3-1 is a failed experiment.

Newcastle Flying V If there's one thing that the win this weekend at Spurs proved to Newcastle, it's that being brave even in supposedly unwinnable situations is key. Even more importantly, Pardew once more discovered that adaptability depending on the opposition (not just who they are, but what they're playing) is key. For too long Newcastle have adopted a general containment model for playing against everyone, trying to overcome the opposition - regardless of who they are - through possession and frustration and breaking where possible. Clearly for sides swarming forward that reserved approach works, but for sides like Swansea and even Spurs, encouraging them to play into the space created by constantly deep-lyging defensive midfielders is fatal. Newcastle need to consider a more fluid approach to their formation, straying from the 4-2-3-1 that won't work until Siem De Jong is fit and available to an adaptable 4-3-3 that changes when the team has the ball. In attack, Jack Colback would play the deepest lying midfielder, with Moussa Sissoko and Remy Cabella both pushed forward to link up with both the wide men and Ayoze Perez - which worked so well against Spurs... 433 Attack That would mean the defence could still be covered by Colback in the event of a break, while having Sissoko and Cabella play attacking midfield together means defending from the front is a lot easier, which is key to stopping those attacks from happening in the first place. And then when the opposition are on the ball, the formation could change again, taking advantage of Sissoko's versatility and strength to help protect the back four, and letting Cabella drift in front to make sure that Ayoze isn't completely isolated with the wingers tucked back... 433 Defence Clearly the system relies on the wide men to work hard, and to do a lot of running - which is perhaps why Obertan should be replaced with Sammy Ameobi if he's having one of his infuriating off days. But given Pardew's preference for industry it shouldn't take too much to have his players respond to those requirements. The issue for Pardew is that Cabella has to stay more advanced, defending from the front and becoming the defensive playmaker. Both defensive midfielders have to pass out to him (or the wings depending on their positions), to allow the second phase of football and the change to the attacking set-up, with Sissoko becoming the key man running out from defence onto Cabella's balls. That way Newcastle could quickly transition from defence into attack, rather than building unhelpful possession that leads to nothing between the defensive midfielders. Clearly, when Cheick Tiote comes back, he can take the place of Colback as the defensive anchor, with Sissoko moved forward to play as the mobile play-maker and Cabella out wide on the left (with Obertan dropped and Gouffran on the right flank). What do you make of this fluid system? Share your thoughts below.
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