3-5-2 formation

[Omarz14]

Currently have Diomande (4.5) on the bench with Kun and Ibra as my strikers. Using 5 mids...bad idea or what?

[cesc408]

Not for me. Prefer 3 strikers who I think can and will score every week

[eastcentral1]

I have Diomande. But unfortunately I can't scrape together 3 midfielders I have confidence in, let alone 5.

[blahblah]

Depends on the 5 mids, atm I can see 4-3-3 as more likely for me than 3-5-2.

[eastcentral1]

Yes, I'll be playing 433 this weekend

[Omarz14]

Depends on the 5 mids, atm I can see 4-3-3 as more likely for me than 3-5-2.

Hazard Tadic Barkley Townsend Capoue.

Planning for:

Hazard Alexis Barkley Redmond Capoue.

[Omarz14]

Yes, I'll be playing 433 this weekend

Can't see too many good options in defence to play with 4...while midfield options are many.

So I'd prefer 3-4-3.

[Football Hero]

Yes, I'll be playing 433 this weekend

Can't see too many good options in defence to play with 4...while midfield options are many.

So I'd prefer 3-4-3.

I see MANY good options in defence this year. FPL have priced a lot of defenders too low. It used to be that defenders ranged from 4.0, (for newly promoted, playing defenders like Clarke Carlisle), up to 7.5 for the best defenders like Ashley Cole, Bosingwa and Terry, (or even 8.0 for Vidic one year if I recall correctly).

With the current list, only a couple of playing defenders are at 4.0, and only a handful of defenders at 6.0 and 6.5. So about 85% of the usable defenders fall in the 4.5 - 5.5 price range, and players like Shaw, Valencia, Walker etc. are far better than the 1.0 price increase you pay for having them over defenders like Friend, Evans, Pieters etc. since the former bunch should score about 140+ points if they play most of the season, and the latter bunch will only get 80 - 100 points. Not only that, but these 5.5 defenders will comfortably outscore most midfielders that cost 5.5 or 6.0 etc.

I hope FPL increase the prices of the defenders that come from premium defences next year in order to spread the defender price range out a bit more, as right now it is too narrow and it favours getting a lot of good value defenders in and forfeiting using a cheap 4th midfielder.

[eastcentral1]

Yes, I'll be playing 433 this weekend

Can't see too many good options in defence to play with 4...while midfield options are many.

So I'd prefer 3-4-3.

Shaw-Valencia-Stones-Evans

Could be decent.

[blahblah]

Last time I post about this outside my rmt thang: if Ronald sorts out the 3 at the back with Coleman and Baines then I will almost certainly add them to Valencia and Shaw.

The Everton defence looked good against Spurs until the whole team tired, and then conceded a header to Pullis' giants - so no disgrace there.

[Weisenwolf]

Yes, I'll be playing 433 this weekend

Can't see too many good options in defence to play with 4...while midfield options are many.

So I'd prefer 3-4-3.

I see MANY good options in defence this year. FPL have priced a lot of defenders too low. It used to be that defenders ranged from 4.0, (for newly promoted, playing defenders like Clarke Carlisle), up to 7.5 for the best defenders like Ashley Cole, Bosingwa and Terry, (or even 8.0 for Vidic one year if I recall correctly).

With the current list, only a couple of playing defenders are at 4.0, and only a handful of defenders at 6.0 and 6.5. So about 85% of the usable defenders fall in the 4.5 - 5.5 price range, and players like Shaw, Valencia, Walker etc. are far better than the 1.0 price increase you pay for having them over defenders like Friend, Evans, Pieters etc. since the former bunch should score about 140+ points if they play most of the season, and the latter bunch will only get 80 - 100 points. Not only that, but these 5.5 defenders will comfortably outscore most midfielders that cost 5.5 or 6.0 etc.

I hope FPL increase the prices of the defenders that come from premium defences next year in order to spread the defender price range out a bit more, as right now it is too narrow and it favours getting a lot of good value defenders in and forfeiting using a cheap 4th midfielder.

Well scoring was different back then and there was far more difference between the top 4, the chasing pack and the stocking fillers at the bottom than there is now but the broad point rings true IMHO. What has changed is that because the differences are narrower an attacking Defender from non-premium team can outscore a defensive defender from a premium team because the difference is less pronounced.

One of the implications that I find interesting is that it affects the wisdom of the old 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 formation. It used to be that you shelled out for 3 defenders from the better teams and spent
the rest of your dosh upfield. Many still do that (me included at present) but you can now contemplate spending less or having 4 at the back because there are so many players who will ultimately outperform their cost. Interesting

Makes the game better IMHO and compensates a bit for the inevitability of two positions (Aggy/Ibra) being dead rubbers; just like defenders used to be once upon a time

Of course the problem for me is that I'm OK at picking mids & strikers but awful at picking defenders (& keepers)

[Football Hero]

Yes, I'll be playing 433 this weekend

Can't see too many good options in defence to play with 4...while midfield options are many.

So I'd prefer 3-4-3.

I see MANY good options in defence this year. FPL have priced a lot of defenders too low. It used to be that defenders ranged from 4.0, (for newly promoted, playing defenders like Clarke Carlisle), up to 7.5 for the best defenders like Ashley Cole, Bosingwa and Terry, (or even 8.0 for Vidic one year if I recall correctly).

With the current list, only a couple of playing defenders are at 4.0, and only a handful of defenders at 6.0 and 6.5. So about 85% of the usable defenders fall in the 4.5 - 5.5 price range, and players like Shaw, Valencia, Walker etc. are far better than the 1.0 price increase you pay for having them over defenders like Friend, Evans, Pieters etc. since the former bunch should score about 140+ points if they play most of the season, and the latter bunch will only get 80 - 100 points. Not only that, but these 5.5 defenders will comfortably outscore most midfielders that cost 5.5 or 6.0 etc.

I hope FPL increase the prices of the defenders that come from premium defences next year in order to spread the defender price range out a bit more, as right now it is too narrow and it favours getting a lot of good value defenders in and forfeiting using a cheap 4th midfielder.

Well scoring was different back then and there was far more difference between the top 4, the chasing pack and the stocking fillers at the bottom than there is now but the broad point rings true IMHO. What has changed is that because the differences are narrower an attacking Defender from non-premium team can outscore a defensive defender from a premium team because the difference is less pronounced.

One of the implications that I find interesting is that it affects the wisdom of the old 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 formation. It used to be that you shelled out for 3 defenders from the better teams and spent
the rest of your dosh upfield. Many still do that (me included at present) but you can now contemplate spending less or having 4 at the back because there are so many players who will ultimately outperform their cost. Interesting

Makes the game better IMHO and compensates a bit for the inevitability of two positions (Aggy/Ibra) being dead rubbers; just like defenders used to be once upon a time

How was the scoring different back then? In my time of playing FPL, (about 7 years), the only real change to the scoring has been the addition of -2 points for an own goal, and the BPS system replacing the inherently biased 'man in the stand' system for bonus points.

Attacking defenders in weak defences will rarely outscore defenders in top defences, as the latter defenders normally get 8 - 10 clean sheets more over the season, (as well as less -1 points for 2 goals conceded etc.), and it is rare that attacking defenders in weak teams can get 8+ additional goals and assists to make up the difference in a 38 game period.

[blahblah]

I think the point is that the Prem was diffeernt.

[Football Hero]

I think the point is that the Prem was diffeernt.

How was it different?

[TheMightyTorres]

I think the point is that the Prem was diffeernt.

How was it different?

I'm assuming he's talking about the difference between the very top clubs and every other team. If you look at Chelsea 04/05 for example, they conceded just 15 goals throughout the entire season. Something like that is unfathomable now. You'd be happy paying £7.0+ for a defender in that Chelsea team.

[Football Hero]

I think the point is that the Prem was diffeernt.

How was it different?

I'm assuming he's talking about the difference between the very top clubs and every other team. If you look at Chelsea 04/05 for example, they conceded just 15 goals throughout the entire season. Something like that is unfathomable now. You'd be happy paying £7.0+ for a defender in that Chelsea team.

I'm looking at 2004/05 and I see that Everton got 4th place with only 61 points that season, (normally you need more points to secure top 4), and Liverpool in 5th, (being a top 4 regular at the time), were not much better than the rest of the pack.

Normally the champions lose 5 or 6 games, but Leicester only lost 3 last season and Chelsea only lost 3 in the season before, (implying that the top team is pulling clear of the pack again). Also, this year both Manchester clubs are looking very convincing, (Chelsea less so), and could easily not drop very many points against the weaker teams.

So it's much of a muchness in my opinion, I don't think it's too much different from 2009/10, (the season where the top defenders were 7.5 or 8.0), or that much different from 2004/05, the bottom and mid-table clubs have always been able to get results from time-to-time against the big clubs.

[blahblah]

I think the point is\was that the old Jose Chelsea defence could be relied on for CS's, with del horno getting attacking points Henry would get loads for Arsenal etc. this season so much is unknown and unknowable.

[bristolciteh]

I think the point is\was that the old Jose Chelsea defence could be relied on for CS's, with del horno getting attacking points Henry would get loads for Arsenal etc. this season so much is unknown and unknowable.

Is Del Horno injured?

[Football Hero]

I think the point is\was that the old Jose Chelsea defence could be relied on for CS's, with del horno getting attacking points Henry would get loads for Arsenal etc. this season so much is unknown and unknowable.

No, because Bosingwa, Ashley Cole and Terry being 7.5 happened in 2009/10, and Mourinho wasn't Chelsea manager in 2008/09.

[Le Red]

There's merit to the thought of going 4-4-2. Also, well chosen defenders are the most reliable players in your squad due to rarely being rested, subbed or dropped.
ref. Football Hero's opinions, it was a necessary change to review the defender's prices, tactics were drifting too much towards minimum defensive investment. With the new pricing system there's way more debate regarding how much should be spent on defence. I'm not saying there won't be the eventual underpriced defender, but what about the other positions? When a defender is overpriced, it's a matter of £0.5 or £1.0. When it's a mid or striker, it's way more than that.

[Football Hero]

There's merit to the thought of going 4-4-2. Also, well chosen defenders are the most reliable players in your squad due to rarely being rested, subbed or dropped.
ref. Football Hero's opinions, it was a necessary change to review the defender's prices, tactics were drifting too much towards minimum defensive investment. With the new pricing system there's way more debate regarding how much should be spent on defence. I'm not saying there won't be the eventual underpriced defender, but what about the other positions? When a defender is overpriced, it's a matter of £0.5 or £1.0. When it's a mid or striker, it's way more than that.

Yeah, that's cool, and also it's not really a 'bad' thing per se, as if any players are under-priced, (a fair amount of defenders this season, players like Mahrez and Vardy last season etc.), then it's just our job to identify them and bring them in. The same player list is there for everyone, and each season there will always be some players offering more value than they perhaps 'should', and so we just need to identify them and get them.

I guess my concern is mainly based around the fact that there are so many under-priced defenders that I can't help but feel FPL have overlooked something with their pricing if you see what I mean. They've allowed too many strong defences to be constructed quite cheaply so that managers aren't really forced to dip into the poorer defences at all.

[Le Red]

There's merit to the thought of going 4-4-2. Also, well chosen defenders are the most reliable players in your squad due to rarely being rested, subbed or dropped.
ref. Football Hero's opinions, it was a necessary change to review the defender's prices, tactics were drifting too much towards minimum defensive investment. With the new pricing system there's way more debate regarding how much should be spent on defence. I'm not saying there won't be the eventual underpriced defender, but what about the other positions? When a defender is overpriced, it's a matter of £0.5 or £1.0. When it's a mid or striker, it's way more than that.

Yeah, that's cool, and also it's not really a 'bad' thing per se, as if any players are under-priced, (a fair amount of defenders this season, players like Mahrez and Vardy last season etc.), then it's just our job to identify them and bring them in. The same player list is there for everyone, and each season there will always be some players offering more value than they perhaps 'should', and so we just need to identify them and get them.

I guess my concern is mainly based around the fact that there are so many under-priced defenders that I can't help but feel FPL have overlooked something with their pricing if you see what I mean. They've allowed too many strong defences to be constructed quite cheaply so that managers aren't really forced to dip into the poorer defences at all.

I see your point. My defender trio is made of two Man. U and one Man. City solid starters (seemingly), all for £16.0. It may not be the best combination but it's cheap and safe. These prices allow for a "can't do much wrong" approach based on buying cheap options from the bigger teams.

[Football Hero]

There's merit to the thought of going 4-4-2. Also, well chosen defenders are the most reliable players in your squad due to rarely being rested, subbed or dropped.
ref. Football Hero's opinions, it was a necessary change to review the defender's prices, tactics were drifting too much towards minimum defensive investment. With the new pricing system there's way more debate regarding how much should be spent on defence. I'm not saying there won't be the eventual underpriced defender, but what about the other positions? When a defender is overpriced, it's a matter of £0.5 or £1.0. When it's a mid or striker, it's way more than that.

Yeah, that's cool, and also it's not really a 'bad' thing per se, as if any players are under-priced, (a fair amount of defenders this season, players like Mahrez and Vardy last season etc.), then it's just our job to identify them and bring them in. The same player list is there for everyone, and each season there will always be some players offering more value than they perhaps 'should', and so we just need to identify them and get them.

I guess my concern is mainly based around the fact that there are so many under-priced defenders that I can't help but feel FPL have overlooked something with their pricing if you see what I mean. They've allowed too many strong defences to be constructed quite cheaply so that managers aren't really forced to dip into the poorer defences at all.

I see your point. My defender trio is made of two Man. U and one Man. City solid starters (seemingly), all for £16.0. It may not be the best combination but it's cheap and safe. These prices allow for a "can't do much wrong" approach based on buying cheap options from the bigger teams.

Exactly, and most of the casuals are probably doing that too, (large ownerships of Shaw and Stones for instance), so there is very little that the strong managers are gaining in defence, whereas in past seasons strong managers could gain by saving money and getting two cheap defenders that rotate well for example.

A few years back, two nailed on Man Utd defenders and a nailed on Man City defender would probably be one at 7.0 and two at 6.5, setting you back 20.0. If casuals did that then they would be spending too much money at the back and not taking advantage of going for a clever 'cheap defender' strategy in order to spend more in midfield or attack.

So basically there is less 'advantage' potential that good managers can apply with defenders this year, as it's pretty much a no-brainer to have several of the attractive 5.5 defenders from the top clubs, and Stones at 5.0, as you don't save enough cash trying to pick cheap 4.5 and 5.0 defenders from weak teams.

[Omarz14]

I see MANY good options in defence this year.

Shaw-Valencia-Stones-Evans

Could be decent.

Guys my point is that the 'many' options are not like before, when clean sheets were almost guaranteed for premium teams or when defenders Baines used to score +7 goals.

Plus, do you think Shaw-Valencia-Stones-Evans would outscore 2nd class mids like Tadic, Barkley, Arnautovic, Siggy, etc..?