I know that I will get replies from [MENTION=15262]serghei[/MENTION] how 433 from Pep's era is not dead or figured out, but let's calm down and analyze some stats from recent years:
1. Pep played 433 in the first 3 seasons
Then he moved to an extra midfielder Cesc in 2011/12. So, he tried to even "level up" his 433.
It is hard to tell:
1) did he try that because 433 was getting figured out?
2) or he just wanted experimenting
2) Tito continued his work, but our 433 was getting weaker than in Pep's era
3) then came Tata and our 433 was even worse than during Pep and Tito
So, we see declining of our 3men midfield over years
4) then Lucho came. For 1 and a half years, 433 started to work again, but in the 2nd part of 2015/16, it started to decline again
In 2016/17, Lucho turned to 343 to get an extra midfielder (Roberto played as a hybrid RB-RCM).
Now, a question again: has he switched to 4 midfielders because he was crazy or something was "wrong" with a 3men midfield in 2017 (either due to the opponents figured us out or due to poor midfielders in our team?)
5. Then EV came and in the beginning he turned to 442 because 3 midfielders were NOT ENOUGH anymore to dominate the opponents.
And basically, we played the best under EV when we played 442 with 4 midfielders.
In the 2nd season, we switched to 433, and results wise, we became weaker than with 442.
This season, we continued with 433 and our results, domination and running was way worse each new Month.
Now, when you look at a bigger picture, isn't it fair to ask a question: is it even POSSIBLE to play a successful 433 in 2020, which will dominate the Europe?
If you think that it is POSSIBLE, then: surely it is not possible with our current OLD rooster where Messi doesn't run, and Suarez, Raki, Vidal, Busi, Pique, Alba are old.
So, you have 2 questions:
1. is it possible to play a successful 433 in 2020? (People will mention Liverpool, Real, City)
2. if yes, then you surely need way more athletic and younger players to do that
And now, a million dollar question:
= since it is hard to dominate and execute 433 in 2020, what to do when your core is old, physically drained and declined and unmotivated?
1) should you try with 433 again even though it failed too many times in recent years with a current rooster
2) or will you try something else (Pep in 2012, Lucho in 2017, EV's 442 in 2018, Setien's 352 in 2020)?
What if:
1. our team is so old and finished that it is very hard to execute majority of formations due to their physical limitations?
2. what if you can't force them to train and run too much, since they are old and dead, and: it is what is, you just have to accept, adjust and get as much as possible from them?
I mean, let's be honest: EV is gone for only 8 days, and an optimism around a new coach has already gone.
And questions like: is our team capable or running and winning anymore=are growing more and more after every single new match.
Imo, it is very, very likely: that our team can't run too much.
That they can't press and move too much.
That we are limited tactically due to those physical limitations.
And since younger players are mostly bad, we can't do anything but to play those amigos.
And then again, with amigos, we are limited tactically, in terms of running, pressing, rotating.
And then you have fans who want:
1. beautiful play
2. 433
3. wins
4. youngsters in a team
5. more intensity in training
Again, the most likely answer is: you can't get it all.
It is what it is. You can choose only 1-2 things and that's it
** I am not saying that we can't play 433 today.
But with these players, you will get a shitty, slow, boring, sterile 433 from EV's days.
Basically:
1. you can get a shitty version of a granny slow 433
2. or you can try something new, which will probably end in an even bigger disaster like Lucho's 343 or Setien's 352/343
