This season's 4-5-1

[Amac9 2,060]

It is not a formation that we have used an awful lot this season but anytime we have needed to use it I feel that we have finally got the balance right and the players to utilise it perfectly.

In previous season's we have went with Whittaker, McCulloch, Davis, Adam... in the wider areas of the pitch and they have not got forward to support the lone striker which means we have five midfielders sitting 30 yards off the striker with no support. But this season we have got Naismith on one side supporting Miller and Weiss/Lafferty on the other side also getting forward in support so we effectively play a 4-3-3 that can change to a 4-5-1. It worked a treat yesterday and it is a formation that I feel we could use a lot more, especially at tougher away grounds like Tannadice, Tynecastle, piggery. It can also change very quickly when Miller pulls out wide and Naismith gets himself in the middle along with Weiss/Lafferty.

Davis, McCulloch and Edu as the midfield three is a good mix of creativity, energy and bite and they all know each others game and understand their role. At Ibrox we should be playing a 4-4-2 but in tougher away games this 4-5-1 could be very effective with Jelavic out for a while.

[Grandfather_Huck 5]

Yes our previous attempts at 4-5-1 were always far too defensive, especially in the run up to Manchester where we'd play Davis and either McCulloch or Whittaker as our wingers

So long as you play with actual wingers, or very attack minded players anyway, it's a fine formation

[Thommo 708]

When we first started adopting these defensive formations (mainly in Europe) I was against it and it was criticized by many. However, it has proved to be very effective as we reached the Uefa Cup Final with a 4-5-1, held Man Utd and Valencia to draws and defeated Bursaspor with an even more defencive formation. I'd still prefer using a 4-4-2 against SPL teams but I'm now more than for it in European games.

[Adoniram 1,919]

Systems are only as good as the players you have at your disposal.

4-5-1 has to start with a sold defence which we have.

In midfield you need a good holding or destructive player(maybe 2 depending on the opposition) to protect the back 4,break up play and protect our playmaker.McCulloch and Edu have been doing that to perfection

Out wide you have to have pace and we have that in Naismith and Weiss when he plays.We also had it in Lafferty on Sunday and with Miller through the middle it is a much better 4-5-1 than in previous years.

You have to have pace in the wings and full back areas for this system to work and finally we have that.

[Amac9 2,060]

Some people seem to think a 4-5-1 is a negative formation but if you use it with the right players in the right positions it is a very attacking formation.

[Cumbria_blue 51]

Some people seem to think a 4-5-1 is a negative formation but if you use it with the right players in the right positions it is a very attacking formation.

Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea play 4-5-1 as well, in a similar way to us yesterday. Thanks to our pace out wide it could become 4-3-3 really easily.