5-4-1 in the Europa League?

[Tumshie 205]

After this season's improved Champions League showing albeit an ultimately unsuccessful one we now find ourselves in the Europa League. As we all know Smith has adopted the 5-4-1 formation and by all accounts it has worked better than the 4-5-1 employed the previous season. We seem to be able to pish forward and have more of an attacking threat, shown in the excellent home performances against Bursaspor and Valencia.

With teams already in the Europa League such as Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City my question is will Smith employ the same tactics in the Europa League that have served him well in the Champions League or will he return to the formation that took us to Manchester three seasons ago.

Thoughts?

[MasterD 7,435]

I think he'll keep the 5-4-1 home and away

[j1mgg 3,766]

I just dont like playing this formation a we dont have the midfield to create the chances for the lone striker. We are making about 2 or 3 chances a game and that isnt enough and has seen us struggle to find goals.

We need davis and another attacking midfilder beside him for this to have a chance of us scoring more than 1 goal a game.

[rossnrfc 2]

would walter have stuck with the 5-4-1 if we had lost that 1st game in manchester ? I am not sure if he did. I can totally understand playing the 5-4-1 against Utd, and probably valencia too. Before the games started we would have taken 4 points from Bursa in my opinion. Its a tough call, but I dont see him changing it for Europa now. If only we had Jelavic for the Europa cup games, we might have seen a more attacking lineup. Possibily even two upfront! yes I said two upfront

[martyboy2009 11]

Smith will stick with 5-4-1. He'll play whoever he can to make up that back 5. He'll play lee mcculloch no matter what a

[rossnrfc 2]

Jelavic uptop with Miller wide left and Naisy wide right in a 5 man midfield would be good for me...if only

[martyboy2009 11]

Smith will stick with 5-4-1. He'll play whoever he can to make up that back 5. He'll play lee mcculloch no matter what aNd kenny miller will always play as the loan striker. We will give teams too much respect as usual. We will play 5-4-1 even if we are playing a crappy team that we should beat easily.

Not looking fwd to the Europa league one bit.

[real boydie9 17,675]

Personally speaking I think he'll stick with a 5-4-1 formation.

[Thommo 708]

It seems to be effective enough so I dont see any reason why he will change it.

[Tristan 11]

Whilst David Weir is still in the team, it will always be 5 at the back in Europe

[Orangeclement 570]

ach its got us further than Lemmon and the mighty Celtic attacking formation so im happy with that , maybe Martybhoy should go watch the famous shellick and their attacking football that see's them out of Europe before it even starts ........

[real boydie9 17,675]

ach its got us further than Lemmon and the mighty Celtic attacking formation so im happy with that , maybe Martybhoy should go watch the famous shellick and their attacking football that see's them out of Europe before it even starts ........

Forget about Karl Pilkington, Lemmon is the real "Idiot abroad" the 5-4-1 got us to a european final before although I would rather see us be a bit more attacking especially at the brox and I dont mean when its a champions league game its a better quality of team in that tournament and although I know there still is some tasty teams in the europa league there's also teams in it who if we did get drawn against we shouldn't fear and therefore be a bit more attacking.

[ManchestGer 347]

Forget about Karl Pilkington, Lemmon is the real "Idiot abroad" the 5-4-1 got us to a european final before although I would rather see us be a bit more attacking especially at the brox and I dont mean when its a champions league game its a better quality of team in that tournament and although I know there still is some tasty teams in the europa league there's also teams in it who if we did get drawn against we shouldn't fear and therefore be a bit more attacking.

[Amac9 2,060]

McGregor

Foster Bougherra Weir Papac

McCulloch

Davis-------------Edu

Weiss------------------------------Naismith

Miller

[Tristan 11]

ach its got us further than Lemmon and the mighty Celtic attacking formation so im happy with that , maybe Martybhoy should go watch the famous shellick and their attacking football that see's them out of Europe before it even starts ........

I'd rather we played 4-4-2 at home and 5-4-1 or 4-5-1 away rather than 5-4-1 in every single game

A few years ago, Celtic were winning almost every home game they played in Europe (beating the likes of Juventus, Porto, AC Milan, Man Utd, Shakhtar Donetsk, Valencia) because of their positive tactics. In the same time, we've been playing 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 and never winning home games that we weren't expected to win. We give teams far too much respect at Ibrox (as seen by us playing for 0-0 draws against the likes of Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina)

[Adoniram 1,919]

"We have more of an attacking threat"

We scored 3 goals in 6 games FFS

The 5-4-1 simply meant we didn't lose as many goals as the previous season.

Strange how people view success these days for Rangers.

[rfcfraserrfc 262]

He will go 5-4-1 and get us to dublin

[Orangeclement 570]

I'd rather we played 4-4-2 at home and 5-4-1 or 4-5-1 away rather than 5-4-1 in every single game

A few years ago, Celtic were winning almost every home game they played in Europe (beating the likes of Juventus, Porto, AC Milan, Man Utd, Shakhtar Donetsk, Valencia) because of their positive tactics. In the same time, we've been playing 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 and never winning home games that we weren't expected to win. We give teams far too much respect at Ibrox (as seen by us playing for 0-0 draws against the likes of Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina)

Didn't o'squeel play a back 5

[Amac9 2,060]

There is no way Walter will change his thinking now anyway.

A 0-0 at home is not a bad result as the UEFA Cup run shows.

[Liam_RFC 238]

5-4-1 for me

[Muff 245]

I don't see us changing anything anytime soon. If we continue to show the opposition too much respect and allow them to come at us time and time again, we won't be in the Europa League for much longer.

The Kenny Miller lone role is complete and utter horse-shit, and there is not a chance James Beattie can do it either. Lumping the ball up the park every two minutes is absolutely no use to anyone.

[Adoniram 1,919]

5-4-1 against the every team we play in Europe is an admission we are not good enough.

If that is the mindset of the manager then what is the mindset of the players when they go on to the park worrying more about the opposition than letting them worry about the Rangers.

I can see the logic in playing it when visiting Old Trafford and the like but in a game like last night 5-4-1 was a capitulation and a disgrace.Especially as Bursaspor were no better than Hearts or Motherwell.

Even 4-5-1 sees us break against the opposition only to run out of options as we only have Naismith,Miller and Davis in forward roles with Whittaker occasionally taking the ball for a run.

Last night they were there for the taking so i am baffled as to why Smith brought Miller and Naismith off when he did and effectively sold the game.

If he was that concerned about Saturdays game then why play them in the first place?

[Tristan 11]

Didn't o'squeel play a back 5

Was more of a 3-4-1-2 with Agathe and Thompson as wingbacks, and Sutton playing off Hartson and Larsson

[Orangeclement 570]

Was more of a 3-4-1-2 with Agathe and Thompson as wingbacks, and Sutton playing off Hartson and Larsson

So yes it was a 5-3-2

anyway i think we would do well to follow that blue print tbh at home of course , 3 strong CH and two fullbacks pushed forward at every chance to push the opposition wingers back down the park closing off their outballs etc and trying to pen them in up the park but alas our stumbling block is Sir David of Weir IMO

[martyboy2009 11]

Didn't o'squeel play a back 5

3 at the back.