Back Three’s Back – The Rise of the Three

November 9, 2016

threeAccording to Schoolhouse Rock, or De La Soul, three is the magic number. For others three is nothing more than a crowd. For BBC’s Sportsound panellists it appears to be a puzzle. Previewing Saturday’s games, analysts had failed to recognise the use of the back three system throughout the season by some of the league’s teams.

Chris McLaughlin interviewed Brendan Rodgers, appearing perplexed with the unusual composition of players chosen by the Northern Irishman. He queried whether the player choice meant a shift to a back three before Rodgers explained that for large parts of the season Celtic have operated with such a structure, albeit a lop-sided but effective one at that. Even after Rodgers gave his answer, when the show went back to Richard Gordon, they treated it as a big shift from Rodgers’s supposed preference of 4-2-3-1.

Then they went to Gary Holt at Rugby Park. Giving the team news on Hamilton Academical, he saw the return of Massimo Donati as a sign that Martin Canning was moving to a back three after the defeat of Aberdeen during the previous midweek. Yet, if he had done a bit of research – ie watched BBC Alba’s highlights of the game – he would have witnessed an Accies side operating with a, you guessed it, back three. And in between those games they also played a back three.

While it is a system those being paid to analyse may flounder with, it is also one which has become increasingly prevalent across the league this season, with each side providing their own nuance to it as they look to solve weaknesses in their own side and exploit those of other teams.

We’ve seen Paul Hartley move from a back four to a back three before reverting to a back four then realising it didn’t really matter what system he played. Yet, with the rabble of players at his disposal he understands that the 3-5-2 system is most convenient.

Dundee simply don’t have any competent attacking width, while also having a paucity of creativity in forward positions. Recognising this, Hartley can get width through playing wing-backs, extra defensive cover with three centre backs, an industrious midfield made up of the same players no matter the names on the back of the shirt, supporting two strikers.

On paper it sounds a lot better than it has looked. Having lost two key players in Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart, Dundee are a team oozing mediocrity playing poorly. Saturday was the first time the system worked as it should. The midfield three outnumbering Motherwell in the middle, wing-backs pushing high and Marcus Haber and Craig Wighton linking well as they gave Ben Heneghan and Stephen McManus a torrid time.

It is not too dissimilar at New Douglas Park. Hamilton have played a lot better than Dundee so far. Yet, their inability to kill games (a lack of goals) coupled with a lack of full-backs has brought about the 3-5-2 system. Hamilton currently lack a talisman when it comes to goals as Ali Crawford does his best impression of Tootles in Hook. Except it is not his marbles he has lost, but his shooting boots. Like Dundee they have no stand-out forward so a two-pronged attacked is more advantageous.

With both of last season’s full-backs, Ziggy Gordon and the hapless Antons Kurakins, having departed Canning tried to find solutions within his squad with little success. Donati has been an excellent addition, providing a reliable base to the midfield with aggression, experience and sureness in his passing. Those qualities have been adeptly moved back into the defence, allowing Dougie Imrie the freedom of one wing, while Canning is able to play a trio of energetic midfielders. This writer referred to them as “little shits” on a recent show, but it was meant as a complement of course. They are competitive and make it difficult for opposition teams to play.

Meanwhile at Firhill, Alan Archibald has overseen an upturn in both results and performances. The Jags getting their first win since the opening day of the season at the tail-end of October at Dens Park before following it up with another away win in Perth. Previously, Thistle had given up a raft of opportunities at home to Hamilton in a 2-2 draw. Eamon Brophy’s equaliser was particularly galling for the back two of Danny Devine and Liam Lindsay.

Playing in midfield that day was Adam Barton. Similar to Donati, his passing qualities and physical attributes have been moved deeper. His confidence on the ball and direct passing has Thistle playing a more direct game to their two strikers, simultaneously freeing up the busy and inquisitive Ryan Edwards. More than anything it has given Thistle a better balance.

Then we come to Celtic. Most observers – including Sportsound’s plethora of analysts and panellists – will look at Celtic this season and see a basic 4-2-3-1. What has mostly transpired, certainly in the league, is a lop-sided 3-5-2(ish). Mikael Lustig has tempered his adventures down the flank to tuck in as an auxiliary centre-back. This has had a domino affect, pushing the other two centre backs to the left, Kieran Tierney higher up the park, Scott Sinclair infield, while James Forrest has acted as a wing-back-cum-winger high up the right.

This gives Celtic extra protection against the counter-attack and allows the attacking instincts of Tierney and Sinclair to thrive. Before Tierney’s injury they had struck up a fine partnership. The 19-year-old’s crossing from deep or the bye-line is infinitely better than Emilio Izaguirre’s, while Sinclair has been allowed to take up positions left of centre to petrify defences with his jinking feet and diagonal runs.

Elsewhere, Ross County have attempted the back three to little success as noted by John Maxwell. Although it did prove effective against Hibernian in last season’s League Cup final. This season’s attempt was short-lived due to the personnel involved. It wouldn’t be out of the question to use it again with the experience of Michael Gardyne and Chris Burke on the flanks, as Marcus Fraser adds mobility to the back three. It would allow Jim McIntrye to move away from the increasingly predictable 4-4-2, while maintaining two strikers.

There are certain teams in the division where you see little benefit of them attempting a back three, namely St Johnstone, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Kilmarnock and Motherwell. Derek McInnes on the other hand has the options at his disposal if he feels the need to have his Aberdeen side line up with a trio at the back.

McInnes has central defenders which offer different qualities which would give the defence balance, and there are a number of players who can operate in a variety of positions. McInnes is one of the most switched on in-game managers, constantly tweaking his side to counter changes from the opposition, as seen on Friday night as he reacted to Thistle switching from a back three to a midfield diamond. In fact there is an argument to be made that McInnes relishes the in-game strategy to the point that he tinkers a little bit too much. So while it is an option maybe it should be kept under wraps for a rainy day.

However, there are two teams in similar situations – decent league positions, poor performances – that could take inspiration from their league rivals. If we take Robbie Neilson’s Heart of Midlothian to begin with. It is a familiar story from early on in the season, all is not well at Tynecastle . . . Part II. Injuries to both Sam Nicholson and Faycal Rherras has only reinforced the lack of balance in the squad. The club’s only other wide men, Billy King and Dario Zanatta, find themselves on loan as Jamie Walker has made it clear that he regards the wing the same way St Mirren fans regard joy.

Rherras, who has looked no less suspect at left-back than Juwon Oshaniwa, has been more effective on the front foot. That’s his right-foot because Hearts have gone into the season with only two first team players whose strongest foot is their left.*

In recent weeks teams have been beginning to switch on to the make-up of the centre-back partnership. They have pressed John Souttar and sat off Igor Rossi. This has stifled the Gorgie side’s attempts to build from the back. The addition of Alim Ozturk to the line-up would have a number of benefits. First of all Hearts would have two players comfortable in bringing the ball out from the back. Naturally an extra centre back would give Callum Paterson, who has become increasingly lazy in his defensive contributions (seriously watch him in one v one situations), and Rherras more scope to play higher up the pitch.

Full-backs playing higher negates the need for wingers and allows players Hearts have been playing wide to play in their natural position, for example Walker and Arnaud Djoum. Neilson could even have his midfield structured in a way that he could play two number 10s behind a two-man strike force with Perry Kitchen the foundation.

The changes would shift the dynamic of the team which has stagnated. In the last 12 months under Neilson individuals, and the team as a whole, have not progressed a great deal, and there is further fear of a regression endemic. Perhaps the most worrying aspect is that fans no longer know what the club’s identity is; one only had to witness the organisational disaster which was the second half at home to St Johnstone and any number of away performances. Predictable, ponderous and easy to play against.

That is at odds with Mark Warburton’s Rangers. There is a clear style. A style so translucent that the opposition begin to know it as well as the Rangers players themselves. When ex-Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli was appointed Sevilla manager in the summer he said: “I want a Sevilla side which defends an idea more than a result.”

Due to the pressures of managing Rangers Warburton wouldn’t make such a comment, but it would be surprising if he didn’t think along similar lines. His intransigence is likely to cost him in the long run. He strayed – only ever so slightly – from his dogmatic approach in the semi-final defeat to Celtic in the Betfred Cup by playing James Tavernier further forward, but on a game-by-game basis you know exactly what you are going to get from Rangers: attempting to pass their way through the lines, width from full-backs for superiority in the middle of the pitch and a lot of risk when it comes to positioning. Canny and quick opponents can exploit the space easily.

In this 4-3-3, which forward players can say they have played to or beyond their level this season? Kenny Miller and . . .that’s it, isn’t it? Barrie McKay has found the jump in division challenging, Michael O’Halloran’s game time has been limited, Joe Dodoo has been more Joe Doodoo and Joe Garner looks very . . . basic. Against Ross County Warburton’s reaction to wasteful finishing and lacklustre performances in the final third was to simply change like for like.

Why not consider a three-man backline, especially when Danny Wilson is fit. The defence lacks pace in the centre, but that does not stop Warburton pushing on his full-backs to leave them exposed to the counter-attack. Push the full-backs on further and add a third man for protection. Wilson can move with the ball into midfield which should stop him from playing his typical feathery lob forward. Clint Hill is the proverbial stopper and then it is a toss-up between Beavis and Butthead – Rob Kiernan and Phillip Senderos. Perhaps even Lee Hodson can slot in to right-hand centre-back.

It would allow Warburton to play with his preferred three-man dynamic midfield, while two forwards can have freedom to move laterally and between the lines.

As Celtic romp away with the league due to their excess in quality, but also due to the players understanding their role within the team’s structure, the rest of the league is in a state of flux – 10 points separates second and 12th, the same points gap between second and first. This flux is in part down to the number three. A few teams see it as the magic number, others a crowd, while for some it is a mere puzzle, although one which may help put the pieces together.

Written by Joel Sked

 

*Edited because the writer doesn’t know the Hearts squad.


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