All that Glistens is not Goals

Beesotted's Larry Signy takes a look at the Diamond formation:


There`s been a lot of talk about the Bees new-fangled diamond formation. Trouble is - apparently none of us, supporters or players alike, seem to understand exactly what it is.

Let`s see if we can unravel the mystery

But let`s go back to basics. In the beginning, as they say, there were simply eleven footballers who went out and kicked a ball around. Then came the first formation - goalkeeper, two full backs, three half backs (a centre half, an attacking wing half and a defending wing half) and five forwards, of whom two were wingers, one a creator, and the others plain old-fashioned goal scorers.

Then we got sophisticated. The two full backs, the centre half and the defending wing half became "a back four" - the attacking wing half and the creative inside forward a "midfield two" , the wingers and the goal scorers stayed the same. Just as before, but we called it 4-4-2.

From there it simply evolved. We had the same four defenders, one of the wingers dropped back to help in a midfield three, and the others were the goal scorers. Virtually the same, but now we called it 4-3-3.
Then it progressed a bit more - one of the three midfielders dropped back to help the defence, one of the front three dropped back to do something or other - yup, still the same, but now we gloried in 4-1-2-1-2.

And from that, my friends, the diamond developed. The back four are still the same. The 1-2-1 part are now called a diamond. The front two are the same. It`s all change……erm, isn`t it?

It`s called evolution.

Or if you prefer - manager talk for "who`s a clever lad then for dreaming of something different"?

But when it all comes down to it - what the numbers of any of these systems really add up to is……….. eleven footballers who go out and kick a ball around. Some are defenders, some creators, some goal scorers.
Ah, come off it - let`s just play uncomplicated football that means we score goals and stop the other team doing the same.

Diamonds may be a girl`s best friend - no hairy-ar*ed footballer should worry about 'em.

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.