Re: Ange playing a back three in Nottingham Forest loss to Midtjylland
"When Ange was coaching the Socceroos in his last months, there was controversy surrounding his use of a back three formation, particularly the 3-2-4-1 system. It was widely criticized for making the team vulnerable defensively, especially against counter-attacks and quick transitions, leading to the team conceding a lot of goals in several matches."
"Critics argued that the back three exposed defensive weaknesses, notably because the players struggled to cover the spaces left behind when wing-backs pushed forward. Some believed the system required player qualities that the Socceroos did not entirely possess at the time."
"There were calls for Postecoglou to abandon the back three system in favor of a more stable back four to protect the defense better. Despite these criticisms, Postecoglou was known for his strong belief in his methods and was reluctant to change formation radically. The controversy intensified as results suffered, leading to heated debates about whether the back three was the right tactical choice for the Socceroos given the players at his disposal."
"Postecoglou’s use of a back three with the Socceroos was controversial because it led to defensive vulnerabilities and many goals conceded. The criticism stemmed from a combination of the formation's inherent risks and perceived mismatches between the system and the players’ abilities, coupled with defensive execution issues during transitions."
Ange Postecoglou is characterised as a gung-ho attacking coach, but does he have a defensive side?
timpalmerfootball.com
The Socceroos' current problems stem from how they defend as a unit not from the number of men in the back line, insists respected coach Ron Smith, who says critics of Australia's back-three formation are off the mark.
www.sbs.com.au
ANALYSIS: Australia coach Ange Postecoglou should ditch his three-at-the-back strategy as it has not worked and revert to a back four.
www.sbs.com.au
Australian boss Ange Postecoglou has again refused to commit himself to coaching the team following their do-or-die World Cup playoff against Honduras in November.
www.goal.com