Express & Star

Opinion: West Brom's tactical shift should be explored further by Tony Pulis

Earlier this week, Tony Pulis tinkered with his formation against Manchester City and nearly pulled off an unlikely upset in the Carabao Cup.

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Jonny Evans discusses tactics with Kieran Gibbs, whose qualities could be the key on the left flank. (AMA)

Not only did he employ a back five – or a ‘swivelling four’ as he called it – but he also stuck two strikers up front for the first time in immediate memory.

He may have been encouraged to switch to this 5-3-2 for a number of reasons.

Firstly, City usually play three at the back, so perhaps Pulis was hoping to mirror the formation, even though Pep Guardiola actually played a four-man defence on the night.

Secondly, City may be unpredictable going forward but they are quite predictable at the back, where they like to play out from the keeper.

Pulis could have guessed that Claudio Bravo would be in goal, and Albion tried to target him with their high press.

Finally, it was a League Cup game against the most expensively assembled squad in world football, nobody expected Albion to go through, there was nothing to lose.

But there were signs, particularly in the second half, to suggest that this new formation should be explored in the league.

The swivelling four, which is essentially a back five that rotates depending on where the ball is, allows Albion’s full-backs much more license to get forward.

Last season, Pulis was guilty of playing a back six at times, such were the defensive demands he put on his wingers.

By playing wing-backs, and removing one player from each flank, Pulis can keep the stability of a three-man midfield and add another player to the attack.

The system puts a lot of pressure on the wing-backs, but Kieran Gibbs proved on Wednesday that it is a role he has the skill-set to fulfil.

Pulis called the former Arsenal man a ‘racehorse’ and there’s no doubting his ability to get forward at speed.

The left-back has done more than enough in the past two games to cement his place in the starting line-up, he’s looked comfortable on the ball and dangerous going forward.

Not only would a wing-back system allow him to make a difference in the final third, having three centre-backs behind him would also ease Pulis’s fears when Gibbs goes charging up the line.

On the other side, Allan Nyom is powerful and pacy enough to fulfil the same role, while Matt Phillips has proven countless times that he can do the necessary defensive work when required.

Perhaps the best thing about this system though, is the way it frees up another player to join the lone man up front.

For too long, Albion’s striker has been left isolated both in and out of possession.

The 4-1-4-1 system that Pulis has persevered with has reduced Salomon Rondon to a shell of his former self, while Jay Rodriguez has already struggled with.

Although Hal Robson-Kanu had a night to forget on Wednesday and Rodriguez was only given one half-chance, the way the pair pressed together with the midfield trio backing them up put Albion on the front foot at times and got the home crowd going.

City, on the whole, passed their way through it, but worse teams will not be able to.

And there were signs of this system reaping dividends when Grzegorz Krychowiak dispossessed Ilkay Gundogan in his own box, even if Robson-Kanu’s goal was chalked off for a foul.

This will not be, and should not be, the tactic against every team.

Teams like Burnley and West Ham, for example, will be happy to bypass that press with a clipped ball over the top to their target man up front.

But the fact Albion have now tried this system, and on the night in question, grown into it, should bode well for the next time they come up against a team who may be susceptible to it.

Plenty of sides in the top tier now employ a back three, and considering the changes in personnel over summer, perhaps Albion should consider it too.