Natural width is the answer to ensure we make most of squad talent

I’VE been left scratching my head at how Stoke City have been setting up in the Championship. Fans have been asking questions about why Michael O’neill is playing this formation or that formation in the early weeks of the season.

It’s a big debating point. One week systems aren’t important, the next they are.

In last week’s home game against Birmingham, he stuck with the 3-5-2 formation which had served him well in winning at Preston.

Last season he played a 4-3-3, but says he’s switched because although Stoke were scoring goals, they were also shipping them as well.

I can understand that move if it was true, but playing three centrehalves at home doesn’t half hamper your attacking threat.

With two wing-backs, the support in wide areas arrives later, and although you might be stronger in the middle of the pitch, you’re weaker down the wings.

If teams are sitting deep, like Birmingham did last week, it’s not the ideal formation to play.

If Michael wanted to stick with three centre-halves, then go 3-4-3, because at least you have two wide options on each side to try to break down the opposition.

There’s three ways to do that - play through a side, go wide or go over the top.

Wing-backs just mean you are losing one of your attacking options - and open yourself up to a two against one down the wings.

I can’t figure out why Stoke don’t employ a back four at home. That then gives you your fullbacks and two natural wingers, which are crucial.

Having natural width also helps you on the counter-attack, which is a major part of playing.

And I believe Stoke do have the personnel to play that way. You have you’re four at the back - tick in the box.

Then you play Fletcher up front and one off him, maybe Powell. That still means you get your four in midfield - with two wingers.

Your two central midfielders can be sitting players, at this moment probably Mikel and Clucas, with Powell linking the play between the middle and up front.

That would be more like a 4-4-1-1, but that also helps defensively as well because your press can start from higher up the pitch and you can dictate the direction of play.

Attacking-wise, it makes sense as well. With Mcclean on one wing and Jacob Brown on another you have the option to go outside, drift inside to link and pose more questions for the opposition to answer.

And on the counter-attack, your players mark space, not an opponent. Stay in pockets, so when the ball does break, you have a threat from the word go out wide.

You have to use all aspects of the game to prise open the door against a team sitting back - and that includes set-pieces.

They are so crucial to the match and Birmingham scored from one last weekend.

Set-plays can decide a tight match and Stoke almost paid the price on Sunday.

I also couldn’t understand Michael O’neill’s comments about there being no home advantage with no fans in grounds at the minute.

I disagree. You effectively have 23 home games and just one away - you only go to a particular ground once a season, but play half of your matches at a familiar venue.

So to me, there is still an advantage about being the home side.

Hopefully, when the Potters are next at home, we might see a more attacking-looking formation to get us those first three points at the bet365 Stadium.

I was left shaking my head in the week after Tammy Abraham, Ben Chilwell and Jadon Sancho were forced to sit out of the England’s game because they had broken coronavirus rules.

They were at a party last week and that exceeded the government guidelines of six people mixing. I can’t believe that lads who have been picked to play for England could act so irresponsibly.

The current generation of player seems to think they have divine right to play for their country, want everything handed to them and when they are picked believe they can do what they want.

In my career, players would do anything to get picked by England - and treated it as a huge honour if we were lucky enough to be included in a squad.

I remember one year I played for Stoke on the Saturday and Sir Alf Ramsey had called me in to the England Under-23 squad to play Wales in Swansea.

I played for England, marking Leighton James, and after the game travelled straight back to Stoke because we had a game against Brian Clough’s Derby on the Wednesday.

I bust a gut to play in the games. You just wouldn’t see that sort of thing now.