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#31
Ordet er fritt / Re: Kamper i dag - sesongen 2...
Last post by Hawley - May 04, 2026, 16:18:382-0 til Forest etter 15 min, ja, ja
#32
Ordet er fritt / Re: Tema: Den store spillestil...
Last post by Asbjørn - May 04, 2026, 14:26:05...link via YEP dette:
Leeds are the only team to succeed with a back three this season – this is how Daniel Farke did it
Matthew Gregory
By Matthew Gregory
Football writer
Published 29th Apr 2026, 20:15 BST
The back three has been hugely unsuccessful across the Premier League - so why have Leeds improved after switching to it?
When Leeds lined up to face Chelsea in early December, they were in the relegation zone and looked set to face the sort of long, harrowing season familiar to most newly-promoted sides. That match at Elland Road proved to be a turning point, however – and Daniel Farke's unexpected switch to a back three not only won them the match, but changed the course of their campaign.
The 3-1 win over Chelsea kick-started a run of seven matches without defeat and set them on track for 40 points, a mark they reached when they drew 2-2 away to a dangerous Bournemouth side last week, a result which came at the end of another seven-match unbeaten streak. A second season in the Premier League isn't quite assured as yet, but it looks extremely likely that Leeds will beat the drop.
In achieving that success, however, Farke and his side have bucked a trend which has seen back threes struggle across the Premier League. So what is it about back threes which have proved problematic for other teams, and how have Leeds made it work in spite of all statistical evidence which suggests that they should have failed?
Back threes have been bad in the Premier League this season – unless you're Leeds
Since the start of the 2025/26 season, 13 different teams have employed a back three at one point or another in the Premier League. For most of them, it has been something of a disaster.
Crystal Palace have performed below expectations, Manchester United only turned the ship around after Ruben Amorim and his back three were binned, while Wolves and Burnley have both gone down – the former using a three-man defence in most of their matches, the latter a little under half of the time.
Then there are the notable failures by teams whose managers have tried it out for the odd game and failed miserably – Liam Rosenior was sacked after his experimental 3-4-3 disintegrated at Brighton, while Thomas Frank gave it a go in the North London Derby and took a 4-1 hiding.
All told, of the 142 games in which a side has lined up with a back three in the Premier League that team has only won on 31 occasions, a win percentage of under 22%. If back threes were a team, then at that rate they'd be in the bottom three.
Wolves and Burnley drag the numbers down somewhat, but it's a tactical trend which has prevailed up and down the division. High-flying Brentford have tried it five times without a single win. Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Nottingham Forest have combined to use back threes in 15 games and never picked up three points. At Leeds, however, moving to a back three turned their campaign around.
A key reason that most teams using the system have struggled is that the Premier League is gradually moving to a wider, more direct style of play – a response to high defensive lines and high pressing units which naturally exploits the space left down the flanks by most back three systems. Leeds' defence, however, has improved since the switch, and they've gone from conceding 1.92 goals per game to 1.24 since Farke changed the formation. So what is he doing differently?
How Daniel Farke has made the back three work for Leeds this season
There are two key differences between Farke's version of the back three and that implemented unsuccessfully by most teams in the Premier League this season – and the first is that by using a 3-5-2 rather than a 3-4-3, Leeds have been much more compact through the middle than their peers.
With Ethan Ampadu typically operating in a holding role and the other two midfielders willing and able to track back more quickly because their positions aren't too advanced, Leeds have been able to get back to defend the centre of the pitch in numbers in a way that most teams using back threes haven't replicated.
That means that while the key disadvantage of a back three – space in behind the wing-backs which can be exploited – still exists, the result is that wingers are forced to look for crosses more often rather than taking the ball into the box themselves because there are more defenders in the way. Crossing the ball into the box has a relatively modest success rate, so while Leeds have allowed 161 crosses this season (the fifth most in the division), they've been able to repel enough of them that it hasn't been a major problem.
That same ability to get back to defend the box swiftly has made them one of the best teams in the top flight at defending counter-attacks, and WhoScored credits them with conceding just two goals from such moves. Given the increasing prevalence of counter-attacks in the modern Premier League, that's an impressive statistic.
While that defensive stability through the middle comes at a cost, with fewer players in advanced areas to find space and create chances, the defensive rigidity that it's offered has been enough to improve results substantially. Leeds may not be a free-scoring side, but the trade-off has been worthwhile.
The second key difference between Farke's back three and most is that in some ways, it's not that much of a back three at all – the average positions the defence takes up are remarkably close to that of a traditional back four.
While most teams who play with three defenders will use both wing-backs aggressively, Leeds have tended to let their right-back play much further upfield than the player on the left-hand side, with the right-sided centre-back (usually Joe Rodon) coming across to cover. That means that they aren't quite as narrow as other back threes, and the combination of that tweak with the more defensively-minded midfield has ameliorated the downsides to the formation that other teams have experienced.
More importantly, however, the success is a testament to Farke's tactical versatility and his skill as a coach. Most teams who have tried to transition to a back three midway through the season have found it incredibly difficult to master the positional differences – just look at the mess that Chelsea made of it at the Amex Stadium – but Leeds carried it off with aplomb and have looked comfortable in a system that has flummoxed other sides. Perhaps next season, the Liam Roseniors of the world will watch Leeds and take a few notes.
https://www.3addedminutes.com/sport/football/leeds-united/how-daniel-farke-made-leeds-only-team-succeed-back-three-8180439?__hstc=102320350.e0a8f48166fcae1b815ad51baba80429.1646732667894.1777889247400.1777896952230.851&__hssc=102320350.3.1777896952230&__hsfp=c363899b1f94a52aa4d3dd375275d776
Leeds are the only team to succeed with a back three this season – this is how Daniel Farke did it
Matthew Gregory
By Matthew Gregory
Football writer
Published 29th Apr 2026, 20:15 BST
The back three has been hugely unsuccessful across the Premier League - so why have Leeds improved after switching to it?
When Leeds lined up to face Chelsea in early December, they were in the relegation zone and looked set to face the sort of long, harrowing season familiar to most newly-promoted sides. That match at Elland Road proved to be a turning point, however – and Daniel Farke's unexpected switch to a back three not only won them the match, but changed the course of their campaign.
The 3-1 win over Chelsea kick-started a run of seven matches without defeat and set them on track for 40 points, a mark they reached when they drew 2-2 away to a dangerous Bournemouth side last week, a result which came at the end of another seven-match unbeaten streak. A second season in the Premier League isn't quite assured as yet, but it looks extremely likely that Leeds will beat the drop.
In achieving that success, however, Farke and his side have bucked a trend which has seen back threes struggle across the Premier League. So what is it about back threes which have proved problematic for other teams, and how have Leeds made it work in spite of all statistical evidence which suggests that they should have failed?
Back threes have been bad in the Premier League this season – unless you're Leeds
Since the start of the 2025/26 season, 13 different teams have employed a back three at one point or another in the Premier League. For most of them, it has been something of a disaster.
Crystal Palace have performed below expectations, Manchester United only turned the ship around after Ruben Amorim and his back three were binned, while Wolves and Burnley have both gone down – the former using a three-man defence in most of their matches, the latter a little under half of the time.
Then there are the notable failures by teams whose managers have tried it out for the odd game and failed miserably – Liam Rosenior was sacked after his experimental 3-4-3 disintegrated at Brighton, while Thomas Frank gave it a go in the North London Derby and took a 4-1 hiding.
All told, of the 142 games in which a side has lined up with a back three in the Premier League that team has only won on 31 occasions, a win percentage of under 22%. If back threes were a team, then at that rate they'd be in the bottom three.
Wolves and Burnley drag the numbers down somewhat, but it's a tactical trend which has prevailed up and down the division. High-flying Brentford have tried it five times without a single win. Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham and Nottingham Forest have combined to use back threes in 15 games and never picked up three points. At Leeds, however, moving to a back three turned their campaign around.
A key reason that most teams using the system have struggled is that the Premier League is gradually moving to a wider, more direct style of play – a response to high defensive lines and high pressing units which naturally exploits the space left down the flanks by most back three systems. Leeds' defence, however, has improved since the switch, and they've gone from conceding 1.92 goals per game to 1.24 since Farke changed the formation. So what is he doing differently?
How Daniel Farke has made the back three work for Leeds this season
There are two key differences between Farke's version of the back three and that implemented unsuccessfully by most teams in the Premier League this season – and the first is that by using a 3-5-2 rather than a 3-4-3, Leeds have been much more compact through the middle than their peers.
With Ethan Ampadu typically operating in a holding role and the other two midfielders willing and able to track back more quickly because their positions aren't too advanced, Leeds have been able to get back to defend the centre of the pitch in numbers in a way that most teams using back threes haven't replicated.
That means that while the key disadvantage of a back three – space in behind the wing-backs which can be exploited – still exists, the result is that wingers are forced to look for crosses more often rather than taking the ball into the box themselves because there are more defenders in the way. Crossing the ball into the box has a relatively modest success rate, so while Leeds have allowed 161 crosses this season (the fifth most in the division), they've been able to repel enough of them that it hasn't been a major problem.
That same ability to get back to defend the box swiftly has made them one of the best teams in the top flight at defending counter-attacks, and WhoScored credits them with conceding just two goals from such moves. Given the increasing prevalence of counter-attacks in the modern Premier League, that's an impressive statistic.
While that defensive stability through the middle comes at a cost, with fewer players in advanced areas to find space and create chances, the defensive rigidity that it's offered has been enough to improve results substantially. Leeds may not be a free-scoring side, but the trade-off has been worthwhile.
The second key difference between Farke's back three and most is that in some ways, it's not that much of a back three at all – the average positions the defence takes up are remarkably close to that of a traditional back four.
While most teams who play with three defenders will use both wing-backs aggressively, Leeds have tended to let their right-back play much further upfield than the player on the left-hand side, with the right-sided centre-back (usually Joe Rodon) coming across to cover. That means that they aren't quite as narrow as other back threes, and the combination of that tweak with the more defensively-minded midfield has ameliorated the downsides to the formation that other teams have experienced.
More importantly, however, the success is a testament to Farke's tactical versatility and his skill as a coach. Most teams who have tried to transition to a back three midway through the season have found it incredibly difficult to master the positional differences – just look at the mess that Chelsea made of it at the Amex Stadium – but Leeds carried it off with aplomb and have looked comfortable in a system that has flummoxed other sides. Perhaps next season, the Liam Roseniors of the world will watch Leeds and take a few notes.
https://www.3addedminutes.com/sport/football/leeds-united/how-daniel-farke-made-leeds-only-team-succeed-back-three-8180439?__hstc=102320350.e0a8f48166fcae1b815ad51baba80429.1646732667894.1777889247400.1777896952230.851&__hssc=102320350.3.1777896952230&__hsfp=c363899b1f94a52aa4d3dd375275d776
#33
Ordet er fritt / Re: Kamper i dag - sesongen 2...
Last post by Josch - May 04, 2026, 13:37:36Quote from: Blank_File on May 04, 2026, 10:41:10Hvis så er tilfelle (det kan godt tenkes), så kan jeg ikke begripe at han våger når de ikke er sikre på den 5.plassen selv. Det er vel ingenting i verden som hadde hadde gledet mer enn om formsvake Villa mista hele CL-plassen på sånn oppførsel!
Villa har tre kamper i igjen: Mot Burnley og deretter to topplag. Det er sannsynlig at de klarer 5. plassen med EN seier til. Og hvis de evt. slår Braga/Freiburg i finalen blir det også CL neste sesong.
Trist at programmet i Europa league skal påvirke innsaten mot nedrykkskandidater. Tottenham er bare ikke bedre enn Villa når begge yter en normal innsats. På toppen av dette klarer Emery å dra semifinalemotstander Nottingham inn i nedrykkskampen, som Kato sier. Den bleke innsatsen var bare så altfor gjennomsiktig.
Tipper Emery kun ser det som er i Villas interesser: Å skaffe klubben et trofe og spille CL neste sesong. Da får han heller tåle kjeft fra fansen, omgivelser og manglende fair play for akkurat denne kampen. Klarer han dette får han midler til å bygge laget videre av en fornøyd ledelse. Kan vi klandre ham?? De betaler ham for å skaffe klubben resultater og inntekter og ikke primært for å være fair mot andre klubber.
Denne kampen hadde vært skikkelig sur for oss om Leeds lå der nede og kjempet mot nedrykk. Men vi har ikke stilt oss i West Ham og Nottinghams situasjon. De kan takke seg litt selv.
#34
Ordet er fritt / Re: Kamper i dag - sesongen 2...
Last post by Hawley - May 04, 2026, 10:46:21Quote from: Blank_File on May 04, 2026, 10:41:10Hvis så er tilfelle (det kan godt tenkes), så kan jeg ikke begripe at han våger når de ikke er sikre på den 5.plassen selv. Det er vel ingenting i verden som hadde hadde gledet mer enn om formsvake Villa mista hele CL-plassen på sånn oppførsel!Håper VIRKELIG de taper for Forest og mister CL-plassen på målstreken.
#35
Ordet er fritt / Re: Kamper i dag - sesongen 2...
Last post by Blank_File - May 04, 2026, 10:41:10Hvis så er tilfelle (det kan godt tenkes), så kan jeg ikke begripe at han våger når de ikke er sikre på den 5.plassen selv. Det er vel ingenting i verden som hadde hadde gledet mer enn om formsvake Villa mista hele CL-plassen på sånn oppførsel!
#36
Ordet er fritt / Re: Kamper i dag - sesongen 2...
Last post by Cherry - May 04, 2026, 10:14:24Om ikke Villa banker Forest på torsdag (ift å hvile spillere i går) - så blir jo dette veeeeeldiiii
feil, mest som Villa supporter da- helt horribelt det de viste i går.
Emery tenker i hvertfall ikke på fair play og andre klubber - det er helt klart.
West Ham nå med kniven på strupen, men Forst og Spurs er slett ikke sikre.
Blir fint å se kamp mandag, der skuldre kan være på riktig plass etter at Arsenal har slått Hammers.
Får vi se Ayling tilbake på ER som Boro`spiller neste sesong da? Holder en knapp på de i Play Off.
feil, mest som Villa supporter da- helt horribelt det de viste i går.
Emery tenker i hvertfall ikke på fair play og andre klubber - det er helt klart.
West Ham nå med kniven på strupen, men Forst og Spurs er slett ikke sikre.
Blir fint å se kamp mandag, der skuldre kan være på riktig plass etter at Arsenal har slått Hammers.
Får vi se Ayling tilbake på ER som Boro`spiller neste sesong da? Holder en knapp på de i Play Off.
#37
Ordet er fritt / Re: Kamper i dag - sesongen 2...
Last post by Hawley - May 04, 2026, 08:55:32Quote from: Kato on May 04, 2026, 06:31:20Emery hadde en agenda til i går. Ved å tape dro han delvis Nottingham inn i leken igjen. Det betyr at de må legge mer i å hente poeng hjem i dag, sånn at Villa får det enklere torsdag.Hva sier West Ham-folket om denne farsen av en kamp, da?
#38
Ordet er fritt / Re: Kamper i dag - sesongen 2...
Last post by Kato - May 04, 2026, 06:31:20Emery hadde en agenda til i går. Ved å tape dro han delvis Nottingham inn i leken igjen. Det betyr at de må legge mer i å hente poeng hjem i dag, sånn at Villa får det enklere torsdag.
#39
Ordet er fritt / Re: Kamper i dag - sesongen 2...
Last post by Hawley - May 03, 2026, 23:28:05Quote from: Reaney on May 03, 2026, 23:24:13Villas Sancho får 85 min. i kveld. Forstå det den som kan.Emery ga som sagt fullstendig f..i denne kampen og det er jo ikke greit i det hele tatt. Utrolig kynisk og usportslig
Her er dommen over Sancho etter 1. omgang:
Jadon Sancho, som er lånt inn fra Manchester United, ble plukket ut som skrekkeksempelet av Viaplays ekspertkommentator Lars Tjærnås.
– Jeg tror det er den mest pill råtne halvtimen jeg har sett fra en Premier League-spiller denne sesongen, sa Tjærnås og fortsatte:
– Det ser nesten ut som han har vunnet en loddtrekning om å bli hentet ned fra tribunen for å spille.
#40
Ordet er fritt / Re: Kamper i dag - sesongen 2...
Last post by Reaney - May 03, 2026, 23:24:13Villas Sancho får 85 min. i kveld. Forstå det den som kan.
Her er dommen over Sancho etter 1. omgang:
Jadon Sancho, som er lånt inn fra Manchester United, ble plukket ut som skrekkeksempelet av Viaplays ekspertkommentator Lars Tjærnås.
– Jeg tror det er den mest pill råtne halvtimen jeg har sett fra en Premier League-spiller denne sesongen, sa Tjærnås og fortsatte:
– Det ser nesten ut som han har vunnet en loddtrekning om å bli hentet ned fra tribunen for å spille.
Her er dommen over Sancho etter 1. omgang:
Jadon Sancho, som er lånt inn fra Manchester United, ble plukket ut som skrekkeksempelet av Viaplays ekspertkommentator Lars Tjærnås.
– Jeg tror det er den mest pill råtne halvtimen jeg har sett fra en Premier League-spiller denne sesongen, sa Tjærnås og fortsatte:
– Det ser nesten ut som han har vunnet en loddtrekning om å bli hentet ned fra tribunen for å spille.