We did several times last season. Against Albion, at home, for example. I would rather a 0-0 or 1-0 win against the lower clubs than a "thrilling for neutral" 3-2 defeat. Though TBF, that match was more a comedy of errors than actual free flowing football. We tried it earlier in the season and sure enough, did get forward more. Didn't turn in any more points or goals than the current system, though.
Which is why we went back to 3-4-3.
I'm not against the idea of the back 4. I just think it needs a major change of personnel. And the players who would make it work, would also make a 3-4-3 more attacking and positive!
I think we have a variation on "The loanee/injured player will save us". Only it's become a formation we don't use will save us. Mark my words, we'd have 3 or 4 matches with 4 at the back before people are demanding we go back to 3-4-3 because "it's what we know and we need to stop leaking goals"! It's whats happened every time we tried it before.
Also, we're 8th!!!!! Do we even *have* a crises than needs radical fixes? Some minor tweaks, yes.
Don Goodman?Abandon hope all ye who venture past this point.
He does 5 minutes swotting on the web before a match, then repeats what he just read on the Mix. Wasn't that Arsenal match the only one we have ever won with 4 at the back? Goodman is an agent for the Boggies, for sure.
I do agree that tactically something needs changing. Not sure that tinkering with the defensive side is that change. That West Ham match all of 16 days ago. Everybody agreed, great performance, one of the best full 90 minutes we've managed in 18 months. Against a side that has recently beaten 2 of the unbeatable top 3, none the less. Who started in the front 3 and what's changed since? Similarly the Everton match previously.
It's the link between the centre 2 and wing backs to the front 3 that is breaking down. Never mind stop the back 3, how about stop using a front 3 and switch to a front 2? That will not weaken the defence and it couldn't exactly make our goal scoring worse could it?
Either way, I think it's mostly personnel change needed. As has been pointed out, our wing backs have created way less than needed. It's also clear that our midfielders are way down the creativity lists, too. Playing 3 up front is wasteful when the ball isn't going to get to them. I'd switch to 3-5-2 and see how that goes before trying 4 at the back.