Playing 4-4-2 Calenzio - The Notts County Way

Football is the most fashionable sport in the world and like in any era fashion trends will always have their day.

I won’t go back too far but if we take the sports re-emergence post World War II you might have been told by your grandparents about Stanley Matthews and the Wizard of the Dribble? Back then Matthews (aged 38) won his only major honour in 1953 the FA Cup with Blackpool playing outside right with Bill Perry outside left as they edged a thrilling final 4-3 against Bolton.

In the same year the Magic Magyars of Hungary came to Wembley to not only become the first Overseas nation to beat England on their own turf, they did it destroying a self-proclaimed elite eleven (that included Matthews) by six goals to three in playing a way which no one had previously seen underneath the twin towers before.

England’s traditional WM formation was overran by Hungary’s innovational 2-3-3-2 system with two strikers (Puskas & Kocsis) employed to give the home nations one centre half a real torrid time.

Hungary dominated the early 1950’s winning Olympic Gold in 1952 before reaching the World Cup final in 1954 which they should have won but in 1958 a new team and style would come to the forefront of everyone’s ideology of how the game should be played as Brazil, Pele, Garrincha and 4-2-4 would become the inspiration to what we know as ‘samba style soccer’ to this very day.

England might have broke code in 1966 with their diamond formation but that was largely due to the injured Pele bowing out early in the only World Cup he would play in and not win. By 1974 Pele’s mantle as the GOAT was passed on to Dutch master Johan Cruyff and total football evolved which allowed everyone to attack no matter what position they played.

Holland never won anything more than admirers for the way they played but Ajax the Netherlands premier club side dominated Europe winning a hat-trick of titles. By 1986 the West Germans had conquered a way how to counter-attack the Dutch football philosophy by implementing their own defensively solid structure and the birth of 3-5-2 the libero and that ‘extra’ man in midfield which made a whole lot of difference.

By the late 1990’s however the wing backs of the 3-5-2 were often pegged back as teams that played four in defence overlapped wingers with their own attacking full backs to provide two on one situations and football evolved again.

In recent years we’ve seen the holding midfielder become two as 4-2-3-1 now offers even more defensive resurgence whilst giving food for thought in pegging back those opposition defenders that like to get forward. Which is why now, more than ever we once again elude back to 4-4-2.

In any of the aforementioned eras we’ve seen wingers always thrive. Whether it be Matthews or George Best, John Robertson or John Barnes, Ryan Giggs or Marc Overmars, Robben, Ribery or Ronaldo. If you can get the ball out wide and away from the often congested tight packed midfield you can attack in space allowing those fastest or most skillful to get by their man before providing a cross or cutting in with a shot.

That leads me in unexpectedly to Notts County Football Club.

Neal Ardley has been a long lover of everything 4-4-2 proven so after a week in taking the Magpies job back in November 2018 to switch around temp gaffer Steve Chettle’s three at the back formation to immediately employ a good old fashioned two banks of four.

Ardley tinkered, often unsuccessfully but his best moments in Notts relegation season like during the 1-0 win over local rivals Mansfield would come when playing 4-4-2.

This season Notts first ever in tier five of the English football pyramid, Ardley has mostly played 4-4-2. Not always successful but often the catalyst for the clubs best performances have been through winger Enzio Boldewijn.

A talented right footer (who can use his left laces just as good) born in Almere, the Netherlands, a country that is the birthplace ironically of total football.

Boldewijn can often frustrate, he has ability but doesn’t always show it. Sometimes on the periphery but on the odd occasion like Saturday, at his best can be very much the difference in quality that Notts need to be victorious.

Against Chesterfield all of Notts first half chances came through Enzio which included him clipping a magnificent free kick against the bar. In the second half at nil nil he picked the ball up from the half way line and carried it forward on the bobbling surface full pelt before unleashing an unstoppable drive smashing it into the top of the net from all of 20 yards. Enzio was man of the match, match winner, the catalyst that gave Notts all three points. He needs to do that more.

Recently Neal Ardley has signed Cal Roberts from Blyth Spartans. A gamble somewhat from the league below but Roberts has credentials playing in the Newcastle United youth set up where he scored a lot of goals.

Roberts like Enzio is a winger with real quality. He likes to get chalk on his boots before cutting in and unleashing shots. He’s happy to assist, he loves running at defenders, he’s the sort of player that puts bums on seats as well as opponents backsides on to the ground.

Between Roberts and Boldewijn (or ‘Calenzio’ for short) Notts now have the ammunition to supply the free scoring strike force of Wes Thomas and Kyle Wootton at will. A 4-4-2 that is traditional in defending but a 4-2-4 when pushing forward in attack. Notts will concede, but with this front four they’ll certainly score many too.

Neal Ardley’s men are are currently 6^th in the table with 14 games left to play. I believe only now the Manager has found his best form of attack, is to simply attack.

What could be a bumpy ride in the final months ahead could also be very exciting for Notts fans indeed, so hold on to your seats, strap yourselves in and enjoy what you are about to see. Because Notts four man attack is about to go on a spree now that Calenzio has arrived in the Magpies formation evolution.