Jon Dahl Tomasson has insisted that he wants his Blackburn Rovers side to be flexible while still adhering to his tactical philosophies.
This implies that the switch to a back five that was made midweek in the win over Watford will not be a permanent move for the team.
The tactical switch worked a treat for Tomasson’s side, who earned an impressive win against the recently relegated team.
The added defensive cover nullified the Hornets’ attacking threat, which helped the side secure all three points in a 2-0 win.
It is this kind of flexibility that the Dane is looking for his squad to provide as they continue to learn his football principles in the early stages of his tenure as Rovers boss.
“I think you liked the Blackpool game as well and that was a backline of four,” said Tomasson, via the Lancashire Telegraph.
“We should be flexible in our approach, depending on what the game needs. I said that I would like to be dominant with and without the ball and I think we should be able to change formation like that.
“Our principles are still the same, it doesn’t matter which formation, but we should be able to cope with that over time.”
Blackburn used a defensive three-man backline throughout pre-season but injuries have seen the team limited to a back four up to this point.
Rovers go into the weekend’s action 3rd in the Championship table, showing the value of being able to work well in either system.
Up next for Tomasson’s side is a trip to Kenilworth Road to face Luton Town this afternoon in a 3pm kick-off.
The Verdict
Tomasson has done well since arriving at Ewood Park over the summer, and has maintained a good standard of performance that we saw last season.
The team will be aiming to fight for the promotion places this season, so the win over Watford was a big test of those credentials.
That they were able to seamlessly change formations suggests that Tomasson's work is coming through on the training ground, which bodes well.
Injuries have hampered Tomasson's plans slightly so far this campaign, but he will be hoping that he will have everyone fit and available for a busy October schedule coming up after the international break.