Since the Premier Leagues inception 25 years ago, English football has undergone some wholesale changes. With hi-tech new stadia and talent recruited from around the globe, the face of football has changed but how have teams, and specifically their formations, altered over the years?Modern systems require full-backs to provide defensive stability and attacking threat in tandem, a role in stark contrast to defence-orientated requirements of the past. At the other end of the pitch, the days of formidable strike partnerships appear to have disappeared, replaced by the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the lone centre-forward position or Adam Lallana in the fashionable false nine role. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. As part of Sky Sports News HQs evolution of football week, Danny Higginbotham takes a closer look at the latest trends...Defence: 4-4-2DANNY SAYS: This is still the best system, in my opinion. As long as it switches to 4-5-1 when out of possession its a formation that can outdo anyone, Leicester City showed that last season. The 4-4-2 formation was key to Leicesters Premier League title win The role of the full-backs is different in this system, at present we see full-backs play like wingers with both attacking at the same time. But historically when one full-back would attack the other would tuck in and make three at the back - if one full-back went, the other would not go.Defence: 4-2-3-1DANNY SAYS: This is a more traditional modern-day formation. One of the teams who utilise this system well are Tottenham. What they do very well is attack with both full-backs, who are expected to play both left-back and left midfield at the same time. The pace and athleticism of Walker and Rose has been key to Spurs direct style Spurs transfer from defence to attack so quickly and the full-backs are key to that as they break into open space with pace. One second theyre defending, the next the balls in the back of the net.The way that is done nowadays is down to the defensive side of things, teams want to maintain their defensive solidity when theyre attacking.This is achieved when the two centre-backs split and a midfielder drops back into the defensive line. Teams still have the strength that comes from having three at the back, meaning theyre less likely to be counter-attacked. Eric Diers defensive ability gives Spurs full-backs free reign to attack This has completely changed the role of the full-back, theyve got to be more athletic and fitter, because theyre responsible for the length of the pitch in attack and defence.Attack: 4-4-2DANNY SAYS: You used to see the big man and little man up front - Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips for example - and you didnt really see centre-forwards isolated. As such the big man would occupy the defenders, allowing the little man to feed off knock-downs.Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry were another formidable Premier League partnership. They worked differently though, Henry would stretch the game and Bergkamp would drop deep. Henry and Bergkamp formed a formidable partnership during their time at Arsenal Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke were telepathic with some of the goals they scored. They had a real understanding, they would always interchange positions.Then there was Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton, another partnership that ensured neither striker was isolated because they had a partner.With this formation, wide players, and the full-backs to some extent, would try and create a two-on-one against opposition wide players who loved going forward but werent the greatest defensively.We dont see a lot of goals being scored from crosses now but when there were two centre-forwards, and potentially a midfielder and winger from the opposite side, we did. With Premier League squads being so similar, a slight tactical change could be the difference between winning and losing games. Sky Sports pundit Danny Higginbotham This was arguably down to the fact there were more out-and-out wingers plying their trade in the Premier League, but the fact centre-forwards were rarely isolated played a massive part.Attack: 4-2-3-1DANNY SAYS: Nowadays with 4-3-2-1 we often see the centre-forward isolated and reliant on the three players behind him for support and to provide him with the opportunity to score goals. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a good example of the modern-day lone centre-forward as he carries out both attacking tasks.In the traditional formations, the smaller forward would work the channels but Ibrahimovic is often found stretching defences.At other times he allows the three supporting midfielders to attack the space in front of him, allowing him to operate in behind, as seen with his goal against Bournemouth. Watch Zlatan Ibrahimovic ruthlessly exploit the space vacated by his fellow attackers to score his first Premier League goal at Bournemouth The role of the striker has changed along with formations. The notion of a centre-forward is to create a gap between the midfielders and the defence.If you have a single centre-forward who wants to drop deep, the three midfielders behind him can push on into the space he has vacated. While if the forward holds a high line, that opens up space in the middle of the park for those behind him to play into.False nineDANNY SAYS: People talk about the false nine as though it was invented recently. Johan Cruyff actually brought it in at Barcelona in the late 80s and it was very successful.Liverpool are one of the teams who use the formation really well at the moment, with no recognised centre-forward in the line-up. Danny Higginbotham examines the evolution of formations and the changing role of strikers within football Jurgen Klopp plays with two holders in midfield in Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum and the four players in front readily interchange positions.They have utilised the formation so well that they vacate the number nine area completely and, in recent weeks, Adam Lallana in particular has had free rein to roam into the position. Its all about the players off the ball creating space for runners from deep to run in to.Ultimately, there are a lot of different tactical approaches and, with Premier League squads being so similar, a slight tactical change by managers could be the difference between winning and losing games.You can watch Englands tour of Bangladesh, plus Premier League football and the Japan Grand Prix on Sky Sports. Upgrade now and enjoy three months at half price! Also See: Premier League video Fixtures Table Live on Sky NHL Jerseys .com Tours Nova Scotia Open. 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The Heat centre scored 10 of his 30 points early in the first quarter to silence the Toronto fans as Miami defeated the Raptors 113-101 on Friday night.TORONTO - Its not a must-win in Alouettes head coach Tom Higginss mind but he concedes Montreals playoff fortunes would take a big hit with a loss Saturday to the Toronto Argonauts. You can watch the game live starting at 4pm et/1pm pt on TSN1, TSN3, TSN4 and TSN5 or listen on TSN Radio 1050 Toronto starting at 3pm et/12pm pt. The Argos and the Alouettes will square off at Rogers Centre. Toronto, Montreal and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are tied atop the East Division with 6-8 records with each having four regular-season games remaining. The Argos would not only move two points ahead of the Als with a win but also clinch the season series, giving them a crucial tiebreaker if the two ended up tied. That could be a key advantage as Hamilton, Toronto and Montreal are likely chasing two playoff spots due to the crossover. The B.C. Lions (8-7) are fourth in the West Division but would secure the No. 3 Eastern seed if they finished with a better record than the third-place team in the East Division. We do know that probably only two teams are making it into the playoffs so you severely hurt your chances when you lose any of those four remaining games, Higgins said Friday. Never put a must on top of the start of a win. Were going to line up, were going to play, were going to play very well and were going to win the football game and not have to worry about whether it was a must or just a maybe win. Theres no shortage of intrigue and suspense heading into the final four weeks as all remaining games are inter-division affairs with only Ottawa having been eliminated from playoff contention. Toronto and Montreal meet again Nov. 2 at Molson Stadium. Toronto coach Scott Milanovich called last weekends thrilling 34-33 comeback win over Hamilton a must for his team but didnt put the same emphasis on Saturdays contest. If we win this game, it puts us in a much better position moving forward, he said. The reality was if we didnt beat Hamilton last week we were basically going to be out of the first-place hunt so I wasnt going to hide that from our guys. The Argos and Alouettes have both been on a nice roll of late. Toronto has won three straight while Montreal is 5-1 with starter Jonathan Crompton. But Crompton hasnt been spectacular. Hes completed 58.9 per cent of his passes for 1,512 yards with seven TDs and seven interceptions. Crompton hasnt thrown for over 300 yards in a game and has just one road win, a 15-7 decision over Ottawa on Sept. 26. Everyones looking at stats, Higgins said. The only one we care about is hes won five and lost one as a starting quarterback. Milanovich praised Crompton for utilizing such offensive playmakers as receivers Duron Carter (54 catches, 712 yards, five TDs) and S.J. Green (38 receptions, 518 yards, two touchdowns). I get the quarterback point .dddddddddddd . . but I think hes playing well, he said. Hes trusting his receivers, which is exactly what Id do if I was him. When you have a defence like theirs and playmakers like they do and returners on special teams, anything can happen. Cromptons status as Montreals starter was further solidified Thursday after the club released former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith. But Higgins said that hasnt put more pressure on Cromptons shoulders. Quite the opposite, he said. I think theres pressure thats been alleviated because there was this pressure that there was an elephant in the room. Theres no doubt starter Ricky Ray has carried the Argos this season. The 34-year-old Californian leads the CFL in passing yards (3,861), touchdowns (27) and completion percentage (68.6) and has Toronto ranked first in total yards (361.6) and passing yards (287.2) per game and third in scoring (26.8 points). Thats hardly news to Higgins. He was Edmontons head coach from 01 to 04 and watched an unheralded Ray crack the roster as a No. 3 quarterback in 02 before capping his first season as the starter in 03 as a Grey Cup champion. His mentality hasnt changed from the first time he stepped on to the football field in Edmonton, Higgins said. Hes just one of the elite quarterbacks in the CFL and anytime you have Ricky Ray as your quarterback you always have a chance. The key, Higgins said, is getting to Ray before he can set up and find his receivers downfield. Were going to see if we can get after him, Higgins said. We know that presents a challenge but were up to challenges. Its kind of the same approach Toronto will take against Crompton. With any quarterback I still think the most important thing is to take away his running game, and then you have to put pressure on him, Milanovich said. You have to take away his running game then knock him on the ground a few times. Toronto will make a number of roster changes for the game. Offensively, receivers Spencer Watt and Jason Barnes go on the injured list, replaced by LaVon Brazill and Maurice Mann. The secondary will feature Evan McCollough (from practice roster) at halfback, Vincent Agnew moving from linebacker to replace Branden Smith at one cornerback spot and Orhian Johnson (practice roster) starting at the other. Matt Ware assumes Agnews linebacker position. Im not as concerned as youd think, Milanovich said. All these guys have played and started quite a few games. Its not ideal, Im not going to lie to you but these arent rookies and to me thats a big deal. Special-teams player Daryl Townsend (calf) and receiver Chad Johnson (groin) wont play for Montreal. Johnson, a former All-Pro, has just seven catches for 151 yards and a TD in his first CFL season. ' ' '
