I can't believe ten games in or whatever it is some people still do not understand the system and how we play it.
Jay Rodriguez plays as a forward not in anyway, shape or form as a midfielder. He plays centrally but has a duty to drop slightly deeper than the other two (wide) forwards who are expected to stay up top not tracking back. We play with a fluidity that means we interchange. Because we have Barnes and Gibbs down the left our wide right forward generally tends to get into the box off the ball more often and come infield more. I did wonder whether Gayle could do that initially but he has played the role really well of late.
Matt Phillips does not play wide right, he plays right side of a midfield three. He does tend to try and force the issue out wide at times, sometimes vacating the midfield area which isn't always ideal but the reason he does that is because we don't have a right back that can do anything going forward. The wide right forward often comes inside and leaves the right flank vacant for Phillips to exploit. If we sign Tavernier in January then Phillips will probably modify his game slightly which should benefit the team even more.
Adarabioyo does not form a back three at any time in as much as we don't shuffle across into a defensive three, he just barely gets forward so we have three defenders back but that isn't the same as playing a back three. When he does go forward he barely ever passes forwards and can't cross a ball which is why Phillips sometimes has to force the issue down the right flank.
We do play with a fluidity which sees players turn up in other positions of the field but Jay Rods principal role is to play as a central forward but he doesn't play on the shoulder or with his back to goal he is expected to drop deeper and pick up the ball facing goal.