TACTICALLY, Danny Rohl likes to keep his Sheffield Wednesday players on their toes, changing formation four times during Sunday's 2-1 win at Derby County.
By full-time he was playing with a back three of central midfielder Shea Charles, left wing-back Max Lowe and Yan Valery, who can play in central defence but is more often found at right-back.
It requires a lot of coaching but also an intelligent group of players. Rohl is happy to provide the first, and delighted he has the second.
"You have Barry (Bannan), Shea now, Marvin (Johnson), Max, Josh (Windass) of course, we have more and more players who understand and we've worked with more than a year and it helps," said Rohl.
"You see with Max, from week to week he's smarter and smarter. He's found his position now in the team and it's good to see."
Website https://www.football-lineups.com/ lists the Owls as having started with six different formations this season although such things are subjective and do not take into account the different shapes used during a match. It is not unusual these days for teams to have different formations in and out of possession.
"It's always interesting after a game when people talk about how we should play with two strikers, or we should play with a back four," said Rohl.
"For me it's more about understanding what we need in each situation."
It is not just for show. Rohl's decision at half-time on Sunday to drop central midfielder Charles into what was then a back four was decisive. He has only twice played at centre-back in the Championship, both on loan at Southampton last September.
"During the game I saw what we had to do building up and his background was centre-back, although I'm not sure the last time he played it," admitted Rohl.
"I've spoken a lot about him and he showed again why he's so important for us.
"Shea can do this but I've also got centre-backs with different profiles. I said to him 20 minutes down drop deeper in the build-up to take more responsibility.
CHANGES: Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl celebrates after winning 2-1 against Derby County at Pride Park Son Sunday. Picture: Richard Sellers/PACHANGES: Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl celebrates after winning 2-1 against Derby County at Pride Park Son Sunday. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA
CHANGES: Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl celebrates after winning 2-1 against Derby County at Pride Park Son Sunday. Picture: Richard Sellers/PA
"We had some good situations where we broke down the left and it was for me a little bit of a signal that we can change this.
"I got the information from the physio that Dommer (specialist centre-back Dominic Iorfa) was struggling so I said instead of Shea rotating in the build-up let's put him immediately there and it worked well.
"It was a back four with Max Lowe also not in his normal position."
The second half saw Nathan Chalobah return from injury in Charles' normal midfield role and if the former Chelsea man's fitness is up to it, he could provide an alternative to the suspended Barry Bannan at home to Preston North End on Saturday.
"He gave us calmness on the ball and a good structure and it gives freedom to Barry and Josh," commented Rohl.
And for all the fancy theorising, one fundamental will never change - you need to score goals. To improve that, Rohl wants to see more of his players getting in the opposition penalty area more often.
"First it's important we create the chances and then the moment will come where you start to score again and again," he explained.
"If in 20 minutes you create three, four, five big chances, the chances (of scoring) are bigger.
"But it's not just about the forwards, it's about taking responsibilities.
"It's a problem when you have just one player in the box. To score we need more bodies in the box and with godo counter-pressing we can get the second or the third ball, dribble and make it difficult for the opponents so they foul or something.
"It's only possible with bodies in the box."