I agree with this completely. I can't believe people are not only suggesting that we stick to 3-5-2, but we also keep the SAME starting XI
The major problem we have against quality opposition, is that we have absolutely no pace, no direction and no penetration. None of our players can really take their man on, none of our players can consistently put in a good cross, NONE of our players can pin the opposition back and really get at them.
Look at the Bayern game for example, there's no shame in losing to Bayern. However, we made literally NO clear cut chances. Teams in the Bundesliga and even shitty Eastern European CL teams make chances against Bayern, and look more dangerous than us. Why? Because they have a better system.
In the 3-5-2 we're doomed to make the same exact mistakes time and time again in the CL, where unlike Serie A teams actually take the game to us.
We can't even dominate teams who, on paper are worth about half of Vidal collectively.
We try and play out from the back with 3 CBs, 2 Wing backs and our Deep lying playmaker. We get pressed into making mistakes, even if we manage to play it out successfully from the back we're left trying to put together a quality counter attack with 2 Box 2 box midfielders and 2 strikers who are slow and bad at taking their man on.
All the best teams have players who can run at opponents, take them on and give them something to think about defensively. We have absolutely none of that.
Instead of 2 explosive Wingers making it all happen for us, we're left trying to instigate impossible 1-2's and flick ons with our strike partnership. Or we play the ball out wide to our wing-backs who obviously can't take their man on or find space for a crossing opportunity.
Look at any top CL team now, and they ALL have players who can really get at their opponent and make the difference. We do not.
Because we don't have the players who can take the game to the opposition we end up playing a defensive 5-3-2 and then counter attacking with some of the slowest attackers in Europe I.E LLorente, Matri, Quags, Vucinic even Tevez who's not particularly fast and pretty average at dribbling. Obviously he's not slow, but he doesn't fit the bill for the type of player we're lacking either.
With a front 3 of Lavezzi-Llorente-Cuadrado or even involving Tevez somehow we would be much better equipped to attack teams in Europe or even Serie A.
Our gameplan in the CL is an abomination, and if people think that sticking to a 3-5-2 without even bringing in a World Class attacker is the way forward. Then i'm afraid we'll be moaning about our failures in Europe for a long time to come.