deleon
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- May 16, 2008
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TL;DR:
In the time-honoured tradition of armchair tacticians with fanciful ideas, here is mine. There is no easy solution to our midfield problems, but I think they can be mitigated in the short term.
(Spoilers are added for readability if you just want to get the gist, not because they contain any footballing secrets. In fact some of the arguments are trite.)
The why:
The how:
The benefits:
The drawbacks:
The alternatives:
In the time-honoured tradition of armchair tacticians with fanciful ideas, here is mine. There is no easy solution to our midfield problems, but I think they can be mitigated in the short term.
(Spoilers are added for readability if you just want to get the gist, not because they contain any footballing secrets. In fact some of the arguments are trite.)
The why:
- Our players often forms two separated and incoherent blocks.
- The defensive half (including the midfield pair) struggle to get the ball forward.
- The attacking half struggle to contribute defensively and during the build up.
- This is not inherently bad if a team can be balanced in other ways, but we field too many attackers for this to be feasible.
- The defensive half (including the midfield pair) struggle to get the ball forward.
- The attacking half struggle to contribute defensively and during the build up.
- This is not inherently bad if a team can be balanced in other ways, but we field too many attackers for this to be feasible.
- We are not good at linking the two blocks by physically occupying the space in-between, either through a midfielder advancing forward or an attacker dropping deep.
- We are also not good at advancing the ball by working the space with purpose and patience.
- So we resort to probing passes from deep, which require technique, imagination and a forgiving opposition.
- Pogba has the technical abilities for the third option, but he is also a liability in a double-pivot.
- Fred is a direct and risk-tolerant passer: the deeper whence he operates, the more wasteful his playmaking becomes; however, he can quicken the tempo if allowed to interplay more closely with forwards.
- We are also not good at advancing the ball by working the space with purpose and patience.
- So we resort to probing passes from deep, which require technique, imagination and a forgiving opposition.
- Pogba has the technical abilities for the third option, but he is also a liability in a double-pivot.
- Fred is a direct and risk-tolerant passer: the deeper whence he operates, the more wasteful his playmaking becomes; however, he can quicken the tempo if allowed to interplay more closely with forwards.
- Aimlessly keeping the ball is obviously not ideal, but sometimes we cannot even do that when we need to assert control.
- Our midfielders struggle when they are pressed.
- Whether we dominate possession or not often feels like a tactical decision by the opposition.
- The most frustrating games this season have not been those when we could not break down the defence, but those in which we are neither proactive in the attack nor reactive on the counter, and thus never even beginning to test the defence.
- Our midfielders struggle when they are pressed.
- Whether we dominate possession or not often feels like a tactical decision by the opposition.
- The most frustrating games this season have not been those when we could not break down the defence, but those in which we are neither proactive in the attack nor reactive on the counter, and thus never even beginning to test the defence.
- We have been more vulnerable on the counter this season.
- The weakness has been the porous central midfield.
- This was understandable when we were experimenting with personnel, but even with Fred and McTominay, we still get overrun on the break.
- This is possibly a sign of tactical adaptation, but it remains to be seen.
- The weakness has been the porous central midfield.
- This was understandable when we were experimenting with personnel, but even with Fred and McTominay, we still get overrun on the break.
- This is possibly a sign of tactical adaptation, but it remains to be seen.
- There is not much to say here: Fred and McTominay, once in position, are still reliable defensively compared to the alternatives.
- The pair only needs help during defensive transitions.
- Pogba and Van de Beek both struggle to protect the defence; fielding either would require additional cover.
- The pair only needs help during defensive transitions.
- Pogba and Van de Beek both struggle to protect the defence; fielding either would require additional cover.
The how:
- When defending, plays his normal role at right-back;
- Does not join the attack, either through overlap on the wing or underlap in the middle;
- Instead, runs in-field and acts as an auxiliary ball-winning midfielder;
- If on the ball, recycle possession with quick, unambitious passes;
- If off the ball, avail as a safe passing option;
- During defensive transitions, prioritise stopping the counter through the middle;
- If we are chasing a goal, attempt to win the ball back;
- If we are not chasing a goal, delay play until the midfielders are back in position, and then return to right-back.
- Does not join the attack, either through overlap on the wing or underlap in the middle;
- Instead, runs in-field and acts as an auxiliary ball-winning midfielder;
- If on the ball, recycle possession with quick, unambitious passes;
- If off the ball, avail as a safe passing option;
- During defensive transitions, prioritise stopping the counter through the middle;
- If we are chasing a goal, attempt to win the ball back;
- If we are not chasing a goal, delay play until the midfielders are back in position, and then return to right-back.
- When defending, plays his normal role as one of two central midfielders;
- During attacking transitions (assuming no countering opportunity), focus on recycling possession until Wan-Bissaka arrives in midfield;
- Once numerical advantage is present, physically occupy the space between the two blocks, where he can afford to be more dynamic and robust;
- If the left forward is Pogba, then position more widely to avoid occupying the same space;
- During defensive transitions, press if we are chasing a goal; recover if we are not.
- During attacking transitions (assuming no countering opportunity), focus on recycling possession until Wan-Bissaka arrives in midfield;
- Once numerical advantage is present, physically occupy the space between the two blocks, where he can afford to be more dynamic and robust;
- If the left forward is Pogba, then position more widely to avoid occupying the same space;
- During defensive transitions, press if we are chasing a goal; recover if we are not.
- When defending, plays his normal role as a central midfielder - his vulnerabilities here means this should be used sparingly;
- During attacking transitions, focus on directing the ball forward (if the opposition is already defensively organised, recycle possession until numerical advantage is present);
- In attack, has freedom to orchestrate play from deep or roam forward, similar to his role at Juventus and, occasionally, for France;
- During defensive transitions, press if we are chasing a goal; recover if we are not - this is the part he struggles with the most, so having an auxiliary defensive midfielder for this would yield the most benefit.
- During attacking transitions, focus on directing the ball forward (if the opposition is already defensively organised, recycle possession until numerical advantage is present);
- In attack, has freedom to orchestrate play from deep or roam forward, similar to his role at Juventus and, occasionally, for France;
- During defensive transitions, press if we are chasing a goal; recover if we are not - this is the part he struggles with the most, so having an auxiliary defensive midfielder for this would yield the most benefit.
- This is slightly misleading, as he would still play his normal role;
- But he is drifting wide more frequently this season, so instead of both flanks, he would restrict his lateral movements to the right side only to make up for the loss of combination play;
- Does not have to provide Wan-Bissaka's overlaps;
- Does not have to do Wan-Bissaka's defending, but if he happens to be in the area...
- In general, the objective is to make Fernandes the extra man when playing against a three-men midfield.
- But he is drifting wide more frequently this season, so instead of both flanks, he would restrict his lateral movements to the right side only to make up for the loss of combination play;
- Does not have to provide Wan-Bissaka's overlaps;
- Does not have to do Wan-Bissaka's defending, but if he happens to be in the area...
- In general, the objective is to make Fernandes the extra man when playing against a three-men midfield.
The benefits:
- The no. 8 role (central midfielder with rear support) is more natural for both Fred and Pogba; this would allow either to play parts of the match in that role.
- Although still risky, this is the only way playing Pogba in a double-pivot is justifiable.
- Van de Beek's positioning and Matic's immobility would be less exposed if either player needs to fill in one of the midfield slots.
- Wan-Bissaka's pace and tackling often bail him out of trouble; they can be used more often in this hybrid role and somewhat compensate for his lack of experience there.
- Wan-Bissaka has good close control and rarely loses the ball when challenged; however, he does need space ahead of him which somewhat mitigates this point.
- The right-back area would no longer be a "kill-zone" for oppositions to initiate pressing.
- Out-numbering opponents in midfield can be a "cheat" to make us more press-resistant.
- Overloading might be the lowest form of creativity, but at least it is a form of creativity.
- If the midfielders cannot move the ball forward, we can at least move the midfield forward.
- The numerical advantage encourages rudimentary counter-pressing, so sustained spells of control will be easier to maintain.
- No attacking slot is sacrificed, so we can continue to field a top-heavy team in the short term.
- Although still risky, this is the only way playing Pogba in a double-pivot is justifiable.
- Van de Beek's positioning and Matic's immobility would be less exposed if either player needs to fill in one of the midfield slots.
- Wan-Bissaka's pace and tackling often bail him out of trouble; they can be used more often in this hybrid role and somewhat compensate for his lack of experience there.
- Wan-Bissaka has good close control and rarely loses the ball when challenged; however, he does need space ahead of him which somewhat mitigates this point.
- The right-back area would no longer be a "kill-zone" for oppositions to initiate pressing.
- Out-numbering opponents in midfield can be a "cheat" to make us more press-resistant.
- Overloading might be the lowest form of creativity, but at least it is a form of creativity.
- If the midfielders cannot move the ball forward, we can at least move the midfield forward.
- The numerical advantage encourages rudimentary counter-pressing, so sustained spells of control will be easier to maintain.
- No attacking slot is sacrificed, so we can continue to field a top-heavy team in the short term.
The drawbacks:
- Wan-Bissaka's build-up play has improved this season; although it is still one of the more dispensable aspects of our attack, this would be unfair on the player.
- The lack of overlapping option makes it harder to field Greenwood, an inside-forward, on the right over a natural right-footer.
- The loss of width, though a conscious sacrifice, would make it harder to stretch play; whether we are currently doing that to any success is a different matter.
- Even if Wan-Bissaka tracks back as diligently as he does when he plays as an orthodox fullback, oppositions will target the area during transitions; whether that is necessarily a drawback is debatable.
- Defensive positioning is not Wan-Bissaka's strong suit, although it is not as bad as we sometimes exaggerate; he is not being asked to protect the defence in this role so that helps, although he will still be tested.
- A lot will be asked of Varane (and indirectly, Maguire), both mentally and physically during defensive transitions; he is probably the most suitable defender in the world for this, but it will be too much at times.
- This only makes some aspects of the team better some of the time; it is not a permanent solution, which can only be actual improvement of the midfield.
- The lack of overlapping option makes it harder to field Greenwood, an inside-forward, on the right over a natural right-footer.
- The loss of width, though a conscious sacrifice, would make it harder to stretch play; whether we are currently doing that to any success is a different matter.
- Even if Wan-Bissaka tracks back as diligently as he does when he plays as an orthodox fullback, oppositions will target the area during transitions; whether that is necessarily a drawback is debatable.
- Defensive positioning is not Wan-Bissaka's strong suit, although it is not as bad as we sometimes exaggerate; he is not being asked to protect the defence in this role so that helps, although he will still be tested.
- A lot will be asked of Varane (and indirectly, Maguire), both mentally and physically during defensive transitions; he is probably the most suitable defender in the world for this, but it will be too much at times.
- This only makes some aspects of the team better some of the time; it is not a permanent solution, which can only be actual improvement of the midfield.
The alternatives:
A. Wan-Bissaka as an auxiliary centre-back: He stays back at all times and tucks in when we have the ball; one of Maguire or Varane steps up as the fourth midfielder; they are both competent passers of the ball but the exposure is riskier and more exploitable.
B. Shaw as the inverted fullback: He arguably already does a lot of underlapping when going forward; he actually can play penetrating passes and is good on the ball; however, with him in this role we lose his attacking play and width which are crucial at the moment.
B. Shaw as the inverted fullback: He arguably already does a lot of underlapping when going forward; he actually can play penetrating passes and is good on the ball; however, with him in this role we lose his attacking play and width which are crucial at the moment.