Bleacher Report - Articles by Zip Zoolander

What's Different About Arsenal's New-Look 4-3-3 System?

Zip Zoolander — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:29:12 -0400

Arsene Wenger has changed his 4-4-2 formation to a 4-3-3 for the new season to reinvigorate his side, but what is different about the new system?

The problem facing Chris Barnard, the first surgeon to successfully perform a human-to-human heart transplant, was rejection—whether the patient’s body would accept the new organ.

He had no other choice, as it was necessary, and the Arsenal manager switching to 4-3-3 has posed a similar question (though to a lesser significance). The Gunners were ordinary last campaign, and rather than risk becoming stale, Wenger has abandoned his customary 4-4-2 for a fluid 4-3-3 this season.

“We will play the formation and system that most suits the players and the balance of the team,” he says. “That means it’s not rigid. It can evolve throughout the season, depending on circumstances and personnel.”

At first glance the 4-3-3 can look like a 4-2-3-1, and at other times, when Andrey Arshavin moves closer to the striker, it can look like a 4-4-2. That is the thinking behind the system change—it gives the fluidity and the freedom that Arsenal’s pass-and-move game so greatly desires.

There are more triangles in the pass, an added bonus of having the left-footed Thomas Vermaelen at centre back, while the three-pronged attack allows greater pressure in the final third.

“I wanted to play high up the pitch, and it can change in some games,” said Wenger. “But overall I believe we can play high up, and we can bring the threat to the opponent's half very early in the game.”

Different Bodily Functions

The key to the early success has been the players' willingness and attitude, which can bring different interpretations of their roles. Taking the matches against Celtic and Everton as an example, it was Alex Song who played deepest with Denilson to his left and Cesc Fabregas higher and to the right. Each have their own and subtly different functions.

Fabregas is the dictator and is seen as the one to create chances in the final third, while Denilson doubles back with Song and also has the duty of covering the area on the left which Arshavin vacates.

At Portsmouth it was Abou Diaby who had this role, and because of the tireless manner in which he went about his job, it seemed like Fabregas was the deeper midfielder, when in fact it allowed him to dictate more easily.

Rebels or Robots?

What is important to realise is that for a team like Arsenal, players should not be governed by the mere physical arrangements of their positions. It helps explain the shape, especially from a defensive viewpoint, but makes it difficult to compare the systems of Liverpool and Arsenal (both said to be 4-2-3-1s, yet Rafa Benitez may argue differently, especially as he describes Steven Gerrard as a striker).

That is particularly true of Arshavin, who is a second striker by trade, and the freedom Wenger gives him on the ball cannot be stuck to the left or right touchline. Eduardo was the player furthest to the left against Portsmouth, and instantly the Croatian had a better performance in that position than he has had before.

The idea here is for that midfielder to play as a loose forward starting from the left and cutting in to support the forward. This in turn poses great questions to the opposing full back—whether he should remain tight, particularly as the space can be used by the left central midfielder or the surging left-back.

On the other side is Nicklas Bendtner, who is a more direct threat, as his height presents the full back with an altogether different proposition.

In Rinus Michels’ book Teambuilding, he suggests that the build-up to an attack “needs to create situations to be able to play the ball deep as quickly as possible.” Wenger is experimenting this season with one creative wide player and the other more direct, to allow greater variety and the potential outlet of getting the ball forward quickly.

He has the option of Bendtner or Theo Walcott to get in behind quickly, or he can opt for the double creative ploy by using Samir Nasri because, as Martin O’Neill says, “the more creativity you have in your side, the better chance you will have.” (Before his injury, Nasri looked likely to play as the second central midfielder with Walcott on the left).

The Universal Striker

It was the former Brazil manager, Carlos Alberto, who predicted that the tactic of the future may see no fixed striker. And it was Roma, then Manchester United, who brought the "strikerless" formation to the forefront, and now it seems Robin van Persie is playing such a role for Arsenal.

Much has been made of the goals, or rather a lack of goals, from the forwards, but recent developments of fitness and movement mean goal-scoring is to be shared. “It can get a little bit lonely for him [van Persie], but that depends how quick and how massive the support is we give him,” says Wenger.

“I believe that we work on that, you know? That he gets quick support and he needs people around him because he’s a combination player, more than a physical player. That’s why the distances within our side are important, that he’s not isolated.”

The manager feels his Dutch forward can fulfill two roles, one as a provider and the other as a more orthodox striker—once he further develops that part of his game. At the same time, though, he knows he also has the option of Eduardo to provide a more potent threat.

The importance of the midfielders is critical in the new system, with it revitalising the attitude and application of these players.

Pep Guardiola talks about the "llegada" (arrival), a late arriver into the box who can progress beyond the forward unmarked, causing much surprise to the opposition defence. This tactic is now a vital part in Arsenal’s game.

“I feel we create good space for our midfielders to run in and to go into the box,” Wenger says. “On that front we look more dangerous. If you analyse our goals at the moment, our strikers provide more than they score. That is maybe down to the way we play as well.”

Perhaps that is the new system’s greatest strength—the fluidity and flexibility in turn asking much greater questions to the opposition.

The 4-3-3 system as used against Celtic and Everton.

Denilson Has Risen from the Shadows To Take Centre Stage

Zip Zoolander — Sun, 31 May 2009 11:00:20 -0400

Denilson’s performances in the centre of midfield have largely gone unnoticed with the stats showing the Brazilian as the Gunners’ top performer.

At 16th place, he’s Arsenal’s best player this season according to the Actim Index stats which ranks players according their contribution to the team’s success. The more direct forward play one is involved in, the higher he ranks.

Not just that, he’s the best interceptor in the the Premier League, the most accurate passer, fifth best tackler and the fourth most fouled player (OPTA stats). But while he’s a great number cruncher, Denilson has yet to get the recognition he deserves because his style is less crowd pleasing than his other teammate in the same position, Alex Song.

The Actim Index and Opta stats only includes actions that can be measured objectively therefore positioning, marking and balance cannot be quantified. Which is just as well as Denilson would surely have been placed much higher.

An invisible wall in every sense, the Brazilian combines sound positional play with efficiency, linking up play whether sideways, forwards or backwards and covers as high a distance as any other Arsenal player.

Of course, his job was made more difficult after the Gunners made an inconsistent start to the season. It could be described as a season of two halves; the first of which saw Arsenal looking to strike the right balance in their play after key personnel went missing, primarily playing in a 4-4-2.

As a result Denilson was often left exposed to do most of the sweeping up and as Arsenal were not as strong in possession as last season, the ball was likely to come back more.

The second half was played in a 4-2-3-1 as Arsene Wenger looked to make up for the deficiencies of the first half, now trying to get the balance between attack and defence and focusing on getting the ball forward quicker. Denilson’s stats were just as impressive and even with an extra midfielder still assumed the main holding role.

Overall, he has managed on average 59 accurate passes a game this season and Song just 38 while Flamini last year made 47. Interceptions are counted as 146 (on average four a game) for the full season, 51 for Song (average 2.5 a game) and just 57 for Flamini (average two a game).

On average, Song made more tackles than the other two and the Cameroon midfielder showed why Wenger prefers him in central defence. Song had performed better against the more direct clubs such as Wigan and Liverpool as he is a player who is more comfortable at reading the play in front of him rather than around.

Against the ‘weaker’ clubs (those who Arsenal played during their unbeaten run), Song played just as decently but has always assumed a supporting role to Denilson and Fabregas/Nasri.

The two players can be used where the situation best suits them; Wenger deployed Song in the second leg against Villarreal, as he wasn't the side to pressure higher up the pitch and win the ball back quicker.

At Chelsea, however, Song failed to impress as although the tracking back in front of him wasn’t great, Denilson made nearly as much passes as him and twice as many interceptions in the 25 minutes he was on the pitch. Denilson prefers to use his intelligence therefore preferring more technical games.

Matthieu Flamini’s statistics paint a bigger picture of the differences between this season’s Arsenal and last season’s. The link up play, movement and balance was better with the ball likely to stay in the opposition’s half more.

Also just by a bit, Fabregas’ discipline was better as he went about picking the ball up deeper while Flamini’s role was about keeping the game ticking and keeping the shape if the Gunners did lose the ball.

Arsene Wenger’s main priority next season must be about getting his side to become the expansive, ball-hogging side they were in previous years and the role of the defensive midfielder cannot be crucial enough.

Denilson has come on leaps and bounds and although he still has much to learn, has shown with his performances that the position is in safe hands.

2008/9 Denilson (3,074 minutes)

Tackles won (includes aerial): 148 (average 4 per game)
Tackles lost: 81 (average 2 per game)
Pass interceptions: 146 (average 4 per game)
Accurate passes: 2,009 (average 59 per game)
Bad passes: 238 (average 7 per game)
Assists: 7
Goals: 3

2008/9 Song (1,741 minutes in midfield)

Tackles won: 104 (average 5 per game)
Tackles lost: 50 (average 2.5 per game)
Pass interceptions: 51 (average 2.5 per game)
Accurate passes: 742 (average 38.4 per game)
Bad passes: 90 (average 5 per game)
Assists: 0
Goals: 1

2007/8 Flamini (2,665 minutes)

Tackles won: 102 (average 3.4 per game)
Tackles lost: 56 (average 1.9 per game)
Pass interceptions: 57 (average 1.9 per game)
Accurate passes: 1,321 (average 44.6 per game)
Bad passes: 100 (average 3.4 per game)
Assists 2
Goals 1

Pep Guardiola Has Put the "Dream" Back Into Barcelona

Zip Zoolander — Wed, 27 May 2009 09:30:14 -0400

Pep Guardiola has restored the philosophy of Johan Cruyff’s ‘Dream Team’ of the 1990s to the current Barcelona side.

Pep Guardiola insists for it not for Johan Cruyff, as a player he would never had left the third division. Guardiola was a slow mover but excelled in his intelligence, convincing Cruyff to make him the focal point of his team’s play.

From the period between 1991-94, the club won four successive La Liga titles and the European Cup and with 11 trophies, Cruyff became the club’s most successful manager to date.

More than that, Cruyff gave Barcelona’s its identity; its roots sprung from the philosophies of Dutch Total Football, from the academy to the pitch, playing an elaborate and expansive game which gave his side the title of the "Dream Team."

However, with the disastrous defeat to Fabio Capello’s AC Milan side 4-0 in the European Cup in 94 it marked the end of the road for Cruyff. Two trophy-less years later and the Dutchman was sacked.

The club needed a new man to bring the philosophies on the pitch to the modern world.

In that defining game, it pitted the wits of two managers with principles stemming from the Holland ‘74 side, but each going their own different ways. The side coached by Rinus Michels with Cruyff as captain was all about self-expression and an almost twin-like understanding having played with each other so much.

With rapid passing, interchanging of position, continuous pressing and playing with a high line, it was almost the perfect team. Cruyff took the aesthetic side and Capello the organisation side, continuing on from Arrigo Sacchi’s ideals.

For Capello, it was all about controlling space in zones, in the form of systemised pressing and having players capable of creating chances.

Cruyff’s Barca played in what is now their synonymous 4-3-3 but which was adaptable, allowing for triangle passes (i.e. more options in the pass) and the changing of positions.

The wingers were detailed never to engage in pointless tracking back, instead pressuring the opponents high up the field and looking to rob the defenders of the ball.

Pundits described A.C Milan’s performance against Barcelona in the final as the greatest ever by a team in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history and questions were asked whether this type of tactic was unsustainable.

Roy Hodgson didn’t think so, explaining; “There is less high-intensity pressing from the front in advance areas (in top-level European football). This is partly because concern of the interpretation of the offside law has led to teams to play deeper. Sides are sill compact, but this is mainly in their own half of the pitch.”

Van Gaal tried to account for this by updating the system in order to accommodate its pace, skill and athleticism. Hence the now-direct Dutch 4-3-3 with more emphasis on counter-attacks and slightly more orthodox.

Juan Laporta talked about identity and principles in his reason not to hire someone like Mourinho instead of Guardiola, and now the rookie Spaniard manager has brought back those ideals once considered difficult to play.

The three-pronged attack of Messi, Henry, and Eto’o have 100 goals between them. Guardiola’s forwards are no longer protracted by unnecessary tacking back, which invites the opposition to come at them and at the same time, tiring their own players.

Instead, they look to force the issue and press the fullbacks and the defenders as high as possible, looking to force a mistake and maybe nick the ball.

“Barcelona make the pitch look bigger than it really is,” says the former Barcelona midfielder and current Getafe coach Víctor Muñoz. “Barcelona play very high up the pitch and if they get the ball off you there, they’re lethal.”

It helps, however, if you have super players, and Barcelona have that. Messi is arguably the best in the world and Andres Iniesta can’t come too far behind.

As much importance to the team success is the forwards, the central midfield are probably much more, combining balance, technique, intelligence and tactical coherence they engage their opponents into a gruelling challenge of concentration.

Not that Guardiola will have it any other way for his own side. He’s imposed strict fines while his attention to detail is frighteningly accurate, implementing video analysis to training sessions, and berating the tiniest loss of focus.

And now Guardiola and Barcelona are gearing up for their greatest challenge. A manager with only a year's experience against a manager who has more than 20, locking horns in a stadium befitting the art of the second coming of the Dream Team.

The Mysterious Case of Carlos Tevez and His Contract

Zip Zoolander — Tue, 19 May 2009 08:50:33 -0400

It’s quite fortunate that Carlos Tevez doesn’t want to break from his contract as if he did, it would surely tear a whole in the football universe and release with it a messy gunk of goo.

We all know Tevez and Mascherano both transferred to West Ham under the ownership of two third parties (Media Sports Investment and Just Sports Inc). Just what involvement the parties have now is unclear but Kia Joorabchian is still involved.

Mascherano has signed for Liverpool outright while Tevez is still unattached to a club.

It must be noted that third party "ownership" is not illegal, providing there’s no right given to the them to influence the polices and performance of the team (such as missing a penalty etc.)

“It is a little bit like a loan deal between two clubs, except it is a loan deal between the club and a third party,” says Joorabchian, feeling like a modern day Robin Hood.

“Third-party transfers are a way of bringing outstanding players to clubs that would not be able to afford them ordinarily. So they increase the competition.

Why should only Manchester United and Chelsea be able to afford the best players?”

When the Argentinian joined Manchester United, the Red Devils agreed to a two-year lease deal worth £10million with his owners. United have registration of the player for that duration but the third-party owners have retained all economic rights over him.

Under the terms, Tevez is not allowed to agree to anything without their consent and only MSI possess unilateral right to terminate the contract.

But if Tevez did want to leave he would have European Law on his side to allow him to do that.

Chris Heaton-Harris, president of the EU’s powerful Sports Intergroup which deals with sporting matters across the continent and also East Midlands MEP Chris Heaton-Harris said, “It is unique and bizarre that an entity, rather than a club, owns a player.

“In employment terms, Carlos Tevez has a contract himself with this company. But if he went to the European Commission and said he wanted out of it, he would get European support. It is just an employment contract. You can’t keep a person to a contract that he doesn’t want to continue in. Under European law, he has the right to break this contract.”

Heaton-Harris then continued, “Bosman was tied to a football club and Tevez is tied to a company. There is very little difference. It is a simple follow-on from Bosman”

That case of revolutionized football because it meant a player is no longer tied to a club when his contract does indeed run out.

The Belgian defender’s representative claimed any third party (a club) which governs the movement of a player between jobs is a restraint of trade, prohibited under Treaty of Rome.

The legal sticking point is likely to be the fact MSI signed their contract with Tevez in South America (outside of EU jurisdiction), but since he wants to play in Europe, his contract is arguably open to challenge within the EU.

Carlos Tevez’s lease deal has run it’s course and hypothetically should he wish to leave, would undergo a pretty lengthy court procedure as the Bosman case took five years. Something the player is not motivated to do.

In employment terms, contracts of employments are to be distinguished from contracts for services, which typically deal with independent contractors or other types of employments such as agency workers—and which most probably includes footballers.

Contracts of employments are the standard contracts which you and I have and which differ from contracts for services as they have certain implied terms embedded in to the contract (like the restraint clause), something which is missing in contracts for services.

In employment terms, restraint clauses are not unlawful unless they are deemed "unfair," which then the employee must prove. A company could restrict an employee from working at another company for a certain number of years if there is a risk of highly confidential information being passed on, or a skill that gives the company a USP.

In football, players have already made an obligation with the club for the number of years they can stay and therefore do not have the power to leave in the middle.

In the case of Bosman, he left at the end, a contract of employment doesn’t necessary have a time-limit.

It’s probably just as well then, Carlos Tevez has sought not to exercise such rights and let Kia Joorabchian handle the matter.

For Arsene Wenger, That Age Old Problem of Balance Has Proven Difficult

Zip Zoolander — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:56:50 -0400

Arsene Wenger’s tactical experiments this season, in trying to secure a balance between attack and defence from his young side, have not all gone according to plan.

With that defeat, Arsenal’s 21-game unbeaten league run came to an emphatic halt. And perhaps fittingly the run, which started at Chelsea and ended against the same club, reveals how far the two clubs have come since then.

On the face of it, a great deal hasn’t changed from the Chelsea under Luis Felipe Scolari to the one currently managed by Guus Hiddink. However, the Dutchman has made the Blues hard to beat again, instilling a more cautious and efficient approach to their play, which in reality is just like the Chelsea of old.

Against Arsenal they were counter-attacking, letting their opponents do most of the running before hitting them with a sucker-punch. The return of Essien has been most important and the Ghanaian allows the team to be more dominant in the centre and control space better.

Scolari, on the other hand, wanted to make Chelsea the expansive, ball-hogging side that they were not suited to, especially without the injured pair of Joe Cole and Deco. Tactically they fell short, as the Brazilian coach never looked to deviate from the same style of football, even when the game was being chased.

Nevertheless, even with these adjustments Hiddink has made, it is easy to see this side is running its course and look more likely to struggle than Arsenal next season if much of the team remains the same.

And indeed, Arsene Wenger has admitted signings are to be made next season, who, more importantly, are to be players of experience because the club is overflowing with stars of the future.

But for some, that reinforcement should have come before the start of the season when it was apparent in the previous campaign that a lack of depth was the reason for the derailment of Arsenal’s title charge.

A lot then was placed on young Denilson’s shoulders to carry the fight after a slow start, but while Arsenal were decent in attack, they were not great. Even Fabregas’ return couldn’t bring back the flowing football.

Five defeats and the Brazilian was at the forefront of the fans’ fury, some stating he was playing in Cesc Fabregas’ areas. The truth was that the Spaniard was playing even higher up in order to repeat the previous season’s heroics, thereby exposing the young(er) midfielder.

Pressuring was a team game but the stats actually showed Denilson was mostly—and quietly—leading the charge. The handing of the captain armband to Fabregas was part of the turning point; the playmaker became a bit more disciplined and started dictating proceedings, all the while adding balance to the lineup. And with the club leaking goals, Wenger urged the full backs to be more cautious.

“At one stage we had conceded too many goals, so we encouraged our defenders to be a bit more cautious,” said Wenger.

The effect of the change has been fourfold:

Early in the season (though not just limited to) Arsenal were being attacked in the space vacated by Clichy and Sagna (1) while at the same time putting too much strain on Denilson (2) and the centre backs (3), who had to push up to make up the space and contribute in creating the pressure in the other end. And they are also stopping crosses coming in to the box (4), long thought to be the defence's Achilles heel.

A first half barrage at the hands of the Chelsea wingers and the Arsenal defence survived with only one goal conceded. The second half saw a Van Persie double inspire the Gunners to an important win, but little did he know his role would become even more crucial in the coming months.

Fabregas exited injured as Arsenal lost their main creative force.

“When he’s there, everything goes through him but when he’s not it can take a while to adapt because the game goes through different ways—it’s plural,” said Wenger. “When it’s Fabregas it is more one-way traffic at the start of the build-up.”

Indeed it took a while and required some tinkering, no less helped by Arshavin’s arrival. Wenger responded to a barren run in front of goal by focusing the play on getting the ball wide and up the pitch quicker.

The opponents were being pressured higher up the pitch due to assurances given by the cautious full backs and the midfield shield. Nasri moved to the centre in a 4-2-3-1 and mixing the above factors together, Arsenal produced their best senior performance of the season against Roma.

Fabregas’ return saw the skipper take up the Frenchman’s role but to mixed success; while Cesc was the more incisive passer, Nasri added better balance by supporting play better. Another good performance at home to Villarreal seemed to suggest the 4-4-1-1 to be Arsenal’s best system.

However with the 2-1 FA Cup defeat to Chelsea, the hard work was becoming undone and the defensive shield proving irrelevant; good against the smaller clubs but against the bigger sides it meant it invited the opponents forward. Of course Arsenal were pressing higher up the pitch, but if that failed—and a simple long ball could easily undo it—it meant exposing the midfield cover.

This invariably led to the Chelsea game. The high pressure exposed Song and the back four were left with too much to cope with in front of them.

It required a bit more discipline from Fabregas or Nasri—at times it was difficult to fathom who was the deeper midfielder—who, without that player operating as a No. 10, were all too eager to move there. Arsenal produced their best attacking display without the finishing against the best defence in the league but the balance was wrong.

“I believe we have quality defenders and it’s more a case of balancing the team defensively than the quality of our defender,” Wenger explained. “I still feel I was more worried in February when we were drawing 0-0 without creating a chance. It’s always easier to correct what doesn’t work defensively; if you don’t create chances you are always more worried.”

With players like Hleb, Rosicky, and Eduardo last season Arsenal were able to share creative duties while the mobility and tireless work of Flamini was priceless. The Chelsea defeat, although large, shows that while the attacking part of the game was less complete, the defensive side as a team required a bit more fine-tuning.

Injuries have meant the constant changing of the lineup to find the right balance, and with everything the team has learned over the season, it can surely be displayed with a complete performance away to United on Saturday.

Walcott's Anonymity Shows Wingers' Freedom of Touchline Is No More

Zip Zoolander — Fri, 01 May 2009 10:30:03 -0400

Theo Walcott’s anonymity in the first leg against Manchester United showed why there is a lack of natural wingers nowadays and as the game has evolved, so has their skill set.

Arsenal Wenger has normally never played with traditional wingers. Overmars was probably the first and ultimately the last until Walcott came about. Pires and Ljungberg were both converted attacking midfielders, while Hleb and Rosicky have always shown their creative roots.

But even with their differences, all, including Overmars, had more to them than just being able to run past defenders; all thought with their head rather than their feet.

“I like to have one behind the striker, and one or two on the flanks who come inside,” said Wenger.

"I always feel that if you have players who can deliver the decisive ball in all areas of the pitch, you have many more chances of being creative. If it’s only focused on one central part, where it’s usually more concentrated, you have more space on the flanks to create."

Arshavin and Nasri both fall into the category of "Wenger style" wingers, but with Walcott’s increasing integration to the starting lineup, perhaps there is a slight change of philosophy.

Against Chelsea, the manager started with Van Persie on the left and Walcott on the right, as he wanted to play with "wingers," as he put it, but in the end were too orthodox. Only at the beginning when Van Persie interchanged with Diaby were Chelsea most threatened and, incidentally, this was when the goal came about.

At Manchester United, the Red Devils packed the midfield. Rooney then forced Walcott back with United’s early attacking impetus and after the goal, vigorously closed down the winger.

Most of today’s game is about space—pressing to deny space and to make best advantage when you get the space. Former Ecuador manager Luis Fernando Suarez argues the physical development of the game and the packing of central midfield means that more emphasis should be placed on the wings. Around a quarter of goals from open play come from a cross and teams are quick to stop that happening.

If that happens, wingers are effectively phased out unless they have more in the locker to get themselves out. Hence the decrease of the natural winger, someone who will come back to the dressing room with chalk on their boots but will actually have one good game in five.

Unpredictability is the key weapon in today’s game and it is better to have those that can maximise the spaces. Rinus Michels speaks of "operational space" and that is where the big sides excel (think Manchester United’s front four last season).

There are many good wide men, but in a utilitarian game coaches prefer to have those players that can not only stick to the touchline but can come off the flanks to exploit the space that is potentially on offer.

Fabregas Still the Key in Wenger's Quest for Domination

Zip Zoolander — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:59:55 -0400

The Gunners are still ever reliant on Cesc Fabregas to pull the strings with Arsenal’s passing game having suffered this season, especially against the stronger clubs.

The passing stats after the thrilling 4-4 draw at Anfield read Arsenal 281 successful passes and 44 unsuccessful. Contrast that to Liverpool and they made 327 successful passes and only one misplaced pass less at 43.

Last season, the 1-1 draw on the same ground saw the Gunners accumulate a massive 432 accurate passes compared to Liverpool’s 201. The Reds made it hard to play with their direct style but how different was it to last season? Nevertheless it is a marked difference from the possession kings that are known as Arsenal.

With Rosicky and Fabregas out for large chunks of the season, and Hleb having departed in the summer, Wenger has recast his side as a quicker team, able to get the ball from A to B swiftly, especially with Walcott and Arshavin on either side.

Wenger has always liked his sides to keep the ball; pass quickly with great off the ball movement and dynamism, his "Invincibles" side arguably perfected it. The current side seems to have perfected only half of the formula and while being more dynamic is not a bad thing it means the ball will come back more.

Against the lesser sides, the Gunners are comfortable at moving the ball around (although matches against Fulham and Wigan showed their limitations) but when faced up against the stronger sides, Arsenal are more counter-attacking.

As shown by some of the great attacking teams of recent times, keeping the ball is a great form of defence as well, denying pressure on the back line. Barcelona and Manchester United are relentless pressure machines and although they may be open at the back at times, they more than balance it out with their ability to keep ball and suffocate space.

Liverpool and Chelsea on the other hand are more direct and, while capable of keeping the ball, it too means the ball will come back more often than for United and Barca. However that’s why they are the masters of space and efficiency; never giving an inch while looking to make best advantage of what’s available.

When Fabregas is not dictating play from the central midfield role, the Gunners are less possession based and when the skipper is moved higher this means someone must take a greater mantle in circulating the ball. As shown against Liverpool, the side failed to string together a long enough sequence with the ball.

Which is not to say Fabregas is not good enough for the No. 10 role, he needs the movement around him and capable passers. The modern day game sees the "universal playmaker"; it is a team duty just as it is to defend.

Wenger admits his most greatest influence was the “Total Football” Ajax team of the late 60s and early 70s. A team which was built up with a core of players from the academy and played revolutionary football, interchanging positions and keeping the ball.

Samir Nasri may be the player which typifies his vision, which is most likely to be in a 4-4-1-1. The Frenchman’s cameo in a defensive midfield position at Liverpool underlines Wenger’s faith in him, as the manager could easily have put Fabregas back. Maybe it was so that Fabregas could still thread the defence-splitting passes, but Nasri showed that he has the ability to be a worthy central midfielder or even deeper.

The Bergkamp role seems tailor fit for Van Persie, who in that position has made the most assists in the Premier League and could allow Walcott and Arshavin to play out wide. The team has great potential but one which is still over-reliant on Fabregas to pull the strings but when everything gels, should see a dynamic yet ball-hogging Arsenal side.

There is every chance the Gunners will click with each other very soon but while the team is still young, there is every chance that it may take longer than expected. In the meantime however, Fabregas is still king.

Chelsea-Liverpool: There Is No Greater Game Of Chess

Zip Zoolander — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:30:19 -0400

For a pure tactical encounter, there is no game better than Chelsea and Liverpool and the two clubs once again put in an engrossing matchup.

Usually a game to massage the egos of both opposing managers, the matches between the two sides have always been tight, tense, tactical affairs with the slightest deviation from the game plan enough to win or lose the game. However, last night’s game had more than one and although Chelsea won the tie as a whole, both teams can leave with the heads held high.

It was perhaps fitting that on the eve of the Hillsborough disaster, Liverpool produced a heroic performance that matched the occasion. Two tactical masters pitted their wits against each other and although Benitez bared the scars of the last leg defeat to Gus Hiddink’s side, the Spaniard entered the game with much confidence.

Each goal represented a press of the chess timer and by half time, Liverpool had already won two pieces. With the king, Steven Gerrard out, the Reds needed a pawn to step up and step up they did. Lucas Leiva was fantastic in the captain’s role but it was left back Fabio Aurelio who drew first blood with a piece of genius. Spotting the ever-growing vulnerable Petr Cech off his line, the Brazilian whipped a low free kick into the bottom corner of Chelsea’s near post. Xabi Alonso, who was superb in dictating play put Liverpool two up from the spot after Branislav Ivanovic had hauled the same man down.

The Blues could not cope with Liverpool’s nimzowitch and zugzwang tactics; the pressing and causing of mistake by Chelsea. Both teams played with near identical formations but Mascherano and Lucas hassled and harried the central midfield and denied them the space to play. Liverpool’s old style play of Steinitz was still there (the focus on positional play to allow for the platform to attack) but threw a bit more caution to the wind.

The Chelsea wingers were forced back by Liverpool’s two of Kuyt and Benayoun as the two looked to come inside and support Torres thereby shifting Chelsea’s full back’s inside and creating space out wide. Arbeloa and Aurelio were then able to attack freely down the channels hence creating more work for Maluda and Kalou, who was taken off early for Anelka to try and pressure Liverpool higher.

Somehow Chelsea summoned unlikely energy to force a goal back although with a little help from Reina. Anelka’s cross came off Drogba and in turn came off the out of position goalkeeper. Alex blasted in the equaliser and Lampard added another to put Chelsea three in front on aggregate. However Liverpool never gave up; Torres went off for Riera moving Benyoun to the centre while in the latter stages Benitez took off Arbeloa for Babel, playing an old fashioned, attacking 3-5-2.

Lucas pulled one back with a deflected shot and Kuyt put the Reds in front on the night though still one behind with a header. Liverpool could dare dream but Lampard finally buried the coffin with another late run into the box and finished off superbly. And with that goal, Hiddink reached over and pressed the timer for the last time to seal Liverpool’s fate.

Why the Fullback Has Been Arsenal's Most Important Position This Season

Zip Zoolander — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:30:14 -0400

The defensive shield may have been getting most of the plaudits, but the cautious nature of Sagna and Clichy has been the real reason for Arsenal’s recent defensive stability.

For two players supposedly having below-par seasons, their contribution to Arsenal’s success in the second half of the season could not be greater.

Gael Clichy and Bakary Sagna have yet to hit the heights of last season offensively at least, but at the back the pair have been solid as ever, though maybe not as spectacular because their roles have changed.

It is fair to say Arsenal are still fairly infant in their beginnings as a team, and this season has mostly been one of rebuilding and getting the side back to genuine and consistent contenders for the league title once again.

Last season, attack was the main form of defence; keeping the ball denied pressure on the back line while highly mobile players such as Flamini and the centre backs allowed for such an elaborate play.

(Mobility and tactical awareness are the main differences between Denilson and Flamini, something which is hard to quantify).

This season, key men have departed and indeed, some have never left the treatment room; therefore, the same attacking verve was not there.

The marauding full backs of Arsenal was one of the successes of the season as both were selected in the team of the year.

But Arsene enger, after seeing his side lose five games before the halfway point and his team not quite as gelling as he would have liked, decided it was a liability to have his full backs bombing forward.

“At one stage we had conceded too many goals, so we encouraged our defenders to be a bit more cautious,” Wenger said.

The affect of the change has been threefold: Early in the season (though not just limited to) Arsenal were being attacked in the space vacated by Clichy and Sagna (1) while at the same time putting too much strain on Denilson, (2) who was still maturing and the centre backs (3), who had to push up to make up the space hence playing with a line higher than Arjen Robben’s.

They are also stopping crosses coming into the box, long thought to be the defences Achilles heel; that’s four then.

Full backs can be a great weapon and at the same time a great vulnerability. The shield has also been a reason for the greater defensive performance, but remember Fabregas also played there against Chelsea, in which the Gunners won 2-1.

In that same match, Bosingwa was the Blues’ chief architect in the first half, but once the system was changed could not get involved.

Defender or Attacker?

The question is, is the full back primarily a defender or an attacker? It may seem obvious because of the term ‘back’ but recent times have seen such players signed for their greater offensive abilities.

Traditionally, most teams played the ‘WM’ formation but with the increased skill of forwards another defender was added hence pushing the full backs wider who were then used to counter the threat of wingers.

The Brazilians with their full backs both named Santos on either side, made great use of this extra space and caused havoc to opposition defences.

In the 1960s, Helenio Herrera deployed Giacinto Facchetti as a means of launching faster counter-attacks (incidentally the same coach also was the brains behind the rethinking of the sweeper role).

Andrea Tallarita of Football Italiano said of the full back: ‘If fullbacks today are more than just central defenders playing on the sides, we owe it partly to this man’s revolutionary interpretation of the role.’

Key method of attack

Cafu and Roberto Carlos displayed how destructive full-backs can be, combining great stamina with high levels of technical ability to cause all kinds of mess to defenders' organisation and possibly their shorts as well.

Their endurance and physical power allowed them to take advantage of the fact that they were unmarked.

“Brazil have two great wing-backs in Cafu and Roberto Carlos but they are only able to get up so often because no-one is attacking them,” said Johan Cruyff.

Off the ball movement is crucial. Getting one-on-one situations as often as possible can win a game, but rather than the dribbling ability of players, it is the doubling up and providing movement causing uncertainty and unpredictability on the defender which can change a game.

The search for space and making best advantage, whether defending or attacking, is the first thing on every managers’ mind.

In Euro 2008, attacking full-backs were a major tactic used and one of the main proponents of that strategy, Russia, benefited greatly from the late arrival and support from Anyukov and Zhirkov, who were often unmarked.

Spain went into the semi-final with Russia with a more orthodox set-up, denying the two players space;as a result Russia were all at sea attacking-wise (not to mention the complete negation of Arshavin).

But manager Hiddink’s recent excursions with Chelsea show that he is also wary of the drawbacks.

“We have to stay back a bit more now and defend as a unit, and maybe that could be the change that could change our season,” said Jose Bosingwa of the Dutchman’s changes.

Defensive block

The space left behind is ripe for counter attacks, something Inter manager Jose Mourinho is prepared for.

“Transitions have become crucial,” he says. “When the opponent is organised defensively, it is very difficult to score. The moment the opponent loses the ball can be the time to exploit the opportunity of someone being out of position.”

Teams defend in compact blocks and therefore it seems the greatest trait for a full back to have defensively is to be positioned well rather than the ability to tackle the ball of the winger.

When Arsenal went a man down against Tottenham, Wenger played a 4-3-2 formation.

At the time it seemed suicidal, given Aaron Lennon was on the right hand side but Clichy and when replaced by Gibbs, in conjunction with the three midfielders gave the winger space and but were organised enough not to allow him to make great use of it.

Former Ecuador manager Luis Fernando Suarez argues the physical development of the game and the packing of central midfield means that more emphasis should be placed on the wings.

Around a quarter of goals from open play come from a cross and teams are quick to stop that happening.

Clichy and Sagna are more cautious allowing in the other end for a quicker approach while teams like Liverpool and Manchester United, especially in big games look to double up their midfielders in these areas to stop the threat (Kuyt and Riera, Rooney and Park, Eboue for Arsenal).

Full backs are not on their own the most major position in winning and losing matches but can be the key.

Why Arsenal haven’t been as potent from this position can go down to the defensive nature of oppositions and the fact that the crossing and the options in the box have been poor.

The question for Wenger is whether to reinstate the expansive style next season by which the team should have got to know each other better.

Great teams can make greatest use of full backs as an attacking option hence the hefty price tags for the best in recent seasons; Bosingwa, Alves, Evra, Sagna and Ramos to name a few.

Still, Arsenal reversed that trend slightly by signing the defensively more secure Sagna to replace Emmanuel Eboue and have not looked back.

Arsene Wenger Transplants a More Direct Approach After Losing Creative Brains

Zip Zoolander — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:05:55 -0400

Wenger has recast his Arsenal team to a more direct and quicker side this season after the loss of key creative midfielders.

Arsenal received the bad news this week of another set-back to perennial sick note Tomas Rosicky or it would have been even worse had their not been another little figure orchestrating proceedings.

The ‘Andrey Arshavin factor’ is in full flow with the Russian displaying the right amount of creativity and dynamism that has so been missing for the last couple of months and indeed maybe even the whole season.

With Arshavin and Walcott operating out wide against Blackburn and Hull City, it is quite a marked difference from the wide men of Hleb and Rosicky of last season, who making up for their lack of directness interplayed with quick, one touch passes.

The creative abilities of the wide men often accused Arsenal of being over-elaborate but the movement caused much uncertainty among opposition defences.

“I like to have one behind the striker, and one or two on the flanks who come inside,” said Arsene Wenger. “I always feel that if you have players who can deliver the decisive ball in all areas of the pitch, you have many more chances of being creative.

"If it’s only focused on one central part, where it’s usually more concentrated, you have more space on the flanks to create.”

With Hleb and Rosicky both preferring to cut inside it resulted into the more pass-focused play and while the ‘Invincibles’ were the original pass masters, with Ljungberg and Pires wide, had greater dynamism and penetration to go with it.

For most of this season Arsenal have had to use Nasri and Eboue but as both prefer to come inside, to play such a passing game requires players to play around them and that is where Fabregas has been missed.

As a result their has been an over-reliance on the front four recently which requires quicker build up play and more directness from the wings.

The possession keeping when teams have taken the initiative to the Gunners is as of yet not as strong as it can be; a lower percentage of possession to both Fulham and Aston Villa would have been blasphemous last season.

The shield of Denilson and Song/Diaby have improved immensely but as of yet not as expansive as the Spaniard however they are slowing gaining in confidence and the signs are good.

The partnership raises an interesting point; Arsenal have always had a midfield shield in front of their defence but who also had the creative potency but with Fabregas it is always him plus one, maybe leaving the team open at times.

He has created plenty of goals and has been the heartbeat of the side but ultimately the club’s trophy haul during his years at the club suggests he wasn’t success.

Of course it is an absurd statement given his talismanic status but if Fabregas pushes up could put a lot of strain on the defence hence Flamini’s impact last season.

However both Denilson and Diaby have shown they can match the Frenchman for industry both clocking up 15,000 metres against Roma and are still under the age of 24 (when Flamini made his breakthrough).

Fabregas has shown, upon given the captain armband that he can undertake a more dictating role to achieve a greater balance while his tackling has always been understated.

The more direct play have grown naturally but given Wenger’s statement on how Arsenal have had to adapt without the Spaniard, it seems more manufactured. After the match against Hull, Arshavin stated Wenger wanted the team to play more quicker in his half time team-talk.

“He told us that while we were doing the right things, we needed to speed up a bit to get the result.” The late Renus Michels, who was former Holland manager during the ‘Total Football’ era feels such a counter attacking style has shown to be most efficient when ’short term success is desired.’

In his book Teambuiding: The Road to Success a team in phase two will usually implement this style as their main style while those in phase three master what he call ‘ball circulation’ something not many teams can do:

"The team must master the ‘ball circulation’ component to be able to determine the correct moment to start the attack. However, ball circulation is a means, not a goal in itself! To carry the play on the opponents half of the field places high demands of the build-up. There is not much time and space to work in and you have to deal with high defensive pressure. Fast combinations and excellent positional play are a must. Circulation football!

To lose possession close to the middle line when building-up is almost ’suicidal’ in this risky style of football. One touch passing is also a must in the building-up team function of this strategy. This demands additional tactical insight from the players as situations quickly have to be surveyed. Each player has to anticipate even more.

To carry the play means that one time you choose to play in a high tempo and the next time you use delaying tactics to slow the play down. A play-making team must take full advantage of the space and must have defenders who can quickly change the point of attack, wing forwards who remain on the outside, etc.

The transition from defence to build-up must be executed very quickly. The team tactical manpower in the centre of the field(central defenders, midfielders and striker) is of great importance.

During the build up, the tactical coherence between the central defenders who must be thinking of playing the ball forward, the attacking midfielders and the central striker is very precise work. When possession is lost, it starts in the opposite direction. Good ball circulation puts high demands on the quality of the positional play, the mastering of the tempo and the speed of action."

In terms of style Arsenal can be classed to be in the middle of the two as they rebuild but with the players Wenger has at his disposal they can offer the correct blend of circulation football and dynamism that the ‘Invincibles’ perfected.

Arshavin has only to adapt to English football and the teams understanding, Samir Nasri is still developing his dribbling to be a more effective winger but has the capability to deputise for Fabregas in the near future.

Defensively, the team is as strong as ever, maybe due in part to the more cautious approach and as the team are young, can get even better.

The second half at Newcastle showed just a glimpse of the side's potential. Arsenal should continue to develop momentum and with a good end to the season and pre-season to adapt to each other, the team has the variety, interchangeability to be potentially beautiful to watch and explosive at the same time.

How Manchester United's Expansive Style and Defensive Errors Cost Them the Game

Zip Zoolander — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:00:51 -0400

Manchester United were on the receiving end of a humiliating defeat to arch rivals Liverpool, their expansive style in particular gave too much space for Fernando Torres at the other end.

The title may still seem like going to Manchester United but this victory at least gives a glimmer of hope that the Premiership season is still alive. After an intriguing start to the league where Liverpool were the early pace setters and Hull surprised all, the league campaign has petered out to become almost drab.

The Reds met United in what was billed as the "title decider" but with this victory we are not any closer to knowing the answer.

Sir Alex Ferguson started with the partnership of Tevez and Rooney who with their interchangeability and dynamism started the stronger which was confirmed in taking the lead. However the two failed to exert enough influence later on in the the game as Liverpool defended resolutely and tirelessly to shut out the space in front of the back four where the two operate.

Ronaldo was also kept quiet as Riera sought to double up on the Portuguese winger and if he did manage to cut in, the wall of Mascherano and Lucas were their to cover.

The equaliser from Torres was a crucial goal. United felt it was undeserved and almost attacked as if they were chasing the game because of the feeling that they went behind. Their expansive style may have been part of their downfall as this allowed Torres too much space up front without many bodies back to defend.

When United attack, it is like they are playing a 4-2-4 and when they push more bodies forward with the full backs bombing forward leaves them vulnerable. By pushing right up the pitch, Manchester United put unrelenting pressure on the oppositions resources and suffocate play.

It is a great form of defence but when it doesn't work leaves large gaps in front of their defence. Therefore it is a wonder why Ferguson didn't play Fletcher instead of Anderson: the Scot's industry and tackling ability the perfect foil for their attacking play.

Granted, the first goal came from a long hoof upfield and a misjudgment from Vidic but the Spaniard and indeed Steven Gerrard given large gaps to exploit, especially on the counter.

For the second goal Torres was given great space in the channel between midfield and defence and because of the uncertainty Gerrard was allowed to run in behind Evra. With the space afforded to the opposition it means United, although great at keeping possession will always allow chances.

The scoreline may have flattered Liverpool somewhat but there is no doubt they deserved the win, as they were tactically disciplined and superior and when given the opportunity made sure they made the most of it.

Denilson Can Rekindle the Lost Art of Midfield Tackling

Zip Zoolander — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 12:30:22 -0500

Arsene Wenger may have bemoaned the lack of good tacklers these days but what are the reasons for the demise and does he have one right under his nose.

I see very few good tacklers nowadays,” said Arsene Wenger most probably reminiscing of the horrendous moment that ended Eduardo’ season and also Arsenal’s title aspirations at the same time last season.

Tackling has been the talk of the Premier League in recent games with cards being dished out like confetti for challenges where one must side with the Frenchman.

Indeed a player Wenger identified as one of the lost breed of clever tacklers was involved in what was probably the worst tackle ever and one which even had his own team mate Michel Platini proclaim that he thought he was dead, because “he had no pulse and looked pale.”

Along with Patrick Battiston, Wenger bracketed Frenchmen André Chorda and Christian Lopez in the same category.

“A good tackle is beautiful to watch because in the tackle the player is already making a pass, not just clearing the ball. Most of the tackles nowadays they go in blindly. When you do a good tackle you are relaxed because you master every movement.”

His description may seem fanciful and indeed looking at the profile of some defenders, can fit quite a few in. Rio Ferdinand, Carvalho, Cannavaro (in the 2006 World Cup) and Pepe; in fact the trend nowadays is for central defenders to be mobile and technically secure.

Even the arguably less aesthetically pleasing defenders such as Vidic and Terry are very adept at passing the ball. It is maybe not enough from these defenders that Wenger sees as they are not sweepers; the position the manager himself played but one which has since disappeared.

However the bulk of these rash tackles have featured midfielders with Wenger suggesting improved pitches are the reason for the lack of good tacklers. Players are able to control and turn more freely while it allows for better passing and movement.

The greater technical emphasis has probably made having a specialised tackler more difficult because while they may be stronger at winning the ball back, hinder the teams passing momentum.

Currently most teams play with deep lying playmakers in defensive midfield, able to initiate attacks and break down play just as the sweeper used to and with second strikers or playmakers.

Players in between channels are seen as the key to unlocking defences and one of the reasons for the demise of the box-to-box midfielder. “There are trends in football,” says former Roma manager Carlo Mazzone. “This is a time of between-the-lines players. From a classic 4-4-2, we now have a 4-1-1-1-3-0 as we have at Roma.”

“Today’s football is about managing the characteristics of individuals and that’s why you see the proliferation of specialists,” says former AC Milan coach, Arrigo Sacchi. ”The individual has trumped the collective. But it’s a sign of weakness. It’s reactive, not pro-active.”

“For example, we knew that Zidane, Raul and Figo didn’t track back, so we had to put a guy in front of the back four who would defend,” he said when talking about his stint as Real Madrid’s director of football.

“But that’s reactionary football. It doesn’t multiply the players’ qualities exponentially. Which actually is the point of tactics: to achieve this multiplier effect on the players’ abilities. In my football, the regista—the playmaker—is whoever had the ball. But if you have Makelele, he can’t do that.

"He doesn’t have the ideas to do it, although, of course, he’s great at winning the ball. It’s become all about specialists. Is football a collective and harmonious game? Or is it a question of putting x amount of talented players in and balancing them with y amount of specialists?”

But such defensive midfielder’s can’t have everything. They must be able to pass, be tactically aware and strong in the tackle a difficult equilibrium to find.

Sacchi believed in players being able to play a number of positions and hence do more and his AC Milan team played a high pressure game with the team defending in a organised defensive unit.

“The trend is to bring the opponents into a defensive block and then aggressively press the ball,” says Gerrard Houllier. Defending is such a way allows for greater balance especially as deep playmakers are converted attacking midfielders in some cases (Pirlo, S. Petrov, Murphy, Scholes, Denilson) and while there is more utilisation of the dual defensive midfield shield that allows organisation.

For Arsenal, the departure of Matthieu Flamini has had a great effect—hardworking and strong positionally and in the tackle as well. The only weakness was his limited technical ability but in his replacement, Denilson can offer more.

Like all great defenders, at most times they are not required to even make a tackle to win the ball as his interception stats shows; the Brazilian is second only to Clichy in the league (109 to Clichy’s 118).

Playing with much simplicity, Denilson is not the type of player one notices but the work he puts in is tremendous and is also able to initiate attacks. The boy from the favelas in São Paulo can be better and more expansive, but that will come with games and with quality players around him.

As Wenger says, there may not be too many intelligent tacklers but the player described as “a little bit in between Tomáš Rosický and Gilberto” can rekindle the lost art of tackling in the midfield.

Premiership Signings Signal a Change in Forward Thinking

Zip Zoolander — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 09:35:39 -0500

The Premier League transfer window has seen some curious signings, no less than at Tottenham but the window has also signaled an evolution of the striker and one where a greater requirement is expected of them.

In the January transfer window Aston Villa had signed Emile Heskey from Wigan for £3.5m. This was a player who had scored 109 goals in 409 league appearances at a ratio of 0.27 goals a game and had been flogged by his previous teams for ultimately not scoring enough goals.

He had produced a promising partnership for both England and Liverpool with Micheal Owen but in the case his partnered didn’t score the pressure was on the bulky target man to deliver. A couple of mainly goal-shy seasons later and accusations of falling over more than scoring, he joined Birmingham.

However he didn’t do enough to dispel such an image and was later resigned by Steve Bruce, now at Wigan. Here the striker had reinvented himself as a team player; linking up play and making space for others with his strength. His unselfish performances leading the line under Fabio Capello’s ‘fluid’ England side finally brought appreciation at the age of 30.

Strikers have evolved and are now expected to do more; to use their intelligence to drop off into space and play in team mates while also being able to make runs to stretch opposition. An increased mobility and interchangeability in strikers has lessened the need for the traditional ‘goal-poachers ‘ while there is a greater expectation on midfielders to contribute goalscoring-wise.

The Premiership is still a curious anomaly. European clubs usually play with one central striker similar to someone like Torres (can run, link up, pace, movment) and a creative striker/playmaker behind. However in the Premier League, clubs still mainly play a traditional 4-4-2 but whereas before they wanted a little-and-large partnership the transfer window has seen the trend shift to two tall, highly mobile strikers. Wigan had signed Rodallega and Mido, Hull Manucho and even Middlesbrough you can argue with Marlon King.

Micheal Owen is one the only few old style goal poachers around but even he has had to evolve, playing as a link striker last season under Keegan. Tactically the game has changed with greater cautiousness especially of transitions in play.

Defensively, teams are stronger and the game could now be argued as one of many little battles where a goal poacher won’t have enough in his armoury to win and will require more work from team-mates.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy brings more than just goals with his hold up play while Inzaghi has great movement to go with his limited ability. “For me, a striker is not just a striker,” says Jose Mourinho. “He’s somebody who has to move, who has to cross, and who has to do this in a 4-4-2 or in a 4-3-3 or in a 3-5-2.”

Didier Drogba (against Fulham) and Emile Heskey (against Man United) pass map

Of course the Premiership is a different league, less technical and more cautious but the evolution of strikers had been evident at the top clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United even before this window. Berbatov, Drogba and Adebayor offer more than a traditional target man or striker would have previously offered. Which makes it even more baffling the signings of Tottenham Hotspur who have now got three strikers in a more traditional ‘goal-poacher’ role (Bent, Defoe and Keane) and one all round player in Pavlyuchenko.

The fitness of players have increased ten-fold and the demands greater on defenders, to win the battle centre forwards have had to evolve and offer more.

The 3-5-2 Enjoys Its Final Lease on Life Before Its Impending Doom

Zip Zoolander — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:26:59 -0500

After Argentina had won the World Cup 1986 with the 3-5-2, who would have thought the formation would be all but dead and buried as its use declined.

However, it has made a so far successful reappearance by Napoli and Sampdoria though this reemergence looks short-lived in the context of the modern game.

The slow death of the 3-5-2 may have coincided with the death of the libero or sweeper. Of course there had been many variants of a back three formation but not with the sweeper.

The role of the sweeper came to more prominence in the 1960’s in the Catenaccio (”door-bolt”) formation used by the coach Helenio Herrera of Inter Milan.

At first it was a defensive position but had evolved to the focal point of the team, bringing the ball out of defence and begin counter-attacks while being the man to read the danger and also double mark the attacker.

“The original libero stayed back and didn’t touch the ball for more than two minutes a game. Then they started to participate more and more and balance the midfield,” says Renato Zaccarelli, a former libero himself for Torino.

Argentina won the World Cup in 1986 with the 3-5-2 but what was the system's finest moment never really took off until then.

Arrigo Sacchi, the former Milan coach and possibly the greatest tactical innovator of modern football, may have been the reason for the downfall of the sweeper. His influence can be seen across Europe and England from Benitez, to Hodgson, Capello and in Serie A coaches in particular.

Sacchi’s all-conquering AC Milan side heralded a change in direction of formations, especially in Italian football.

The sweeper was moved to the central defence as a back four in the form of Franco Baresi as the pure essence of the sweeper, man marking was replaced by zonal marking, and the aggressive carrying out of Sacchi’s tactic and pressuring.

“The player needs to express himself within the parameters laid out by the manager…Then the player makes decisions based on that…it’s about being a player. Not just being skillful or being athletic. I didn’t want robots or individualists. I wanted people with the intelligence to understand me, and the spirit to put that intelligence to the service of the team. In short, I wanted people who knew how to play football.”

“Pressing is…about controlling space. I wanted my players to feel strong and the opponents to feel weak. If we let [them] play in a way they were accustomed to, they would grow in confidence. But if we stopped them, it would hurt their confidence. That was the key: our pressing was psychological as much as physical. Our pressing was always collective.”

When attacking it was all about dictating play and when defending it was controlling space. Deviating from the plan as the sweeper would do had no place for Sacchi when defending.

Still the traces of the libero is still alive today but in midfield. The deep lying playmaker can do a similar job, dictating and creating play but at the same time cover for the defence and read danger.

The increasing deployment of players like De Rossi and Pirlo (and why Arsenal are using Denilson) part of the tactical trend of the modern game; the between the line players.

Less are there of box-to-box type players and more who are part of steps (i.e. 4-1-1-1-3-0 of Roma), and hence Chelsea’s problems in midfield, where there are too similar-styled players.

If this is the case, then shouldn’t the 3-5-2 still be able to exist even without the sweeper? The answer seems unfortunately no, as in the changing face of the game falls second best at nearly every hurdle and ultimately too complicated a system.

Firstly the wing backs, lambasted by Cruyff as not being skillful players but more as athletes. They need to be quicker and fitter, to cover more ground and reorganise themselves, and especially in the Premiership with its speed hard to implement.

Serie A is slower and more tactical but with the teams trying harder to compete with top European clubs, we may see a slight change of emphasis.

Secondly it requires, all over the pitch and especially the defence, high levels of organisation. Thirdly and most crucially, it uses more men to compete against the opposing teams less numbers (think 3-5-2 vs. 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 situations) while the advantage of having three central midfielders is lessened.

Overall, it is an overly hard formation to play, but why then are teams like Napoli being successful? In the recent game against Chievo, they lost 2-1 but the most notable play about them was how deep they were.

With essentially two libero in front of the defense in Hamsik and Blasi, the former’s weak defensive skills compensated by the three man defense, they let the opposition take the game to them and looked to counter through Lavezzi.

This kind of tactic won’t be music to the ears for bigger clubs, but it suits Napoli and can be typified by one man; Ezequiel Lavezzi.

“El Pocho is a phenomenon. He has the three fundamental ingredients needed to be a great player: physical, tactical, and technical. He’s top of the tree in all three,” said Ramon Diaz, who sold the Argentine when coach of San Lorenzo.

Maybe the three-man defence could make a comeback as defenders are becoming more mobile, as a proposition, maybe as a back three version of Roma's 4-6-0 formation?

In the face of the changing game, it seems time has run out for the 3-5-2, but as its swan song, Napoli and Sampdoria will try and do the system some justice while exposing its flaws at the same time.

Emmanuel Adebayor: More Than Just a Striker

Zip Zoolander — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:21:32 -0500

After a summer where the Arsenal striker looked set to leave the Emirates for Milan, an image had been portrayed of him being greedy but for Togo that couldn’t be further from the truth.
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The Republic of Togo has been under rule of the longest serving leader in African history (after being president for 38 years) at the time of his death in 2005 where his son Faure Gnassingbé was elected president. Riots proceeded his election as claims that it was rigged. Even before then, the country was ruled by his father who was considered to be a ruthless dictator whereby the The European Union suspended aid in 1993.

The 2006 World Cup was a momentary respite from the rioting in the country as Togo looked to unite the country with an inspiring performance led by star striker and talisman Emmanuel Adebayor Sheyi.

But even that didn’t go to plan as rows over appearances and unpaid bonuses over shadowed what was meant to be a momentous moment in the country’s history. The club went without a win and Adebayor even received death threats.

Even after such setbacks the striker and captain is still as popular as ever and is seen as a ray of hope in a struggling country.

“I tried to ask him once and he changed the subject,” said Parfait Akwei, who was instrumental in bringing through Adebayor. “But my personal belief is he has something. I’ve heard some people in Togo say he’s our saviour, that Adebayor is our saviour. They joke he’s more popular than the President. People believe that if there are problems politically then the only thing left is football and that’s Adebayor.”

The row after the World Cup was over money; unpaid bonuses which were promised to the players if they qualified for the tournament and were not received. Adebayor wouldn’t have needed it but his team mates did and he was the leader and captain.

Adebayor’s story wasn’t easy. Born in a poor family with 10 people living in two rooms. His parents moved from Nigeria to Togo. As a toddler he was unable to crawl or walk so his mum took him too a church to heal him but before the Pastor was to administer him someone dropped a ball.

Little Adebayor was determined to get the ball; he fell over continuously, hurt himself but kept on getting up. Eventually Sheyi walked to the ball; he was destined to play football.

At 15 to join Metz all by himself, leaving his freinds and family behind to journey into the unknown.

“At the airport my mum said ‘You see where we are, where we are living? Go to France, do something good, we need your help.’ I nearly cried that day. I’m leaving my family and I know my family is suffering. I said to myself, ‘Now your time has come.’

‘I was on my own, no support, nobody. On the plane the food was so difficult to eat and when I arrived in France it was freezing. I was so skinny. The next day I go down to breakfast with all my clothes on, my hat on, hands stuffed in pockets and they all start laughing at me. The supervisor told me to take my hat off, hands out of my pockets.

“But that first day, after training the Director of the Academy knocked on my door and said ‘You’re good, your going to stay.’”

The Togolese infrastructure was poor and the wealth very unevenly distributed. Parfait played in Togo’s division two but wanted to do more to help the kids in Togo achieve their dream.

” If you go down to where Adebayor grew up there are 10, 20, so many talented kids but they just go down the drain. There was so much loss and I said such a talented guy would need help, Sheyi’s qualities then were as a midfielder, controlling the situation. He knew when to speed up, give the pass etc. He knew nothing about life but he could make everyone laugh and his talent? Marvelous.”

Soon for Metz he was converted to a striker because of his lanky style and even for not scoring many goals at Monaco there was enough in him to convince Arsene Wenger to sign him. He was in Togo after a fallout with his President at the Monaco where he was told that he would never play for them again when he got the phone call from Wenger.

“I was holidaying in Togo, playing football and my mobile rang. My friend answered it and ran of the pitch saying, ‘Manu it’s Arsene Wenger’ and I’m going ‘Shut up, hang up. Can’t you see I’m playing?’ And he screams again it’s Arsene Wenger. So I run to it and it’s him, that voice that never changes.

“Adebayor, how are you? Would you like to come to Arsenal?

“That’s not a question you can ask me even for free, even if you buy me an air ticket tonight, I will be at that club tomorrow morning. I love that club to death.

“He told me to keep it a secret, or the deal was off. I got back home, took a little bottle of champagne and sat with friends who kept on asking me why so happy? I didn’t say a word or sleep that night. But I told myself ‘even if it doesn’t happen then Arsene Wenger still wanted to buy you. Not because you’re tall, not because you’re beautiful because he sees something in you.’”

Adebayor looked set to leave the club last summer in a £30 million move to either Milan or Barcelona. He stayed and signed a new contract but money isn’t his biggest desire; he’s given £15-20,000 to complete strangers. Even before his determination to succeed for Arsenal he would want to see the people in Togo (and Africa) lead a better life and if it be, he will look to contribute to it.

“One day this will all stop. They won’t ask for my autograph anymore but I have to keep giving something back. Help find talented players, help their dream come true. What am I going to leave behind me? I don’t want to leave a bad name. I want people to judge on what I am and what I do.”

AS Roma Display Another Example of the 4-6-0

Zip Zoolander — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:15:17 -0500

Alexandre Pato may have stole the show on David Beckham’s AC Milan debut with a double, the second a fantastic chip but it was Roma who were the reason to watch just to see their 4-6-0 in action.
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Arsenal’s Champions League opponents reverted from the diamond formation they have played recently and placed former Gunner Julio Baptista up front. The Brazilian so influential for Sevilla in the trequartista role and recently for Roma as the forward point in the diamond but this time he had to translate it higher up the pitch.

He started strongly for Roma but couldn’t impose himself enough on the game. Totti was unavailable through injury but "Il Capitan" is the perfect player for this system; his dropping off and roaming creates space for others and allows doubling up which Baptista failed to reproduced in the same effect.

Mirko Vucinic on the other hand had another great game out wide on the left, scoring two great goals, his dynamism of great importance to the system.

The 4-6-0 works because everybody attacks and everybody defends; it’s like a swarm of bees moving together. De Rossi is the deep playmaker but anyone of the midfield can fulfill each other’s role.

What is really impressive, like Barcelona, is the way they are always a threat even when teams are defending deep. As there is a lack of space behind they utilise the space in front with great effect.

As they call it in Spain, the llegada is Manchester born Simone Perrotta and can now also add Matteo Brighi though to a lesser effect, breaking forward into the box to provide support and in numbers. Having five players in and around the box making it hard to defend because of the movement and the uncertainty on who and where to mark.

The formation the doesn’t work for every team and every time, just as any tactic but when it does it can be so beautiful to watch.

Arsenal play AS Roma in February and it will be interesting to see which formation they go with; the diamond or the "strikerless." With Arsenal’s apparent weakness runners behind and tracking runners in midfield they will look to implement these tactics. It should be an interesting game and one for the purists.

Is this the future as Carlos Alberto Parreira predicted in 2003? An article looking to answer that will come closer to the first leg. Till then make it something to think about. Leave your comments and as always I will read them and try to answer any queries one may have.

You can watch highlights here to see a glimpse of the system in action in AS Roma’s 2-2 draw with AC Milan.

Arsenal Model Too Unrealistic for Clubs to Follow?

Zip Zoolander — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 10:04:54 -0500

Arsenal are the envy of most clubs; a strong emphasis in youth development, an extensive scouting network creating world class players while being sensible financially an example to follow but is it too unrealistic a vision for some clubs to adopt?

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Two examples come in the case of Lyon and Newcastle United. The French Champions are admirers of the Arsenal model, taking good care of the financial side while investing in youth through their academy and by worldwide scouting. They have identified that they may not be able to hang on to such products of their academy therefore look to make money by selling them for high prices. But while Lyon are in a weaker league with less financial power and are regular Champions League participants Newcastle are in the opposite.

The Premier League has more financially powerful clubs and with this extra wealth makes it more difficult to compete. Owner Mike Ashley is also placing emphasis on his academy, decreasing debt and buying youth however that last point is where they may be going wrong. The competition is high in this area with clubs such as Sevilla (700 scouts), Atletico Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea to name a few and although Ashley is putting his money into it it may be too unrealistic a dream.

Mike Ashley on Newcastle

"Newcastle has therefore set up an extensive scouting system. We look for young players, for players in foreign leagues who everyone does not know about. We try and stay ahead of the competition. We search high and low looking for value, for potential that we can bring on and for players who will allow Newcastle to compete at the very highest level but who don’t cost the earth.

I am prepared to back large signings for millions of pounds but for a player who is young and has their career in front of them and not for established players at the other end of their careers. There is no other workable way forward for Newcastle. It is in this regard that Dennis and his team have done a first class job in scouting for talent to secure the future of the club. "

The advantage they may have over big clubs is that they have more margin of error as such clubs have to specifically find potential world beaters. But at this age it is harder to determine talent not to mention their lower bargaining power. If a signing doesn’t reach the potential however then will find it hard to offload for a profit. Newcastle admit this will be a long term project but the competition may be too large to make them stand out.

The São Paulo model may be a more realistic option; they develop youth through the academy and have a more than sound financial base but whereas they can’t attract the best youngsters into their league or big transfers they look to sell their current prospects at high price. Some $2.5 millions annually is spent on youth development and club aims to make around $9 million in selling the products of their work.

But with the extra money they look to sign more established players who have not quite made the best impression at their clubs. In São Paulo’s case, workmanlike Brazilians who have made their journey to Europe but not made a big success.

Andriy Voronin failed at Liverpool out after being out with injury and is loaned but is a very good player. Great movement and tested at a high level. Even Matteo Brighi who was loaned out to Chievo for three years before finally finding his way into the Roma first team at 27 and now fully established after a failing to make an impact at Juventus.

Stability and sustainability is very important while the Arsenal model can be replicated and/or achieved to a lesser or bigger degree but taking care of finance and academy and buying a team of Voronin’s and Brighi’s is surely the more pragmatic option in bringing success.

Former Gunners May Be Struggling Because They Were Made for Arsenal

Zip Zoolander — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:37:05 -0500

With Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb failing to make the same impact at their clubs that they did at Arsenal, it is argued Arsene Wenger sold them by identification of a declining career. However, such players may be found struggling because they were made by Arsenal for Arsenal.

The main case being Ashley Cole, who was switched to left back after beginning his career in attack. The transition was so successful he forced his way into the senior squad putting in some great performances which arguably made him best left back in the world.

Jose Mourinho signed Ashley Cole as he tried to complete his team with the best players to fit his system. However Cole never hit the same form as at Arsenal; his defending was as good as ever but was used to playing short passes and then breaking forward, failing to fully get to grips with crossing and long balls. There are signs this season he is adjusting but just old habits do die large and at times looks to try and play the way at Arsenal.

Mathieu Flamini was signed by Milan after his man of the match performances against them and seen as the natural successor to Gattuso. This means playing on the right or left of a central midfield diamond and basically running around the pitch to try and get the ball.

The problem is he is a defensive midfielder but the with players like Pirlo and Emersonin the position, their definition of such a defensive midfielder is different. Playing in a more advanced position exposes his average passing ability.

Alexander Hleb is also playing in a more advanced role on the left of a forward three rather than the creative winger at Arsenal. Both players have the undoubted ability to make an impact (even Flamini regardless of his one "great" season) it’s just a matter of either adjusting to their new roles and respective league or playing in their correct position.

If it is the former the clubs may even have to expect that they are not going to get the same players they saw at Arsenal.

Has the 4-4-2 become old-fashioned?

Zip Zoolander — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:20:40 -0500

The reasons for the current formation and tactical developments

The 4-4-2 is the most commonly used formation, especially in the Premiership, but the frequency of it’s use in top European leagues has decreased. However it has been arguably the most "perfect" set up, with all recent tactical changes developed to go one better.

An article by Jonathan Wilson claims the 4-4-2 has been superseded by the 4-2-3-1 formation but there is a fine line in labeling what type of formation one team plays and what they don’t. His example concerned the Man Utd team which beat Barcelona in the 1991 Cup-Winners’ Cup final. With McClair dropping deep off front man Hughes, the wingers pushing up and Robson and Ince in the middle this made it a 4-2-3-1.

However what about the current Manchester United team?

With Berbatov or Rooney dropping off there are a number of suggestions of what system they play; 4-4-2, 4-2-4, 4-2-3-1, or 4-6-0. Which one is correct is open to interpretation.

Factor in the work the wingers are expected to do and it is even harder to determine. Ronaldo is not expected to track back much while Park is given orders to run the whole length of the pitch. This is what the formation may look like then.

Manchester United Best Line Up

Rooney - Berbatov
Ronaldo-———————————————-
———Carrick - Scholes -—-Park
Evra - Vidic - Ferdinand(c) - Rafael
Van Der Sar

The attention to detail displayed by the Man Utd formation and others has come as a result of reacting to and taking advantage of many different tactical developments and requirements of the modern game. The 4-2-3-1 more popular as it allows greater flexibility in being more effective in such tactical trends.

Transitions

The amount at stake in football has no doubt affected how teams are set up and because of this could be understood for being cautious. Transitions are seen as a very crucial part of the game nowadays and are very deadly if one exploits such changing of hands in possession. Euro 2008 showed how important it is to take advantage of such situations and also to defend against, Holland’s wins against France (4-1) and Italy (3-0) showing how devastating it is.

The 4-2-3-1 has become popular because amongst others, it’s ability in exploiting counter attacks. The four most advanced players in the system are shielded by the two central players allowing them to express themselves while being higher up the field means the area of weakness from the counter, the full backs, are not needed to attack as much.

Transitions have become crucial. When the opponent is organised defensively, it is very difficult to score. The moment the opponent loses the ball can be the time to exploit the opportunity of someone being out of position. Similarly when we lose the ball we must react immediately. In training I sometimes practice keeping a minimum of five players behind the ball, so that when we lose it we can keep a good defensive shape. The players must learn to read the game- when to press and when to return to their defensive positions. Everybody says set plays win most games, but I think it is more about transitions.

Also in English football, full backs that lack height can have problems because of the long ball tactic employed by many teams. Jose Mourinho then Chelsea manager (hence the difference between his Chelsea and Scolari’s more attacking but more vulnerable Chelsea.

Of Holland’s seven goals scored, five were counter attacks and two set plays which highlights the danger of both areas. Not many teams are set up for set plays though Bolton and Stoke can provide some examples.

The Individual and the Midfield Shield

The individual skill and dynamism of such players as Cristiano Ronaldo and before that the Galacticos (Zidane, Figo, Raul, Ronaldo) have meant teams would build a system to accommodate these players’ strengths and weaknesses. United and Madrid knew that these players are extremely deadly while defensively they will not offer much in the way of tracking back. Therefore the shield or the ‘water carrier’ became very important.

The basis for the counter attack, letting the flair players express themselves and the glue that sticks the whole team together. For Madrid it was Makelele and for the double winning Man Utd side, Scholes and Carrick.

It may be a sign that the individual has trumped the collective; the England midfielder deviating from Benitez’s plan in central midfield but now pushed up to allow greater freedom.

Pressure

Pressuring high up the pitch and getting the ball early are one of the reasons for deploying wide men high up. Barcelona successfully combine the ability to use the strengths of their individuals and apply high pressure. This suffocates the space and allows them to exploit transitions.

As the wide men don’t track back, the opposition full backs are aware that if they get forward they will leave them unmarked. The doubts it causes are great and when Barca do get the ball, getting caught out of position and being hit on the counter especially against players with such pace and quality is too big a threat.

The opposition team is penned back and facing the countless Barca attacks is like contending with a team attacking in the last ten minutes of a match but with more efficiency.

Support and Movement

The role of the playmaker has become ever more appreciated but it is not only their creating ability nor their ability to link up play that makes them so effective; it is the support they give. The free role allows them to get close to any of the attacking options and provide support.

Watching European cup games it has become evident that support and off the ball movement is crucial. Getting 1 v 1 situations as often as possible can win games but off the ball movement is the key to making the best out of the situation rather than what was solely considered to be the dribbling ability of the player. This causes uncertainty on the marker and lessens the real need to dribble past, or can be provided as another option.

Another advantage of having support, is the ability to counter attack. Being closer can allow quicker retaining of possession and thus easier to counter quicker and arguably more often.

Roma’s 4-6-0 formation happened by chance as a result of injury to their second striker but with Totti as the focal point (a striker who drops deep) is unconventional. However it worked because the basis of the formation is supporting Totti and going beyond him with the movement.

The Evolution of the 4-4-2

The reason why the 4-2-3-1 is greater implemented in Spain, say as opposed to England where 4-4-2 is more prevalent could be of many factors. The speed of English football is quicker and has more aerial passes while pressuring early using such a formation as the 4-2-3-1 is negated by long balls. This is maybe why instead of Chelsea being able to implement a traditional 4-3-3 they are resorted to play 4-5-1 when defending as the ball is play quicker; the time taken to reorganize is less.

The 4-4-2 isn’t dead but rather it has evolved from what it is thought to be traditionally and what it is now (although Premier League clubs still play in the traditional way). The changing environment of the game and the individual has given the 4-4-2 more scope rather sticking to the description of the traditional 4-4-2 played by a team like Wigan with Zaki and Heskey up front. Villarreal play with one striker dropping deep as do Atletico Madrid with Rossi and Aguero respectively. The second striker especially in top level matches expected to drop deeper to support the midfield but still provide a goalscoring instinct.

Spain’s Euro 2008 win saw them play 4-4-2 in the early stages but with David Villa’s injury switching to 4-2-3-1. It showed that both systems can be equally successful.

It seems the best way to play 4-4-2 is to have two strikers who combine well but one who drops back to support the midfield in defence. The centre of midfield must be organised; one midfielder is more attack minded while the other is more defensive, providing cover. The best surveyors of the system can keep possession well denying pressure on the defence but the most undervalued area concerns the mobility and passing ability of the defence. The 4-4-2 far from being dead or old fashioned but as all things needing to evolve with the changing environment.

Rafa Benitez Planning Tactical Masterclass Against Arsenal

Zip Zoolander — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:54:06 -0500

Rafa Benitez endured a mixed start to his Liverpool management career after joining from Valencia in 2004. Success in his first season in the Champions League and defeat two years later showed his ability in Europe however it is in the league where he has found the most difficult; unable to fully challenge for the crown, until this season that is.

As a player Benitez’s career was cut short through injury but he represented the Real Madrid’s reserve team (Castilla FC). His early management career didn’t go too well being sacked early on at Real Valladolid and Osasuna. However, there was an upturn in fortune, managing Segunda side CF Extremadura he gained promotion but quit the next season following relegation.

Relegation was the greatest thing that could have happened to him as in the year out he honed his coaching skills in England and Italy especially but not limited to studying the work of former AC Milan Arrigo Sacchi. He looked to further enhance the coaching philosophy by using some of the knowledge acquired in England.

His improved coaching was evident as in 2000 as he became manager of CD Tenerife, gaining promotion with such quality players as Mista, Curro Torres (loan from Valencia) and Luis Garcia. With his reputation greatly enhanced, he was appointed as Valencia manager (although as fourth choice) taking the former two players with him.

In 2002, Benítez lead Valencia CF to their first La Liga title in thirty one years with Real Madrid and Barcelona nowhere in sight. After a disappointing next season, Rafa went one better winning La Liga and UEFA Cup but after falling out with Jesus Garcia Pitarch, the club’s director of sport, he went to Liverpool.

Winning the Champions League in his first season, FA Cup the next but losing the European final couldn’t mask his failures in the league. This season his vision seemed to have finally come to fruition but perhaps not in the way he planned it.

Robbie Keane and Adapting to the System

Rafa Benitez’s downfall in the league was because tactics were more important than the players and although a lot of this has remained, the appreciation of Gerrard has allowed him to adapt it. Speaking in 2004 he said:

“My ideas are near to the Milan of Arrigo Sacchi. I like technical and aggressive teams that don’t allow the opponents to play. I like teams that play the ball with speed and look to score with as few passes as possible.” Rafa Benitez (2004)

There is a misunderstanding of why Robbie Keane was signed which ironically is understandable. The price meant he was the final jigsaw to the puzzle; able to pressure high up and constantly while his movement was to be able to complement the system and Fernando Torres similar to David Villa of Spain. Courting Gareth Barry also seemed to signal a change to 4-4-2 but alas it never materialised and Alonso’s form making him revert back to 4-5-1.

Pressuring is very important as when you have the ball, you dictate play. When you are defending, you control the space. Kuyt and Riera track back as far as the full backs while the forwards side ways to stop the ball from being played to the midfielders. Barry could have easily been applied to the system but Riera an able enough and possibly better replacement signing.

Keane hasn’t fully adapted and as a result been recently dropped. Not because of pressuring but because of adapting to the attacking side though his performance at PSV showed improvements.

Liverpool play almost in steps; playing little triangles to feet in and out, moving up the field. Movement on and off the ball is key, having all players being able to create, provide support and exploit space. It is a surprise how Keane is yet to adapt maybe too much emphasis on getting the ball to ones feet.

Players need to be flexible and adapt to the system. Pressing allows Liverpool to control space (think back to the Barcelona article) and make it seem the pitch is smaller by being compact, suffocating space. It is not a defensive formation but being able to play depends on the solidarity of the defence. When they attack options and people making and exploiting space is key but not to leave ones zone available to take advantage by the opposition.

Playing Against Arsenal

The ability to vary the game plan to stifle Arsenal is allowed by this formation. The fixture seems to bring the best and the worst out of Arsenal; great passing and movement but let down by letting in or not scoring goals. Liverpool will try and stop Arsenal from playing as they were overrun in the last few games but somehow remained unscathed.

However the Gunners haven’t been at their best and without enough creative players the game may see more long balls.

Benitez will look to apply these tactics to prevent Arsenal from playing; psychologically giving the Reds an advantage by decreasing space and with Gerrard now better adapted to the system it is sure to be a tight game indeed. Also Fernando Torres may be available with his superb movement allowing better execution of the game plan.

(Full match Preview on Saturday)

Barcelona Tactics: Why They Are the Best in Europe

Zip Zoolander — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:44:39 -0500

Barcelona overcame a battling Real Madrid side in the "El Classico" with goals from Eto’o and Messi and even though Casillas made a penalty save the Los Merengues were always second best.

There was a sense of defeatism in their approach to the game with the Catalan club in imperious form, having conceded just nine goals in 15 games, while themselves netting 46 goals, this game included. Arsenal Column examines why they are playing so well and what other clubs can learn from them.

The Formation

Under Pep Guardiola the club still play 4-3-3 even though before the start of his reign many thought a diamond formation to accommodate Henry in attack will be his preferred system.

The formation is not a glorified 4-5-1; the wide men of Henry/Iniesta and Messi do not track back. This may seem a simple system; let the forwards attack while the midfielders create and defend. However football is a complex game made of simple things and Barca make football just that.

The Tactics

High and Early Pressure, Denying Space

By playing Henry, Messi, and Eto’o they can pressure early and high up the field starting at the defenders, making it hard for the opposition to pass. This will squeeze them of space and try and force a mistake. Getting the ball early is clearly part of their strategy and taking advantage of it is stressed.

The opposition team is penned back and facing the countless Barca attacks is like contending with a team attacking in the last ten minutes of a match but with more efficiency.

The central midfielders cover if the opposition get passed the first wave in a three man interchangeable central midfield with Yaya Toure deepest and Xavi dictating. Abidal is unadventurous and almost acts as a left sided central defender hence why Henry says he "runs more" on the left wing as opposed to in attack at Arsenal.

On the other side Alves is more disciplined now and a very tough competitor. He will provide the secondary threat with such pace and stamina as Messi drifts inside. Puyol is one of those rare defenders who is equally adept on the deck as in the air.

The Barcelona team looks to suffocate the opposition of space and numbers when they attack. They try and force a one-on-one situation at the minimum. As with most of such situations it is not the dribbling skill that allows one to take best advantage; it is the support and movement that causes uncertainty in the defenders mind.

This situation is reversed when Barcelona attack; they get forward in great numbers and look to get men beyond the three forward men.

Support and Movement

It’s all about quick and constant movement, short, one-touch passing, intelligent positioning and making the correct runs at the right time. As mentioned getting beyond the striker, providing options and interchangeability are examples of this.

Balance, Close Control and Passing

Part of good ball retention other than great passing and awareness which Barceloona have is balance and close control. The ability to shield the ball and keep it close runs through the team and makes it hard for the opponent to get it. Coupled with these tactics and good organisation leads for a difficult team to beat.

Barcelona made 442 successful passes against Madrid to their 171, while only 44 bad passes to Madrid’s 33. A 90% pass accuracy to madrid 75% even though they made three times as much passes.

And let’s not forget the quality of players from the talismanic Messi, to Henry, Eto’o, Xavi, Iniesta, Alves, Puyol…

Pep Guardiola instilled motivation and hard work into the side and got rid of those that did not fall into this category. Out went Ronaldinho, Zambrotta, and Deco and in came Keita, Hleb, and Alves and a number of academy graduates to go along with the other fine players that they already had.

He successfully took advantage of transitions in play, implemented support and movement, and added to that dynamism (of course held together by organisation) which are crucial in the modern game.

How to Beat Barcelona

So how do you beat such a team? Well the obvious tactic is to put ten men behind the ball and counter. But as Barca suffocate the space out of the opposition and deny players to support, the danger is far greater in them counter attacking you.

Real Madrid tried to man mark Xavi out of the game and it worked especially in the first half but the Barcelona team is not that dependent on Xavi. Messi maybe, and the Argentnian was fouled on numerous occasions though the movement and high pressure make the pitch look bigger than it is.

Pressuring the Barcelona defence early was identified by Ramos but once again as Barcelona cause uncertainty in the marking by providing support in great numbers it is often hard to abandon your defensive work.

They also tried to play a high line to squeeze the space but where subsequently penned back. The key is to get passed the first wave of pressure and take advantage in the centre where there can be a lack of organisation as the wide men don’t track back, getting good support. Get the ball early and take adavntages of transitions and set plays. Pace and dynamism down the wings an obvious advantage.

The Myth of the Midfield Enforcer

Zip Zoolander — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:12:19 -0500

Watching Chelsea v. Arsenal on Sunday, Alexandre Song had a chance to stake his claim in the central of midfield.

Seen as the ideal player to partner Cesc Fabregas because he is strong in the tackle and fits the bill as an enforcer in the centre of midfield.

However the Cameroon ace had a nightmare first half as he floated around the pitch and couldn’t cope with the passing and movement of the Chelsea players. He improved in the second half, as he became more disciplined and was told to patrol the area between midfield and defence.

Arsenal’s inconsistent form has been attributed to the lack of defensive shield hence the call for an enforcer, along with a lack of variety to open up defences up front. Regarding the defensive shield, Denilson and Song have played in the position however the Brazilian is in the top ten of best tacklers in the league with 45 successful tackles—so why isn’t he the answer?

We all know stats don’t tell you everything as "football is a complex game made of simple things". The fact is a capable defensive midfielder must be able to tackle though they won’t win everything but must have a strong tactical and positional side of the game.

Arrigo Saachi the former Milan manager and one of the big influences on Rafa Benitez said:

"…when you have the ball, you dictate play. When you are defending, you control the space."

The day before the match I was watching Fulham against Aston Villa who both beat Arsenal. Both teams don’t play with an enforcer, for Fulham Murphy and Bullard play in front of the defence and for Villa, Petrov. The Bulgarian dispossessing Reo-Coker for the place in the centre.

Murphy and Bullard were organsied and positioned in front of the defence deny any real chances through the centre and although Villa had a lot of chances most came from the wings because of the two.

Man United won the title without an enforcer, playing Carrick and Scholes in front of the defence who can be described as interceptors instead but have the ability to tackle. Mascherano one of the only few players in the Premiership with the ability to do both.

If this is the case then how comes Arsenal haven’t won a title since Vieira left I hear you ask? This is a tricky one to put down to, maybe we were overall not good enough but we still had Gilberto and nearly won with Flamini last season.

Regarding the Invincibles, they had two players that could shield the defence in Gilberto and Vieira which allowed the attacking players to attack with such danger and express themselves. The same tactic gave United the title last year.

There was never a real need for an enforcer, but someone with discipline and a strong tactical and positional side of the game supported by quality attacking players which Arsenal have (though better movement may be required).

Being pro-active and controlling games is not only about being able to do unpredictable things with the ball, but also being able to vary your game plan, stop the opponent achieving theirs, and having as many players as possible capable of making and exploiting spaces.

The argument of whether Denilson and Song are good enough should be reserved for another day but the two are still learning; if Song continuing the way he played in the second half he could be the answer.

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Some Arsenal players have made small canvas paintings (20cm x 20cm) for The Willow Foundation, a charity set up by 1960s Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson in memory of his daughter Anna, to help seriously ill people aged 16 to 40, to raise money for the organisation. While not expected to be the next Picasso the pictures could go someway of understanding players’ minds.

You can see the rest at here on the Willow Foundation website which includes pictures from Arsene Wenger, Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy, Theo Walcott, Robin Van Persie, Eduardo and other Arsenal legends. My favourite is the one from Bendtner above because it shows you just how much he values the club and football.

The Evolution of the Striker: Why Arsenal Midfielders Need to Contribute More

Zip Zoolander — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 02:58:25 -0400

Watching the Arsenal performances this season and contrasting them against Chelsea and Manchester United opens up an interesting tactical similarity between the two big rivals and reveals an area in which Arsenal need to improve.

The match between Chelsea and Man United had the two clubs start with Anelka and Berbatov up front, respectively. Berbatov was signed as the final jigsaw to the Man United team; a player who stays high up the pitch, holds up play and brings players in; a spearhead in their attacks you can say.

Anelka deputised for the injured Drogba (who plays the same way mentioned) and was brought in to fit right into this system as a direct replacement for the Ivorian.

Both strikers instead played in a role where they can use their intelligence to drop of into spaces and play in team mates as well as being able to make runs to stretch the opposition.

This tactic has been used by a lot of big European clubs; Roma with Totti, Barcelona with Eto’o and their interchanging midfielders (Messi, Henry and Ronaldinho before being sold) and AC Milan (Pato).

There is an increased mobility and interchangeability in strikers and you can also see that at Arsenal. Van Persie is not your typical striker; he's more of a support striker.

But in Adebayor, you have a traditional No. 9 evolved. Adebayor would play furthest up the field but would drop deeper or to the left side of the field. But thereafter lies the difference between the three clubs.

Chelsea and Man United have been successful playing this type of tactic because the movement of the midfielders has been great, supporting the attack and a lot of the time going further up the pitch than the main striker (hence one of the reasons Ronaldo was able to score more than 40 goals last season).

Chelsea have scored 22 goals this season so far, only six coming from strikers. It is almost a "strikerless" system.

Contrast it to Arsenal, who have scored 29 times in all competitions, with 18 goals coming from the front men. On paper, this is not bad at all, but the point is this: when the midfielders become more involved in attacking play, it increases the overall level of performance from Arsenal.

(If you look at the goals scored by Nasri and Denilson, you will know what I’m talking about, but these moments have been rare)

Quite obvious, you might say, but with a style of play so fluid and flowing there should be more from the midfielders. Spain played a similar style to Arsenal in the European Championships with the midfielders linking up brilliantly and also getting into goalscoring opportunities.

They also had an evolved No. 9 (Torres) and a support striker (Villa), while the wingers were more creative midfielders, such as at the Emirates.

At Arsenal, the midfield is expected to create while the strikers score. This is what Cesc Fabregas said before the Euro’s:

”You have to analyse the way we play for the national team. At Arsenal, there is only one channel between the defence and attack, and that is me, so I’m involved in practically all of the attacks, but here with Spain, there are more variations, more ways of attacking.”

If that is the case, then what are the rest of the guys doing? Obviously, the quote shouldn’t be taken so literally, but the truth is that he is the main outlet of creativity.

What the other players need to do more (and indeed Cesc himself) is either to offer another channel between defence and attack or to get more involved in attacks.

The effectiveness of this tactic and the amount of times the main striker (Adebayor) will drop off or run past defenders will depend on the type of opposition and tactics they use and what attributes his own team mates have.

Adebayor is often regarded as one of the toughest strikers for defenders to face. If the midfielders allow him to cause indecision, opening up the defence with his running, then it will bring great problems to the opposition defence.

The tactic is more easier to implement in a 4-3-3, which was used in the draw against Sunderland in the weekend. The movement wasn’t good from the wide men, the central midfielders or the striker who was left isolated a lot of the time.

Adebayor can do a great job in this formation, and using the tactics as shown in Milan or against United two seasons ago; it is just up to the midfielders to help out more often and get involved in goalscoring opportunities.

Of course a more traditional centre forward is still used by teams, especially by the "smaller" sides, but there are big sides who still use them too: Liverpool with Torres and Real Madrid with Van Nistelrooy.

However, the system has been used under Wenger in past years; Henry as the main striker but not your typical centre forward, while the midfielders would join the attack (Pires, Ljungberg, Vieira, Wiltord, Bergkamp), contributing greatly in what essentially ended up as a 4-2-4 when the Gunners attacked.

A further example of this was the run up to the Champions League Final in 2005, where the Gunners used this tactic to great effect, nearly pipping Barca to the title.

Last season, the overall contribution from the midfielders increased, also nearly winning the title.

If Arsenal want to return to their glory years, it is time for the midfielders to get more involved with the striker with better movement to create more goalscoring opportunities.

I would love to hear your opinions on this; do you agree? Are the midfielders doing enough?

This article was first published on my site: www.arsenalcolumn.wordpress.com