UEFA Champions League Semi-Final Preview: An in-Depth Look at FC Schalke 04
The day draws near to the UEFA Champions League Semi-Final between England's Manchester United and Germany's FC Schalke 04.
The Red Devils are a team most football fans are familiar with while the 2011 "Eurofighters" from the Ruhr Valley are a side that have surprised many and have become the unfancied semi-finalists of this years tournament.
Schalke is a side few Red Devil fans would know in detail so I thought it would only be necessary to offer my in-depth look at the team who that is between United's quest for another European Cup final appearance at Wembley Stadium.
Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer
1 of 14Strengths:
- Among the many strengths in his game, the one that sticks out the most is his fantastic all round shot stopping ability, whether it be from point blank shots or from one-on-ones, his ability to save shots is top notch. His technique is to use his big frame as much as possible, one that is most remembered by United fans for being used by the Great Dane Peter Schmeichel.
- He is also one of the few keepers who can play the sweepers role effectively. With the lack of speed of the Schalke center backs, strikers are able to get in behind them to attack long balls very often and therefore Neuer has developed a great ability to race out of his goal and clear the ball before the striker reaches it.
- Finally, he can throw the ball across the half way line consistently and kick it with great accuracy. With the counter attacking system Schalke had used under Magath, this came to great use, non more so against Bayern where his accurate 60 yard kick lead to the first goal.
Weaknesses:
- As I mentioned his sweeping ability as a strength, I feel I should mention it as a weakness as well given the immense risk undertaken when trying it. Neuer hasn't had his fair share of embarrassments over the years by making the wrong decision in coming out to a collect a long ball and while he hasn't conceded a goal lately from this error in judgement, one can only feel its coming around the corner with the amount of times he is forced to perform it.
Atsuto Uchida: Right Back
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Strengths:
- An attacking right back who likes to get forward often and can do so with quality. He is quick and skillful on the ball while being able to whip in great crosses from time to time.
- While being an attacking right back instinctively, Magath never liked to play a highly attacking strategy and therefore Uchida was made to run back quite a lot and therefore has a high work rate with the ability to cover a lot of ground over the match.
Weaknesses:
- His weakness does come in the defensive aspect of his game. When he first came into the team he was consistently being attacked and suffered, his positioning is weak while not having a great tackling ability.
Benidtk Howedes: Center Back
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Strengths:
- Has consistently been one of the best centre backs in Germany for the past couple of years and definitely the strongest defender at Schalke this season. His aggressiveness is a key component to his game and he doesn't like to give strikers much room to think about what they are going to do, going in hard and strong before they have time to control the ball.
- He is strong in the air as well, while not having a great jump his heading ability is good and he possess a strong threat on set pieces for United.
Weaknesses:
- While being strong on the tackle, his positioning on crosses can live something to be desired.
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Christoph Metzelder: Center Back
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Strengths:
- His strength lies in his experience and intelligence as a defender. He can read the game well and has a good all-round ability as a tackler, marker and is good at intercepting crosses as well. Provides a calm composed counter to Howedes' aggressive all action style of play.
Weaknesses:
- Constant injury troubles have significantly reduced Metzelder's pace to that of a snail and this has consistently lead to Schalke suffering against counter attacks.
Hans Sarpei: Left Back
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Strengths:
- A very all round left back, decent going forward and back but overall I have never found anything special with him even during his days at Leverkusen. He is though a work horse and disciplined tactically with his experience.
Weaknesses:
- Like mentioned above, nothing special at offense and defence and therefore can be made a weak spot in the defensive line for United to attack.
Jefferson Farfan: Right Attacking Midfielder
6 of 14Strengths:
- Before Raul, he was Schalke's go-to-guy in attack. Though he plays as a winger he is equally comfortable playing as a striker and therefore he can pull in or out causing confusion amongst the defenders as to how to mark him.
- A very all round attacking game with his main strength being in his efficiency when in attacking positions. He has round a number of assists and goals throughout his career at Schalke and therefore he can be threat at making runs into the box and finishing chances or making the final pass with a cross. His efficiency also making him a threat on the counters
- A very hard working player who is no slouch with it comes to tracking back and helping the team win the ball back.
Weaknesses:
- Since he has an all round attacking game, he has no special dangers. Neither is his crossing on the level of world class neither is his finishing. Some might call it a weakness.
Kriyakos Papdopoulos: Defensive Midfielder
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Strengths:
- A center back who has been tried as a defensive midfield by Magath and now by Rangnick, he is a midfielder with immense tackling ability for his age (18). For me, he was the MOTM over the two legs against Inter where he neutralized Sneijder in both matches.
- Also with his tackling, he has the aggressiveness needed to be a top midfield 'destroyer' in the mould of Mashcerano and "Rino" Gattuso. One of the reasons Sneijder wasn't able to coup with Papa was because of the speed with which he closed him down whenever he received the ball. Rooney might suffer because of this since he will most likely be dropping deep to receive the ball.
- Since he has been a center back, coupled with his height and strength, Papadopoulos is very good in the air and as displayed against Inter can be a danger at set pieces.
Weaknesses:
- Playing in midfield and being a natural centre back, he doesn't possess a lot of quality on the ball or in passing. Therefore if one decides to close him down immediately in midfield he will most likely struggle to hold possession.
- With his youthfulness he has made errors in judgement when attacking the ball, that has left Schalke in situations where they face a sea of attackers with Papdopolous behind play since he mistimed a tackle. Also leading to a chance that he might get a yellow, which he has two of already and therefore can be banned for the second leg if he picks up another
Jose Manuel Jurado: Central Midfielder
8 of 14Strengths:
- Rejuvenated under Rangnick, most of Schalke's attack go through him in midfield. His greatest strength being is creativity in the attacking third. While he hasn't had many assists this season, that was mainly down to Magath's defensive tactics throughout the start of the season.
- His ability to play the final through ball is also very dangerous. Played a perfect pass to Raul for the 1st goal in the second leg while consistently piercing the Inter defense throughout the two ties.
- He is a strong technician as well with a good ability to play himself out of pressure situations.
Weaknesses:
- He isn't the strongest customer and can be bundled of the ball if put under considerable pressure, which he might face from an English side.
- While he has been good since the arrival of Rangnick, he was plagued with inconsistency throughout the season previously and therefore lost his place in the starting line-up.
Alexander Baumjohann: Left Attacking Midfield
9 of 14Strengths:
- A very similar player to Jurado, with all the same strengths but I would also add the ability of shooting from long range. He has scored a lot of spectacular goals during his career at Monchengladbach and if he gets the confidence he might try some soon.
Weaknesses:
- An added weakness from the list of Jurado's is that he isn't the greatest at tracking back and helping his defenders. He has been known to be lazy during his time at the three clubs he's played for.
Edu: Striker
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Strengths:
- Another player to have found a new lease of life under Rangnick, he has been played as a striker rather then a winger, which was his position under Magath. Being played as a target man, his strength is, well, his strength. He is a strong physical striker who can hold the ball well.
- With the strength comes incredible athleticism. He will run himself to the ground and also take the defenders with him. He covers a lot of ground during matches and also pressurizes deep midfielders. A very good work ethic.
Weaknesses:
- Even though he was played as a winger, he doesn't have great technique on the ball (making it more surprising when he was played there). He can hold the ball but he isn't great at playing his way out of trouble.
- Being a striker, you would expect better finishing from him but that doesn't happen often. Neither is he the greatest at getting into goalscoring positions. Therefore he is not dependable when it comes to scoring goals needed to win matches.
Raul: Second Striker
11 of 14Strengths:
- A man who needs no introduction really. His strengths are well known to even the casual footballing fan. But for the sake of the slide, I'll mention a couple. His biggest strength that has been on show at Schalke is his utter ruthlessness in front of goal. Though he hasn't scored many, he has put away most of the chances he has received.
- His overall attacking ability has been useful in Schalke's attacks, more so under Rangnick's refined offensive system. Able to hold the ball and play creative passes, Raul is scene all over the pitch looking for the ball and starting the Schalke attack for the umpteenth time.
Weaknesses:
- Given his age, Raul has lost some of the physicality he had during his days at Madrid and therefore isn't as good at holding the ball when a strong defender puts pressure on him.
Other Possible Starters
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Joel Matip: Central Midfielder/Defender
Howedes is a doubt and therefore if he doesn't play then Matip will most likely replace him at CB. A slightly weak CB who I would say who is more comfortable in midfield. He is tall and is a good reader of the game but what he lacks is pace and therefore gets caught out under Schalke's high line often.
Julian Draxler: Central/Left/Right Midfielder
A 17 year old up and coming attacking midfielder for Schalke. He might get a surprised call up though I doubt it. A very talented player especially on the ball and when it comes to making tough passes, he has shown a lack of finishing in his small career till now.
Schalke Tactics
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Probable Formation:
-------------------------Neuer---------------------------------
Uchida--------Howedes---Metzelder------------Sarpei
----------Papadopoulos-----Jurado--------------------
Farfan----------------------------------------Baumjohann
--------------------Raul------Edu--------------------------
Attack:
Rangnick has been famed throughout Germany for this fluid and creative attacking systems, none more so then at Hoffenheim where his side was blessed with equally creative and talented attackers. It is similar here at Schalke and that system was fully shown in the trashing of Inter at the San Siro.
One of the best parts of the system is the variability in the positions of the attackers. All 5 of Jurado, Farfan, Baumjohann, Raul and Edu can interchange positions amongst each other since they have all played in each others positions before. This can make it very difficult for the defending team to read which players to mark and where to expect them.
Raul is the focal point of the attack, he plays an all round role in attack where he drifts wide, deep or stays upfront in order to get the ball and play in his team mates. He has done that with considerable success in Europe this season. Also, with moving positions, he rotates with his players most notably Farfan who is then allowed to drift centrally.
Edu plays as the holding man who shields the ball and then plays it to the runs of Jurado, Baumjohann, Farfan or Raul to create chances. Baumjohann and Jurado exchange positions often in that who comes central and who goes to the left.
Because of Farfan and Baumjohann coming centrally, there isn't a lot of width in the side and most of the chances will come from Schalke trying to break United down with passes and movement centrally.
Defence:
Defence is going to be their weakest point. Especially the full backs positions where neither Uchida or Sarpei are quality defenders. The defense is a high line defence with a quick pressing system lead by Papadopoulos in midfield and Howedes in defence. Jurado also helps out Papa in midfield when it comes to closing the midfielders in possession.
Neuer will be the final line of defence and an almost impossible one to break down when on full form (as he has usually been in the biggest matches of the season. Valencia, Bayern (2) and Dortmund. With the high line, he will be waiting to come out and intercept any long passes that gets beyond the central defence of Metzelder and Howedes.
While Uchida likes to support Farfan in attack, Sarpei rarely goes forward and therefore will most of the time be back supporting the defenders while also trying to close down the wingers when they get the ball.
Possible Secondary Formation
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Goalkeeper: Neuer. Defense: Uchida, Howedes, Metzelder, Sarpei. Midfield: Farfan, Matip, Papadopoulos, Jurado. Attack: Raul, Edu
This is a deeper more defensive formation used in the second leg of the tie against Inter (where Schalke had to defend a four-goal lead) and in some Bundesliga matches. Here we have Matip playing as a DM instead of the more attacking Jurado (who was suspended for the second leg) who will most probably replace Baumjohann at LAM.
This formation is made for counter attacks and to avoid conceding, a goal which they managed to achieve to a certain extent against Inter (Milan scored of a set piece). Matip will sit deepest and Papadopoulos makes occasional bursts forwards to support the attackers.
The reason I don't think Schalke will use this formation is because of United's weakness in midfield, especially their weakness against pressurizing midfielders. Therefore I think Rangnick will go with his 4-4-2 formation with Jurado instead of Matip and try to stop United from holding possession.
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