................................................. TEAM PHYSIO ................................................................................................................ TEAM JIM BEAM ..................................................
TEAM PHYSIO:
Tactics – Direct/ Mixed
Formation – 343
Defensive Line - Balanced
Marking – Zonal
The team will work tirelessly with 11 men in a tight formation to congest space and limit Team Beam's options in the vital central areas of the pitch. With a back three it allows either Tresor or Silva to be particularly aggressive and to step out support the midfield and to close down Beam’s attackers. Further Charlton and Figo can drop into the midfield providing more numbers and limiting the space. Let's not also forget Muller had fantastic work rate and will tirelessly run to support the midfield against the ball.
I suspect Beam will engaging in some high pressing which my back 5 is very capable of passing through which will negate the defensive solidity of his side and will be exposed on the the counter. All the back 5 are excellent on the ball and so is Allison (GK is often a position the press can well target, but not in this case). Consequently, we should be able to move the ball out quickly to exploit the space in behind through rapid transitions (also Vasovic could dribble through the line and break the press).
Edwards rampaging forward with Charlton left and Figo right all ready to feed the GOAT – Gerd Muller: the ultimate big game striker. Not only will he be feed through balls and Muller will be able to play quick one-twos with not only Charlton and Figo to open the space but can also link with auxiliary scoring options of Cabrini and Edwards: the latter will be very dangerous when getting behind Beam's defence.
If we lose the ball the front three are all hardworking to apply a counter press to allow time for the back 5 to reorganise.
TEAM JIM BEAM
AJAX PHILOSOPHY
Jack Reynolds --> Rinus Michels ---> Luis Van Gaal --> ......... Erik ten Hag
The teams changed throughout history, but some of the principles never did.
- focus is on players ability with the ball and less on his physical abilities;
- ball is the most valuable asset
- fluid style with players interchanging between the lines
Players characteristics:
- Immense ability and skill on the ball
- Insight intelligence and space awareness
- Aggression and workrate
- Collective, not individual mindset
Tactics: 4-2-3-1 with main principles taken from 2018/19 Ajax team led by ten Hag, but it's not like for like emulation. Still the basic principles in terms of interchangeable front 4, vertical possession and off-the-ball pressure remain.
Ten Hag played all sorts of formations in his clubs. From 4-4-2 diamond to 3-5-2 and in that famous 2018/19 season he tweaked Ajax 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1 where van De Beek often pushed high up along with Tadic. That front 4 were extremely fluid and often switched their positions during the games making it a nightmare for the opposition to defend. This team will be similar in the way the front 4 operated.
Attacking phase:
One of the wingers (Bernardo Silva) is an inverted winger and prefers to use his left foot to cut inside while the other (Oleg Blokhin) occupies the LW spot using his brilliant dribbling and goalscoring ability. At times Tostao will join Benzema higher up the pitch to join him in the attack or they will interchange positions with Tostao going forward and Benzema dropping deeper.
What is evident during the game in the attacking phase:
- the players are constantly moving without the ball attacking the free areas and pulling the opposition players with them;
- the players actually invite and attract pressure because once the press is beaten it opens up the space;
- combination plays between the players with one or few touches with the ball;
- with constant movement you can always find and play ball to an open man;
- players interchanging between the lines
This team doesn't want possession for the sake of it, but still wants to dominate the games. If the team can not cut open the opposition with a few quick passes it stays composed and builds more patiently looking for the gaps which come as a result of constant players movement (this phase will be massively helped by presence of the best midfield playmaker in Xavi).
Also, while pretty much every team keeps and wants to keep width leaving at least one wide player on their weak side with the aim to stretch the opposition’s defense and allow switch of plays, this team will do the opposite. Meaning, restrict the width and overload one half of the pitch in the offensive phase.
This requires very technical and quick thinking players because the space in which they play is very tight. The team will play quick, short passes to break the lines of other team defense. It seems like it is easier to defend against as it allows the defending team to be compact. However, most teams nowadays opt for a zonal defense. It is then difficult to defend against players who frequently change zones with team finding the open man and exploring even smallest of gaps.
This positioning also allows to execute counter-pressing with success, thanks to the compactness around the ball. The fullbacks are extremely important. As it's seen in the picture they need to move inside the channel offering another option on the ball, but also closing down potential counter centrally. In short, they need to have brilliant ability on the ball and be comfortable playing in the middle (Leo Junior and Leandro).
Deffensive phase:
Extremely aggressive using counter-pressing as soon as the ball is lost.
As it can be seen above and considering how the team is playing in possession it's counter pressing is very effective, as there are already a lot of players around the ball allowing them to have quick access to the opposition player who just gained possession. The aim is to get the ball as soon as it's possible, or to force the opposition to play the long ball or a back-pass. If the first wave of pressing doesn't succeed the team will go back in the defensive, zonal shape remaining aggressive and often attacking the player with the ball.
Building phase:
The team will use pass combination between the lines and brilliant press resistance ability of its players to move the ball from the back. One of Netto or Xavi will often push a bit back to offer another passing line to CB's while fullbacks will stretch the field and move further forward stretching the opposition. Ter Stegen passing ability will be another outlet to beat the first line of press often targeting wide areas (fullbacks/wingers). Once the first line of press is beaten the double pivot of Xavi and Netto will occupy the center of the field trying to establish the dominance.
THE X(avi) FACTOR
As they say, the biggest compliment that you can give Xavi is that, after he left, both Barcelona and Spain never had the same level of dominance. The thing with Xavi is that he was not only been able to pull the strings and find the gaps in your team in a second once he noticed the gap, he also allowed other players to push further up the pitch with his style of play. It is not just that Barcelona and Spain were never the same once he left. Iniesta was never quite the same as well which was logical considering that Barcelona replaced Xavi with Rakitic.
Once Xavi left Iniesta had to position himself much further down the pitch and wasn't able to operate as pure LAM because Rakitic wasn't able to pull the strings in the same manner and as a consequence of that Iniesta had to operate in a much reserved role leaving the attacking side of things mostly to Neymar, Suarez and Messi trying to get them the ball as soon as possible.
This scheme is more vertical and being played at higher tempo then Barcelona one. Still, Xavi's ability to play short, quick passes, thriving in pass and move football should fit brilliantly along with this supporting cast orchestrating from the deep. My thinking was that Xavi was always a much more incisive passer then he is given credit and that playing in a higher tempo, while being surrounded with players who have the same collective mindset, brilliant technique and love to play pass and move football should still be his bread and butter.
TOSTAO - EARLY TECHNO MIDGET
But Tostao is at his best as second striker or false 9, wtf is this?
This scheme should actually suit him to the teeth. His style of play was such that it should translate brilliantly into modern game (high press, high possession set ups). Actually, looking at his game he should be able to play at the highest level all across the attacking line in such tactics. (CF, RW, LW, AM).
- mindset is on quick collective action
- always on the move to receive the ball
- can keep the ball under pressure
- spends little time on the ball (and he's basically a '60s player!), quick decisive passing
- loves passing and dribbling in crowded areas
- strong left foot, but uses both feet; can either go inside or outside
- strong outside -> into the box game which will be asked from him here
- tenacious little bugger
After all, it isn't like he didn't play in a similar set up with supporting attacking cast who constantly interchanged positions confusing the opposition in 1970 WC.
The end - Apologies for the big intro, but not sure how much I will be able to write in the match thread, so wanted to put most of the things about my team out. Best of luck Physio.
