Tactical analysis & discussion season 2022-23

[Agueroooo9320]

Use this thread to post and discuss tactics after every game.

Date 05-02-2023(Tottenham away)

Some issues are so clearly visible but unfortunately do not think we have solutions for that yet. but the main area that is causing cascading issues for us is up the wing. we have neither the fullback or the wingers to threaten the opponent from the wide areas. so they are happy to concede incredible amount of space out wide and simply clog up the middle of the park. watch how tottenham was happy to concede acres of space to bernardo and Jack because they are slow and cannot get behind with pace. so they just let them have space to receive the ball and then they can move out to them without fear of a cutback from the byline. if our wingers come inside we have no fullback to threaten the outside space. essentially we are non existent for the wide areas.

when this happens the opponent just needs to congest the space in the middle and make it a battle of intensity. this is where we have another problem. the energy from the midfield is completely gone. bernardo, gundo, KDB just do not have the intensity to press and then carry the ball. they are getting brushed aside. once a turnover occurs we only have 2 midfielders in the center because the two 8s are playing like two 10s high up to counter the opponent having numbers in the middle; which again is a result of us not having a threat on the wide area like I discussed above. Hence only Rodri with another false fullback Rico is protecting the center of the park. so we are getting outnumbered in the middle and also the opponent having the pace and the intensity in the center of the park can go straight to our backline. the backline now only has three players because of the other fullback being in the midfield. so there is always space on the sides for them to get behind or to split open our CBs for a through ball.


Conclusion: All our issues arise from us having no threat form the wide areas either from the wingers or our fullback. jack, bernardo, mahrez never have the threat to get behind and we have no natural overlapping fullbacks. until this is sorted we will have poor games.

 

[blueabdi]

Thanks well written. Agree all.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Why not switch the wingers then?

 

[city warrior]

I think more than the wingers, our problem is midfield. Bernardo offers 0 offensive threat but tons of energy levels, while Gundo and specially KDB have tons of creativity and passing ability, but our defense gets exposed with them (plus we need Lewis to offer an extra body in midfield which means no Walker for counterattacks), so it's hard to get the right combination. That's why Pep is playing so much with inverted fullbacks, different formations, different midfield configuration, KDB as a second striker with Bernardo as a 6...

It's going to be hard to get the correct combination with these players right now.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

Why not switch the wingers then?

like whom? we have no one who has fast acceleration. only foden to a extent but even he is being forced to hugh the touchline because we have no natural fullbacks.

 

[madloaf]

We play with no risk. There is no desire to play the through ball. There is no use for haalands runs. He will eventually stop making them even though they are fucking perfect.

Every player is fine. They all have the ability to play aggressive attacking football. The tactics are grim. they are fucking grim.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

I think more than the wingers, our problem is midfield. Bernardo offers 0 offensive threat but tons of energy levels, while Gundo and specially KDB have tons of creativity and passing ability, but our defense gets exposed with them (plus we need Lewis to offer an extra body in midfield which means no Walker for counterattacks), so it's hard to get the right combination. That's why Pep is playing so much with inverted fullbacks, different formations, different midfield configuration, KDB as a second striker with Bernardo as a 6...

It's going to be hard to get the correct combination with these players right now.

agree to an extent. but this is a secondary problem. if we had good wingers and fullbacks we can protect our lack of energy in midfield from KDB and Gundo. but since we have no threat out wide, the opponent can concentrate their energies on closing down and putting pressure in the middle and doubly expose the midfield.

 

[Agueroooo9320]

We play with no risk. There is no desire to play the through ball. There is no use for haalands runs. He will eventually stop making them even though they are fucking perfect.

Every player is fine. They all have the ability to play aggressive attacking football. The tactics are grim. they are fucking grim.

well there is a reason for this. our midfielders are lazy and have lost their legs. hence they are afraid to lose the ball and go chasing it when they play a risky ball to Haaland. that is why they are playing safe passes not to lose the ball.

 

[blue44]

agree to an extent. but this is a secondary problem. if we had good wingers and fullbacks we can protect our lack of energy in midfield from KDB and Gundo. but since we have no threat out wide, the opponent can concentrate their energies on closing down and putting pressure in the middle.

them two weren't on the frigging
pitch when we give their soft goal away today.

 

[madloaf]

well there is a reason for this. our midfielders are lazy and have lost their legs. hence they are afraid to lose the ball and go chasing it when they play a risky ball to Haaland. that is why they are playing safe passes not to lose the ball.

Good point - it could be that. Now, if only they had a manager who utilised his 4 defenders in a different way to stop the need for such tracking back all the time...