Tactical analysis & discussion season 2022-23

[pavelsrnicek]

I genuinely think 5 mad minutes away to Madrid has had a ridiculous effect on Pep. Everything is about slowing play down, trying to avoid being caught on transitions and building incredibly carefully. Instead of preventing counter attacks it’s encouraging them as we’re effectively 3 at the back so we often end up 3 on 3. More than that one error can effectively cost us the game, think Stones against Everton, the ref against united or Rodri today.

Worse than the effect on our defence is we’ve stripped out so much of what made us dangerous, we had lightening passes and clever movement. Instead it’s slow and hoping for overloads. We’re far too easy to play against. We have a monster number 9 but we rarely feed him. Neville had one thing right today, if we tried to play Haaland in more often it would change how team’s defend against us. It would definitely create space elsewhere.

I can’t see us really challenging arsenal as we simply don’t have any clear pattern of play, we don’t look anyway solid at the back and we look too predictable in attack. It’s very hard to see us out a sustained run together. I think we’re looking at a repeat of 2016/17, no trophy and in need of big investment and restructuring.

 

[Blue2202]

Without doubt major issues inside the club at the moment, we saw arsenal lose yesterday and we had a chance to reverse some of the pressure and show we are not going anywhere with a big statement win today... and barring grealish and ake not one player showed up or looked interested, showed any kind of urgency or fight, nor performed against lets face it, a poor spurs side who despite being more up for it that city (not difficult) were there for the taking.
Whether thats down to the clear change in style and tactics OR if its to do with some players being disillusioned with the players who are starting in front of Dias, Laporte, KDB, Gundogan, Foden (who have all been key and regular starters in previous successful seasons) OR if the pressure is felt to much by those players who are starting instead of the previously mentioned established players - I dont know.
One thing is for certain in my opinion, I dont think pep is going to change or switch it anytime soon. This is going to continue to the end of the season (I hope im proven wrong) I think letting cancelo go without replacing proves this, he isnt going to budge on his theories and has set a precedent now, he hates to admit he has been wrong and is stubborn which is just as much a bad trait as it is a good one.

 

[Manchester_lalala]

We’re no threat from the wings. None of our wingers can go on the outside and whip a ball in. We were known for those little triangles about 2/3’s up the pitch which would eventually lead to a little through ball for a winger to cross the ball across the box. Now it’s pass the ball to Mahrez and Grealish and hope they skin two players, as by time the ball is passed to them the defenders have already had time to get back. A winger is one of our priorities in the summer and I’d promote one of the fast EDS wingers so they can have an impact from the bench.

 

[IrishBlueSince92]

I think we don’t have the personnel at the minute

It’s the most competitive league in the world with teams spending hundreds of millions to get to the top of. Granted we are one of those who have spent big, but I looked at our defence today and you have no divine right to win a tough away game with Ake, Akanji and Lewis starting. All good players in their own right on any given day, but you get what I’m saying. They aren’t invincible

You will find it hard to continue to progress in this league when your transfer activity in a year sees you make record profits, also.

We’re slow and laboured, sold two of our three fastest players in the summer in Sterling and Jesus.

We’ve got rid of two left backs in the last 6 months and not adequately replaced either. Again, when you do this you can’t expect to continue to hit 90+ points and win titles.

I’m writing off the league and CL this season tbh, I don’t think we’ll get near either. A small consolation will be if we finish ahead of the scum this year.
Will enjoy the remainder of the season hopefully and hope to see some improvement in our style of player ahead of a vital summer for the club

 

[Damanino]

I agree he will be more and more scared of taking risk, especially if we run into another Lyon, Monaco type of CL failure where we concede some unexpected goals due to losing balls in the middle or they press us in the back.

big difference is before we had legs, pressing, power in midfield, and some speed. now we have old and tired KDB, Gundo, Haaland who has very heavy steps out of possession, good pressers like Sterling, Jesus are sold, Grealish, Mahrez aint great pressers, while Bernardo who had great engine is probably not too motivated in his last 4 months at City. Alvarez not properly built into the team yet, may not even happen with Haaland around,

 

[Bluefen]

It absolutely boils my blood when we have a line of attackers high up the pitch and defenders coming out on the ball trying to find a pass and nothing in central midfield…. I have no idea what it’s supposed to achieve and all it does is render Haaland, Grealish and Mahrez isolated out of the game… if someone understands why we do this, please
Explain

 

[chaddblue]

Leagues gone in my opinion. This team isn’t capable of putting a good enough run together

Hope we finish above the rags and pray for a big dollop of luck in the CL cos we’ll need it.. chuck in an FA Cup as well, that would add a bit of gloss

 

[bellsouth]

Midfield and left back the problems as has been for a while. Might be good enough still win a cup, maybe the big one, but we’re not winning the league playing like this

 

[Manchester_lalala]

I think we don’t have the personnel at the minute

It’s the most competitive league in the world with teams spending hundreds of millions to get to the top of. Granted we are one of those who have spent big, but I looked at our defence today and you have no divine right to win a tough away game with Ake, Akanji and Lewis starting. All good players in their own right on any given day, but you get what I’m saying. They aren’t invincible

You will find it hard to continue to progress in this league when your transfer activity in a year sees you make record profits, also.

We’re slow and laboured, sold two of our three fastest players in the summer in Sterling and Jesus.

We’ve got rid of two left backs in the last 6 months and not adequately replaced either. Again, when you do this you can’t expect to continue to hit 90+ points and win titles.

I’m writing off the league and CL this season tbh, I don’t think we’ll get near either. A small consolation will be if we finish ahead of the scum this year.
Will enjoy the remainder of the season hopefully and hope to see some improvement in our style of player ahead of a vital summer for the club

I wouldn’t write the CL off. Teams have won it over the years despite not winning their domestic league. There isn’t that many great teams in Europe, I’d probably say we’ve got one of the form teams in Leipzig and I definitely wouldn’t want to meet Napoli at any stage.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

It starts at the back, not the wing. Our build up is slow and broken. The CBs who are playing aren’t getting the ball forward quickly and every team is standing off of them happy to let them play tika taka with each other. Rodri and Lewis being 5 yards apart passing back and forth is easy to defend with 10 behind the ball but we aren’t finding forward passes from them or the CBs.

I agree with all that but I would also add that our press is now a shadow of it's former self, remember our intensity in winning back the ball as soon as it was lost. We don't have the energy or desire to do the hard dirty work, we are so easy to counter now, compared to the past few seasons.