Tactics Thread

[thfcsteff]

We've said it all season. It's one of the reasons that opposition managers know how to setup against him. The other 2 pieces of the same equation is playing with a proper number 6 that does a total protection role versus pressing really high with the other 2. Secondly, it is also letting the wide forwards get more on the inside when the full-backs go on the outside.

This balance hasn't been found since Ange joined the club but perhaps could click quite quickly.

I will say I have bemoaned the lack of a trustworthy 6 since last season. I do think his system as he likes it best can work but only with top players, and we simply will never stack the necessary quality to allow that to be. Your last point would certainly mean a shift. I would like there to be a little more 'Poch-era' vibe in attack where things were a little more fluid and flexible. That does also require great players; I will always believe Eze would've been a great signing for that reason.

 

[Muttley]

I will say I have bemoaned the lack of a trustworthy 6 since last season. I do think his system as he likes it best can work but only with top players, and we simply will never stack the necessary quality to allow that to be. Your last point would certainly mean a shift. I would like there to be a little more 'Poch-era' vibe in attack where things were a little more fluid and flexible. That does also require great players; I will always believe Eze would've been a great signing for that reason.

Yeah, I think when the full-back comes on the inside midfield space then the midfielder goes. When the full-back goes on the overlap, then a midfielder needs to stay. It's easy for you or I to write this down but in the moment it seems hard for the current set of players to adopt. Poch just did it the other way. He gave Walker and Rose the remit to own their entire wide spaces up and down the pitch. His way of defending was to push the opposition back with their pace and power. Then if Walker had 2 of them concerned about him, then Dele and Eriksen got the space on the inside. However, in order to do that they had to stay on the move all the time and hence why those 2 were in the top 5 PL running stats for a few seasons.

What we now need is a hybrid of the two, and for 20 somethings to get the concept and execute it. It's why I think Ange's system has a higher ceiling than most managers out there. Problem with glass ceilings though, you can fall quickly.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Not really .. The adjustment that would matter is in game management, that I haven't seen as a tactic

- e.g. When as in first half against United (or the infamous Brighton game), you are absolutely bossing it, go ahead, tear it up, be the league outlier in sprints/presses/etc.
- However, when the inevitable happens, when the opposition gets a little momentum swing (say, for more than 5 mins), give your players the option to just lower the block, become more compact, close the wide (FB) spaces and make it difficult for the opposition to create chances, look for the counter.
- Let them burn out, get control back, switch back to your high intensity.

If Ange could actually learn/implement that second point, we would be a much better team



That is a problem, I heard someone detail Pep's principles (even across all the changes) into two concepts
- Creating overloads (the false 9's. interchangeability of positions, committing players to attack)
- Creating isolations, purposely having 1:1 situations (trick here is, it required you have the better player to prevail in the 1:1)

Spurs can have very good teams and individual players, we can't however depend on a system that requires us to have the best players in the league.

Our system requires anything but the best players in the league.

 

[Raziel]

Our system requires anything but the best players in the league.

Well it isn't working now, so what do you propose that isn't much better players (and stepping up our squad level would put us there)?