Yes we are very much a pass and move team. It's get the ball, pass to an open man and then move into the empty space, creating another passing option often in tandem with another player making a triangle. We always want an open option to keep the ball rotating. I think it's why we struggled in the first half, the passing volume was significantly lower than usual. A lack of Udogie in that key central area to help the ball rotation and the need for the deeper line due to Davies struggles meant we didn't have the proximity to play the quick rotational ball that epitomises the system.
Once we brought Emerson on and the line was able to play significantly higher we started seeing more of that ball rotation. Players could now start popping it between themselves quickly and the gaps started opening up. It was a good test of the system and showed its shortcomings but then also how to fix them. All around a good innings I think.
Something I do find interesting is the misconception that we have more freedom now than say when we had Mourinho and it's actually the opposite. In attacking play we have set automations some of it completing set, some of it inspiration based but there is a specific way we are coached to play in attack. Ange even commented on this when he said he wants it looks like total freedom but it's not, he's coached them to be in those spaces and to make those runs.
Mourinho was the opposite, he's a coach that very much just left his attacking players to it. It's why he needs the very top quality of attacker because he isn't the one to coach the specific movements. He expects his top quality attackers to already understand. It's why attackers either excel or completely fail under him.
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