FA Cup Semi Final Tactics

Formation: 5-3-1-1
Starting XI:

GK: Brad Jones
RWB: Chris Gunter
CB: Jos Hooiveld
CB: Gareth MaCuley
CB: Chico
LWB: Kieran Richardson
CM: Jacob Mellis
CM: Mahamadou Diarra
CM: Steven Davis
AM: Maxi Rodriguez
ST: Alexander Frei

Subs: Kelvin Davis, Charlie Adam, Jason Puncheon, Rickie Lambert, Antonio Lopez, Adam Lallana, Mathew Phillips

Tactics:

We’re one step away from the final, let’s put this season’s disappointment behind us and put in a battling display! Defence will play a deeper line playing zonel marking defending as a unit. Wing-Backs stick to wide men keeping isolating/blocking all crosses. Central-Defenders, physical dominant display winning aerial battles, get first to second-balls/scraps, throw body’s into blocks. Be physical marking Adebayor his head will drop. Wing-Backs provide options going forward on overlap. Don’t be afraid to run in space behind full-backs with dangerous crosses. Look to mix-it-up cutting inside linking up play through middle. Diarra play anchor role. Height will dominate high balls in middle. Fill in the spaces with hard challenges. Davis/Mellis, play box-to-box roles, you both have the engines. Mellis look to play intelligent through balls linking up play. Look to support strikers. Rodriguez/Frei chase down defenders, use your intelligence & run at their defence. Come on Lads!

On 61 Mins: Adam Lallana will replace Jacob Mellis. Use your creative attacking mind linking up all attacking play. Look for high and through balls into the space. Look to come in behind the strikers on edge of box. Don’t be afraid to shoot from distance!

On 64 Mins: Ricky Lambert will come on for Alexander Frei. Different option up front, look to use size and strength winning flick-ons. Throw your head onto any crosses coming into the box.

On 65 Mins: Mathew Phillips will replace Maxi Rodriguez. Move out onto the right flank with Lallana moving to the other playing 5-2-2-1 formation. Use your pace to burn past players. Draw fouls and look to beat defenders in a sprint race.

Howard
Corluka-Dann-Williams-Taylor
Dyer-Rodwell-Ramsey-Hoilett
Adebayor-Hernandez

Howard: Come and collect crosses, be vocal and organise the back 4.
FBs: Push the wingers out wide if they play, force them to go all the way round. If no wingers then push up.
CBs: Push up, look to cramp them for room. Cover the FBs if necessary and be strong in the air.
Wingers: Run at the FBs, go either way. Look for Adebayor making runs for crosses or cut it back to the edge of the area.
Rodwell: Cover the back 4, look to break up attacks and get close to their playmakers.
Ramsey: Make runs forward, look to link the play to our attacking threats, get tight in midfield defensively.
CAM: Free role, find the space and drift into it and attack from there. Demand the ball. Hernandez, Dyer and Hoilett all rotate this position.
Adebayor: Run the last man, keep them on the backfoot, take plenty of shots at their keeper.

Dominate the ball today, get stuck in and attack with plenty of pace.

Formation: 4-4-2
Starting XI

GK: Shay Given
RB: Eric Lichaj
CB: Richard Dunne
CB: Joris Mathijsen
LB: Jonas Olsson
RM: Marko Marin
CM: Jean Makoun
CM: Stiliyan Petrov
LM: Charles N'Zogbia
ST: Demba Ba
ST: Gabriel Agbonlahor

Tactics:
Defenders, look to keep your line defending as a unit/in-numbers. Strong aerial display dealing with aerial balls, dominate both boxes. Full-backs look to force wide-players inside where midfielders will pick them up. Olsson stay put filling in as 3rd centre-back, RB look to offer support going forward. Wingers, put a shift in doubling up fizzing out wingers. Use your pace skinning their full-backs. Mix it up wiping crosses into both posts & look to cut-inside linking play up with center-mids. Centre-Mids simple passing going forward. Physical approach picking up runs from attacking midfielders. Be first tosecond-balls/scrapes, Petrov pick out long balls playing Wingers/Strikers into space behind defenders. Strikers, look to peel off markers moving towards full-backs. Take advantage of their lack of height getting on the end of crosses. Run at their centre-backs; draw them out of position beating them for pace. Ba you have the size/strength to compete aerially linking up with Gabby!

Subs: Łukasz Fabiańsk, Stephen Warnock, Darren Bent, Ciaran Clark, Stephen Ireland, Alberto Aquilani, Vladimir Weiss

On 66 Mins: Stephen Ireland will come on in place of Jean Makoun. Play box-to-box role, put a shift in helping out defending but look to support attacking play going forward.

On 80 Mins: Stephen Warnock will replace Richard Dunne. Warnock will provide fresh legs moving to LB with Olsson moving into centre-back role. Restrict runs going forward, look to link up play with LM.