SEMI FINAL TACTICS

--------------Gordon
Clyne ----- Astori --- Williams ---Shaw
Kačaniklić --Coquelin - Schneiderlin ---Lallana
------------Hooper ------Lambert

Subs: Boruc/Yoshida/Hooiveld/Roberto/Benayoun/Taarabt/Mayuka

Gordon Stand tall, come for crosses that are close to you making them need to aim crosses further out. Use all your experience to command your defence. Distribute short as much as possible. Be on your toes for balls in behind the defence and sweep them up.

Full backs You are part of a unit, so keep your shape and defend together. Play a high line to squeeze the space for them to play in. Pick up any wide players , keep tight and force them to cross from wide and deep as much as possible. Get forward when you can, to support the winger, overlapping and getting low balls in between keeper and defence.

CBs – Astori will pick up the main striker, Williams will pick up any second striker if there is one. If not, he will play spare, sweeping up, plus tracking any midfield runners into the box. Play a high line to squeeze the space ahead of you.

CMs –. Schneiderlin to sit in deeper playmaker position, get on the ball and dictate the tempo of the game, feeding the attackers. Get the ball either into the wingers feet, or in behind for them to run onto. Coquelin to provide the drive and energy in midfield, breaking up attacks before they get going. Occasionally drive on to the edge of the box, looking for chances of shots on goal When the FBs get forward, you should both support the CBs and cover them.

Wingers – Alternate between receiving the ball deep and running at the defence, and spinning in behind. When you get the ball, we want the full box of tricks. When we lose the ball, press the ball straight away and win it back as quickly as possible, then attack before they have a chance to organise themselves.

Striker – to keep the defence on their toes. Hooper to provide movement and look to get in behind, to try and force their defence backwards. Lambert to drop a little deeper bringing the defence out. We want them unsure of whether to sit higher or deeper. Defensively, both press the ball early.

IF losing Taarabt/Benayoun on for Kačaniklić/Lallana - look to be more creative by cutting in side and look to play in the forwards

------------Foster
Reid -- Coates -- McAuley -- Ridgewell
--------- Yacub – Mulumbu
Giaccherini ---- Ince ---- Brunt
----------------Lukaku

Team Talk:
Right lads experience for us tonight is key, get the simple things right and we’ll be on our way. I want two banks of four whilst we’re defending. Stop all supply getting to Lambert, if we cut out their supply to him we’ll neutralise the threat. Ince and Lukaku staying up top to give us an outlet to counter. Utilise our wings; Clyne and Shaw are both talented fullbacks but very inexperienced and won’t know how to handle the pressure. Our experienced wingers will teach these kids a lesson in football. I want a strong performance, with lots of little runs from our attacking four so that their defenders wont know who their meant to be marking. Good luck and take your chances.

Attacking Tactics:
* Mulumbu, it’s a box-to-box role for you tonight, support us in defence but also getting forward. You’ve got the energy and ability to cause havoc.
* Yacub create from deep, look to vary your passing styles but make sure you’re precise with your passing.
* Giaccherini & Brunt, whip balls into the box for Lukaku to attack. Vary the position you cross; flash them across goal or float them in, your choice just hit our man.
* Ince you’ve got the touch and the finishing ability to play as a second striker. so I want you to use your pace to support Lukaku. Test their defence, draw fouls and get on the end of any through balls.
* Lukaku lead the line like you’ve done for us all season. I want you to use your strength to hold up play and to physically dominant your marker. I especially expect this of you when attacking crosses.

Defending Tactics:
* Reid & Ridgewell, alternate your runs so we’re not light at the back but don’t let the man in front of you get singled out.
* Giaccherini & Brunt, I expect you to get forward but also to help your fullbacks out. We’re going to need it with the likes of Clyne and Shaw running their wings.
* Cb’s communicate, physically dominate their forwards, don’t be dragged out of position.
* Yacub & Mulumbu don’t allow the opposition to play in front of our defence, I want high pressure on the man with the ball.
* Two tight banks of four to congest the midfield to stunt their ability to create. Make sure there are no gaps in our defence that they can exploit.

Injuries: Keiren Westwood, Karim El Ahmadi, Christian Benteke

Starting XI:
-----------------------------4-2-3-1

---------------------------Brad Guzan

Matthew Lowton – Jores Okore – Joseph Yobo – Emilio Izaguirre

----------------Victor Wanyama – Gareth Barry

Pablo Hernandez - Andreas Weimann - Gabriel Agbonlahor

----------------------------Jamie Mackie

Subs: Phil Bardsley, Ciaran Clark, Siaka Tiene, Michael Bradley, Stephen Ireland, George Boyd, Peter Odemwingie

Tactics: A tough game ahead, Fulham’s main threat is Adriano, so I want Okore to outpace him and Yobo to beast him. Like us, they will also be looking to put their opponents under pressure, however we are stronger in midfield, so I want us to get at them early, take control of the ball and look to get at them.

Our back four will look to build attacks from the back, and cut off the supply to Adriano and Ruiz. With Wanyama and Barry ahead of them, we have a solid base. Start from the back, go through midfield with Wanyama, Barry and Weimann dropping deep.

Look for the runs forward from Hernandez and Agbonlahor, alternatively play it to Mackie who can hold up play and feed the three men behind him. Mackie can also drop wide and interchange with Agbonlahor if need be. Weimann is not expected to chase back, he is our more advanced midfielder with the aim of creating for us. Wanyama and Barry our DM’s when we don’t have the ball, help out the back four and cover when either fullback gets forward.

Subs 70 mins:
If winning: Bradley on, Weimann off. Bradley the third CM and we go to 4-5-1.
If drawing: "You. I wanna take you to a Gay Bar. I wanna take you to a Gay Bar. I wanna take you to a Gay Bar, Gay Bar Gay Bar". No changes.
If losing: Odemwingie on, Hernandez off. Weimann to RF, Agbonlahor to LF, Mackie and Odemwingie at CF in a 4-2-4. If we get level, Weimann and Agbonlahor to drop back to RM and LM respectively.

--------------------------------Stekelenburg-----------------------------
------Manolev----------Samba------------Mirin----------Molinaro------
-----------------Huddlestone----------------Capoue---------------------
--------------------------------Emmanuelson-----------------------------
-----------Ruiz-------------------Berbatov-----------Redmond----------

BENCH
Gillet
O'Brien
Frimpong
Sidwell
Duff
Adriano
Rodallega


TACTICS
Difficult game today to get into the final. But we are confident of victory, going to play on the counter attack today.


DEFENSE
Samba and Mirin are both physically big strong players and should win any aerial battles and be physical with their forwards. Benteke is a big loss for them and whoever plays in the attacking positions should be outmuscled constantly, beaten in the air and not allowed anything. Play a line roughly on the edge on the 18 yard box, lead by Samba to not give them enough room to play in behind. Manolev and Molinaro are both expected to fight for everything, make them run wide and Agbonlahor/Odemwingie should be made to stay way out wide rather than letting them come in and shoot. Capoue, Huddlestone, Emmanuelson need to work as a team to protect the back four. They should all be full of running, pressurising the man in possesion and looking to quickly play the ball forward when we do get it. Ruiz and Redmond should stay forward to try and prevent their full backs getting forward.


ATTACK
Ruiz and Redmond are playing as inside-forwards today. Get between their centre back and full back and make runs at their defense, take potshots at the Villa goal, especially with their first choice goalkeeper out today. Berbatov is an intelligent player, should try fancy trickery today, draw fouls out of the opposition, make runs to create space for others and shoot whenever the opportunity arises. Plenty of passes will be coming in from Huddlestone and Emmanuelson, the latter should get forward when we have the ball supporting the attackers, and is also encouraged to shoot from range. Hit them quickly on the counter attack when we win possession, long ball up from the back, if their full backs go forward we can quickly be in a 3v2 scenario which we should be scoring from.


SET PIECES
Left Corner - Emmanuelson
Right Corner - Ruiz
Free Kicks - Ruiz
Penalties - Berbatov


SUBSTITUTIONS
If winning bring on Duff for Ruiz, go to a 4-2-3-1.
If drawing bring on Adriano for Emmanuelson, go to a 4-4-2.
If losing bring on O'Brien, Adriano, Rodallega for Manolev, Huddlestone, Molinaro, go to a 3-4-3. All out attack.