Week 1 Tactics

--------------------------Lopez
------Carter-Vickers---Llorente----Gibson
Trippier----------Chalobah----Romeu------Mina
------------------------Hernandez
------------------Aspas--------Sandro

Blanco, Mallo, Grujic, Winks, Bongonda, Castillejo, Rossi

We have chosen to set up with the three at the back system to frustrate the opposition defensively. In Trippier and Mina we have plenty of attacking talent down the flanks to join the attack. Romeu has to help Mina cover, making up for his defensive deficiencies. Both Chalobah and Romeu will look to spread the ball out to the overlapping full backs. When the opposition is on the ball we will form a compacted defensive unit with eight men behind the ball, ready to hit the opposition on the counter quickly.
With Aspas and Sandro up front we have a lot of movement, and both players are capable of dropping off the defence, to pull the opposition’s defenders around and leave them out of position for the other striker to exploit. Crosses from the flanks are to be drilled low across the face of goal, as we know that neither of our strikers are aerially gifted. Low balls into the box allow them to utilise their predatory instincts.

Injuries
Jorrit Hendrix
Bart Ramselaar
Marco van Ginkel
Danny Ward

Formation - 4-1-2-1-2 (diamond narrow)

GK - Jeroen Zoet
RB - Santiago Arias
CB - Lucas Hernandez
CB - Hector Moreno
LB - Jetro Willems
DM - Ruben Neves
RCM - Davy Propper
LCM - Andres Guardado
AM - Oleksandr Zinchenko
ST - Jurgen Locadia
ST - Enes Unal

Subs
Hidde Jurjus
Nicolas Isimat-Mirin
Kieran Tierney
Siem De Jong
Patrick Roberts
Luuk De Jong
Gaston Pereiro

---------------------Zoet----------------------------
Arias---------Moreno-----Hernandez-------Willems
---------------------Neves----------------------------
----------Propper-------------Guardado--------------
--------------------Zinchenko-------------------------
--------------Locadia-----Unal------------------------

Tactics:

We're going to play free flowing attacking football with our great playmakers and passers. Willems/Arias to bomb up and down all day, with Neves sitting and allowing them to go forward by protecting the CBs. Propper and Guardado to get up and down the pitch, looking to get the ball into Zinchenko, who has a free role, able to be free and play wherever he wants from in the hole to out wide. The front two to cause havoc up top, work together one dropping in, one looking in behind - don't be afraid to go wide. In defence Propper and Guardado sit in beside Neves, and slide from side to side offering protection

----------------------------------Woodman------------------------------
Klostermann-----------Orban-------Vallejo----------Kolasniac
-------------------------------Llorente--------Keita-------------------------
Sabitzer---------------------------Asensio---------------Forsberg
-----------------------------------------Diaz------------------------------------

Subs - Upamecano, Tousart, Bentancur, Havertz, Calvert Lewin, Woodburn

GAMEPLAN
Opening game of season and we're up against strong Atalanta side. Play possession football and try and break Atalanta down. Atalanta missing their main talisman Kessie in the middle so it will be easier for Asensio to exploit the space left there.

DEFENCE
Reliable keeper in goal. Vallejo to mark their main striker and Orban to do covering. Fullbacks to make overlapping runs and get crosses into the box.

DefenceMidfield
Llorente's main role defend and cut passing lanes and close down attackers. Keita will be playing as a b2b and will help both attack and defence. Make runs forward and play quick one twos to create space in middle.

Wingers
Wingers bring pace to team. Get to byline and whip in crosses for striker to finish.

AttackMid
Asensio to play quick passes with teammates and make runs into box. Kessie is out injured for oppo so it will be easier for you to exploit the space in midfield.

Striker
Diaz to play off shoulders of defenders and try and beat offside trap. Be clinical when through.

Subs 65MINS
Lewin for Forsberg
Tousart for Llorente

---------------------- Strakosha ------------------------

--------- Barzagli ---- T Silva ---- Caldara -----------

Conti ------- Montolivo ------ Freuler ---------- Mendy

---------------------- P Gomez -------------------------

------------- Rashford -------- Iheanacho -------------

Gollini, Toloi, Diakhaby, Garcia, Spinazzola, Mor, Pesic

Strakosha to keep it simple; distribute quickly to wing backs.

Silva to lead and organise. Barzagli and Caldara to marshall inside forwards towards touchline, Silva covering. Wingbacks into flat 5 when not in possession.

Freuler and Montolivo are instructed to play balls into space to utilise the pace of front 2. They have more licence to roam with 3 at the back protection. They are to be proactive in defence, constantly pressing their opposite numbers. The wingbacks will overlap and provide the width.

Gomez is a #10, and has permission to float around into any space he finds/creates. Again, he is to look to thread balls through to the front 2 at every opportunity. Must lead line of defence.

Rashford and Iheanacho instructed to interchange at will and always look to run in behind. Both of them floating freely will cause headaches for the defenders. Their pace is also an asset defensively – never give the deep midfielders a chance to start an attack.

Swansea City FC

-------------------Fabianski------------------
Naughton---Fernandez---Mawson---Olsson
-----------------Ki---------Cork--------------
J Ayew----------Sigurdsson-------Montero
---------------------King---------------------

Subs: Smithies, Maguire, Holgate, Davies, Dyer

To start the season we're looking to play a containing game focusing on maintaining possession, stretching opposition positionally & draining the opponent's fitness. The midfield 5 all are comfortable on the ball so spread side to side, probing away with patience. King to move in between the CBs, dropping offside to force them back. FBs to double up when opportunity arises but DMs cover. Man marking at the back, but the back four need to stay connected at all times to prevent being dragged or isolated. Balls to feet, pass and move, let them chase shadows, don't be caught over-stretching.
If we're down at midway through the second half we will up the tempo by taking one of the DMs off for Davies and move more toward 4/3/3 and bringing on fresh legs out wide with Dyer.

----------------Ederson
Alves----Castan----Chiellini----Barreca
--------Benassi-----De Rossi
Falque-----------Ljajic-----------Iturbe
-----------------Belotti
Subs
Moreira, Rossetini, Zappacosta, Baselli, Acquah, Valdifiori, Lopez


For the first 15 minutes of each half we are going to try and blitz the opposition, pressing them all over the pitch and using the pace in attack to try and catch them cold, then then settling down into a 3 quarter press allowing the opposition CB's and keeper have the ball as much as they want.

 The 3 behind the striker will all drift about looking to bve hard to mark and supply the striker from various positions. The full backs will look to get up the pitch working with the drifting front 3 to keep the pitch wide and get crosses in for the big man. The midfield 2 will sit in when we are attacking to stop potential counter attacks.

Subs
if we are winning we will look to shore up by bringing on baselli for iturbe and going to a more defensive 433, if we are drawing or losing we will bring on Rossetini for Ljajic and switch to a 343 and go all out for a goal.

Injuries: Tomas Hubocan, Andre Zambo Anguissa, Rolando, Hiroki Sakai

-------------Pickford------------
Bedimo---Rekik--Doria--Evra
-------Vainqueur--Sanson-----
---Thauvin---Lopez----Cabella
-----------Ben Yedder-----------

Subs: Samba, Fanni, Sertic, Machach, N'Jie, Sarr, Gomis.

Watford are going to be tough, we need to overpower the central area with possession, they are missing a key player in Pereyra who would normally operate the ball. We need to take advantage of the midfield and keep possession. Work the ball into space and get Ben Yedder in on goal. Cabella will need to tuck in from the left to support and Thauvin is to operate more out wide pushing back the full back. The back line are to be settled and comfortable in the position, i want us to be a solid unit and as i said before, possession is key. Ben Yedder will be looking to feed onto passes from the 3 behind him. Sanson to play make from deep with Vainqueur to drop deep to screen the defensive line. Thauvin and Cabella will need to push back out of possession to protect the back 4 even more. Lopez to be roaming in behind and working that ball, making problems for Watford, the central area can be exposed today i feel.

Boer
Janmaat Cathcart Kabasele
Byram ----------------------------------------- Grimaldo
Cleverley Capoue
Niang
Deeney Balotelli

Bench
Prodl
Holebas
Zuniga
Behrami
Amrabat
Success
Ashley Fletcher

Tactics
Looking to play long ball game today. I want the pitch as stretched out vertically as we can, getting balls up for the forwards, bypassing the midfield. I want us to defend in numbers, sit deep and not allow them in behind before launching it up. Niang in a free role behind the strikers, drifting wide and the wing backs pushing on and crossing balls in, Tom Cleverley pinging beautiful passes across the midfield.

Subs
If winning - Amrabat and Holebas for Balotelli and Niang to close out the game (5-4-1)
If losing - Success and Fletcher for Janmaat and a striker (4-4-2)

--------------------Baumann
Henrichs ---Vogt ------Kederabek ----- T.Hernandez
-----------------Rudy --- Rupp
-------Amiri --------------------Ochs
-------------Kramaric ----- Isak

Henrichs & Hernandez to bomb forward & whip balls into the box for the forwards
Voft & Kederabek to pick up the forwards and look to physically dominate them and use pace to cover their wingers getting in behind.
Rudy to sit infront of the defense and marshall playing out from the back into wide spaces
Rupp to get into the box and look to be a goal threat
Amiri & Ochs to take on the full backs and cut inside leaving space for the full backs and slide passes in behind for the forwards
Kramaric to be the hold up man and link the play
Isak look to use pace to get in behind

—————————Cardinale—————————
—————Mere——Kimpembe——Sarr—————
Burner————Seri—Koziello—Cyprien———Sessegnon
————————----Plea——---------------------------
-----------------------------Abraham———————---


Subs: Dante, Dalbert, Walter, Nkunku, Saint-Maximin, Augustin, Gomes

Three at the back, fast intelligent WBs, strong central core & two strikers.

Deep back line of five outnumbering attacks and allows any through balls to be picked up by the keeper. The midfield trio sit in front and protect, restricting space and opportunity. WBs keep it simple, don’t go to ground, shield goal & keep attackers on outside. All defence to retain discipline & instruction from keeper at all times.
Convert to 3-5-2 in possession, WBs pushing forward with speed and Cyprien operating as furthest forward of midfield. Koziello to sit back and act as DLP and Seri B2B. Two up front allows for knockdowns on counters rather than an isolated striker. Target their weakened CBs as our strong spine can exploit through the centre. Look to hit fast over the top counters where allowed but also have Seri run from midfield with the ball at defence.
70m Maximin & Augustin for Plea & Abraham, fresh legs up front for countering.
80m Nkunku for Cyprien

Injuries:
1. 8 LB Emerson
2. 11 CB Raul Navas HG
3. 2 GK Ander Bardaji HG
4. 13 DM Asier Illarramendi HG


………………………………………..Buffon……………………………………..
Calabria…………..Lyanco……………*Inigo*…………………..*Berchiche*
………………………….Wanyama………*Granero*…………………………….
*Vela*………………………………..*Canales*……………………..*Oyarzabal*
……………………………………………..Origi………………………………………….

Subs: Rulli, *Brunel*, *Alena*, *Merino*, *Borja*, Onyekuru, Leandrinho

* = HG…. 6 starters and 4 subs


Opening day of the season and Ajax are good test, Tino Bambino is generally dead against the 4-2-3-1 but that’s how we go today. Fast paced one touch football “Tiki-Talia”

Built on a solid spine we should look t hold the middle ground, the side needs a bit of work but we have enough matchwinners throughout the side to give us a chance in this game.
Don’t have the wordage to explain each facet of the game so I trust you to know the strengths of my “big players”

Fast Direct football, using the width to get at Ajax…think SAF’s United in the mid to late 90’s…solid core…hard working strikers and fast direct wingers.

Subs:
65 mins

ONyekuru > Vela
Borja > Origi

Onana
Veltman, Sanchez, De Ligt, Stafylidis

Motta , Klaasen, Ziyech

Dembele, Dolberg, Younes

Bench - Alblas, Sinkgraven, Tuanzebe, Passlack, Locatelli, Fornals, Neres, Kluivert

Tactics

Interchanging front 3 with pace and power to really take the attack to the opposition. Midfield to dominate, Motta holds, Klaasen is the passer and Ziyech is our attacking force in the middle, drive forward with the ball and put their midfield on the back foot

We're confident in our defence, full backs free to get forward and support the attack, Sanchez to use his pace and power to cover De Ligt who will get tight to the main centre forward

If Martinez is used to mark the main striker, we'll have that striker dropping deep and wide to mix it up, drag him out of position and see how well they rotate to cover

If losing, bring on Kluivert for Motta and go 4-4-2 with 2 attacking wings
If winning late on, consolidate with Locatelli on as extra energy and defensive power