Tactics Week 6

Injuries
Luuk de Jong
Danny Ward
Kieran Tierney
Bart Ramselaar

Formation - 4-2-2-2

GK - Joroen Zoet
RB - Santiago Arias
CB - Lucas Hernandez
CB - Hector Moreno
LB - Jetro Willems
LCM - Ruben Neves
RCM - Marco Van Ginkel
RW - Patrick Roberts
LW - Gaston Pereiro
ST - Jurgen Locadia
ST - Enes Unal

Subs
Andres Guardado
Davy Propper
Siem De Jong
Ricardo Horta
Zinchenko
Joshua Brenet

---------------------Zoet---------------------------
Arias---------Moreno-----Hernandez-------Willems
-------------Neves-------------Van Ginkel--------------
Roberts-------------------------------------------Pereiro
---------------Locadia-------Unal-------------------

Tactics:

Lets attack like the Nazis in Poland - full throttle ahead. Neves to sit in front of the CB's, allowing the full backs to bomb on, Van Ginkel up and down the middle like a mad man, Roberts and Pereiro have license to hit the byline or cut inside - Unal I want to drop in a link play, with Locadia the poacher on the last shoulder. In defence, Full backs drop in narrow, wingers get back and double up with the FBs, strikers harry their CBs. Score lots of goals please lads.

Subs: 70th minute - Zinchenko for Unal, Guardado for Neves, Horta for Roberts - go 4-2-3-1 with Zinchenko CAM, Horta RW, Guardado CM - play more possession based football

------------------------Heaton------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
--Byram------Lascelles--------Evans-----Sims--
----------------Livermore-----Zakaria-----------------
-------------------------Arter---------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
----------Philipp--------------------Ounas--------------
-----------------------Deeney---------------------------

BENCH
Gomes
Konate
Willock
Guedes
Zheng
Fletcher


TACTICS
Our team is a touch on the thin side this week, but we'll do our best.

Overall I want a cautious, more defensive mentality. Defensively keep a narrow line with the full backs tucking in as I don't see them playing loads of crosses this week. Two defensive midfielders in there to be physical and control the middle of the park, not letting them pass through us. Allow them the ball higher up but between as they get into our half then start pressing.

Going forward, play long balls upfield to Deeney with Ounas and Philipp spinning off him and in behind. The two should get narrow, more CAMs than wingers with the full backs having license to get forward more, especially Byram who can cross the ball in. Arter should get plenty of the ball, as our main playmaker today.


SUBSTITUTIONS
If winning 68' - Sims and Willock for Arter and Ounas. Defend in two banks of four.
If losing 68' - Fletcher and Sims for Zakaria and Arter. Play 4-4-2 diamond.

----------------Ederson
Alves----Foyth----Pepe----Maouassa
----------Baselli--Dahoud--Benassi
----Robben--------------------Falque-----
------------------Belotti

Moreira, Trent, Tavares, Galvan, Harit, Ljajic, Silva

We are going to press our arses off tonight, hunt in packs and not let the opposition have a breather at any point. We will also aim the keep the tempo as high when we have the ball, get the ball out the the front 3 quickly.

 The midfield 3 are all tough and energetic so will be looking to stifle the opposition midfield and focus on getting the ball to the wide players. The wingers will be using their pace and trickery to cut inside and try to draw their full backs inside, let our full backs bomb on, as they both have the energy to get back quickly, which will force either the opposition wingers to track back and stifle their attacking play, or leaving the defence outnumbered.

Subs - 60 mins
If we are winning we will bring on Ljajic for Falque and purely counter attack, if we are drawing or losing we will bring on Silva for Baselli, go 442 and get crosses into the box.

------------------------Benitez------------------------
Klostermann---Holding----Mere---Dalbert
---------Bakayoko---Koziello---Seri---------------
---Mboula---------Werner-----------Dembele---

Subs: Garcia, Sessegnon, Gaspar, Nkunku, Meite, Augustin, Saint-Maximin


Torino are a glass cannon, amazing attack yet brittle defense.
Our 433 formation is designed to strangle the opposition and cut flow to their attack, make it hard to get the ball and harder still to retain it.
A central core dominating possession with neat triangles and strikers pressurizing high up the pitch.
Expect Pepe to be looking to do a number on Werner, let him chase his shadow which isolates the makeshift CB so Dembele & Mboula can pounce like velociraptors in Jurassic Park.
With a compact central midfield, the FBs can support on the flanks.
We expect counters, neutralise this early in the opponents half with cynical yet innocuous tackles, one’s that Barca do on a weekly basis.
With Koziello, Seri & Bakayoko protecting there’s great combination of positioning and strength to maintain pressure and regain possession. If defending for periods then drop to a 4141 formation. Defense comfortably play the ball out, pay particular attention to Robben, close early and keep on weaker foot.

70m – Sessegnon, Saint Maximin & Meite > Dalbert, Mboula & Seri. Straight swap position wise, fresh legs in key positions.

Atalanta 3-4-3

Injuries:
Mitchell
Strakosha
Spinazzola
Migliaccio

……………………………………Gollini………………………….
…………………Barzagli…………T.Silva……..Caldara…………….
Conti………………Montolivo……….Kessie…………….Mendy
Rashford………………………..Kelechi……………………..Papu Gomez

Subs: Rossi, Diakhaby, Toloi, D’Alessandro, Mor, Pesic, Harrop

Switch to a 3-4-3 this week, utilise our pace up-front with a wide trident, playing fast direct footy.

Defence:
Barzagli and Silva are vastly experienced and will guide the side through this game, Caldara is a future Juventino and this is a good education for him – all 3 clear 6ft so any long high balls are bread and butter for us, with the ball we want long raking diagonals.

Midfield:
Conti and Mendy will be given the freedom to act as secondary wingers allowing Rashford and Gomez to cut inside, Montolivo is the deeplying playmaker keeping things ticking over and Kessie is the engine and destroyer.

Attack:
Rashford and Gomez have searing pace and will look to attack the gaps between FB and CB, with our WB’s pushing forwards this should create the overloads needed to work in our favour. Kelechi is a great goal scorer and will use his sizeable frame to be our hold-up man and draw others into him before offloading.

Subs: 65 mins fresh legs

Mor > Rashford
D’Alessandro > Montolivo

The End, thanks for reading

-----------------------Krul

Veltman-------De Ligt-----Ake------Stafylidis

----------------------Motta

-----------Ziyech------------Dembele

---------------------Ceballos

--------Dembele---------------Mbappe

Subs - Boer, Sinkgraven, Passlack, Locatelli, Fornals, Kluivert

Game plan is to dominate the middle of the field with the power and dribbling ability of Ziyech/Dembele, with Ceballos providing the creative edge to get our strikers in on goal.

Motta is to sit deep and protect the defence, with his experience we'll expect him to help marshall our young defenders. The full backs are to play defensive roles preventing their speedy attackers from isolating our centre backs, who will keep a deep line to prevent balls in behind. F

Ziyech/Dembele/Ceballos are able to switch positions to offer varying threats, we'll look to get past Montolivo and draw the CBs out

Mbappe/Dembele to play as strikers, but if we're struggling to get traction against a back 3 we'll use them wider as split strikers to draw their CBs wide, with Ceballos playing a false 9 role to change the point of attack, Ziyech/Dembele to look to break past up

Subs
Winning at 70 - Locatelli to replace Motta for energy, Kluivert an option for tiring forwards
Losing at 70 - Kluivert/Locatelli for Ziyech/Motta - go 4-2-2-2 with Ceballos and Kluivert offering attacking support to the front 2

----------------Lopez
Mallo---Llorente----Gibson---Castro
---------Romeu---Hernandez
Castillejo-----Aspas--------Bongonda
---------------Wood

Carter-Vickers, Trippier, Chalobah, Winks, Kamano, Sandro, Grujic

The set up for today is different, in an attempt to confuse our opponents. We have set up for a game where we hit them on the counter, picking up the ball deep in midfield, and hitting long balls for our mobile attackers to run on to, or for Wood to knock down and into their paths. The defence is going to stay flat and not push too far forward, stifling attacks, whilst Romeu sits in front of them as a hymen barrier. Hernandez is given more license to push forward.

We will utilise the pace of our attacking midfielders to stretch the opponents’s defense, and create space in the box for Wood, who is a clinical finisher. Balls will be drilled in low and hard, with Aspas playing a shadow striker role and pushing on past Wood to get on the end of them. All our attacking players prefer the ball on the deck in the box.

65 mins

Sandro replaces Aspas for fresh legs in the AM role.

Grujic replaces Hernandez for fresh legs.

75 mins

Kamano replaces Castillejo for fresh legs on the right attack.

Real Sociedad

Injuries:
Alena
Rulli
Navas
Vela

……………………………………Buffon………………………………………
Calabria………………Inigo…………Lyanco………….Emerson
………………………….Illarramendi…….Wanyama………..
Origi……………………………….Canales…………………..Oyarzabal
………………………………………Onyekuru………………………………..

Subs: Bardaji, Bunuel, Biraschi, Granero, Alena, Leandrinho, , Borja

Today is all about fast paced wing play forcing the opposition backwards and keeping their own FB’s from venturing forwards – Wanyama and Illarra are key today as they will hold the middle ground – Illarra will finally show why he’s the “new Xabi Alonso” whilst Wanyama is the muscle in the engine room that all the top teams need.
Our front four is just pure pace, Onyekuru may not be well known but top scored in Belgium and earnt a move to Everton so they must see something in him.

Our backline is pretty decent – Inigo Martinez is the experienced head in that defence and will talk Brasilian Lyanco through the game – our CM’s are solid enough so Emerson and young Milanista, Calabria can push forward at will giving us much needed width.

Subs 65 mins fresh legs:
Leandrinho > Oyarzabal
Borja > Onyekuru

Peace and love ya’ll
Put of darkness cometh light

-------------------------------Woodman------------------------------
Pereira-----------Orban-------Bednarek----------Kolasniac
------------------------------Tousart----------------------------------------
------------------Keita---------------------Bentancur----------------------
-------------------------------Asensio--------------------------------------
-------------------Solanke------------Kane-------------------------------





Subs - Marin, Onomah, Dorsch, Calvert Lewin, Woodburn, Villalba,  Gomes



GAMEPLAN
Derby against Hoffenheim, with Sule out injured for them I'm hoping old man Naldo plays instead so we can use the pace of Solanke against him. Ibrahimovic will be a pain to deal with but I want us to play a high line so he is less effective inside the box.

DEFENCE
Orban to mark their main striker and Bednarek to do covering. Fullbacks make overlapping runs and get crosses into the box. Tousart's main role defend and cut passing lanes and close down attackers. Cover for our fullbacks when they are attacking. Keita and Bentancur will be playing as b2b and will help both attack and defence. Make runs forward and play quick one twos to create space in middle.


ATTACK
Asensio to play quick passes with teammates and make runs into box. Kane to play as proper old school number 9. Get on end of crosses and use expert poacher skills to get goals. Solanke to target Naldo and play off his shoulders and beat him for pace.


SUBS
drawing/winning 65MINS
Onomah for Tousart
Villalba for Solanke
- like for like position wise

LOSING 65MINS
Lewin for Tousart
Lewin LW. Push defence up try and score goals

Leipzig v HOFFENHEIM

Injuries: Geiger, Ochs, Henrique, Sule


---

Big all German clash today, I want us to play a pressing game whenever they are in our half and utilise our pace when counter attacking.

Baumann, command your area at all times, distribute long and wide, be wary of long range efforts.

Defence, Naldo mark their striker, Schar to play as the spare man to get to any second balls. Henrichs and Theo to overlap our wingers going forward, but track back quickly.

Midfield, Rudy and Gueye sit in front of the back four, ensure we are hard to penetrate. In possession use your passing and power to get the ball to Amiri. Amiri will use his trickery to create space and chances.

Attack, Pulisic and Piazon to run at the Leipzig defence, get crosses in to Ibrahimovic but on occasion cut infield, either to link with Amiri or Ibrahimovic, or to feed Henrichs and Theo overlapping you. Shoot when it opens up. Ibrahimovic to get onto the end of every cross and pass, shoot on sight, try to spin in behind the last defender.

Substitutions
If winning: Amiri off, Rupp on. 4-5-1, Pulisic RW, Piazon LW.

If losing: Naldo/Gueye off, Isak/Tiquinho on. All out attack, 3-1-4-2.

Injuries: Rekik, Sarr, Sertic, Machach

--------------Pickford-------
Semedo - Cahill - Doria - Evra
-----Sanson---Vainqueur------
Thauvin----Lopez---Konoplyanka
-----------Ben Yedder-----------

Subs: Pele, Hubocan, Sakai, Cabella, Khaoui, Anguissa

-Possession game today, keep control of the ball work it forward quick and efficiently
-Retain possession in the midfield area with Sanson looking to push the ball forward playmaking from deep
-Thauvin to cut inside and attack the central area
-Konoplyanka to look to cut inside and slip Ben Yedder in
-Lopez playing as a number 10 in behind Ben Yedder looking for killer pass
-Semedo and Evra to play a balanced game settling nicely in the full back spot working up and down the pitch
-Control the game and push into the final third
-Vainqueur to screen the defensive line pushing danger out
-Cahill and Doria to stay solid, man mark the striker and edge out the danger

80th- Cabella on for Konoplyanka pushing into the wide area
85th Khaoui on for Lopez as a number 10