FA Cup Quarter Final Tactics

Formation: 4-5-1/4-3-3
Staring XI:

GK – Kelvin Davis (c)
RB – Frazer Richardson
CB – José Fonte
CB – Chico
LB – Danny Fox
CM – Mahamadou Diarra
CM – Steven Davis
CM – Richard Chaplow
RAM – Maxi Rodriguez
LAM – Florent Malouda
ST – Alexander Frei

Tactics:
Let’s not be afraid here, have a go straight from the off! Deeper line stopping them running into space, lots of blocks and competing for every long ball/cross. Defend as a unit, give them no room being physical & clear your lines! Full backs pick your moments when to support attacking. Fox use that left peg of yours looking for the diagonal pass. Diarra sit in a holding role. Look to help out your fullbacks cutting out any wide play. Bully their AM! Davis/Chaplow both play box-to-box. Defend together ushering them out mopping up all 2nd balls. Take it in turns going forward supporting the attacking play. Want to see quick passes with lots of movement. Wingers don’t be afraid to take on the full-backs. Hug the touchline looking to link up playing passing inside. Track back when defending, Frei play off the last defender, use your intelligence linking up attacks.

On 62 Mins: Chris Gunter will replace Frazer Richardson. Fresh legs in like-for-like role, stick close to your man when defending. Pick your moments when going forward.
On 70 Mins: Alexander Frei will come off for Ricky Lambert. Offer something different using your frame to flick headers on + linking up the play. Throw yourself onto crosses coming in
On 71 Mins: Adam Lallana will come on for Richard Chaplow. Use your creative flair spraying balls all over the park. Look for through balls out wide & for the striker, and look to catch them out with balls over the top.

Subs - Brad Jones, Kieran Richardson, Chris Gunter, Rickie Lambert, Wayne Bridge, Jason Puncheon, Adam Lallana

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

Tactics:
Hernandez drop deeper when we don’t have the ball, as we want to put pressure on them all over the pitch. Harass them and don’t allow them time to build or to pick passes from midfield. FBs push the wingers down the line if they play and CBs deal with crosses. Hoilett and Dyer cover the FBs if they try to overlap but be ready to counter if they get caught high up the field.

When we have the ball Hernandez push closer to Adebayor and look to drift into available space. Plenty of movement around the pitch, the wide players and Hernandez should rotate to make it hard for defenders to pick you up. Adebayor play on the last shoulder and look to pull the CBs out of position. Rodwell and Ki, monopolise possession when you have it, feed our attackers but time your runs so we aren’t exposed.

Subs: 65 mins: De Guzman for Hernandez: Debut, drop into the hole and look to pick passes

Starting line up

-------------------- Coutious --------------------
-------------------------------------------------
- Bosingwa ----- Luiz ------- Shaw -------- Lopez
-------------------------------------------------
--------------- Essien ------ Romeu -------------
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------- Gourcuff --------------------
-------------------------------------------------
--- Marin ------------------------------ Kalou ---
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------- Torres ---------------------

Subs:
Petr Čech
Branislav Ivanović
Ashley Cole
Miguel Veloso
Frank Lampard
Juan Mata
Gonzalo Higuain

Tactics:
- Luiz and Shaw to keep it simple, no nonsense defending. Stay tight on their men.
- Bosinhwa and Lopez to be smart and choose when to go forward and when to hold back. When they overlap, the wingers will drop a bit deeper just in case Everton break.
- Romeu to stifle attacks and be smart when the Essien goes forward. Essien to track from box to box.
- Gourcuff to roam and fill the gaps in between midfield and defence where he can be a danger. Also overlap Torres and break into the box.
- Wingers to hang wide, giving space in midfield and allowing crossing opportunities.
- Torres to play off the shoulder and look to get in behind, picking up balls from the wingers and Gourcuff.
- Impact players to come on and run at tired legs.

Formation: 4-3-3
Starting XI

GK – Shay Given ©
RB – Miguel Lopes
CB – Ciaran Clark
CB – Joris Mathijsen
LB – Stephen Warnock
CM – Fabian Delph
CM – Jean Makoun
CM – Stephen Ireland
ST – Gabriel Agbonlahor
ST – Louis Saha
ST – Nathan Delfouneso

Tactics:
Tricky Tie tonight boys, but we can hurt them! Keep the ball moving, quick passing with lots of runs making space for each other. Defenders talk to each other keeping your line. Be physical challenging their target men. I want to see use soaking up all pressure winning every header & every second ball. Full-backs usher your men inside into midfield & look for the long balls going forward. Midfield 3 help each other out, pass your way out in triangles. Hard robust challenges and look to help out your fullbacks. Don’t give their AM any room when on the ball. Ireland play box-to-box, supporting the attackers, ghost into the box. Look for the pass over the top. Front 3, use your pace running at their defenders, twist & turn hurting them. Let’s look to catch them on the break. Keep our shape & work for each other!

On 61 Mins: Demba Ba >> Louis Saha. Play in the middle of the front 3. Look to flick passes on and use your chest controlling the ball. Look to link up the play with the other 2 forwards. Challenge for every ball in the box. Defend corners too!
On 70 Mins: Vladimir Weiss >> Nathan Delfouneso. Look to run down the by-line. Plenty of crosses, Look to help out your fullback tracking back.
On 81 Mins: Jonas Olsson >> Miguel Lopes. Fresh pair of legs defensively, limit your runs going forward. Priority is defending!

Subs: Łukasz Fabiański, Jonas Olsson, Vladimir Weiss, Eric Lichaj, Charles N'Zogbia, Demba Ba, Alberto Aquilani

Team: 3-4-3
GK - 12 - Marcus Hahnemann
CB - 14 - Geoff Cameron
CB - 05 - Michael Dawson (c)
CB - 28 - Sam Hutchingson
RM - 17 - Nigel Reo-Coker
CM - 26 - Carlos Sánchez
CM - 17 - Tim Cahill
LM - 15 - Reto Ziegler
RF - 10 - Landon Donovan
CF - 20 - Steven Naismith
LW - 09 - Hugo Rodallega

Subs:
24 - Bill Hamid
02 - Tony Hibbert
07 - Nikica Jelavić
16 - Scott Sinclair
18 - Phil Neville
21 - Leon Osmon
29 - Itay Shecter

------------------Hahnemaan---------------------
-----Cameron--Dawson(c)--Hutchingson-----
--Reo-Coker----Sánchez---Cahill-----Ziegler--
-----Donovan----Naismith-----Rodallega-------

Team Talk: We have a fantastic chance to win the FA Cup this season and as such I am expecting a strong performance today. You all have a genuine chance to stake a claim for a starting place in the league.

Hahnemaan: Communication is key, make sure the defensive trio are in the right place at all times.

Cameron/Dawson/Hutchingson: Work together to nullify their attacking players. Dawson to watch for the striker.

Reo-Coker/Ziegler: Big shifts today, get back to help the defence when they have the ball. On the attack look to overlap the wide forwards.

Sánchez/Cahill: Be our link between defence and attack. Sánchez to mop up and tackle hard. Cahill to drive forward as they lack a genuine DCM.

Donovan/Rodallega: Look to alternate between driving inside and going down the line. Keep them guessing. If you get a sniff take a shot.

Naismith: Be predatory, we will create chances and I want you to take as many as possible!
----
Corners: Ziegler
Freekicks: Donovan
Penalties: Cahill
----
Subs:
Regardless of score at 70 minutes:
Shecter on, Naismith off like for like.

If losing at 85 minutes:
Jelavić and Sinclair on, Sánchez and Ziegler off. Go for broke at 3-1-2-4.

------------------Hahnemaan---------------------
-----Cameron--Dawson(c)--Hutchingson-----
------------------Reo-Coker-----------------------
-------------Cahill-----Sinclair--------------------
--Donovan----Shecter--Jelavić ----Rodallega--

GK: Communication, make yourself big on 1on1s, spread the ball out quickly to FBs.
FBs contain wingers to corners & block crosses, link up play coming forward with wingers.
Mussachio mark their main striker whilst Barata be aware of wingers drifting in or AMs coming forward. Play the ball out of defence using the fullbacks.
Barkley to control tempo, boundless energy ahead with speed & movement so move the ball around the pitch probing for weakness whilst Tiote to harass their midfielders.
Wingers collect early & come inside, if other winger has the ball then act as 2nd striker coming into the box. Suarez to play neat through balls through the gap to Guidetti. Invite sloppy tackles in the box. Chase defenders down to keep pressure high up pitch.
Guidetti time runs from off the shoulder of the last defender, play offside position to push them deep.
Subs: 68m - Hazard, Fellaini and Bale on for Suarez, Barkley & Jese.