WEEK ONE RESULTS

-----------Sommer-----------
Voser--Schar--Ivanov--Safari
----------Die----Frei----------
Campbell---Lallana---Stocker
---------------Sio-------------
Subs Streller, Sauro, Degen, Delgado,Degen

GK, basics , look to throw and create from the back.

Defence: Cbs will mark zonal of two men and if one Schar will man mark him, FBs will keep men wide and force into corner, Voser will sit back and feed Campbell while Safari will get up to support Stocker, defence will slide and Voser will become more centeral

Midfield, Die will sit back and break up play while Frei will play box to box, Campbell and stocker will each run at men and look to cut inside to lallana or play through to Sio. Lallana will push up along Sio from time to time and occupy space that Sio creates. lallana will be the hub and also will look to play in Sio.Shoot from range if needed, both wingers to track back.

Striker
Sio will sit on last man and run along the line pulling defenders with him to create space, sio will also look to get behind the defence for through balls.

Subs
If losing 75 Streller for Die
4-4-2 lallana drop to CM, more direct approach toward Streller

Karnezis
Nyom---Ilori---Murillo---Angulo
Iturra—Recio
Brahimi-----Klaassen---Januzaj
Vossen


Subs: Fernandez, Mainz, Foulquier, Rico, Buonanotte, Piti, Riki

General Style of Play:
Two solid lines of 4 defenders and 2 deep midfielders with fast, counter attacking forwards..
Our perceived strength of opposition: wingers, so full backs to stay back and stay with them.
Our perceived weakness of opposition: mobility defensively especially midfielders, so attacking mid’s to interchange and move about.

Attacking Tactics:
Recio to link defence and attack, Januzaj and Brahimi to get on the ball and run at defence. Klaassen to play off Vossen, Vossen to keep moving to stretch centre backs to create space for Klaassen

Defensive Tactics:
Back four to hold solid line, full backs to stay back to pick up wingers. Ilori to pick up main striker, Murillo to pick up second striker or play spare if lone striker. Iturra and Recio to sit and protect back four.

Subs:
If losing on 70, Recio off, Riki on – go to 4-4-2 Diamond with Riki alongside Vossen
If winning on 70 minutes, Klaassen off, Rico on – go 4-3-2-1 with 3 centre mids and 2 wide AMs

Cherries had brought out his team against a manager who was probably the favourite to win this game in Afro, and we had a very tense game which could have gone either way in a very difficult one to call. This was the best game of football to watch this week with two teams which look very strong in attack, Granada having made some excellent signings who played fast football to cause problems to the Basel defense. It was the same with the Basel attack, Lallana the main orchestrator and creating plenty of opportunities. Joel Campbell also ran at Angulo, giving the full back a day to forget as the main culprit in a shaky Granada defense. The Basel midfield was also more mobile than what was given credit for, with Die and Frei full of running to close down threats in the middle. An excellent game of football was settled with Streller coming off the bench to grab a late winner for Basel in injury time.

Basel 3-2 Granada
Campbell 30 --- Vossen 38
Schar 72 ------ Recio 55
Streller 90+3

Buffon
Valera---Lopez---Rafa---Lago
Leon---Mosquera---Michel---Castro
Lafita
Di Natale


Injured Players
Ciprian Marica
Juan Rodriguez
Mehdi Lacen

DEFENDING TACTICS
Everyone except the striker to stay behind the ball when we are defending. I want us to make our half of the pitch small as possible, making it difficult for them to pass through us which keeps the gap between midfield and defence short. We'll need to put pressure on opposition players when on the ball or to follow any runners. With the defenders I want them to push back back into a flat back 4 and tucking in from the opposite side when they are attacking through the wing. Wingers must trackback, striker to sit on the defenders making it hard for them to play the ball forward.

ATTACKING TACTICS
We push forward as a team pinning the opposition back, my striker to make runs between the CB while the Wingers vary their game either cutting in or sticking out wide. The midfield two must take times to attack but both must get back to defend. I only want one FB to push forward when attacking.

Ujkani
Morganella – Munoz – Terzi – Daprela
Barretto – Bolzoni
Markovic – Verre – Perisic
Hernandez


Subs: Sorrentino, Milanovic, Pisano, Bacinovic, Di Gennaro, Belotti, Lafferty

We’re set up in a 4-2-3-1 to start with as we feel our way into the league.
The aim for us is to play with good width because our big threats come from the flanks with Markovic and Perisic. We want to spread the play to them as soon as possible and attack the full backs either to cross or to come in for a shot.
Man marking at the back, and both deeper midfielders should hold steady to allow the full backs to support attacks in the wide areas.
Verre is sitting in the hole looking to pull the strings from there while Hernandez is very much a central spearhead, interested only in the penalty box and sniffing space and goals.

Go get ‘em you pink bastards.

The teams came out with perhaps a slight surprise that Pisano had made the squad after his injury earlier in the week, the full back in clear pain sitting on the bench. Palermo's main strength was out wide which gave them an early lead with Markovic crossing in the ball to Abel Hernandez to get an early goal. The full backs should have had special instructions to deal with the wingers, who caused all of the problems for Getafe to deal with. But Palermo went for a man-marking system to deal with the Getafe attackers, and this was perhaps ultimately their downfall as tiredness came into it and the centre backs were pulled out of position with Di Natale going straight between them creating space, giving Lafiti a free shot on goal to equalise. They were perhaps lucky as their attack looked disjointed throughout, they could do with a target man upfront and to use their widemen as out and out wingers, where they seem to shine.

Getafe 1-1 Palermo
Lafiti 77 ---- Hernandez 38

-------------Wolf-------------
Selassie-Caldirola-Lukimya-Garcia
--------Kroos---Ignjovski-----
Elia---------Hunt-----Obraniak
-----------Petersen-----------

Defensive Match Instructions - Allow them to have the ball but set up using 2 defensive blocks, 5 in the midfield and 4 in the defensive line. When they have the ball allow them to have it and be patient and look to retain possession as soon as we can.

Attacking match Instructions - When we are attacking i want us to set up as a 4-2-3-1 formation and look to be play a patient game as with defence. Move the ball around at a decent pace but always look for the openings, don't try to rush things and always look to play the right pass.

I will bring on Di Santo in the second half around the 80th minute mark.
I will bring on Ekici into an attacking midfield spot for Obraniak in the 75th minute.
Makiadi will come on for Ignjovski in the 80th minute.

Rafael


Flanagan-Distin-Maietta-Agostini


Cirigliano-Donati-Hallfredsson


Iturbe


Romulo-------------------Marquinho



Subs: Mihaylov, Pillud, Gonzalez, Donsah, Martinho, Gomez, Hoarau



Tactics:


Primarily we sit back, absorb pressure and look to strike on the break with pace down the flanks, using FBs encouraged to break forward while the CMs cover. Iturbe drops off the front to confuse the CBs while wingers look to attack the space beyond him. If we're losing, take off Donati and put on Hoarau as a target man.

Werder Bremen were the only team to go into the games this week without having made any transfers, perhaps feeling their squad is strong enough. But there was hesitation early on as the Bremen manager had asked their team to be patient, allowing the other team the ball, but also to quickly regain possession. Players were unsure whether to press or hold and Iturbe took advantage of this in the midfield to charge through and open the scoring. They struggled in the centre of the park to get a foothold in the game and Verona quickly doubled their lead through Donati. Werder Bremen have some attacking quality in Elia and Petersen and eventually managed to half the deficit but they couldn't pull it back, with Verona scoring from a corner to settle the game. The Verona defense looked decent and managed to hold out the game, but in attack Hoarau maybe could have started the game with Iturbe moved out to his best position on the wing.

Werder Bremen 1-3 Verona
Petersen 58 ------ Iturbe 4
------------------ Donati 11
------------------ Distin 83

-Marsman-
-Rosales-Bjellend-Bengtsson-Schilder-
-Corona-Tiago-Gutiérrez-Tadic-
-Castaignos-Cassano-

Subs: S. Stevens, Roseler, Koppers, Brama, Promes, Kwesi, Djordjevic.

In this game we will look to play on the counter attack. We will play deeper and we will be organised with 2 banks of four in defence and midfield with the strikers working hard up front to close the defenders down. We will not leave gaps, we will stand off until they reach our final third (30 yards from goal) where we close them down incase of a shot. We will look to force them out, leaving space in behind for a long ball and for our strikers to use their pace to exploit and to get goals.
Marsman just needs to do the basic goalkeeping job, commanding his area, communicating to his defence and most importantly, keeping shots out and making sure he makes smart saves.
We want our full backs to stay back when possible but try to support the wide men to create an option when in possession. They never bomb on or overlap. When defending, they stick to their man, not leaving gaps to run into and they show their man out wide and put strong tackles in, foul if they must, DO NOT let their man past them.
We want our centre backs to be disciplined, organised and commanding in their area of the field. Bjellend goes to mark the man tightly, not allowing him the space to twist and turn away from him and looking to win the ball and headers. Bengtsson will sit alongside him, proving cover if Bjellend gets beaten by his marker. he won't sit deeper, allowing pacey wide men/runners to stay onside and run throgh on goal. We will not play offside trap, just stay organised, play safe and basic at the back and play as a unit bank of 4.
Our wide men are essential to winning this match. They will be able to use their pace and skill to beat their full backs, they need to try and stretch the play by hogging the touchline when we have possession and then looking to latch onto long balls over the top, beating their man for pace and driving at goal. They have a decision to use the support they have or go for glory themselves. We would prefer them to use the support unless they are through on goal. Without the ball, they sit in, mark their man and sit alongside and supporting the midfielders.
Our central midfielders are also key for the game. Without possession, they will sit together, not closing down, marking men/not allowing the ball to get to the defence easily. They will all sit as a unit bank of 4 in the midfield as well. When we have possession, they will look to use a wide range of passing to play long balls over the top into the space behind the defence, either diagonally for the wingers or through balls for the strikers. Tiago will look to try and break up play more by winning the ball and intercepting passes whereas Gutierrez will use a little bit more energy to do some running and support Tiago.
[*]Our forwards will be useful for the counter attack. Castaignos will look to use his pace up front to get in behind the defence when balls are played over the top for him. If long balls go to the wide men, he needs to be bustig a gut to get up alongside them and support them for an option when running at the defence. Cassano can drop in to collect the balls and pull the defence and midfield apart, linking the midfield and attacking play. When we don't have possession, Cassano could maybe drop into attacking midfield as an extra man to close down. Both need to be closing down quickly and working hard.
Sub 1: Gutierrez Off - On Brama - A holding midfielder for fresh legs and to do some running to stop midfielders from running onwards.
Sub 2: Castaignos Off - On Djordjevic - Add some extra pace up front and some fresh legs after closing down, same job.
Sub 3: Corona Off - On Promes - Extra pace out wide and more to run the full back down, same job.

Starting XI:
GK - Jacobo
RB - John Stones
CB - Miguel Vitor
CB - Juan Insaurralde
LB - Georgios Tzavellas
DM - Hedwiges Maduro
DM - Konstantinos Katsouranis
RM/RW - Sotiris Ninis
AM - Jorge Valdivia
LM/LW - Miroslav Stoch
ST - Stefanos Athanasiadis


------------------------------Jacobo-----------------------------------------------
Stones----------------Vitor------------------------------Insuarralde---------------Tzavellas
-----------------------Maduro------------------Katsouranis----------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ninis----------------------------------Valdivia-----------------------------------------Stoch
-------------------------------------Stefanos------------------------------------------------


Tactics

Overall: Sit in and be solid in defence with two DM's screening the back four, the three behind the striker to break at pace, and interchange throughout. All look to create chances through movement, Stefanos occupy the CB's and create space for the three behind.

Defence: Maduro/Katsouranis to sit in DM, and screen the back four, track midfield runners. Stones/Tzavellas be restrained and narrow. Keep them ahead of us, don't let them in behind, so sit a little deeper.
Attack: Will be based off the counter attack mainly, look to spring through Stoch/Ninis. When we have possession look to get Valdivia on the ball to create. Three behind Stefanos interchange throughout

The FC Twente team arrived on the pitch late today with the manager giving a barrage of last minutes instructions. They seemed over-rawed by it all and struggled in the opening exchanges. The PAOK midfield looked strong, with Valdivia in particular impressing and created opportunities but only had one goal to show for a dominant early showing when they could have had more if Salpingidis was playing, with Stefanos having a poor display, including a penalty miss. Cassano and Castaignos were the only shining lights of a weak Twente team and eventually snatched a point, caused by poor defense which needs improving for PAOK if they are to challenge.

FC Twente 1-1 PAOK
Castaignos 65 --- Maduro 30
----------------- Stefanos missed pen. 43

-----------Carrasso
----Sane -Planus-Henrique
Mariano -Poko --Traore --Orban
------------Rosicky
-------Drogba --Diabate

Subs: Jug,Brechet,Faubert,Kaabouni,Belay,Jussie,Bellion

Defensive Tactics
- Back 3 to sit deep and negate pace in behind, Make them cross the ball into our land of giants,
- Mariano/Orban to get tight to wingers
-Poko & Traore to marshall infront of defense and get close to Cabella, Rosicky to get tight to Pirlo

Attacking Tactics
- Full backs to get forward and whip balls in for forwards,
- Rosicky to create and get beyond forwards
- Both forwards to bully their defenders with Diabate using his pace to get beyond their defense.

Subs: Belay on for Orban - 65 mins if losing

Jourdren
Bocaly – Congre – El Kaoutari – Tiene
Pirlo – Stambouli
Ait-Fana – Cabella – Mounier
Lambert


Subs: Pionnier, Jebbour, Mezague, Marveaux, Martin, Camara, Niang
Injuries: Jamel Saihi + Vincent di Stefano + Hilton

Attacking tactics: Movement is key to victory. Pirlo to orchestrate from deep and feed the runs of those ahead of him. Wingers to provide movement and to cross balls in for Lambert. Cabella to run at the defence, feed off Lambert’s knock downs. Quick, up-tempo passes to keep the opposition running.

Defending tactics: Close down your man at all times, don’t let crosses or shots get past you. Stick to Drogba like glue, don’t let him turn or run into space. Wingers to track attacking FBs and force them inside or to pass backwards. Lambert to hustle the CBs, make them make a mistake and feed Cabella.

Subs if losing on 70mins: Niang and Camara on for Mounier and Ait-Fana. Team forms into a 4-3-3 with Niang and Camara coming in from the wings, Cabella driving the team. Full backs to push on.

These two French teams both came out looking very strong with a five at the back deployed by Bordeaux which worked very well for them. The Montpellier full backs were not keen to get forward, which they could have done to create two on one situations out wide. Pirlo was clearly the man to watch but he was just one player in what proved to be an excellent midfield battle with both sides having quality in the middle. But Pirlo managed to find the space early on to play a long ball over the top which Lambert managed to half volley into the back of the net. This was followed up by a penalty blasted into the roof of the net. This was later matched by the other new striker into the league Didier Drogba who put away a cross to equalise with his second of the game. The two strikers both are good additions to their sides. Both sides worked hard but both sides seemed to cancel one another out with neither side being much better than the other to gain the win with a draw the fair result.

Bordeaux 2-2 Montpellier
Lambert 32, 47 (pen)--- Drogba 55, 68