Week 2 Tactics - Please see bottom of page for voting structure

Injuries
Jorrit Hendrix
Gastón Pereiro
Nicolas Isimat-Mirin
Ricardo Horta

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 - Marko Van Ginkel
AM - Oleksandr Zinchenko
ST - Jurgen Locadia
ST - Enes Unal

Subs
Danny Ward
Andres Guardado
Kieran Tierney
Siem De Jong
Patrick Roberts
Luuk De Jong
Bart Ramselar

---------------------Zoet----------------------------
Arias---------Moreno-----Hernandez-------Willems
---------------------Neves----------------------------
----------Propper-------------Van Ginkel--------------
--------------------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

Subs: 60th min - Siem De Jong-Zinchenko
      75th min - Tierney- Willems
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Good Golly I'm Olly
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----------------------Onana

Passlack ---Sanchez-------De Ligt----Stafylidis

---------------------Locatelli

------------Ziyech----------Klaasen

----Dembele-------Dolberg----------Mbappe

Subs - Boer, Riedewald, Tuanzebe, Fornals, Podence, Kluivert, Traore

Tactics

We're expecting PSV to put defensive focus on stopping Mbappe - if so, Dembele/Ziyech/Passlack all set up to raid down the right wing until they balance their defence. If they don't focus on Mbappe, we'll give him the ball every opportunit, see how their defence handles him.

Dolberg to occupy the CBs all game, run in behind, drag them out of position to let Mbappe/Dembele cut inside, see how they handle switching markers

Ziyech the primary attacker from midfield, we want him to carry the ball and put pressure on Neves when they have it to stop him dictating. Klaasen/Locatelli to swap positions if needed, control the game

Passlack free to attack, we want Stafylidis to hold position so Mbappe can stay forward - Klaasen/Locatelli to support defensively

CBs to match strikers - if one striker, De Ligt mark, Sanchez cover, if not take one apiece

Subs - if losing late, Traore/Kluivert on, play with width and have 2 strikers attacking the ball. If winning, bring on fresh legs up front as an outlet and Fornals on to help control the midfield

—————————Cardinale—————————
Pereira———Mere———Sarr———Dalbert
————Bakayoko—Koziello—Cyprien———----
Saint-Maximin---------Abraham————Dembele

Subs: Boscagli, Nkunku, Augustin, Gomes, Vinicius, Marcel, Mboula

433 formation today designed to gain control of midfield whilst allowing for variety in attack.
Wingers to play high up pitch to be both effective on counters and to keep opposing FBs contained, work in tandem, creating spaces with movement. All 3 attackers to interchange with wide players drifting inside.
Central trio combination of power, creativity and passing ability. Koziello as DLP/DM, anticipation and awareness, plug gaps & start attacks. FBs hold position, put WGs on wrong foot, push forward when DM covers. Bakayoko B2B - drive forward but also protect flanks when FBs attack. Cyprien spread the ball and penetrate gaps. Mere & Sarr keep it simple, play ball to flanks.

75m Augustin for Abraham, fresh legs to run at defence
80m Nkunku for Cyprien

Real Sociedad
Injuries:
Jon Gaztanaga
Sergio Canales
Gianluigi Buffon
Mikel Merino


…………………………………………Rulli……………………………
Calabria………………..Lyanco……………..Inigo……………….Emerson
……………………………Wanyama…….Illaramendi………………………
Onyekuru………………………Vela………………………………….Oyarzabal
……………………………………….Origi……………………………………………..

Subs: Bardaji,Navas,Biraschi, Granero, Berchiche, Borja, Kean

Tough away game at nice, we expect Hero to send his boys out with the attacking momentum and bring the game to do this, that’s fine we only want a partial press, if you can imagine us filtering it through from our front line to our 3 AM’s, they will block the passing lines but not attack the ball, we shall be passive in that phase, we want Nice to come forwards and do so with confidence and vigour, once they are within 30 yards, then we press them hard, Vela will come back to goal to get block off any easy sidewards or backward passes, meanwhile Wanyama and Illara will step up to win the ball back aggressively, pretty simple plan but it’ll work – this then enables to play on the counter and use the blistering pace of our front three to hit a Nice side that has heavy numbers in half attacking.

Subs 65 mins.
Granero>Illarmendi likeforlike substitution, fresh legs
Kean > Origi – youthful exuberance full of running at tired legs
Love and peace

-----------------------------Gomes-----------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
----Byram-------Lascelles---Semedo-----Grimaldo----
--------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------Cleverley----------Zuniga-------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
---------Atsu-------------Philipp-------------Niang----------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------Balotelli----------------------------

BENCH
March
Pennington
Alonso
Amrabat
Success
Fletcher
Deeney


TACTICS
Tricky game against Hoffenheim but a winnable one for sure, I want us to play quick football this week, playing with plenty of width, with the fullbacks overlapping to stretch their defense. Our three behind the striker are all good dribblers of the ball so look to take on their defense. Defensively looking to force their wingers out wide, especially Pulisic who will try to cut in, and Semedo should be the main marker of Isak, who can match him for pace and be aggressive. Both central midfielders should slightly more cautious than usual, Zuniga a physical presence and Cleverley is our deep lying playmaker, so we’re allowing them the ball in their half but starting to press when they get into ours.

SUBSTITUTIONS
If winning – bring on Amrabat and Deeney for Balotelli and Niang, same formation, fresh legs and energy.
If losing – bring on Deeney and Success for Atsu and Zuniga. Play long balls in a 4-1-3-2 aggressive formation.

---------------Baumann
Henrichs --- Vogt --- Sule --- Hernandez
--------------Rudy --- Gueye
------------------Amiri
---Kramaric --- Soares --- Isak

Subs - Schar, Toljan, Kaderabek,Henrique,Gelger,Ochs

Fullbacks to get up the pitch and overlap the wide forwards and whip balls in for Tiquinho. When defending show them inside towards our DM's.

Sule to pick up Balotelli and look to pressure him and harass into throwing a strop. Vogt to cover with pace unless play a 2nd forward then keep tight aswell

Rudy to sit infront of the defense and marshall the space an AM could occupy look to get tackles in if play one. Play out from the back into Amiri

Gueye to go box to box and put in tackles and cut out passes. Sit along Rudy when under pressure.

Amiri to drop into gaps and look to slide balls in behind the defense for forwards.

Kramaric & Isak to play as wide forwards looking to dart in off the wing and run in between full backs & CB's to create space for the full backs. If get in behind then finish clinically

Soares to use his physical presence to bully the CB's and look to roll them getting in behind the defence. Don't be afraid to drift about on the CB's to open spaces for the wide forwards


Subs - Henrique for Amiri - move to midfield 3

----------------Ederson
Zappacosta---Pepe---Chiellini--Plattenahrdt
--------Benassi-----De Rossi
Falque-----------Baselli-----------Ljajic
-----------------Belotti
Subs
Moreira, Rossetini, De Silvestri, Gustafson, 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 Acquah for Baselli and going to a more defensive 433, if we are drawing or losing we will bring on De Silvestri for Zappacosta and drop de Rossi in defence switch to a 343 and go all out for a goal.

Injuries: Bafetimbi Gomis, Gregory Sertic, Henri Bedimo and Clinton N'Jie.

----------------Pickford----------------
Sakai-----Cahill-----Rekik--------Evra
---------Vainqueur--Sanson-----------
Thuavin-------Cabella--------Konoplyanka
-------------Ben Yedder----------------

Subs: Pele, Doria, Hubocan, Machach, Khaoui, Cabella, Sarr

We are aiming to play in a solid system today. We are up against a team who can really hurt us and we need to be consistently alert. Vainqueur will be playing an important role of screening that defensive line which won't be moving much. Evra and Sakai will not be moving forward, they will be stationary. Konoplyanka and Thauvin will need to do some work on the flanks to be able to protect as well as cause a threat in possession. Sanson will be operating from deep, looking to start play going by setting the front 4 going. Cabella looking to roam in behind Ben Yedder who will be looking to run in behind. Konoplyanka will be pushing that right hand side with Alves out, putting them under pressure. Thauvin will be pressing the left side looking to cut inside and play Ben Yedder in. Cahill to mark Bellotti with Rekik covering.

80th- Lopez on for Cabella to push that central area
85th- Sarr on for Thauvin to keep the pressure on out wide

-----------------Lopez
Mallo---Vickers---Gibson---Castro
-----------Romeu----Winks
Castillejo----Hernandez------Mina
----------------Sandro

Trippier, Planas, Chalobah, Grujic, Bongonda, Rossi, Kamano

We have changed our setup for today’s game, and have gone with a more structured and attacking gameplan. The idea is to get hold of the ball in central midfield, and keep possession, waiting for the opportunity to release one of our wide men or striker with a killer through ball. Winks and Romeu are both adept on the ball and at breaking up the play. Defensively, Romeu is capable of shielding the defenders, and Mallo and Castro start as part of a flat back line. Romeu will have to shield Vickers, due to his age. Lopez is a trustworthy head with the experience to keep his defence well organised. Our three attackers are both capable of exploiting the space behind defences, and together they will form a killer trident. Crosses are to be drilled low across the goal to help Sandro in getting on the end of them.

65
Chalobah replaces Winks for fresh legs in the centre of midfield.
Grujic for Romeu for same reasons as above.

Losing/Drawing
Rossi replaces Hernandez, switch to a pressing 4-4-2

--------------------------------------Woodman------------------------------
Klostermann-----------Orban-------Vallejo----------Kolasniac
---------------------------------------Llorente-----------------------------------
Sabitzer--------------Asensio----------Tousart----------Forsberg
-----------------------------------------Solanke------------------------------------

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

GAMEPLAN
Going with the 4141 formation as I think we are the stronger side this week against Celta and won't need to play the 4231 as we'll be on the front foot more. The main focus will be on Asensio and Tousart to bring the creativity in the middle.


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. Llorente's main role defend and cut passing lanes and close down attackers. Cover for our fullbacks when they are attacking. Tousart 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.

ATTACK  
Wingers bring pace to team. Get to byline and whip in crosses for striker to finish. Asensio to play quick passes with teammates and make runs into box. Solanke to play off shoulders of defenders and try and beat offside trap. Be clinical when through.

Subs 65MINS
Lewin for Forsberg
Bentancur for Tousart
Diaz for Solanke
- like for like position wise, fresh legs