Football tends to go in cycles and fashions so it's no great surprise that a few sides are figuring out strategies and tactics to deal with the metronome that is tika taka although I wouldn't get too carried away with last night's win for Brazil. Am sure it meant a lot more to Brazil and the 80,000 screaming home fans than it did to the Spanish side and none of us will be too surprised to see Spain carry off another World Cup this time next year.
As for our own style/approach I agree it changed as the season progressed. My own observations were:
- Rodgers had us trying to run before we could walk at the start of the season, in particular I think he overestimated the capabilities of the back 4 to get aclimatised to playing such a high line and being in posession of the ball in such high pressure/risk situations (ie. lose it and we're screwed). I also felt our pressing of the ball was a bit too gungho.
- We definately did get a little more direct as the season progressed however, I don't know if that was necessarily a tactical switch and may have been as much to do with changes in personnel. Enrique didn't really feature much in the opening couple of months but he isn't shy of putting a ball into space for others to run onto and we saw him link brilliantly with Suarez on several occasions (the goal against Newcastle being the most memorable). The introduction of Sturridge also gave us the 'on the shoulder' pace and directness that we were lacking during the first half of the season and young Coutinho is another player who was always looking to commit defenders and play the ball forwards with those brilliant slide-rules passes.
- Our defensive approach also changed as the season went on. Early doors we pressed high and often and got caught out often enough to concede silly goals. As the season wore on we got more selective and picked better moments to press the ball and by season's end and with Carra back in the side we were playing much deeper and pressing less often. It wasn't just down to pace at the back but at times our midfield weren't quick or mobile enough to hunt as a pack. Neither Gerrard, Lucas or Allen can hold up to someone like a Momo Sissoko or Mascherano when it comes to gettting after the ball. I think we need to be able to find a balance next season ie. pressing less than at the begining of the season but more than at the end of the year.
- In terms of the Tiki Taka element that everyone gets quite fixated on, I think that early in the season we played some pretty stuff and we passed it well BUT it was often without penetration. You can pass it all day BUT you need players in your side who can beat a man, you've only got to beat one player and then you force the oppo to commit another which in turn creates space for a teamate. It was no coincidence that the arrival of Sturridge and Coutinho meant our pretty passing game suddenly had a frequent end product so again, i don't think it was born out of any major realisation or tactical adjustment from the manager and more simply a case of better players equalling better performances.
« Last Edit: Jul 02, 2013 12:24:29 am by Scottbot »
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