AVB's 4-3-3 w/ Spurs: Tactical & Player Analysis & Discussion

LukeBB said:

This thread is for all those wondering how Spurs might play this season and as to how players like Bale, Sig, Soldado, Paulinho, Holtby will fit in to the squad this season. Also up for discussion is how possible additions of Eriksen, Capoue, Alderweireld, Lamela might fit in as well. Everything is up for discussion including what players might need to be sold because they don't fit the system or how certain players will fit the systems, how AVB will utilise certain players, what players you rate and don't rate and why and how certain can we be that this new squad can wipe the floor with other teams in the Premier League Enjoy!

Warning: I cannot guarantee this is how Spurs will play! However, based on the players signed by Spurs this summer transfer window, how AVB's FC Porto side played and how we have the teams have lined up in pre-season, many people, as well as I, predict this is how AVB will deploy his Spurs side for the 2013/2014 season

First things first, I haven't put Paulinho in here as idk his squad number and as Dembele has been playing this role in pre-season in Paul's absence. Either way the roles of the players themselves shouldn't change much so you can just imagine who'll play where

The philosophy of AVB's 4-3-3 is to pin the opponents in their half, to feed the front 3, time and time again, as quickly and as effectively as possible, to come at the opponents with wave after wave of a forceful and uncontrollable level of fury and technical ability. AVB describes this as a "vertical" style of football. It's meant to be an incredible show of tactical knowledge, high tempo, all-attacking, fluid and attractive football meant to break the spine of any team in it's wake. When AVB utilised this tactic at FC Porto he gained remarkable success (success which eventually led Chelsea to pay a world-record fee for a manager for AVB in the summer of 2011) FC Porto won the Portuguese liga, the Europa League trophy and the Taca de Portugal (A domestic Portuguese cup), AVB's Porto won the league with 84 points, winning 27 games and drawing another 3 out of 30 games, finishing the season unbeaten. Porto scored 73 goals in the league and conceded only 16, scoring the most goals and conceding the least. Now, AVB looks set to bring in this tactic in an attempt to replicate a similar amount of success with our beloved Spurs

This is widely regarded as how AVB likes to line up his favored 4-3-3. The image above shows generally the range of movement each role is assigned. The GK and CBs are all meant to be technically astute as when dominating play, the CBs and GK are meant to be tactically smart as well as produce creativity form the back. The GK is meant to be a clever, pacy and commanding sweeper-keeper who is confident with the ball at his feet as well as rushing out, this is so teams can't take advantage of our high-line pressing game, any long ball over the top needs to be calmly and swiftly dealt with by the GK who can then distribute it from the back and launch another attack as quick as possible!

The CBs role is to sit on the halfway line, forcing the opposition striker to cower in his own half. They are there to press high up the pitch and to keep the opposition as far away g

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LukeBB said:

A large reason we played 4-2-3-1 was because we didn't have the midfielders available to make a solid, working 4-3-3 midfield trio. We had to work with a midfield of Hudd, Parker, Sig and Carroll whereas we were missing instrumental players for a 4-3-3 in the likes of Sandro, Paulinho, Dembele, Holtby etc for large parts of pre-season!

When learning a new tactic it takes time to learn and when you are learning a new tactic mistakes can be made and negative results like 1-1 and 0-0 draws with Swindon & Col U. In order to keep up confidence before new season you revert to familiar tactics to get positive results like 6-0 win over South China

We were conceding goals because we missed Kaboul because of injury, in his place we had to play Gallas and Dawson, both who don't have the pace and power required for this tactic, high-pressing game, that's why Gallas sometimes didn't go up for corners cause he didn't have the pace to get back in reasonable time. Also we played Friedel for the first part of the season, whose cautious, don't wander past the 6 yard box, lack of command of area was inappropriate for the 4-3-3 which requires a commanding and courageous sweeper-keeper. Also the fact that when Lloris had Dawson and Caulker playing in front of him the lack of language skills and communication led to several instances of Caulker attempting to clear the ball rather than letting Lloris grab it!

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LukeBB said:

This thread is for all those wondering how Spurs might play this season and as to how players like Bale, Sig, Soldado, Paulinho, Holtby will fit in to the squad this season. Also up for discussion is how possible additions of Eriksen, Capoue, Alderweireld, Lamela might fit in as well. Everything is up for discussion including what players might need to be sold because they don't fit the system or how certain players will fit the systems, how AVB will utilise certain players, what players you rate and don't rate and why and how certain can we be that this new squad can wipe the floor with other teams in the Premier League Enjoy!

Warning: I cannot guarantee this is how Spurs will play! However, based on the players signed by Spurs this summer transfer window, how AVB's FC Porto side played and how we have the teams have lined up in pre-season, many people, as well as I, predict this is how AVB will deploy his Spurs side for the 2013/2014 season

First things first, I haven't put Paulinho in here as idk his squad number and as Dembele has been playing this role in pre-season in Paul's absence. Either way the roles of the players themselves shouldn't change much so you can just imagine who'll play where

The philosophy of AVB's 4-3-3 is to pin the opponents in their half, to feed the front 3, time and time again, as quickly and as effectively as possible, to come at the opponents with wave after wave of a forceful and uncontrollable level of fury and technical ability. AVB describes this as a "vertical" style of football. It's meant to be an incredible show of tactical knowledge, high tempo, all-attacking, fluid and attractive football meant to break the spine of any team in it's wake. When AVB utilised this tactic at FC Porto he gained remarkable success (success which eventually led Chelsea to pay a world-record fee for a manager for AVB in the summer of 2011) FC Porto won the Portuguese liga, the Europa League trophy and the Taca de Portugal (A domestic Portuguese cup), AVB's Porto won the league with 84 points, winning 27 games and drawing another 3 out of 30 games, finishing the season unbeaten. Porto scored 73 goals in the league and conceded only 16, scoring the most goals and conceding the least. Now, AVB looks set to bring in this tactic in an attempt to replicate a similar amount of success with our beloved Spurs

This is widely regarded as how AVB likes to line up his favored 4-3-3. The image above shows generally the range of movement each role is assigned. The GK and CBs are all meant to be technically astute as when dominating play, the CBs and GK are meant to be tactically smart as well as produce creativity form the back. The GK is meant to be a clever, pacy and commanding sweeper-keeper who is confident with the ball at his feet as well as rushing out, this is so teams can't take advantage of our high-line pressing game, any long ball over the top needs to be calmly and swiftly dealt with by the GK who can then distribute it from the back and launch another attack as quick as possible! Hugo Lloris is the ideal GK for this role, he is a confident and commanding GK who leads from the back and who controls every inch of the 18 yard box, his decision making and quickness off the line make him one of, if not, the best sweeper-keeper in the world! While his distribution is not the best he is only 25 and so has plenty of time to perfect his game and become the GK we all know he is capable of becoming!

The CBs role is to sit on the halfway line, forcing the opposition striker to cower in his own half. They are there to press high up the pitch and to keep the opposition as far away from our goal as humanly possible, they are also set up to support the midfield when in possession. The CBs need to stay brave as well as communicate with each other, since the offside trap is set up so high up the pitch both CBs need to make sure they stay in-line with each other, remaining calm and unnerved if the opposition striker is standing in an offside position, they must not be tempted to drop back in fear of him breaking the trap! The ideal CB for this role is made of the same ilk as our own Jan Vertonghen A CB who has exceptional ball control, who boasts excellent passing ability, who is pacy, who is powerful, who has a good reading of the game as well as a creative mindset because in this tactic the CBs will see much off the same of the ball as our midfielders will in an attempt to control the game, break down opponents and launch attacks! Kaboul would also be a good CB to use for this tactic!

The FBs (Walker & Rose) provide the width in this formation. The FBs are meant to run the wings, to offer an outlet when play gets to crowded in the middle as well as form triangles between the midfield and the wingers. However, in the 4-3-3 the FBs are meant to offer as much an attacking threat as well as they defend. The FBs job is to support the wingers in the attack, providing crosses as well as making penetrating runs into the channels and sometimes the 18-yard box! The FBs need good stamina, good decision making, a fantastic work rate, needs pace and power and needs to be competent going forward as well as tracking back!

The midfield trio is pivotal to any success the 4-3-3 may enjoy. The general trio generally involves an anchor man, someone who marshals the space No10s enjoy so much, shielding the back four, winning back possession as well assist carrying the ball out from defense in launching an attack. We can assume this role will be filled by Sandro "the Beast", if the squad owns an exceptionally defensively astute anchor this allows the two more advanced CMs to have much more of an influence in the attack.

The next CM role will most likely be occupied by Paulinho next season (but for the sake of the diagram I used Dembele) and is usually summed up as a box-to-box all action midfielder. The role of the box-to-box CM is meant to include supporting the defense when under pressure as well as to support the attack when dominating play. The typical box-to-box CM is meant to be a strong and very physical presence in the center of the pitch. The idea being when in possession the CM looks to charge forward always looking to bully the opposition whilst always looking to offload the ball to a forward or looking to get a shot off on goal. Paulinho is a perfect fit for this role thanks to his physical presence as well as his excellent technical ability when on the ball and the threat he poses when in the box.

The most advanced of the CMs is meant to be the playmaker, the creative spark of the side. The one who roams around the pitch, lurking in the space between the oppositions midfield and defense always looking to play the killer ball, to link the midfield to attack and arrive late in the box when on the attack. This role in the squad will either be filled by Dembele, Sigurdsson, Holtby or (on occasions) Chadli.

The front 3 now! Since the width of the 4-3-3 is supplied by the FBs, the wingers act more like inside forwards. The idea being that these players are always looking to receive the ball either behind the opposing full back or in the pocket of space the No10 enjoys to roam, from these positions they are looking to cut in on their favored foots and create penetrating runs into the box, always looking to shoot or produce a cross from the by-line. The wingers are positioned and set up to support and accompany the striker as well as become a target for the rest of the team to launch an attack. The penetrating and direct movement of the Inside forwards would drag FBs out of position as well as doubling up or outnumbering the CBs with 3 attackers and create panic amongst the opposition defense. Players like Chadli and Bale are again perfect fits for these roles, big, powerful players who look to beat their man with pace and strength to beat the offside trap and get into the box to shoot at goal or provide the assist.

The striker plays in between the two opposition CBs. He is the target of the team, the focal point of the attack, aiming to beat the offside trap as well as finish off all attacking moves. The striker requires a good all round game, he needs to be good technically, competitive aerially, a superb finisher and needs to make good movement. Soldado has recently been bought in to fulfill this role. Soldado is a fantastic striker, he has a good all round game, and while he may lack the aerial presence ideal for a striker, he more then makes up for it with his exceptional volleying ability, superb movement in the box and killer instinct. Soldado has shown himself to be a consistent and capable striker who has grabbed 81 goals in the past 3 seasons for Valencia (his last season being his most productive with 30 goals in all competitions.

The 4-3-3 dominates other teams with its constant presence of triangles between players, since most teams in the Prem utilise the 4-2-3-1 formation this is how our players will use the triangles to dictate play and control the game.

As you can see, the team is set up to control the game, to restrict the influence opposition players have on the game and ultimately win.
Considering this is most likely how Spurs will play next season, what more players do you see coming in to fit this tactic, as well as what do you think current squad members can bring to the pitch. Do you think there will players outgoing because they don't fit this tactic or sold to raise funds for more targets?

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LukeBB said:

With a rumored departure of either Ade or Defoe (I hope it's Ade ) who does anyone think we should bring in as a 2nd/3rd choice striker, I can't imagine we'd have much more than £10-£15 million to spend on a new striker!

I would probably say Leandro Damiao because of his physical presence and potential but I doubt we'd have the funds to go for him as I reckon he'd cost close to £20 million.

I personally think we should be looking at a striker like Eder of SC Braga, AVB knows him well from his time at Academica, and he's come on leaps and bounds before an injury ended his season early, had he been fit he would've scored 20+ goals in the Portuguese league. He offers a more physical and aerial threat than either Defoe or Soldado and has decent technical ability with the ball at his feet, his determination and movement near the box is decent and I'm sure AVB could really help develop him and get the best out of him, I can't imagine he would demand anywhere near half of the wages what Ade is on! I just feel Eder would be a solid and realistic replacement!

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Lilbaz said:

1 thing I never get is when commentators and pundits etc... talk about triangles. If you have 3 players unless they are in a straight line they will always be in a triangle.

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NEVILLEB said:

Great thread apart from including Sigurdson who has been a bit-part player.

You may end up being right but we're not going to bring in Paulinho for £18M or so and not play him.

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am_yisrael_chai said:

Brilliant opening post Luke BB very reminiscent of IOMLS.

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Kingstheman said:

You all wait until AVB unleashes the tesseract formation.

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dk-yid said:

Tesseract ... nice!

but dude, never have I seen a more clear missed opportunity to use 'dimension' in a word play...

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Kingstheman said:

Have you been looking at AVB's notes?

Relativistic marking, string passing and Schrödinger's cat in the hole. Quantum counter attacking.

But our set pieces will still be average.

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am_yisrael_chai said:

In terms of forwards I'd like Castillo.

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Eric_s said:

Is AVB using 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1? Looking at our squad it seems we are more setup for the latter.

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am_yisrael_chai said:

Brilliant opening post Luke BB very reminiscent of IOMLS.

In terms of forwards I'd like Castillo.

The current senior player that least fits 4-3-3 is unfortunately Lennon, no power, poor shooting and poor goal return. It makes me sad to say because when fit he has been my favourite player but I'd sell him now and try for Lamela or even better Willian.

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