Assessing Pochettino's pre-season: Tactics & Player Management vs Seattle

[TheUltimateHotspur]

Very good in depth analysis LukeBB.

As for Pocho's style and philosophy I like what he is trying to do already. Holtby and Carroll really showed how important it will be for the system to work. We need that directness and quickness in the passing from the central positions and further up the pitch. Movement was so much better with a better shape. Far more organized.

Our defence looks shocking though which we already knew anyway. A LB and CB are musts this window.

 

[JimmyG2]

Not a great one for tactical analysis myself as you will all have realised by now.
It's fascinating and fair play to those that can do it.
But the great positive and enjoyable thing about football is its fluidity
of individuals and the team pre-planned, accidental and in response to the opposition.
You could probably take a dozen screenshots
and show a whole variety of formations at different points in the game
Of course there are defensive and attacking set ups
and players have different roles but these change too as the game proceeds.
It's players doing the unexpected that often changes the game.
Great players are often a law unto themselves.
Hugo is ahead of his defense at times.

 

[SA_Spurs]

Outstanding LukeBB!!

I think its great to finally see players who are playing to plans/instructions! Last seasons headless cockerel garbage was infuriating, especially when you consider the type of footie we played under Redknapp (just run around clearly worked better than what Sherwood offered!) Cebellos, Falque, Soldado, Holtby all showed their ability and I thought we could already see players pushing to get a place in the first team come our first EPL game. Lets not be too hard on the rest, it will take a while to fully grasp what & how Poch wants from every player but its clear we need to sort out our defence quickly!

It's early doors, but I'm SUPER excited about how Poch will develop ALL the players at the club! COYS!!

 

[Mullers]

I'm not going to read too much into these pre season games, I remember when Ramos won every pre season game.
Luke you should start a blog or something, it's a bit of a waste putting it on here.

 

[Arthur Hucksake]

I'm not going to read too much into these pre season games, I remember when Ramos won every pre season game.
Luke you should start a blog or something, it's a bit of a waste putting it on here.

The thing you got to take note of, is that the team had an actual shape and plan. AVB also did, but it was so bloody slow that it was ineffective. That's faster passing and getting the ball forward asap game is exactly how i've wanted us to play for years.

Poch has changed the direction of how we are going to play within A WEEK! He made those changes in 7 odd days. That is cracking work.

Just need to sort out the leaky defence and we will be golden.

 

[Mullers]

The thing you got to take note of, is that the team had an actual shape and plan. AVB also did, but it was so bloody slow that it was ineffective. That's faster passing and getting the ball forward asap game is exactly how i've wanted us to play for years.

Poch has changed the direction of how we are going to play within A WEEK! He made those changes in 7 odd days. That is cracking work.

Just need to sort out the leaky defence and we will be golden.

No he hasn't.

Look how shit hot we look in this pre season game when Ramos was in charge.



When the season starts, that is when we will find out if Poch has what it takes. I'd rather lose all the pre season games now and have a good start to the season.

 

[teok]

Excellent thread luke.

 

[eddiebailey]

Poch has changed the direction of how we are going to play within A WEEK! He made those changes in 7 odd days. That is cracking work.

Just need to sort out the leaky defence and we will be golden.

I think a lot of that change was achieved by not having Sandro, Paulinho or Dembele in line-up, and using players in midfield who move the ball faster and to more purpose.

 

[Flashspur]

Bloody good piece of analysis LukeBB.......i don't agree with everything you have said but its excellent food for thought. Keep it up bro

 

[Frozen_Waffles]

Cracking write up! If things go badly for Pochettino you have my backing.

 

[14/04/91]

What will be interesting is if he tries to replicate the other attacking midfield roles as well. Eriksen would be a good romaing No.10, as I have said though I can see us buying a direct wide player who is winger/striker hybrid.

Someone like Jay Rodriguez??

 

[mpickard2087]

Someone like Jay Rodriguez??

Could happen as he would slot in and understand the role straightaway. How he comes back after his injury though is anyone's guess.

 

[Norse]

Good and interesting analysis. I would like to be able to the same. Are there any books I could buy?

 

[Kiedis]

 

[panties]

Imma gonna apply dis shizzle to footie manager coz it's the bizzle. Nice one blud

 

[degoose]

Great analysis and i really enjoyed watching the game as it was intriguing to see the difference style of setup. There were some dodgy issues at points but i did notice a lot more passing on the ground, a more direct approach but with a bit of style and a large increase in one touch passing. It was quite refreshing and this is all in the space of a few weeks of training.

 

[Bowlesinho]

Really good OP.

In my interpretation of Poch at Saints, I thought he often played a disjointed 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1 system, which gave players the freedom to attack as they saw fit but became very rigid in defence.

The Saints/Everton game last season was one of my faves to watch Poch as he operated a 4-1-4-1 block in defence rather than the 4-4-2 discussed here. I think this was due to respect for Everton but is how I thought we would line up, i.e. in defence;

---------CF--------
--LM--CM--CM--RM--
---------DM-------
--LB--CB--CB--RB--

In that game Poch used his supporting attackers (Lallana and Lambert) to drop in to the wide positions (LM and RM) and the RCM tucked in in defence and pushed wide right in attack, much like Holtby did against Seattle.

Be good to see where Holtby is used in other friendlies as he seems perfect for that role, although I think Paulinho would also blossom in that role.

 

[Arthur Hucksake]

No he hasn't.

Look how shit hot we look in this pre season game when Ramos was in charge.



When the season starts, that is when we will find out if Poch has what it takes. I'd rather lose all the pre season games now and have a good start to the season.

You totally missed the point I was making. We didn't look shit hot against Roma at all.

Look at those goals they conceded. Absolutely no defending, might as well have walked it in.

If they defended properly, we would be lucky to score once.

The shape of how he wants us to play is entirely different to what AVB and Sherwood were setting out.

Actually trying to play through balls for once, think I saw three in the entire two years AVB was manager.

I do expect a lot of high scoring draws though unless we sign some new defenders. Kaboul and Dawson are finished.

 

[Bowlesinho]

Pochettino did the same thing at Southampton re. the Holtby role. He usually had Davis/Ward-Prowse playing in a very tucked in right hand side role playing in between central midfield and the wide role. On the ball they can create a three in midfield to move the ball, without it they can help press high up the pitch.

Shape was lop-sided and something like:

What will be interesting is if he tries to replicate the other attacking midfield roles as well. Eriksen would be a good romaing No.10, as I have said though I can see us buying a direct wide player who is winger/striker hybrid.

I think a big concern with Eriksen will be his defensive responsibility. Coupling that with his better performances coming cutting in from the left (in my opinion) I'd like to see Eriksen in the LW role and Lamela in the AM role

 

[eddiebailey]

I will be very surprised if Pochettino is not here next season. The last thing Levy wants to do is to sack another manager.

So long as we are safely in the top half of the table, Poch does not behave like a knob behind the scenes, and he does not run off at the mouth to the press, Poch will be good for a couple of seasons. After that he needs to start offering real promise.