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SC's Tactical Autopsy thread

mr ashley

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
3,126
8,524
Disagree, I think we have the right players to play midfield in a 4-3-3 but it needs Nuno to accept Skipp as the anchor with PEH and GLC either side.

The concern I have with and formation with 3 CBs is that out CBs while plentiful are unreliable. The thought of having three of these guys is scary. Do we have the personnel to play 3 at back.
Once you include Romero and Tanganga I think you can rotate (on form or strategy) from one of dier/Sanchez/Rodon/Davies.
which would make us more solid, allow either 3 in midfield (352) or better outlets to move forward progressively (343).
In my mind, the only issue is that you’d likely have to choose between son and Gil or Gil and Ndombele. Either that or drop Kane.
when you watch how Chelsea play, I think we’ve got the players to play a system close to that.
 

topper

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2008
3,806
16,254
No-one posted that picture which has been doing the rounds on Twitter yet? 9 minutes in, Dier has the ball and is looking to get it forwards to someone - and there is literally nothing in the entire middle third of the pitch except Arsenal players.
I bet some on here are blaming Dier for that
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
Think we look so much better now that we've moved to more of a 4-2-3-1 rather than a 4-3-3.

Admittedly Newcastle and Villa were no great shakes, but our forwards are already looking a lot less isolated and having Ndombele playing between the lines and linking the play is giving us a semblance of a possession game which was distinctly lacking with the Skipp/PEH/Dele midfield 3.

Also by pushing Ndombele higher it relieves him of some defensive duty. He can still run around and press players off the ball - which he's quite good at - but he doesn't need to track runners as much and cover a particular defensive area, which was a problem for us when he was in a a flat 3 as he would leave massive gaps behind him.

I do still feel like we look quite stilted and unimaginative in possession - I'd like to see more obvious well drilled passing patterns and ways of working the ball out from the back and through the opposition press (something we really struggle with) but overall broadly positive signs for the first time under Nuno. He's found a functional system, dropped problem players (i.e. Dele) and integrated the new signings.

We're getting there.
 

Spud6n6p

Well-Known Member
Nov 28, 2019
44
276
"I do still feel like we look quite stilted and unimaginative in possession" (i did try the quote thingy)
if only we had a passing number 8....
 

Timberwolf

Well-Known Member
Jan 17, 2008
10,328
50,217
"I do still feel like we look quite stilted and unimaginative in possession" (i did try the quote thingy)
if only we had a passing number 8....
Yeah... I think Lo Celso could potentially do a job in Hojbjerg's position. He had a great run of games towards the end of Jose's first season as more of a no.8 in a double pivot. He's not a fantastic passer though, more of a ball carrier, so a no.8 with a proper passing range would be brilliant, especially now that we've lost Toby's cross field passing abilities.
 

ShelfWatcher

Well-Known Member
Sep 9, 2021
3,169
4,814
Yeah... I think Lo Celso could potentially do a job in Hojbjerg's position. He had a great run of games towards the end of Jose's first season as more of a no.8 in a double pivot. He's not a fantastic passer though, more of a ball carrier, so a no.8 with a proper passing range would be brilliant, especially now that we've lost Toby's cross field passing abilities.
Skipp and Hojberg are automatic starters, absolutely key to the team. Who else plays has to fit around them.
Naturally in lower profile games they might be rested. But for games like yesterday, West Ham and Man U, indispensable if fit
 

fishhhandaricecake

Well-Known Member
Nov 15, 2018
18,702
46,941
Think we look so much better now that we've moved to more of a 4-2-3-1 rather than a 4-3-3.

Admittedly Newcastle and Villa were no great shakes, but our forwards are already looking a lot less isolated and having Ndombele playing between the lines and linking the play is giving us a semblance of a possession game which was distinctly lacking with the Skipp/PEH/Dele midfield 3.

Also by pushing Ndombele higher it relieves him of some defensive duty. He can still run around and press players off the ball - which he's quite good at - but he doesn't need to track runners as much and cover a particular defensive area, which was a problem for us when he was in a a flat 3 as he would leave massive gaps behind him.

I do still feel like we look quite stilted and unimaginative in possession - I'd like to see more obvious well drilled passing patterns and ways of working the ball out from the back and through the opposition press (something we really struggle with) but overall broadly positive signs for the first time under Nuno. He's found a functional system, dropped problem players (i.e. Dele) and integrated the new signings.

We're getting there.
100% this.
 
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