It was as if M Night Shyamalan were directing a documentary on football tactics, the 3-1-4-2 virus...

It was as if M Night Shyamalan were directing a documentary on football tactics, the 3-1-4-2 virus sprouting uncontrollably across the globe.

Jonathon Wilson on the 3-1-4-2

Jake's big on this trend and while it isn't one that is likely to be used by Seattle there is an MLS team that does this at times, the LA Galaxy. DeLaGarza takes the role of the 1, so his lack of height is less of an issue.

5 months ago Dave Clark 5 comments 0 recs |

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Pique has been making runs from Center Back during the run of play for a couple years now

Both with and without the ball. He’s kind of crazy, but it’s worked at times, so I’m not surprised it’s being experimented with as an actual formation on a more permanent basis and that other clubs are copying what Barca does.

by Thalas on Dec 13, 2011 3:10 PM PST reply actions

Pique is definitely good on the ball...

but it’s really Sergio Busquets that allows Barcelona to fluidly transition from a back three or a back four. They’ve taken it one step further this season and during El Clasico, Busquets was shuttling between a holding-role position and that of a center-back. The evolution of the tactical duel between Mourinho and Guardiola has been fascinating over the past 13 months.

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by Gene Um on Dec 13, 2011 7:55 PM PST up reply actions

I think the genesis goes back even farther to the Inter Barca matches

Inter would park the bus, Barca had a lot of trouble breaking them down, and at times would have 9 in the attack, with Pique making runs sometimes ending up in the box, it was really amazing and fun to watch.

Aside from the ludicrous moments of a Center Back making a run into the box during the normal run of play, not during a set piece, the formation essentially results in 9 in the attack as opposed to the traditional 8, which is what Barca were ultimately doing at times to try to break down the bus, it’s just evolved to a more thought out tactic rather than a desperate measure

I think the key is really having that 1 Center Back you can bet your job on to be able to hold his own against any 1 of the opposing Forwards. I’d argue Parke’s that kind of player. Hurtado’s been beat in a similar situation, see the Agudelo goal. That’s the gamble really, that’s the weak point in the chain, that 1 lone Center Back versus their spearhead Forward.

by Thalas on Dec 13, 2011 10:24 PM PST up reply actions

I don't dispute what you're saying...

but Mourinho’s tactics at Real Madrid, including his approach vs Barcelona, has been different from that at Inter. Perhaps we’re discussing slightly different things here. It’s been a complicated evolution but there are certainly counterattacking elements still to Mouriho’s RM side… but they’re playing higher up the pitch now.

One principle that many managers/coaches like to use is to have a spare man in the back and they often build their lineup around it. One thought from this 3-1-x-x is that it allows you still to have a spare man in the back against against a side that deploys either two or three forwards — the shuttling holding-mid/center-back transitions accordingly. That versatility is invaluable in liberating you elsewhere on the pitch.

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by Gene Um on Dec 14, 2011 12:07 AM PST up reply actions

I even noticed Roma possibly experimenting with it against Juve this week

The announcers commented that De Rossi, the Italian international center mid star career Roma starter, was playing what they called a makeshift Center Back, but after thinking more about the goal they scored against Juve on Monday night, I remembered I was practically jumping up and down that there were 7 Roma players in the box and 2 just outside the box, which is 9, meaning they were comfortable with just 1 defender at the halfway line, even though it was a corner. I’ll have to pay closer attention when they play Napoli this week to how exactly De Rossi is used if he’s at Center Back again as for the life of me I can’t say how involved he was moving up ahead of the other Center Back during the run of play, he’s naturally a Defensive Mid though so he must be doing it somewhat.

I think I’m focusing more on the 9 in the attack aspect of the formation, and I completely agree that Mourinho’s tactics for Inter and Madrid are completely different, he’s parking the bus far less often at Madrid, it’s definitely impacted by the strengths of the players, many more attacking options than at Inter.

But Pep and Jose have been having their battles for many years, and anything they’re doing now, especially against each other which is really their biggest competition, is certainly impacted by their 4 UEFA matches in 2009-10 while Inter was on the way to winning it that season. Incidentally the aggregate of those 4 matches was 4-4, Barca 2-0 and 0-0 in the group stage, Inter 3-1 and 0-1 to advance in the Semifinals. I remember watching those games vividly, despising Inter’s tactics throughout.

by Thalas on Dec 14, 2011 2:41 PM PST up reply actions