FINAL TACTICS

------------Foster
Reid -- Coates -- McAuley -- Ridgewell
--------- Yacub – Mulumbu
Ince -------- Diego -------- Brunt
--------------Lukaku

Team Talk:
Congratulations on getting to the final but this is where the hard work starts. No injuries this week so we’re going for it. I want us to play the same way as we did in the semi-final. I want to keep a tight defensive line, with the midfield 4 of Yacub, Mulumbu, Brunt and Ince to form a guard in front of the defence. Diego I want you to put pressure onto the ball and cause them to make mistakes. Lukaku lead the line as always! Use your strength to dominant their centre-backs Samba isn’t the player he used to be (which he admitted IRL) so make him suffer. Utilise our width, Ince and Brunt whip balls for Lukaku to attack and Diego its your job to be our playmaker.


Attacking Tactics:
* Mulumbu, it’s a box-to-box role again for you, support the defence and our attack.
* Yacub create from deep, look to supply our front three with precise passing. It’s your job to start our attacks.
* Ince & Brunt, Create width for us. Switch sides every so often to befuddle their defence. Just make sure you get some decent cross for Lukaku to attack
* Diego you’re our advanced playmaker, look to filter into the pockets of space in their midfield and back four.
*Lukaku lead the line as usual. Use your strength and aerial ability to attack any crosses. Make their centre backs struggle, and look to draw fouls. Set piece might just be the key tonight.


Defending Tactics:
* Reid & Ridgewell, alternate your runs so we’re not left light at the back but offer support for the winger if they’re getting singled out.
* Ince & Brunt, your expect to put a shift going forward but I expect you to do the same defending. Last game of the season so get back.
* Cb’s communicate, physically dominate Berbatov, he’ll at the confrontation and drop deep leaving them with no one upfront.
* Yacub & Mulumbu don’t allow the opposition to play in front of our defence; I want high pressure on the man with the ball.
* Two tight banks of four to congest the midfield to disrupt their ability to create. Make sure there are no gaps in our defence that they can exploit.

If losing after 60 minutes:
* Long on for Diego.
* Change to a 4-4-2

-------------------------------Stekelenburg------------------------------
--------Reither--------Samba-------------Mirin-------Molinaro---------
-------Redmond------Huddlestone-------Capoue------Varela----------
------------------------------Berbatov------------------------------------
--------------------------------------Adriano-----------------------------

BENCH
Gillet
O'Brien
Fucile
Duff
Emmanuelson
Ruiz
Rodallega


TACTICS
This is it. Cup final. We need to go out and win today, we have named a fairly attacking line up in the hope of doing just that.


DEFENSE
Lukaku is going to play upfront, and Samba has the task today of man-marking him. Do not let him have any room to do anything. He is their key player and will kill us with time or space. He has a height advantage over the forward and should use that to win anything aerially. Just get the ball and smash it upfield. Other than that we should generally look to defend in two solid banks of four. Make sure that we are well organised and hold our shape with no gaps in between, play on the edge of the 18 yard box so there is not enough room to play in behind and keep things tight when we don't have the ball.


ATTACK
Redmond and Varela are both great wingers with great skill and should showcase that today, get forward at breakneck speed, have a go at the opposing full backs with a burst of pace and get balls in. Huddlestone should provide passing from deep, show a good range of both short and long passes into our players, keep the ball while Capoue should be full of running, be a nuisance. Berbatov should find pockets of space, make something special happen. No specific role today just find the space, be it getting deeper, on the shoulder, in between the lines, anywhere. Be an option for quick one-twos with the other forwards. Adriano should play on the shoulder of the last man, look to cause problems with pace. McAuley in particular lacks pace so have a go at him. Be clinical in front of goal, and if there's a drop ball, you know what to do.


SET PIECES
Left Corner - Huddlestone
Right Corner - Redmond
Free Kicks - Varela
Penalties - Berbatov


SUBSTITUTIONS
If winning bring on Emmanuelson for Adriano going to five in midfield.

If drawing bring on Duff and Ruiz for Redmond and Varela, give us some fresh attacking options.

If losing bring on Rodallega, Emmanuelson and Ruiz for Molinaro, Capoue, Redmond. Move to an all out attacking 3-4-3.