Week 14 Tactics

Injuries: Andre Zambo Anguissa, Andreas Christensen, Ciro Immobile

--------------------------Berisha-------------------------------
Meunier-----------Rugani-----Vertonghen-----------------Alba
Robben----------Fernandinho--Tolisso----------------Thauvin
---------------------------Coric----------------------------------
--------------------------Llorente--------------------------------

Subs: Fruchtl, Zappacosta, Layun, Chalobah, Davis, Albrighton, Martinez

4-4-1-1 formation with Coric roaming in behind Llorente as a support CAM. 
Rugani and Vertonghen to mark the striker/s out of the game staying strong winning the aerial battles, playing out from the defence
Flat back 4 to play a compact system where we can still maintain possession in the midfield and control the game
Meunier and Alba will be providing the width pushing up and down the flanks
Robben and Thauvin tucking in to play off of Llorente as a target man
When attacking we will have two options, playing narrow through Robben and Thauvin or laying wider with our Full backs
Fernandinho to drop deep and screen the back line protecting
Tolisso starting the attacks as the playmaker from deep
Llorente to hold the ball up and bring others into play in attacking situations
Llorente pushing into the box to get onto the end of crosses from out wide 

70th - Thauvin off for Martinez to keep the pressure on out wide 
80th - Davis on for Fernandinho to keep battling in the midfield

------------------------Ederson------------------------
----Valencia-----Jones----------Evans----Azpilicueta---
-----------------Sanson--------Casemiro----------------
--------Bailey----------Lingard--------Rashford--------
------------------------Falcao-------------------------

BENCH
Sportiello
Caricol
Rodrigo Hernandez
Winks
Thomas
Young
Ibrahimovic


DEFENSE
Press as a unit, play a higher line with Ederson sweeping in behind. Pressurise them higher up with our energetic attacking players.

Azpilicueta selected against Robben, get narrow and don't let him cut in, time the tackles carefully without diving in.
Jones the main man-marker of Llorente, matching him aerially.
Lingard to press Tolisso, not allowing him any time in possession. 
Casemiro and Sanson - one join in the pressurising, one sit. 
Watch overlapping runs from their fullbacks, especially Alba (need high workrate from frontmen.)


ATTACK
Interchanging encouraged, look to breakaway as soon as we win possession.
Falcao to hold up the play, link up with the three strikers and be the poacher. If man-marked, get on a different CB.

Bailey and Rashford get between their full back and centre back, pull them out of position - creating room for one another. 
Keep the ball on the ground in general and quickly pass it. 
Casemiro and Sanson get involved, one at a time in attacks but seeing most of the ball.



SUBSTITUTIONS
If winning
70' Winks >> Sanson, 
80' Rodrigo Hernandez >> Lingard

If losing
65' Young >> Evans, Azpilicueta to CB
80' Zlatan >> AM, move to 4-4-2.

---------------Strakosha
Pereira -- Sokratis -- Miranda -- Fuchs
-----------Paulinho -- Fred
-----Lozano ---- Fekir --- Arnautovic
----------------Mariano 

Benchizzle - Lichtsteiner, Diakhaby, Parolo, Zakaria, Rodrigo, Gomez, Deulofeu

Look to keep control of the ball pass it about and wait for them to make mistakes and pounce on

Attack
Possession focused game, pass and move in the middle with a strong all around 3 
Paulinho look to push forward and support the front 3 giving the wingers options for cutbacks to the edge of the area
Lozano/Arnautovic - stay up the field, push their FBs/Wingbacks back or exploit the space behind if they go forward
Mariano lead the line, drop into number 10 if the midfielders push on, drag the CBs out to create space
FBs go forward 1 at a time look to whip balls in

Defence
Lozano/Arnautovic/Fekir to press from the front
Fred the protector, pick up AM if they play one
Paulinho drop in alongside without the ball, cover the wings if they're cutting in 
Sokratis pick up main striker, Miranda with the pace to cover
FBs prevent crosses, use pace to cut wingers off if they look to cut in 

---------------------Heaton

Henrichs------Tah---------Umtiti-------Gaya 

----------Rabiot-----Weigl----Soler

Guedes-------------Dolberg-----------Coman

Subs - Upamecano, Klostermann, Davies, Ndombele, Richarlison, Havertz, Dembele

Using flat midfield 3 to combat whatever they do there  - Weigl most defensive, pick up Fekir if he's AM, Rabiot/Soler true box to box midfielders - looking to attack out wide especially with Guedes against back up LB

Attack
Feed Guedes all day, stay up the field,  effectively play as right wing forward, attack and beat LB, look for your own shot or play in others
Dolberg drag defenders away from Guedes side with movement giving him space, roll into gaps to attack crosses
Coman keep width, Pereira likes to attack, use pace to expose gaps, occasionally swap wings with Guedes to vary threat
Rabiot/Soler - support the front 3, look for cut backs, take shots whenever on, burst beyond Dolberg if he drops deep

Defence
Full backs - attack 1 at a time
Tah pick up main striker, Umtiti cover/look for Fekir if he's coming forward
Weigl, cut off supply to Fekir, don't follow him out wide
Rabiot/Soler - drop in alongside Weigl without ball to congest supply to AMs

Subs - 70mins
Winning - Ndombele add energy in midfield for Soler, Upamecano for Coman/Guedes - 3-5-2
Losing - Richarlison for Soler, play up front - 4-4-2

---------------Lafont------------------
------Retsos----Silva----Lenglet--------
Hysaj----SMS---Pellegrini----Grimaldo
--------Asensio-------Dembele-------
---------------Werner---------------
 
Injuries: Skriniar, Memphis, Sessegnon 
 
Subs: J.Gomez, Locatelli, Sancho, Solanke, Bentancur, Mukiele, M.Gomez
 
Overall: Expect SAS to play deep and counter, if so be patient in possession, use intelligent movement to draw markers to create space for others to exploit. If SAS go for it then in turn we soak and hit on counter.
 
Defence
 

Hysaj/Grimaldo - Close down spaces, force the opponent onto their weaker foot and block crosses, drop into a 5 man defence where required.
Silva - Marshal the back line, ensure they keep shape, alert and are disciplined. As extra man double up on main threat.
Lenglet/Retsos - Don't be dragged out of position, be aware of SAS speed and slow their game down through jockeying them.
SMS/Pellegrini – Work hard. Read the game, react and intercept, protect the defence then launch attacks. Physically bully opponents.
 
Attack
 
SMS/Pellegrini – Look for movement & space ahead. SMS time late runs into box.
Asensio/Dembele - Free roles. Decision making is vital, mix up play between taking on the defence or pass & move. Don’t let opposition second guess.
Werner – Constant movement, drag markers to create space for others. Use speed to burst past last man.
 
Subs:
70m – J.Gomez > Retsos
80m – Sancho > Dembele

Injuries
Mertens
Gervinho
Jorge

Starting XI - 5-3-2

GK - Roman Burki
RWB - Sime Vrsaljko
RCB - Kalidou Koulibaly
CB - Davinson Sanchez
LCB - Terence Kongolo
LWB - Sead Kolasinac
LCM - Amadou Diawara
CM - Oguzhan Ozyakup
RCM - Mario Lemina
ST - Son Heung Min
ST - Malcom

--------------------------------Burki--------------------------------
------------Koulibaly---------Sanchez----------Kongolo------------
Vrsaljko--------------------------------------------------------Kolasinac
--------------------Lemina--Ozyakup----Diawara------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------Malcom---Son----------------------------------

Subs
Aymen Abdennour
Patrick Roberts
James Maddison
Giannelli Imbula
Mile Svilar
Gabriel Mercado

Overall tactics - sit deep to nullify their pace in attack, and look to counter with our quick forwards against their defence. 

Defence - Wingbacks I want you to mainly concentrate on defending. Play a deep defensive line, with our midfield three hassling their midfield to stop them being able to pick out passes. Disrupt their possession, and look to release the front two as soon as you can. If they play two up top Kongolo/Koulibaly mark them and Sanchez is free, if one up top Sanchez mark and Kongolo/Koulibaly are free.

Attack - We're looking to attack with pace and directness. Once the ball is won back, look to get it into Son/Malcom as soon as possible. Son/Malcom, run at their defence minus Skrinar, take players on, try long shots - Diawara/Lemina will use their athletic ability to support.

SHAKHTAR SENSELESS v Ebbsfleet United

Injuries: L Hernandez, Pepe, Ulreich, Dzeko


----------

Ebbsfleet at home today, solving our defensive injury crisis with a formation change, going 4-3-3 to minimise the impact with Bender at DM so we aren't short of numbers.

Cech, command your area at all times, distribute long and wide, be wary of long range efforts.

Vallejo/Kimpembe, one man mark their striker, the other be the spare man, in possession find Tielemans/Gundogan. Come up for corners.

Juanfran/Rose, in possession get forward and overlap Sabitzer/Pastore cutting infield, when we lose possession get back alongside Vallejo/Kimpembe, force their wingers wide wherever possible.

Tielemans/Bender/Gundogan, Bender sit infront of the back four, protect the CB's, stay tight to David Silva. Tielemans/Gundogan in dual B2B roles, bring the ball forward to supply the front three, without the ball drop back alongside Bender.

Sabitzer/Silva/Pastore, Sabitzer/Pastore stay wide, stretch their defence, cut inside when Juanfran/Rose are overlapping. Link with Tielemans/Gundogan/Silva. Silva stay on their deepest defender, look to spin in behind. Shoot on sight.

Subs 70 mins;
If winning: Pastore off, Asamoah on. Asamoah to LM, Sabitzer to RM, 4-5-1.

If losing: Bender/Vallejo off, Sisto/Augustin on. 3-1-4-2, Gundogan/Pastore at AM.

Week 14: Shakhtar Senseless v Ebbsfleet United

Injuries: Yerry Mina, Leander Dendoncker, David Neres

Formation: 4-3-3
-----------------------------Neto----------------------------------
Trippier---------Bartra---------Martinez---------Emerson
------------Goretzka-----Arthur-----Torreira----------------
---------Brandt---------Bakambu---------Silva---------------

Subs: VMS, Jach, Kolarov, Tete, Gomes, Arnaiz, Tosun

Back 4 – If Dzeko up front, Martinez to mark and higher line. If Silva, Bartra to mark and deeper one. Emerson get forward to pack midfield and allow Silva to hang back and dictate around opponent’s area. They may press high, so priority is to get ball away from our area to midfield.

Arthur – Quick interchanges between Goretzka/Torriera/Silva. Let Shakhtar chase shadow before releasing Bakambu/Brandt or looking for quick 1-2’s with Silva.

Gortezka/Torriera – Keep possession and always make yourself available. Gortezka to get forward and provide cover if attacks break down further forward to start them up again. Torreira, cover the left when Emerson gets forward and mindful of quick counter attacks.

Silva – Playing on left today to combat being crowded out. Not winger, job is be available for the ball further forward, dictate play around left side outside penalty area. Look for Emerson going outside you and Bakambu going through centre. Brandt will be coming inside from the right as well.

Brandt/Bakambu – Both looking to use speed to get behind defence and convert through balls.

Sub (if wining after 75mins). Tosun for Bakambu, Arthur for Arnaiz. Go 5-4-1, with Silva slotting in midfield and Arnaiz/Brandt out wide.