Week 17 Tactics

-----------------------Ederson-----------------------
---Valencia-------Sule-------Vertonghen----Caricol---
----------------Casemiro-----Tielemans---------------
---------Bailey--------Lingard--------Lemar----------
----------------------Batshuayi---------------------

BENCH
Sportiello
Evans
Pepe
Rodrigo Hernandez
Winks
Falcao
Carrillo


TACTICS
Need to win to keep up the push for 2nd. Aggressive Guardiola-like pressing when out of possession. With the ball, quick passing, hold onto it until the right moment.


DEFENSE
We have a lot of energy in our side, from the first minute press them. They have a couple of quick players but our defense has the pace in it to react. Ederson to come out quickly as a sweeper-keeper.
Rabiot is their main playmaker with Weigl out. Lingard to press high up, don't let him settle. 
If Guedes is wide, that full back should be more cautious about runs. If central, Vertonghen to be the main man-marker.


ATTACK
Keep hold of the ball, lots of passing, keeping it on the ground generally. Lots of changing positions from the AM trio, all offering something different.
Batshuayi to look for space in behind, make the pitch as big as possible for the trio. 
When we have the ball in defense Vertonghen the main distributor of the ball, carry it out. One full back to get forward at a time.


SUBSTITUTIONS
If winning
60' Rodrigo >> Tielemans
80' Falcao >> Batshuayi

If losing
60' Falcao >> Lingard
80' Winks >> Casemiro

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

----Upamecano------Tah--------Umtiti

Henrichs-----Rabiot-------Soler-------Gaya

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

Subs - De Ligt, Klostermann, Davies, Ndombele, Richarlison, Dembele, Arp

Wanting to attack with width to get after the full backs, and overwhelm their defence

Attack
Guedes and Coman attack the gap between full backs and CBs - our wing backs will provide width
Wing backs - provide the width to prevent their defence playing narrow and restricting space
Rabiot/Soler - primarily holding to allow wing backs to provide width
Dolberg lead the line, look for through balls from middle of the field, take shots at every opportunity 

Defence
Umtiti/Upamecano - big roles today - need to provide cover centrally, but big part of tactics will be ability to shut down Bailey/Lemar if they get behind the full backs
Tah pick up main striker. If they play two strikers, Umtiti/Upamecano come narrow, wing backs drop and we play 5-2-3
Rabiot/Soler play screening roles, cut off central supply
Guedes/Dolberg stay forward

Subs - 70mins
Winning - Ndombele adds energy in midfield
Losing - Richarlison for Upamecano, play with wingers and 4-4-2

Injuries
Vrsaljko
Gervinho
Ozyakup

Starting XI - 4-2-3-1

GK - Roman Burki
RB - Gabriel Mercado
RCB - Kalidou Koulibaly
LCB - Davinson Sanchez
LB - Jorge
LCM - Amadou Diawara
RCM - Mario Lemina
RW - Malcom
CAM - James Maddison
LW - Son Heung Min
ST - Dries Mertens

--------------------------------Burki--------------------------------
Mercado------------Koulibaly---------Sanchez----------------------Jorge
--------------------Lemina---------------Diawara------------------------
Malcom----------------------Maddison----------------------------Son
--------------------------------Mertens---------------------------------

Subs
Aymen Abdennour
Patrick Roberts
Giannelli Imbula
Mile Svilar
Sead Kolasinac

Overall tactics - Look to push up high, and pin them in with a high press with the athletic CBs/CMs, to win the ball back for our lethal front four to cause havoc 

Defence - Play a high line today, we have the pace at the back to deal with it. Full backs don't bomb on too much today however. Diawara/Lemina use your athletic ability to harry their midfield all day, with the front four pressing onto their defence and lets look to win the ball back high up the pitch, or make them go long and win headers.

Attack - We're looking to attack with pace and directness. Once the ball is won back, look to get it into Son/Malcom/Mertens as soon as possible. Look to run at their weak defence, and punish them ruthlessly. Maddison is creator in chief if we have possession, and a great free kick option too. 

Subs - when winning - 70 mins - Imbula for Maddison - go 4-5-1 with Diawara DM, Imbula/Lemina CM and play more defensive and see out the win

Injuries:
Steven Davis
Christian Fruchtl
Ciro Immobile


---------------------------------Berisha------------------------------------
--------------------Azpilicueta--Rugani--Christensen---------------------
-------Meunier----------Fernandinho--Tolisso---------Alba--------------
-----------------Robben------Llorente-----Thauvin----------------------


Subs: Zappacosta, Layun, Chalobah, Anguissa, Coric, Martinez, Albrighton

-Meunier and Alba to push back to make a back 5 when we lose the ball
-Azpilicueta to lead the back line keeping everyone on their toes and making sure we stay solid at the back
-Fernandinho to drop in as a spare man and pick up any loose balls and to win the ball back at every opportunity
-Tolisso to drop deep to be an outlet for when we win the ball back

-Meunier and Alba to push on out wide providing an option out wide
-Fernandinho is to sit off slightly and always be the spare man
-Tolisso will be the magician in midfield looking to play people in and keep possession
-The front 3 of Thauvin, Llorente and Robben will look to play as that 3, with Llorente holding the ball up as a target man and playing the other 2 in.
-Robben and Thauvin to push inside and look to open up SAS, if you have no way of getting through, use the wide option of Meunier and Alba out wide to stretch play

80th - Anguissa on for Fernandinho to keep the energy flowing in midfield
85th - Albrighton on for Thauvin to keep attacking through the centre

Ebbsfleet v Kalamazoo Outrage

Injuries: Arthur, Kieran Tierney, Cedric Bakambu

Formation 3-4-3 (false 9)

-----------------------Neto----------------------------
-----------Mina----Skriniar----Martinez----------
Conti------Torreira----Dendoncker---Emerson
---------Willian------Silva------Brandt-------------

Subs: VMS, Trippier, Jach, Tete, Kluivert, Neres, Locadia

Playing false 9 to draw Outrage’s CB’s to meet us and where we can dominate with pace.

Mina/Skriniar/Martinez – Skriniar to mark striker. Press but don’t leave yourself exposed to balls behind. Look for our WB’s to start attacks.

Conti/Emerson – Get forward and spread Ourtrage across width of pitch. This will give Silva space to exploit and play our players through. Remember defensive responsibilities when without ball and play a back 5 - watching for opponents wingers. Both know this role well so play natural game.

Torreira/Dendoncker – A shield in the middle to be watchful of breaks when our WB’s are forward, for their wingers cutting in and Goretzka playing box-to-box. You’ve played alongside him for many games, so exploit that knowledge.. 

Willian/Brandt – Main attacking threat, start from deep where WB’s can move past and then cut into space provided. Outrage defence will be drawn out by no striker, so we are looking for your pace and finishing.

Silva – Come up the pitch to draw defence out. Exploit space when our wide players get forward. Look for quick one twos and through balls they can run onto.

Subs (if losing after 75 mins) – Locadia for Mina. Go 4-2-3-1

----------------Gulasci-----------------
J.Gomez------Mukiele---Akanji------Shaw
------------Foden---Goretzka---------
Sancho--------Under-------Sessegnon
----------------M.Gomez--------------
 
Injuries: Hysaj, Retsos, Bentacur
 
Subs: Asensio, Dembele, Werner, Depay, SMS, Silva, Lenglet.
 
Overall: Ebbsfleet are a strong side but can be penetrated from the flanks, attack to press their defence to commit mistakes, defensively come narrow to protect the CBs. Know when to park the bus and when to ramp up the gears.
 
Defence
 
Gomez/Shaw - Go narrow and close down spaces, force the opponent onto their weaker foot and block crosses.
Mukiele/Akanji - Both excellent readers of the game so awareness is key, track movement and be composed in tackles, take high line if Ibra striker, deeper for Bakambu and block channels.
Goretzka/Foden – Work hard. Read the game, react and intercept, protect the defence then launch attacks. Physically bully opponents.
 
Attack
 
Foden – Quick play, turn defence into offense in a second, look for movement & space ahead.
Under - free role, look to switch play quickly and double up down channels.
Sancho/Sessegnon – Decision making is vital, mix up play between taking on the defence or pass & move. Don’t let opposition second guess you.
Gomez – Constant movement, let the defence chase your shadow as you find space, chase every ball
 
Subs:
70m – Asensio/Dembele/Werner > Under/Sancho/M.Gomez Fresh legs against tiring defence.

SHAKHTAR SENSELESS v Cape-Coast Mysterious Dwarfs

Injuries: Caballero, Brewster, L Hernandez


---

Home to the Dwarfs today, I want us to play a pressing game whenever they are in our half and utilise our pace when counter attacking.

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

Defence, Laporte mark their striker, Vallejo play as the spare man to get to any second balls. Juanfran/Rose overlap our wingers going forward, but track back quickly.

Midfield, Gundogan/Chalobah sit in front of the back four, ensure we are hard to penetrate. In possession use your passing abilities to get the ball to Pastore in the pocket. Pastore will use his trickery to create space and chances.

Attack, Sabitzer/Bernard run at the Dwarfs defence, get crosses in to Dzeko but on occasion cut infield, either to link with Pastore/Dzeko, or to feed Juanfran/Rose overlapping you. Shoot when it opens up. Dzeko to get onto the end of every cross and pass, shoot on sight, try to spin in behind the last defender.

Tactical changes;
If winning: Pastore drop into midfield, flat 4-5-1

If losing: Vallejo/Chalobah off, Vinicius/Augustin on. All out attack, 3-1-4-2.

Tactics – Dwarfs v Shakhtar

Injuries
Fabinho
Antonio Sanabria
Danilo D'Ambrosio
Marcos Alonso


Substitutes: Kamara, Masina, Nunez, Tousart, Fornals, Til, Wagner.
Playing attacking game with wide players cutting inside to support Jesus, full backs bomb on and overlap providing the width. Iniesta playmaker looking to play through balls to three ahead of him.
Press from the front and win the ball back early. Geiger to sit and protect CBs. Seri play box to box

Defence

• Konate pick up the main striker. Chiellini pick up any second striker or play spare watching runs from deep.
  
• FBs to pick up the wide players, force them wide and leave the striker isolated
  
• CMs to sit and protect the back four, chasing everything and making a nuisance of yourselves.
  
• Forwards press from the front.
  

Attack

• Aouar and Reus to come narrow and get in support of Jesus.
  
• FBs to bomb on and overlap to provide extra width.
  
• Iniesta to pull strings from deep, looking to play balls in. When the ball out wide, get in to the box
  
• Seri playing box to box driving forward when we attack
  

Subs: on 45 minutes, Konate, Geiger off, Nunez, Tousart on. Fresh legs.