2017 Season Tactics Thread

Threads crossing over is to be expected to some extent. If one thread becomes overrun with chat that really belongs somewhere else then it may be required to move some posts around but at the moment I think we'd prefer for chat to flow naturally.

This all said, it should be obvious that if tactics are going to be discussed anywhere then it should be in the tactics thread, not the media one.
Media thread should be the place for complaining about Vieira's comments that his tactics were not the problem in the last game.
 
I had it as a 352 with Wallace and Maxi rotating from left forward to CAM. There were definitely 3 at the back, whoscored player positions shows that, and harrison definitely wasn't a right forward, the heat maps show that. So there weren't 3 forwards.

Sorry no time for screen shots

I've seen a few references to what we played against DC as a 3-2-2-3. I don't think it was that. Matarrita and Harrison were too wide for that formation - note Vieira's comments that they couldn't play far enough up the pitch because the LCB and RCB didn't play wide enough behind them. Also, I don't believe we played the W-M last year away from home. I think it was supposed to be a regular 3-4-3, with Maxi and Wallace having some freedom to switch and roam.
 
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I've seen a few references to what we played against DC as a 3-2-2-3. I don't think it was that. Matarrita and Harrison were too wide for that formation - note Vieira's comments that they couldn't play far enough up the pitch because the LCB and RCB didn't play wide enough behind them. Also, I don't believe we played the W-M last year away from home. I think it was supposed to be a regular 3-4-3, with Maxi and Wallace having some freedom to switch and roam.
I think it was intended as the W-M but looked more like a 3-4-3 because of positional issues due to lack of familiarity. And maybe because DC played it well (avoid the overload in the middle and exploit the lack of natural width in the formation).
 
In my opinion, PV claiming it was supposed to be a 343 makes it even worse. That means he thought our front line should be wallace, villa harrison, which leaves ring, maxi, pirlo and MATARRITA in as CMs? Was mata supposed to be like a second attacking mid next to maxi? was he supposed to be pirlo's defensive help? At least with the 352 it made SOME sense based on personnel, but the 3223 with those players is nuts.

I mean, the 3223 is saying your ONLY wide defense is Brillant and Callens. Two CBs playing as FBs. And your only central defense is Chanot with Pirlo and another midfielder. Its forcing players into bad positions for no reason, because we are a top team in the 433
 
In my opinion, PV claiming it was supposed to be a 343 makes it even worse. That means he thought our front line should be wallace, villa harrison, which leaves ring, maxi, pirlo and MATARRITA in as CMs? Was mata supposed to be like a second attacking mid next to maxi? was he supposed to be pirlo's defensive help? At least with the 352 it made SOME sense based on personnel, but the 3223 with those players is nuts.
I think it was supposed to be:

Mata Villa Harrison
Wallace Maxi
Ring Pirlo
Callens Chanot Brilliant

It looked like:

Villa
Wallace Maxi
Mata Ring Pirlo Harrison
Callens Chanot Brillant

... Because of aforementioned issues with defensive width.

Two CBs playing as FBs. And your only central defense is Chanot with Pirlo and another midfielder. Its forcing players into bad positions for no reason, because we are a top team in the 433
Agreed.
 
I think it was supposed to be:

Mata Villa Harrison
Wallace Maxi
Ring Pirlo
Callens Chanot Brilliant

It looked like:

Villa
Wallace Maxi
Mata Ring Pirlo Harrison
Callens Chanot Brillant

... Because of aforementioned issues with defensive width.


Agreed.
I really would consider playing matarrita as the LCB. Either that or as one your AMs in that formation. He's too fucking lazy to play wingback.
 
Matarrita out 4-6 weeks. Discuss.

Our attack has been highly unbalanced to the left side, with 44% of it coming from the left (2nd overall) and just 33% coming from the right (last overall). Has Vieira had an attacking fullback on one side and a defensive fullback on the other by choice, or by necessity?

I'm not sure how to fix the 4-3-3 with our only strong attacking fullback out for weeks, so I'll take the easy way out and suggest we will see more of the 3-2-2-3 over the next few weeks and shift our attack up the middle.

With an extra CAM on the field in McNamara or Camargo, one could always split out wide and act as the overlapping attacker around the wing. I'm picturing the ball flowing from the CB's through Pirlo, then up to the wingers who can either cut inside and have one CAM overlap, or take the ball wide and cross it through. If necessary, the CAM's can also drop deep when bringing the ball out of the back as a safety valve for the CB's trying to get it to Pirlo.

It's a bit of a tactical change from the 4-3-3, but the best player on our bench isn't Allen, it's McNamara or Camargo.
 
Matarrita out 4-6 weeks. Discuss.

Our attack has been highly unbalanced to the left side, with 44% of it coming from the left (2nd overall) and just 33% coming from the right (last overall). Has Vieira had an attacking fullback on one side and a defensive fullback on the other by choice, or by necessity?

I'm not sure how to fix the 4-3-3 with our only strong attacking fullback out for weeks, so I'll take the easy way out and suggest we will see more of the 3-2-2-3 over the next few weeks and shift our attack up the middle.

With an extra CAM on the field in McNamara or Camargo, one could always split out wide and act as the overlapping attacker around the wing. I'm picturing the ball flowing from the CB's through Pirlo, then up to the wingers who can either cut inside and have one CAM overlap, or take the ball wide and cross it through. If necessary, the CAM's can also drop deep when bringing the ball out of the back as a safety valve for the CB's trying to get it to Pirlo.

It's a bit of a tactical change from the 4-3-3, but the best player on our bench isn't Allen, it's McNamara or Camargo.

I'm thinking he goes 3 in the back, and adds Tmac. Tmac just seems to be someone Vieira really trusts, and every game except vs Philly he has been the first guy off the bench.

RJ seems to be out of favor considering he hasn't even been making the 18. Feel like he is more likely to reward Tmac the RJ.

I also feel like Vieira really wants the 3 at the back to work, so now he has an excuse to really force it.

If he does end up playing the 3-4-3, does he keep White as the 3rd CB, or does he give Brillant another shot?
 
Vieira in all of the media articles from training today mentioned something about a third 3 CB against Larin. Who knows if it gamesmanship or if he is really considering it. Kreis does like to play narrow so it could make sense if we can actually execute.
 
I would just go 4-3-3 with TMac slotting in and Wallace sliding back, but I am starting to think we will see a 3-4-3.

View attachment 6910
I wouldn't mind this all that much, but I think I would prefer Brillant in Ethan's spot*

*Caveat that this is based on Brillant being coached up better during the week to better understand his positional responsibilities as a RCB in a 3 man back line.
 
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I wouldn't mind this all that much, but I think I would prefer Brillant in Ethan's spot*

*Caveat that this is based on Brillant being coached up better during the week to better understand his positional responsibilities as a RCB in a 3 man back line.

I do wonder if Coach V will want Brillant in back to help mark Larin on set pieces.