Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
The 4-2-3-1 final
There is no doubt that we have seen a paradigm shift in the essential tactical model of most international teams at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Among the genuine candidates for glory in this competition – Spain, Holland, Germany, Brazil – gone is the predictable 4-4-2 formation with its large open spaces and defensive wide men. In its place, the 4-2-3-1 has emerged, which utilises two holding midfielders to squeeze the life out of the opposing team in central areas and relies on an ability to break dangerously on the counterattack.
Based on its current success and the global exposure enjoyed in South Africa, the prevalence of the 4-2-3-1 formation is definitely sustainable. It is not by any means a new system. In domestic Spanish football, in fact, it has become the predominant shape for the majority of teams in La Liga. so it should come as no real surprise that Vicente Del Bosque has chalked it onto the blackboard for La Roja.
For a long time it has been a given that a dominant midfield unit needs a holding player to marshal the defence and balance the more attacking sensibilities of his team. The successes of Manchester United’s treble winning team in 1998/9, Arsenal’s unbeaten league side of 2003/4 and Real Madrid’s Champions League winning Galacticos of 2002, were owed in large part to the defensive midfield mastery of Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira and Claude Makelele respectively.
When Spain conquered Europe in Austria and Switzerland two years ago, Marcos Senna was the unsung midfield hero whose discipline allowed the likes of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and David Silva to weave their magic further up the pitch.
Marcos Senna has since been put out to pasture and Del Bosque has adjusted Luis Aragoneses 4-4-2 diamond formation by introducing Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets into defensive midfield. The change has not been entirely popular in Spain, the theory being that if they can win EURO 2008 playing sublime free-flowing football then they can do the same in the World Cup. David Villa’s heroics aside, the attacking edge has not been as sharp as it was two years ago but, as Spain have overcome the initial shock of defeat to Switzerland and steadily progressed to the final in Johannesburg, most of Del Bosque’s critics have fallen silent.
Ostensibly, the 4-2-3-1 looks like a more conservative approach, as it generally involves fielding a defence minded player at the expense of an attack minded one, as is the case with Busquets starting ahead of say, Cesc Fabregas or David Silva. It does not necessarily work out like that, though, as Germany demonstrated with the blistering four goal wins over England and Argentina.
Holland have played a more conservative version of this system as Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong are both suited to that style; ultimately it will probably be their success or failure in stifling Spain’s passing that will decide the final.
Spain’s approach to the 4-2-3-1 is more unorthodox as they don’t tend to use natural wingers, so the play gets congested in the middle of the park. However, the fact that they keep the ball better than any other team in the world and play almost like a 5-aside team on an 11-aside pitch allows them to be successful in narrow areas, which is partly due to the fact that their imperious passing skills extend to their two defensive midfield enforcers. This densely packed positioning in the middle also makes them particularly adept at winning back possession very quickly, which is essential to Spain’s game.
In today’s final both Holland and Spain are almost certain to set their stall out in a 4-2-3-1 shape. Barring unforeseen last minute withdrawals, Holland’s starting line-up is practically set in stone. Joris Mathijsen and Nigel de Jong will return from suspension to replace Andre Ooijer and Demy de Zeeuw in central defence and central midfield respectively, in what will be the only changes made from the semi-final win over Uruguay.
Predicting the Spanish eleven is slightly trickier, with Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres, Pedro Rodriguez and David Silva all competing for one place next to Xavi, Iniesta and David Villa. If I had to hazard a guess I would suggest that Fernando Torres will start up front, with Villa playing wide left, the certainty being that the back four will remain unchanged and that Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso will command the holding midfield.
Pedro was excellent in the semi-final victory and both he and David Silva provide the only weapon that has been missing from the Spanish armoury this month, namely natural attacking width. A fit Cesc Fabregas is also a luxury to have sitting on the bench but Torres packs a goal-scoring punch that the others don’t and he was the final hero in Vienna in 2008, scoring the only goal in the 1-0 win over Germany. He has not performed at the top level so far in South Africa, but you wouldn’t bet against him scoring at Soccer City tonight.
Based on its current success and the global exposure enjoyed in South Africa, the prevalence of the 4-2-3-1 formation is definitely sustainable. It is not by any means a new system. In domestic Spanish football, in fact, it has become the predominant shape for the majority of teams in La Liga. so it should come as no real surprise that Vicente Del Bosque has chalked it onto the blackboard for La Roja.
For a long time it has been a given that a dominant midfield unit needs a holding player to marshal the defence and balance the more attacking sensibilities of his team. The successes of Manchester United’s treble winning team in 1998/9, Arsenal’s unbeaten league side of 2003/4 and Real Madrid’s Champions League winning Galacticos of 2002, were owed in large part to the defensive midfield mastery of Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira and Claude Makelele respectively.
When Spain conquered Europe in Austria and Switzerland two years ago, Marcos Senna was the unsung midfield hero whose discipline allowed the likes of Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and David Silva to weave their magic further up the pitch.
Marcos Senna has since been put out to pasture and Del Bosque has adjusted Luis Aragoneses 4-4-2 diamond formation by introducing Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets into defensive midfield. The change has not been entirely popular in Spain, the theory being that if they can win EURO 2008 playing sublime free-flowing football then they can do the same in the World Cup. David Villa’s heroics aside, the attacking edge has not been as sharp as it was two years ago but, as Spain have overcome the initial shock of defeat to Switzerland and steadily progressed to the final in Johannesburg, most of Del Bosque’s critics have fallen silent.
Ostensibly, the 4-2-3-1 looks like a more conservative approach, as it generally involves fielding a defence minded player at the expense of an attack minded one, as is the case with Busquets starting ahead of say, Cesc Fabregas or David Silva. It does not necessarily work out like that, though, as Germany demonstrated with the blistering four goal wins over England and Argentina.
Holland have played a more conservative version of this system as Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong are both suited to that style; ultimately it will probably be their success or failure in stifling Spain’s passing that will decide the final.
Spain’s approach to the 4-2-3-1 is more unorthodox as they don’t tend to use natural wingers, so the play gets congested in the middle of the park. However, the fact that they keep the ball better than any other team in the world and play almost like a 5-aside team on an 11-aside pitch allows them to be successful in narrow areas, which is partly due to the fact that their imperious passing skills extend to their two defensive midfield enforcers. This densely packed positioning in the middle also makes them particularly adept at winning back possession very quickly, which is essential to Spain’s game.
In today’s final both Holland and Spain are almost certain to set their stall out in a 4-2-3-1 shape. Barring unforeseen last minute withdrawals, Holland’s starting line-up is practically set in stone. Joris Mathijsen and Nigel de Jong will return from suspension to replace Andre Ooijer and Demy de Zeeuw in central defence and central midfield respectively, in what will be the only changes made from the semi-final win over Uruguay.
Predicting the Spanish eleven is slightly trickier, with Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres, Pedro Rodriguez and David Silva all competing for one place next to Xavi, Iniesta and David Villa. If I had to hazard a guess I would suggest that Fernando Torres will start up front, with Villa playing wide left, the certainty being that the back four will remain unchanged and that Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso will command the holding midfield.
Pedro was excellent in the semi-final victory and both he and David Silva provide the only weapon that has been missing from the Spanish armoury this month, namely natural attacking width. A fit Cesc Fabregas is also a luxury to have sitting on the bench but Torres packs a goal-scoring punch that the others don’t and he was the final hero in Vienna in 2008, scoring the only goal in the 1-0 win over Germany. He has not performed at the top level so far in South Africa, but you wouldn’t bet against him scoring at Soccer City tonight.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
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