TATUNG Tactics

---------------------------Hassen
-------------Orban---------------------Bartra--------------
TAA--------------------------------------------------Kolasinac
--------------------------Diawara
-------------Tousart----------------Demirbay
Salah----------------------------------------------Forsberg
---------------------------Werner

Subs: N'Doram, Ziyech, Mane, Woodburn, Kane, Keïta, Fekir

Captain: Orban
Freekicks: TAA
Corners: TAA
Penalties: Werner

Possession, Positioning & Defending:
Building attacks starts from the back or deep midfield. Intelligent use of the ball from your midfielders & defenders enables your attackers to receive the ball in better positions making it easier for them to create chances & score goals. This does not necessarily mean a slow passive build-up with the ball. We still attack with intensity, press with intensity & defend with intensity. However we feel possession of the ball enables us to play with the strength in movement of our players with & without the ball to aid us in creating chances against teams that will look to defend deep. The formation isn’t the restricted position of our players when in possession. It is however a system in positioning to retreat into when our initial high press fails & we need to structure ourselves defensively. To enable us to dominate possession we need to position ourselves intelligently as we look to create overloads within the opposition’s structure enabling our players to pass their way out of the opposition’s press by moving the ball to an area of the pitch which then becomes less saturated & more vulnerable to penetration. The aim is to pass & lure the opposition to one area of the pitch with the compact positioning of players close to the ball & then quickly switch the play to the other side of the field thus catching the opposition out of position. So the vertical spacing between the defence, midfield & attack needs to be needs to remain compact at all times.

In Amadou Diawara, Kerem Demirbay & Lucas Tousart we have 3 midfielders who are capable of dictating the play as well springing a quick counter attack with a splitting pass or bursting run through midfield. Together they will look to get on the ball as much as possible. Once the play is moved to our forwards they will position themselves intelligently so that they can dictate the play by redistributing the ball to our creative workhorses in Salah, Forsberg & Werner.
Diawara, Demirbay & Tousart more than have the physical attributes to dominate any midfield but they can also speed up or slow down the play depending on the rhythm of the game before making the right pass that will result in checkmate for us. Most teams will look to shut us out through the centre of the pitch so building attacks from wide areas will be utilised as well.
If the play is towards the left/left-centre of the field we will use the positioning of Demirbay, Bartra, Kolasinac & Forsberg to create the overloads that enable us to keep possession. While those four players look to dominate the space & ball, Diawara & Tousart will move infield to make sure we are not neglecting the centre of the pitch which helps us both defensively(to press) & offensively(to pass). Werner will make runs which will enable us to create chances and Salah will balance out the attack by either keeping himself free for us to switch the play or occupying the centre backs should Werner move towards the play. The defence also moves as well, keeping an eye on the opposition’s forwards as they will look to cut off the passing options in the event that we lose the ball. This allows the defenders to press quickly.
When the opposition tries to win the ball back we have enough players to play around their press however should we find the play congested, we will quickly switch the play (via a combination of passes or a long pass) to less congested right side & utilise the individual abilities of Salah, TAA or Tousart (a collective of pace, power, speed of thought, vision & technical ability). Also by spacing our players close together, it also enables us to press the opposition quickly & in numbers aiding us to win the ball as quickly as possible thus counter-pressing the opposition & catching them disorganised which enhances the quality of our attacks.
If the opposition goes for the long ball, Orban & Bartra more than have the physical attributes to deal with the scenario. The ball should only ever be passed to the defence to relieve the team of pressure as we re-evaluate the play & build again or to mislead the opposition out of their defensive shell & open up space in-between the lines for us to quickly move the ball forward & create more quality chances.

When the play is on the right hand side of the field the philosophy is the same, only the personal changes. So Tousart, Orban, TAA & Salah will create the overloads. Diawara & Demirbay will move infield & Forsberg will balance our play depending on the movement of Werner. Defence performs their same role as well.

Possession of the ball is only the tool with which we need to fully express our style of play based on positional structure & movement of our players. Without the ball this is not possible. Chances are created from the positional structure, dynamic movement & spacing in the final third, which surprises opponent thus creating breakthroughs towards the opponent’s goal – especially when the creativity of Diawara, Demirbay, Tousart & Forsberg is paired with the sheer speed of Salah & Werner. We understand that our forwards are not blessed in height therefore we will mainly utilise cutbacks instead of crosses. This should also play into the box-2-box strengths of Demirbay & Tousart.
Counter-pressing is also a tool should we lose the ball in the attacking third. As mentioned above the compact positioning of our players aids our intense pressing tactic.
Through balls, chips & lobs coupled with the movement of our forwards all contribute to our attacking style. Attackers are allowed freedom of movement & expression.

Part of our defensive strategy is intense pressing & counter-pressing the player with the ball & man-marking the immediate passing options available to the opposing player with the ball. However we do understand that the high press will not always win the ball there we will look to defend in a narrow 451 structure (Werner being the front 1).
• The default posture of the team is to sit deep in a narrow, compact shape in order to prevent the opponent from creating chances.
• The team only breaks the shape to press the ball when the odds of success are high. (And even here it might be better to say that the whole team moves together, causing the shape to temporarily change, rather than saying that the shape "breaks"
• When the ball is won, it is played forward quickly because fast attacks can catch opponents off balance & turning the ball over in the attacking third is less costly than turning it over in your own defensive third or in midfield.
• Every player in the team has to assist defensively.
• Position ourselves compactly, offering less space between our lines & force the opponent into less dangerous areas of the field away from our goal.

We have intelligent players that have this dynamic movement & intelligent positioning in their arsenal & thus we are comfortable implementing this style of play.

Subs
60mins: Keïta for Demirbay to get some fresh legs in midfield
75mins: Woodburn for Forsberg and Fekir for Salah. Switch to a diamond with Fekir being the CAM and Werner & Woodburn playing upfront.

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Fishguard Sports

Captain: Cech
Penalties: Firmino (Dolberg)
Free Kicks: Coutinho/Isco

-----------------------Cech
Kimmich----Bailly-------de Ligt--------Guerreiro
------------Llorente----Saúl Ñíguez
-----Mor-------------Isco-------------Coutinho
--------------------Firmino

Subs: Pollersbeck, Odriozola, Kempf, van de Beek, Frenkie de Jong, Dahoud, Dolberg


Our defensive unit consists of Eric Bailly and Matthijs de Ligt paired up at centre-back, Joshua Kimmich at right-back and Raphaël Guerreiro at left-back, with Marcos Llorente and Saúl Ñíguez Dahoud as our midfield ‘double pivot’ screening them.

This ‘double pivot’ is the key to our team and in Llorente and Saúl we have a perfect pairing to initiate attacks by distributing the ball in an intelligent fashion, to be key players in circulation and to prevent dangerous opposition attacks, being disciplined in positioning and limiting space in between the lines.

The strength of our double pivot is that Saúl can press the ball without leaving lots of space, as Llorente can maintain a good position to react if the initial press is bypassed. Our double pivot will offer huge defensive stability and will ensure that a structured shape is maintained.

Having two defensive midfielders centrally prevents others being dragged out of position to press.

Helping the defenders maintain solid positioning is a key part of Saúl’s role, he will press almost anywhere in his own half to allow defenders to stay in the defensive line.

With Saúl running his socks off for the team, our high tempo will dictated by his partner in holding midfield, Marcos Llorente.

Llorente is not just your “win the ball and pass it on to the closest player” – there is a real creative mind in his locker, but it’s his ability to be the shield of the back four and then be creative once he gets the ball that makes Llorente such a talent.

The attacking unit consists of Emre Mor, Isco and Philippe Coutinho as our band of three attacking midfielders, with Roberto Firmino as our lone central striker.

Our 4-2-3-1 is set up to have that wonderful ‘springy' quality - it absorbs pressure without breaking and then snaps back with surprising force.

In defence our 4-2-3-1 covers space very effectively, with the band of three attacking midfielders and centre forward able to press the opposition high up the pitch while the two defensive midfielders ensure that there is no space left in front of the defence. Then the back four can either play a high line, compressing the space even further, or drop deeper as preferred.

Once we have won the ball back, often by Llorente or Saúl, then our 4-2-3-1 can spring into attack.

Kimmich and Guerreiro can surge up the wings in the knowledge that Llorente and Saúl can drop into the space left behind if needed. As they come up the wings, both Emre Mor and Philippe Coutinho who are fleet-footed speed merchants, excellent in tight spaces and fantastic dribblers will cut inside or make runs into the box. Isco our attacking central midfielder’s low centre of gravity will enable him to navigate away from defenders at a frighteningly quick pace. Isco is blessed with an instant first touch and can dribble with the ball at such a close proximity to his feet that it makes him almost impossible to tackle this creative passer who will look to play Mor, Coutinho or Firmino in via fast passing combinations.

In our system we have a wealth of fleet-footed players and players with similar strengths; Firmino is the man who will do the job of being a jack-of-all-trades-but-master-of-none like talent. He will look to score, create or press with high-intensity up front.

One of the rarest traits that Firmino has up sleeve is his movement, which will open up the tightest of defences. His positioning near the half-spaces and the movement slightly deeper towards our opponents midfielders will drag either the full back or the centre-half out of position, opening up spaces for his team-mates to run into. And this ability of his is massively underrated.

Sub on 70 mins
Dahoud on for Saúl

Sub on 80 mins
Dolberg on for Firmino

Goodwick United

Captain: Dzeko
Penalties: Dzeko
Free Kicks: Calhanoglu

---------------------------Horn
Vrsaljko-----Stark-------- Lucas Hernández----Augustinsson
-------------------Carrick------- Höjbjerg
-----Coman--------- Calhanoglu------------Brandt
--------------------------Dzeko

Subs: Weidenfeller, Elvedi, Gibson, Romeu, Coric, Ödegaard, Llorente


Our defensive unit consists of Niklas Stark and Lucas Hernández paired up at centre-back, Sime Vrsaljko at right-back and Ludwig Augustinsson at left-back, with Michael Carrick and Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg as our midfield ‘double pivot’ screening them.

This ‘double pivot’ is the key to our team and in Carrick and Höjbjerg we have a perfect pairing to initiate attacks by distributing the ball in an intelligent fashion, to be key players in circulation and to prevent dangerous opposition attacks, being disciplined in positioning and limiting space in between the lines.

The strength of our double pivot is that Höjbjerg can press the ball without leaving lots of space, as Carrick can maintain a good position to react if the initial press is bypassed. Our double pivot will offer huge defensive stability and will ensure that a structured shape is maintained.

Having two defensive midfielders centrally prevents others being dragged out of position to press.

Helping the defenders maintain solid positioning is a key part of Höjbjerg’s role, he will press almost anywhere in his own half to allow defenders to stay in the defensive line.

With Höjbjerg running his socks off for the team, our high tempo will dictated by his partner in holding midfield, Michael Carrick.

A holding midfielder through and through, Carrick is not just your “win the ball and pass it on to the closest player” – there is a real creative mind in his locker, but it’s his ability to be the shield of the back four and then be creative once he gets the ball that makes Carrick such a talent.

The attacking unit consists of Kingsley Coman, Hakan Calhanoglu and Julian Brandt as our band of three attacking midfielders, with Fernando Llorente as our lone central striker.

Our 4-2-3-1 is set up to have that wonderful ‘springy' quality - it absorbs pressure without breaking and then snaps back with surprising force.

In defence our 4-2-3-1 covers space very effectively, with the band of three attacking midfielders and centre forward able to press the opposition high up the pitch while the two defensive midfielders ensure that there is no space left in front of the defence. Then the back four can either play a high line, compressing the space even further, or drop deeper as preferred.

Once we have won the ball back, often by Carrick or Höjbjerg, then our 4-2-3-1 can spring into attack.

Vrsaljko and Augustinsson can surge up the wings in the knowledge that Carrick and Höjbjerg can drop into the space left behind if needed. As they come up the wings, both Coman and Brandt who are fleet-footed speed merchants, excellent in tight spaces and fantastic dribblers will cut inside or make runs into the box. Hakan Calhanoglu our attacking central midfielder’s diminutive physique and low centre of gravity will enable him to navigate away from defenders at a frighteningly quick pace. Hakan Calhanoglu is blessed with an instant first touch and can dribble with the ball at such a close proximity to his feet that it makes him almost impossible to tackle this creative passer who will look to play Coman, Brandt or Dzeko in via fast passing combinations.

Upfront Dzeko will operate in fluid attacking system— looking to latch onto through balls, intelligently lofted passes, one-touch movement and drilled crosses from our full backs.

Subs – Llorente on for Dzeko 70 mins

Spartans away at Tatung – (3-3-3-1)

Injuries:
Calabria, Caldara, Aarons, Zidane

…………………………….Buffon……………………….
……….Barzagli…….Mascherano…..Rugani……
De Sciglio………………Gagliardini……………….Gaya
Berardi…………………….Mertens……………………Insigne
……………………………….Zlatan……………………………..
Subs: Cragno, Iorfa, Suarez, Sturaro, Walcott, Munir, Sadiq

Spartans finally fancy a game in the shield, Tino Bambino goes for a nice attacking 3-3-3-1 line-up here as we look to blitz Tatung and keep them firmly on the back foot.
We’re putting a huge workload on Gagliardini but it’s his punishment for being an Interista

No fancy dan possession football from us in our own half we want to play with pace and purpose, one touch flicks get the ball from back to front in 3 or 4 passes before Leiva’s boys get back in position.

Gigi the “goat” leads the side out and will be the calming presence at the back, he’s been there and won it all, quick short passes out to help us build quick counters,

Barz and Mascherano may have ageing bones but they’re still formidable and with the young legs of Rugani in there we should be fine, as a precaution we’ll hold the line a little deeper today to counter-act the pace that Tatung’s strike-force bring to the party, Barz and Rugs will hold the central ground and not move wide to deal with the wingers as that’s the job of my wing-backs, Mascherano will push further forwards to join Gags in the midfield and take the battle to Tatung.

De Sciglio and Gaya will tuck in today, not push as far forward as they like to, due to the pace of Tatungs wingers, go no further than half-way, show the man the line and force the cross – we have enough height in the box to deal with an aerial bombardment, With the ball they’ll keep it simple – we have a front four so there should always be a pass on.

Gagliardini has it hard today trying to keep Tatungs midfield quiet but with Mascherano pushing forward to add a bit of muscle he should be ok – our front-four should mean atleast one of Leiva’s CM’s having to sit deeper anyway so the midfield should even out numbers wise.

Berardi gets the nod on the right flank and he’ll look to play more of an inside forward today cutting in and attacking the spaces between LB and LCB looking to utilise that sweet left peg of his.

Mertens has done so well leading the line for Napoli since Higuain left and Milik got injured, today he’s more of a SS a 9.5 if you will – playing just off the shoulder of Ibra..the pace and movement of Mertens and the power and unpredictability of Zlatan should give defenders nightmares.

Insigne over on the left flank is the mirror image of Berardi on the right, another clever little player that likes to cut inside and draw defenders with him, I know it seems congested but it works for Napoli and there’s no reason why this trident which is 2/3’s the same can’t work with Berardi instead of Callejon.

Zlatan the magician, showed last season he still has the goal scoring touch, his legs may not have the burst of pace they once had, but he’s our talisman and with the 3 amigos behind him being willing runners he can still be The Man – will sit between the 2 Centre-Halves bring the ball down and lay it off for the others, a great spring-board for our counter-attacks.

Subs 60 mins

Denis Suarez > Gagliardini – just a like for like change, fresh legs in the engine room.


Sub 75 mins

Theo > Zlatan – pure pace through the middle, tiring defence being run ragged and this whippet comes on to further sap the energy from their legs.