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How Barcelona's narrow football hurt them
An Analysis THREAD.
My first ever work like this, let me find my mistakes
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An Analysis THREAD.
My first ever work like this, let me find my mistakes
Follow
Even in the days of Pep Guardiola or Luis Enrique, or the interim Tito Villanova and Tata Martino, the use of wing play and wide-field positions were widely practiced in Barcelona. Recently, under Valverde and Setien, Barca have moved away from wing play a lot.
Here it is seen that Griezmann and Fati have played the most matches (Suarez was out due to injury). But they were the most productive. Barcelona have scored more goals when Griezmann and Fati featured than when Suarez, Vidal or Brathewaite did.
Here are two points to note: 1. Both are relatively younger than Suarez / Vidal. 2. Fati is a proper winger who gives Barca a lot of widths.
Suarez is a central player on the other hand. Griezmann and so on. Although he has played a number of matches on the wing, not his area.
Suarez is a central player on the other hand. Griezmann and so on. Although he has played a number of matches on the wing, not his area.
But playing a winger in the team has got a completely different outcome.
This shows that Barca were benefited more during the wing play than the narrow approach.
This shows that Barca were benefited more during the wing play than the narrow approach.
This picture shows Messi in the attacking third. Vidal has taken a position to stretch the back line just like a striker. Meanwhile, Griezmann is coming deep to combine with Messi. On the other hand,Brathwaite and Vidal are near the back line. Suarez's work is also similar.
Because of this approach, Messi and Griezmann's scoring ability is not being used, as well as Suarez's off form and his age are not going to be enough stretch the back. As a result, Barcelona's attack has somehow come to a standstill.
Barca's approach has become very straightforward for opponents. There is no such variation. Even though Barcelona used the whole pitch during the build-up, their game became very central when it came to attack
Here you can see 5 Barcelona players are in Zone 14, just in front of the D-box. No one is seen taking a run to the flanks or standing there and widening the backline.
In contrast, it is sufficient to block the center with a narrow back line. As can be seen in the picture above, there is no space for Suarez. Also, when Messi has the ball at his feet in the attacking third, Suarez must be blocked in front of the D-box.
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And the opponent's defensive mid or central midfielder create another secondary line in the attacking third to block all forward passing options.
Teams like Atletico Madrid or Bilbao, who are very good at deep defending, create a cage-like shape that slows down the attack by blocking Barca's passing options during build-up. Also Barca's very slow transitional play provides more benefits to do this.
Since there is no winger, no one can use that space. As a result, it takes time to switch from one side to the other. by then the opponent also takes a strong defensive shape on the other side. Thus, Barca's narrow approach has become quite easy and predictable for other teams
These are halfspaces. When the Barcelona forwards are overloading the central places, the opponent's defense also shrinks, so the space between the halfspace, i.e. CB and fullback, becomes empty. But the opponent does not have much to worry about.
Because Barca have no winger on the field,and it is already crowded in the middle. At this time, the opposing team surround Barca's central load with their secondary line. So if someone want to pass and play towards halfspace, then there is a lack of options.
It is also easy to intercept the pass. The thing Barca do to solve this problem is to replace the wings with fullbacks. This is where the most terrible problems arise.
Let, Barca's initial formation was 4-4-2. Only Messi and Suarez above. Messi will take the position of attacking midfielder to playmaking according to his nature. Now Vidal will take Messi's place and will stay near the backline. But Barca are confined by opponent central block
So now Alba and Semedo have to overlap to use half spaces or http://wing.So , they will stay in a very wide position, parallel to the back line. In return they will leave a huge space behind. As well as Vidal and being out of position, huge space is created behind us.
Now the work load is on our pivot. In this case, the destroyer role of Busquets must be observed. Attack may come from both sides. Busi is responsible for stopping that. But Busi's age has become another problem on this issue. He can't anymore cover much distance with pace.
If you want to be safe playing this much narrow ,you need two very active fullbacks in your team.Whose positioning sense is very good. In today's football, the narrow approach can be said to be very backdated. The last few CL winning teams might say so.
Looking at the fullbacks of the CL winning teams in the last few years, one can understand how important this position is. And here is the problem of Barcelona.Our fullbacks are now far from the top level. Maybe one of the worst among European top clubs
Even in the time of Luis Enrique, the fullbacks used to overlap. However, at that time, Enrique did a very prudent job to prevent a counter attack. Messi and Neymar played on two wings. Someone would move to the middle and then Suarez drifted wide to stretch the backline
Alves used to come around before overlapping. Suarez and Alves, as well as Rakitic, used to make a triangle together to prevent counter by triangle pressing during the counter with the flank. The same thing would have happened in the left flank, with Neymar Iniesta and Alba.
Another issue was position swapping between 3s of these two triangles. Originally Messi and Neymar had the freedom to Roam. The other two, that is, four on each side, would take a convenient position to maintain the triangle shape
In this way, Enrique used his theory to prevent counter-attacks. Setien could not do that. However, Setien cannot be blamed for the current state of Alba and Semedo. But it is also true that it is the coach's job to understand the situation and take action accordingly
This problem of defensive structure was not very much exposed in Laliga. But with Bayern it has turned into an absolutely massacre. Barca's weakness in the two flanks as well as Bayern's great wide unit has shown how pathetic Barca's football is.
See Messi in this picture. Roaming under the half line. The passing lanes to where Vidal is standing are blocked. The only way is to play long ball to Semedo and make him overlap. Where the danger is imminent.
As in the picture above, the two fullbacks overlapped, leaving space behind. Bayern's two fullbacks and wingers were waiting for that. Fear that I mentioned a little while ago.
See the highline of Bayern. They knew Suarez and Vidal would not be able to make a run behind the defense. Also Barca have no winger and who can expose Bayern's highline through the fnlanks. that's why Bayern's defense was so high, which helped them press higher up in the pitch
Bayern studied this narrow game. They hit every weak spot. But Barca has not learned from their past. Barca's formation in Rome was 4-4-2 and so in Anfield. .Such a collapse was bound to happen when the experience of the previous two years was not utilized.
Persons I took help from:
TotalFootballAnalysis, article by SudeshBaniya10
Football Made Easy (Youtube channel)
TotalFootballAnalysis, article by SudeshBaniya10
Football Made Easy (Youtube channel)
