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Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
If it's no trouble allow me add a few notes[extended thread] https://twitter.com/SeunMobolaji/status/1326293296084373505
If it's no trouble allow me add a few notes[extended thread] https://twitter.com/SeunMobolaji/status/1326293296084373505
Remember that Carabao (Spurs) game we got eliminated but our positional structure was diabolical & Chelsea Twitter had a bit of a meltdown but I kept saying that that was actually a brilliant game from us(especially the 1st half), it was so clear in my eyes that we had a script.
Improved positional Structure: buildup
[Salida Lavolpiana]
For those familiar in JpP principles specifically how to create a numerical superiority in the build-up then you maybe familiar with the salida-lavolpe. A popular variation of midfielder dropping into the defensive line.
![Improved positional Structure: buildup[Salida Lavolpiana]For those familiar in JpP principles specifically how to create a numerical superiority in the build-up then you maybe familiar with the salida-lavolpe. A popular variation of midfielder dropping into the defensive line.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EnC3A0KW8Ac8sam.jpg "Improved positional Structure: buildup[Salida Lavolpiana]For those familiar in JpP principles specifically how to create a numerical superiority in the build-up then you maybe familiar with the salida-lavolpe. A popular variation of midfielder dropping into the defensive line.")
[Salida Lavolpiana]
For those familiar in JpP principles specifically how to create a numerical superiority in the build-up then you maybe familiar with the salida-lavolpe. A popular variation of midfielder dropping into the defensive line.
Normally when opponent is pressing with 2/3 forwards like Sheffield United then building up play with more men is imperative, usually it's defenders split, DM drops in-between to create a back-3 but Chelsea aren't looking to be elaborate i.e patient pass-pass build-up, instead;
Lampard is looking for a more direct/vertical approach. Mount is perfect here to direct play + incase longball is intercepted(counterattack). So Mount starting deep means Chelsea have men behind the ball to break a transition, Mount is basically a false-inverted-fullback(dkm).
Personally I don't like to dwell a lot in JdP theory, I get that A LOT of people on here who've just started watching football in the Pep era who've watched a bunch of Cruyff YouTube videos get too excited & think JdP is some novel shit limited to circuit football etc etc
It's like every other day some kid is writing a thread on Sacchi or whatever pretending to be some connoisseur, now you've got Twitter demanding patterns of play & bantering managers who buy top players. Sorry I digress, but y'all know where am going; I prefer direct football.
You won't believe how long I've been asking Chelsea to play longball in the build-up(since last season), the long-ball doesn't necessarily have to be straight into a targetman, quite contrary the most effective longball is played into wide areas, Allow me explain:
I've probably talked about this many times but the dynamics of the longball dictates that by the time the ball travels from Thiago to Reece a defender has already made up ground to close up on Reece or the defender beats him to the ball inviting Chelsea to press high up.
Liverpool have mastered this type of play to win balls higher up instead of wasting time trying to figure out how to stretch play & play intricately looking for some optimal central progression blah blah. The wide longball also frees up Tammy & this is were it makes sense.
Longball to Reece means CBs don't focus on Tammy alone they have to worry about how to contest or prepare for the receiver(Reece), which means that if Silva decides instead to opt for a vertical pass into Tammy's feet then Tammy's got less traffic to settle on the ball & linkup.
This variability makes Tammy's life much easier he can check in(drag a CB out of position) so Mount or someone else can run into open space behind, or exploit defenders blindsides if ball is played into Reece. We've seen this type of movement from Werner too.
Without the threat from wide the central space is congested which makes life difficult for Tammy, Werner who aren't exactly Hazard on the ball. Obviously wide rotations are key, I first made this observation on Ziyech's debut(Sevilla) when Reece inverted into midfield, Kai wide.
I remember a month ago when I suggested 433/4141 with high 8s the argument people made against it was that Ziyech & Reece are apparently incompatible lol. Even at Ajax Ziyech was rotating with Sergino Dest who underlaps to cutback from infield. Walker does this regularly too.
City are the kings of the cutback, either it's KDB rotating wide or Bernardo etc always they're trying to get someone to run behind in the halfspace (like Kovacic) always. Earlier I also suggested that the crossing alone is too predictable & that we need to look into cutbacks >>
Another thing about the longball which may sound counterintuitive is if Liverpool know that a certain player(Holding) is shaky on the ball then watch Henderson pretend to play long to Robertson but instead he's giving Holding the ball so they can press the living shit out of him.
It's a win-win, either Robertson actually receives the ball & their front-3 start ghosting around the box for a cross or Holding wins the ball & tries to play, then Liverpool can press aggressively higher up. It's strategic pressing, instead of running around chasing 90 minutes,
You set the opponent up. There have been a few games when we've done this like Barnsley, Sheffield. It helps a lot, last season we couldn't play football in the 2nd half because we burnt out quickly & with everyone tired physically & mentally the last 30 minutes were pure comedy.
In the final analysis we're still far from the finished product, we lack a lot in the confidence department (on the ball) the passing is far from crisp & sometimes a bit elaborate because someone is trying to figure out if he can make a pass or not or make a run etc. #Process
