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The Strategic Battle Between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid
Hello and a warm welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter! In this issue, we're putting the spotlight on:
⚽ Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
❓ Manchester United vs Chelsea - Your predictions
⚽ Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
Last Sunday witnessed the highly anticipated clash between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid - a match of immense significance for both teams, aiming to maintain pace with Real Madrid and Girona.
But before we delve into the four phases of the game, let's first take a look at the lineups of both teams:
Possession Phase:
Barcelona managed to construct their play relatively easily, moving into the second zone. They positioned themselves in a 3-2-5 or 3-2-2-3 formation. Cancelo, officially a right-back, played in an attacking role, occupying the wing, while Felix shifted to the center, taking up the half-position. Kounde played defensively, aiding in playmaking, and formed the remaining defense. Atletico Madrid attempted to disrupt Barcelona's playmaking with just two players up front, resulting in Barcelona consistently having numerical superiority. The deep involvement of Gündogan and De Jong as double pivots allowed them to continuously create a 5-versus-2 numerical advantage.
Atletico Madrid had a different approach in their build-up. Simeone's team structured with a back four and two holding midfielders, often playing in a 4-2-4 or 4-2-2-2 formation. Griezmann played a pivotal role by fluidly navigating the spaces between, aiding in the build-up, thereby shaping a box-like midfield. In contrast to Barcelona, Atletico Madrid encountered difficulties in initiating build-up from the back due to Barcelona's high pressing, which at times involved up to five players, posing challenges for them.
Defensive Strategies:
Barcelona employed a 4-4-2 system, where Pedri and Lewandowski disrupted the opposition's play upfront.
Advantages of the 4-4-2: This formation's three lines - a four-player defense, a four-player midfield, and two strikers - allow for vertical compactness. The four lines can converge closely, reducing the space available for the opponent. The 4-4-2 is highly adaptable. If a team wishes to intensify midfield pressure, a midfielder can advance forward. It also permits the deployment of deep-lying wingers.
Disadvantages of the 4-4-2: If the defending team fails to coordinate well, opponents can exploit the space between defense and midfield or between midfield and attack. Players must be wary of leaving excessive gaps between the lines.
Atletico Madrid employed a compact 5-3-2 formation, focusing on limiting space and complicating Barcelona's passing combinations.
Advantages of the 5-3-2: Over recent years, the 5-3-2 formation has gained popularity in professional football. One of its main advantages lies in securing the central areas: With three midfielders and two central strikers, it establishes numerical superiority in the center, directing the opponent's play towards the wings. The five-defender setup allows effective defense both in width and depth. Individual players can also move out from the defense to support the midfield.
Disadvantages of the 5-3-2: A drawback emerges on the wings, demanding extensive work from the full-backs and midfielders to cover the spaces out wide. Pressuring deep full-backs becomes challenging. This formation also faces challenges in offensive pressing: When midfielders advance, it can leave the midfield understaffed, leading to unbalanced formations like 5-2-3 or 5-1-4. Therefore, this formation is not particularly suited for high-intensity offensive pressing. Most teams utilize the 5-3-2 formation primarily for compact midfield defense in midfield pressing strategies.
Transition play after gaining possession:
Barcelona aims to retain possession and construct a structured attack following a successful ball recovery. In contrast, Atletico Madrid, typically holding a deeper position, favored swift counter-attacks and immediately swarmed forward upon regaining possession. Their strategy focused on reacting swiftly and seeking offensive opportunities as soon as they regained the ball.
Atletico Madrid's transition play after winning the ball - immediately seeking depth
Transition play after losing possession:
After losing the ball, Barcelona displayed an intense counter-pressing tactic, swiftly attempting to regain possession and put pressure on the opponent. In contrast, Atletico Madrid frequently resorted to tactical fouls to interrupt and stop opposing attacks. Due to their lower ball possession in the final third of the field, Atletico Madrid executed fewer counter-pressing actions.
Barcelona's counter-pressing:
In this specific game scenario, it's evident how Barcelona employed a multifaceted strategy of access-oriented and pass-lane-oriented counter-pressing to swiftly reclaim the ball after losing possession. Their tactic involved pressuring the opponent through aggressive pressing and selectively cutting off passing lanes to quickly regain their ball possession phase.
Rest Defense (Opponent plus one rule)
In this game scenario, the significance of the "opponent plus one" rule becomes apparent. Atletico Madrid is operating with only Griezmann and Morata in the foremost attacking line. Despite Xavi's team advancing into the opponent's half with seven players, they still maintain numerical superiority in defense. With just two attackers against three defenders, it highlights Xavi's adoption of the "opponent plus one" rule when it comes to rest defense.
The goal for 1-0
In an attempt to press higher, Atletico Madrid conceded the goal. Pedri, controlling the ball, managed to turn and find Kounde unmarked on the side, providing ample space for an attack. Atletico had six players attacking here, leaving them with only four defenders against Barcelona's five attackers. Consequently, they were outnumbered.
The defense didn't push up but rather remained relatively deep, creating a significant amount of space in the midfield. It was precisely there that Raphina positioned himself, received the ball, and initiated an attack.
From Atletico Madrid's perspective, it's evident how they prioritize defensive principles, particularly the emphasis on central security, a crucial element in their defensive strategy. This reflects in the close-knit structure of Atletico Madrid's backline, aiming to prevent passes into the spaces between defenders. However, this tactic does concede space on the flanks. In this scenario, Lewandowski makes a smart run toward the center to create room on Felix's side, while Raphina patiently awaits the opportune moment to make the pass.
The pass reaches Felix, and with a stroke of luck, he controls the ball adeptly, executing a beautiful chip shot to score the goal.
Conclusion:
The final score after the 90 minutes of play seems fitting. Initially, Atletico adopted a cautious approach, relying on counter-attacks. However, in the second half, they increased the pressure on Barcelona early on and managed to penetrate the crucial third of the field more frequently. Perhaps a more daring style of play could have yielded advantages, particularly since Barcelona exhibited defensive weaknesses. Nonetheless, the significance of the game might have influenced Simeone's tactical decisions. Nevertheless, it was intriguing to observe the distinct tactical approaches of both teams. There's no universally right or wrong tactic. What matters is the execution and the players' belief that the chosen strategy and tactics can lead to success.
❓ Manchester United vs Chelsea - Your predictions
A showdown between two top-tier teams awaits in the Premier League on Wednesday, both yet to fully meet their season expectations. Manchester United hosts Chelsea at Old Trafford. These rivals have shared numerous titles in recent years. However, on Wednesday, securing a win is pivotal to bolster their dwindling hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
What are your predictions for the match?
Who will win?
Manchester United
Draw
Chelsea
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