Did we change our shape in possession following WBA?

After being pressed very well for much of the game and really struggling to build from the back and keep possession as a result, it looked to me that we had a different shape when we had possession in the defensive area.

Instead of the 2 holding midfielders being slightly in front of the centre backs with one of them in the middle of the 2 to form a triangle and the other moving from side to side in front of them, we pushed the fullbacks higher from the off, meaning their wingers were dragged back with them and lessening the press.

One of the holding midfielders went to the side of the centre backs and in line with them so that they became a three, and they would use the passing ability of that midfielder to thread into the other one, who took the central position ahead of the defence.

Whether it would have a positive impact when pressed high against would remain to be seen but it looked to me that we were trying to be proactive in addressing that issue.

Wide men pushed away from pressing by the full backs, midfielder drops wide and deep creating an angle to pass into the centre (so that the receiving player can look up and turn easily) and either becoming free himself or dragging another opponent out of the centre of the pitch giving us space in that area skills we need it. Also, in the worst case and we do lose possession we have a nice shape of 3 across the back central area and their wide men temporarily out of the picture.

I'm usually rubbish at tactical a analysis so i dont know if i made it up

Posted By: jAC, Jan 19, 15:04:52