Defending

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Well, it's all his fault. I mean he plays RB, doesn't he? People actually believe that he's out of position when in fact he is in exactly the position he's asked to play. It's really not hard to see, I find it totally baffling.
Yes it is the system that is not working. However Aurier is a problem when he plays a traditional RB role.
 
Sanchez seems a better shout out at rb than toby, since he at least has some pace about him. But we tried a back 4 with a lot of CBs and.. it wasn't pretty.

What Might Work is a back 3 with aurier and sessegnon as wing backs.

-----sanchez-toby-vert
Aurier--------------sessegnon

Helps utilize aurier and sessengons strengths without having to remove Son or Berjwin from the lineup to do so, while not relying on them for their shoddy defence.

Then Lo Celso and Sissoko as defensive/central mids and the top 3 kane son berjwin/Lucas.

Could work. If only we had a manager who might ever consider something outside the box.

We tried Sanchez at RB against the Scum and he was gash

Really is a problem for us
 
Perhaps it is time to drop the failed experiment of playing a RB so far up the field. Other Managers have found us out and exploiting it.

Because they know that even when in a good position heโ€™s incapable of providing a decent cross so they donโ€™t even bother marking him or Ben on the other flank
 
Yes it is the system that is not working. However Aurier is a problem when he plays a traditional RB role.
He's barely deployed as a traditional RB though. And guess what when he is we are better at defending, ergo the Utd game!

When we play with a flat back four (Aurier as a traditional RB) the two in the double pivot are not pulled out of position, as a consequence we are compact and disciplined in our spaces. He also still does more than Davies as he is still an outlet in attack, whilst Davies isn't.
 
The issue is when he's deployed as wingback he's judged solely as an RB. Also, using this judgement to cunt off the player whilst the manager gets a pass for opting to pursue this tactic and only this tactic.

It's Sissoko all over again, when he was deployed as CM/DM he was judged as an AM!
I said yesterday 3 months we've had off and we are making the same mistakes tactically.

We've managed to get players back from injury but more at the front end of the pitch. Everything else seems similar to pre Lockdown.

I would have liked to see more signs of tactical development since the Lockdown.
 
I said yesterday 3 months we've had off and we are making the same mistakes tactically.

We've managed to get players back from injury but more at the front end of the pitch. Everything else seems similar to pre Lockdown.

I would have liked to see more signs of tactical development since the Lockdown.
There have been I think, it's just that it comes at the expense of any attempt to play with the ball. I thought the team was well drilled, knew what they were doing against Utd. I just absolutely hate us playing like this!!

So I need to wear TWO hats, one to acknowledge signs of coaching, a controlled low/mid block boring Jose style vs attractive football with the ball.

But prior to Sheffield in the game when we didn't have the ball we performed almost like a well-drilled boring Jose team. Yay! But this doesn't float my boat one bit. But it's this that fans wanted if it won us trophies, well it simply doesn't the game has moved on in elite competition, it has left Jose behind.
 
A lot of our bad defending is a result of Dier not being where is supposed to be (and giving away the pen vs Manu wasnt that intelligent either). He was slow and terrible as a DM and he is still bad as a defender. At some point the manager will see he is just a bad footballer overall and hopefully dump him.
 
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I think this picture best sums up what's wrong with our defense.

Firstly , Dier is standing infront of everyone , clearly highlighting a lack of communication between him and the rest of the back 4 , we need a leader in there not players playing by themselves on their own instincts.

Next , Where is Serge Aurier? Oh yeah that's right he's nowhere to be seen because he doesn't even play as a RB effectively. Consequently Lo Celso/Sissoko have dropped into the 4 you can see infront of Dier , what does that mean? It means 4 Sheffield United players are left on the edge of the box where Lo Celso/Sissoko should be , if one of them had been there Berge wouldn't have been able to pick up the ball and consequently score.

I've always said we needed a CDM but I feel like any player that plays in that midfield will always be dragged out to the right to cover for Aurier , we cannot continue to play like this where our team is so lob-sided and players are filling in for Aurier half the game. The first thing we have to do is buy an actual RB.

The squad currently has 1 natural RB and 1 Natural LB , that's honestly not good enough.

A lot of these defenders are poor and have regressed but having a CDM and midfield that does it job tracking back all the time , would certainly make the team more solid.

If I was incharge I'd look for a NEW CB , RB , LB and CDM.
Completely disagree with this!! There is loads wrong with the "defending" but not in how you've described it.

Warning!!! War & Peace incoming:
A bit of housekeeping first - This kind of freeze-frame analysis simply doesn't work as it fails to show where the problem is. To break down the anatomy of this goal you need to go through the entire phase.

The second bit of housekeeping - Aurier IS NOT RB!! He is played as a WB!! His position is in advance of both Sissoko and Lo Celso in the double pivot. This is vital in the analysis of this goal, it's how we are tactically set set-up to play and it shows how Wilder tactically got around it in this goal.

1. The move starts with Aurier pushed up the pitch in his WB role (he is man-marking their LB who's come in narrow, into the inside left position. Sissoko playing in the double pivot with Lo Celso is now occupying the classic RB space.

At this point we are in a 4 made up of Sissoko, Sanchez, Dier and Davies, with Lo Celso in front of back 4. Pan out It's a 7 vs 5 in our favour with us having 5 men behind the ball to Utd's 1.

There is NOTHING wrong with our defenders they are all where they should be and marking/covering who they should.

The problem is in our midfield, Lo Celso is all on his own and his sat too deep and Sissoko is out of position as the RB, he needs to drop and is way, way too wide he's basically out of the game.

THIS IS THE FIRST PROBLEM.

2. Because of Sissoko's position, Lo Celso is completly isolated (Winks has also been in this situation numerous times when he played in the double pivot).

3. Aurier is putting their LB under pressure but he manages to find a ball to Berge who is completely unmarked! Not a single Spurs player within 10yrds!!

THIS IS THE SECOND PROBLEM

It is important at this point to emphasise that this situation is made from not poor individual players not doing their jobs, but a brilliant tactical play by Wilder. This attack has come about by exploiting how Jose uses Aurier as a WB. It isolates one of the two players in the double pivot and to compound this, Lo Celso isn't the player that you want isolated in the double pivot (much like Winks isn't the player you want to be isolated).

4. Utd turn up the threat by switching the play from left to right with unmarked Berge moving the ball swiftly on with his 2nd touch out wide. You can see this is a well-drilled tactical move as Berge doesn't even look up to make the pass, he knows it's already on.

5. In order for Spurs to keep our backline, Son sprints the 15yrds in an attempt to close Berge down. he doesn't get to him in time. This was Son's man, he was late to move into position. Or it could have been Lo Celso's man but my gut tells me it's Son is the logical one because to have both your deep-lying midfielders out the game isn't a Jose thing. But take your pick. I'm going for Son's error, which makes this the FIRST PLAYER ERROR and our THIRD PROBLEM in this attack.

6. Because Son doesn't get to Berge quick enough he slips in a lovely pass out to a wide.
It's still 7 vs 5 in our favour!

7. Davies is now forced to come out to the wide Utd player. This is the correct thing to do for a defender in this position, Son is out of position due to him sprinting to close Berge. IT'S STILL 7 vs 5.

8. As Davies comes across Davies is instantly in trouble as another Utd player joins the attack and overlaps making it a 2 vs 1 against Davies.

9. With Son out of position (central) he now makes another desperate sprint to cover Davies, this is the correct thing to do, all be it let's not lose sight of the fact that we are in the process of Wilder getting the better of Jose tactically here and Son is scrabbling around trying to recover. But by covering Davies Berge is now open and unmarked again (Lo Celso should now be the man alert to this and as the sole deep-lying defender it's now his man).
It's now 7 vs 7!

(it's also worth noting just how good Utd's movement is off the ball here, with the advanced players coming short their number 3, who up to this point has been tracked by Aurier from midfield into the box).

10. Son does NOT get across in time to help out Davies. Davies inevitably loses the 2 vs 1 and the ball get's played behind for the cross to be tee'd up.
It's still 7 vs 7.

11. Let's take a look at the defensive positions just as the cross is about to come in. Dier is perfectly placed!!! He is covering the angle at the near post, stopping a potential shot inside going across the goal to the back post and also cutting out a ball played across the face of the goa AND he has their CF covered. He also isn't blocking Lloris's view and he too is well positions for a ball across the face of goal and a shot at his near post. This is PERFECT!!!

12. Son AGAIN now stops his run to cover Davies and lets the other Utd player in the 2 vs 1 run off him unmarked/challenged and the ball is pulled back to him. But Berge (not picked up by Lo Celso...see point 9 above) takes the ball, turns and scores.

TDLR
Jose's gets fucked in the arse by Wilder.

Wilder brilliantly exposes Jose's use of Aurier as WB, by getting rid of one of the two in the double pivot and isolating the worst of the two defensively.

Throughout this entire attacking phase by Utd our defenders were where they should be. The players exposed were Sissoko, Son and Lo Celso. Although not right positionally as the cover RB (not narrow enough and not inline with other 3, Sissoko is tactically in the ballpark of what is required from him in this system. Lo Celso simply didn't fulfil his role as the loan deep-lying defender (but is he a deep-lying defender, is this why we bought him??). Son as a consequence of Lo Celso too deep got drawn to Berge, he was too late and then in turn out of position to cover Davies and then left his man when ball pulled back.

I think you have to go back to where the problem started.

Both Sonny and Bergwijn are standing up near the half way line, leaving their midfielder completely free in the middle of the park with all the time in the world to pick a pass.

Yes, Sissoko and LoCelso had been dragged out of position but neither of them (S & L C) made any effort to get back and stop the danger.
 
I think you have to go back to where the problem started.

Both Sonny and Bergwijn are standing up near the half way line, leaving their midfielder completely free in the middle of the park with all the time in the world to pick a pass.

Yes, Sissoko and LoCelso had been dragged out of position but neither of them (S & L C) made any effort to get back and stop the danger.
There isn't anything wrong with Son or Bergwijn's position when this move starts it's a 7 vs 5 in our favour. Berge isn't Son's or Berwijn's man. Berge has all the space in the Wolrd as a direct result of Wilder attacking behind a WB pulling our DM (Sissoko) out of position, leaving Lo Celso (not a deep-lying midfield as the only deep-lying midfielder), who is sat far too deep, on account, he's not a specialist deep-lying midfielder.

If Lo Celso is on Berge from the beginning then Berge has to beat him 1v1 and maybe the attack breaks down. But given Lo Celso's position at the start of the move he's right to sit and not run the risk of having both deep-lying midfielders out the game. But, yes this then makes Berge Son (or Berwijn's man).

But this comes about as a result of Wilder brilliantly exploiting Jose's very easy to read tactics, so predictable they proved to be it is crystal clear they rehearsed their goals, Berge already knows a run is being made in the right channel, he barely as to look, his body already shaped to pass before his first touch.
 
If we are to achieve anything on the pitch then our defending needs to be fixed.

Under 2 managers this season we've shown so many frailties. The players are the common factor. This isn't a thread to lambast and criticise the back 4 only. Our deficiencies start further up the field. We've said so many times we are lacking a DM.

But our defending as a unit is abysmal. From Kane back to Lloris.

Space never scored a goal. So why are we marking space and not players.

No desire from some players to even put effort in to getting back or chasing down the opposition.

How do we fix it beyond just change in personnel. Poch tried 3 at the back. And 4 at the back.

JM has a 4 which changes to a 3 plus Aurier forward. None of it works.

Having Aurier, Sanchez and Sissoko on the same side petrifies me. The left side has conceded goals. Lack of DM not covering, Son falling asleep leaving Davies 2v1.

We defend worse than school team.
Posted this after the 3-0 loss to sheff utd last season.

Same problems persisting.

Just rewatched the last goal. My biggest issue is with how we setup defending corners and wide free kicks.

Everyone came back to defend. We have 1 man in the wall (winks) which is fine. Lloris on his goal line which is fine. Then all 9 remaining players in a line in our box.

The man who ends up equalising Lanzini is on the edge of his box by himself. Now this is trend in modern football. Many teams to do this. Nobody defends the edge of the box anymore. So as the old saying goes, space never scored a goal, Mark the man.

The initial cross gets defended well and comes out to Winks who was in the wall. He could have booted it maybe. But he ends up trying to chase down the little toe poke which ends up at Lanzini. Why is Winks having to be in the wall and then charging down all the man on the box too? Whats the point of 9 men in a line. All it needed was one of those 9 to break out and just mark Lanzini on the edge of the box. No way Lanzini gets a shot off then.

This is a classic case of modern coaching trying to be too clever by half. Under no other conditions would you let an opponent have a free shot from the edge of the box. So why are we letting people stand unmarked there from free kicks and corners when there is a high probability that any clearance will break out to them.

Basic coaching solves this. The old fashion tactics are still sometimes the best tactics because they are sensible. When was the last time you saw a top level football game where the defending teams has men on both posts, on the front of the 6 yard box and then edge of the D from a corner. Everyone else man marks. A man on the post clears the header that lead to their first goal. I know the first goal was a free kick, so normally you wouldn't put men on the post because of offside, but the free kick was essentially the angle of a corner. We aren't really playing offside in that scenario. It doesn't excuse the fact that Sissoko didn't even jump after giving the foul away stupidly.
 
1 we need a proper DM. Either a peak Parker/Waynama or a Carrick type

2 we need a commanding CB, hopefully Rodon can help.

3 we need players who are comfortable on the ball under pressure ie if you have Sissoko on the pitch you less likely to have the ball and therefore more likely to be under pressure.
 
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