It’s a piece of football literature that should be an essential resource at any management course, cut up and discussed in absolute detail.
In it, the new Chelsea manager talks about some of the fundamental steps to controlling a football match. It emphasises how the dynamics of a formation, rather than the formation itself, make all the difference.
It is an argument that resonates strongly with this correspondent, especially having watched and analysed Jan Versleijen’s 4-3-3 at both the Under 17s and Under 20s World Cups recently.
For the Joeys and Young Socceroos, it was never the formation that was the problem, but rather Versleijen’s use of the formation, and his inability to get it functioning in an in-synch way.
Villas-Boas’ philosophy is timely then, reinforcing how crucial it is to get the detail and dynamics right in order to have a functioning unit able to control football games through tactical acumen.
He explains, for example, how a traditional (or flat) midfield four, built around two central midfielders, one who stays, one who pushes on, is very different to a midfield diamond four, where there is a defined attacking midfielder and a defined holder (or pivot).
He explains how a diamond gives you greater impetus going forward but how its narrowness also has the potential to expose you defensively, in the wide areas.
Nowhere was the latter point more obvious that in the first half of the Young Socceroos 5-1 loss Spain at the Under 20s World Cup.
There Versleijen moved away from the now-mandated 4-3-3 that he had used in the first two games in Colombia and ever since taking control of Australia’s youth teams.
Apart from the lack of familiarity to the players, I’d suggest it was the manager’s application of the diamond midfield rather than the diamond midfield itself that was at fault in Manizales.
Versleijen, I’d argue, erred in using two wide players, built for a 4-3-3, in Tommy Oar and Kofi Danning, as his left and right midfielders respectively.
Rather then start out wide and high, where they are comfortable, they were asked to tuck in and get close to the two central midfielders, attacker Mustafa Amini and holder Terry Antonis.
As well, there was a significant disconnect between the diamond midfield and the back four, which meant there was a substantial gap between the two lines, space the gifted Spaniards had a field day in.
In truth, this disconnect between the defensive line and the rest of the team is an issues that has been synonymous with Versleijen’s sides all along, even at his most successful sojourn, the Under 19s Asian Cup last year.
Again, it’s all about the dynamics and the detail.
Diamond midfields that have been more successful in Australia in recent times have featured more industrious “wide” players that feel comfortable closer to the middle of the park, as well as fullbacks prepared to step up regularly and join the midfield line.
The first that comes to mind was Sydney FC’s formation during their title winning 2009/2010 season, where Karol Kisel was deployed on the right and Terry McFlynn on the left. Tucking in and working closely with Steve Corica (and later Mark Bridge) and Stuart Musialik, they provided the requisite defensive cover, as well as joining in forward transition.
Last season it was the functional Central Coast Mariners that came within a whisker of the championship in that epic grand final. Graham Arnold’s diamond featured Oliver Bozanic on the left and Michael McClinchey on the right, as well as progressive fullbacks in Joshua Rose and Pedj Bojic.
Another example Villas-Boas cites is the difference between Barcelona’s 4-3-3 and others. He talks about how Barcelona’s front men drop from the front line and play between the lines.
The prime example here is Lionel Messi, who you often see dropping into midfield, where he likes to face the opposition and start the play, either linking with team-mates of flying solo, ball firmly attached to his feet.
Villas-Boas argues this wouldn’t work in England.
There, he says, midfielders like Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard don’t want attackers to drop into the midfield. This denies them space and stops their chief weapon, their forward drive.
It all makes for riveting reading, giving an insight, among many other things, into just how different a formation can look and function, even if it’s the same formation on paper.
MFLY
Guest
Many of us who have been witnessing the national curriculum in action for the last few years have been expressing these ideas long before the Columbia world cup. If you are in the system, it's completely obvious what the problem is. Aussie performance at the U17 world cup in Mexico and u20 in columbia......no surprises there. Whole curriculum is inherently flawed on many many levels.
MFLY
Guest
Teaching only 4-3-3 surely is a problem in itself. As you pointed out yourself, possibly a contributing factor to the Spain game capitulation was unfamiliarity with the formation the players were suddenly required to play after years of only playing 4-3-3. Realistically if you only have plan A then going to a plan B will always be problematic, as we saw in Columbia. The current National coaches, who have brought in a one system fits all attitude, seek to have every kid in Australia playing only 4-3-3 from the ground up. So, in a few years, we will get young men arriving at National level who have never played anything else. In the real world, teams play different systems sometimes. Surely in the interests of developing well rounded players, as well as actually having a functioning plan B, we should teach our young players how to play more than one formation. Seems like common sense.
clayton
Guest
When I see the phrase "the 4 - 3 - 3", a little red alarm goes off in my head. There are many 4 - 3 - 3s - I know tactics fans can get a bit over the top, but things like - are you playing deep and on the counter, or pressing high up the pitch, how much space is there between your lines, how narrow / wide is your team playing ... have you got a target man, what kind of wide players do you have ... all these things make big differences in how a team performs.
TheMagnificent11
Roar Guru
There's a reason why countries like Spain and Brazil are consistently produce the best team. Football culture in those countries is such that the majority accept that football should be played a certain way; an art form of passing, movement and technique, not a display of masculinity like it is in Anglo countries such as England and Australia (those cultures have negative aspects to their culture as well e.g. acceptance of diving). We don't become world class until the football culture changes.
TheMagnificent11
Roar Guru
It hasn't failed. It will take at least 10 years to see the fruits of Han Berger's labour. We don't produce players technical enough to play at the worlds very best clubs. Previously we had Kewell, Viduka, Okon, Zelic and a few others. However, all the children of migrants who played at ethnic clubs under migrant coaches. Thus they received a standard of coaching that is rare in this country today. Berger now has a skills acquisition program for 10 year olds (I know because the younger brother of a friend of mine was hand-picked for one the programs run in Brisbane). So perhaps in 5-10 years time we will have youth teams that can play to the standard that Foster and co expect. The bigger problem is not the kids. It's producing good coaches and cultural mindset in the country to embrace possession football based around player movement. A formation should only be the default starting positions. It's the movement to create space that matters, along with technique to execute. Berger is doing an outstanding job in my opinion. Versleijen is obviously only an average coach because he had the U17s in the AIS for 2 years and what they produced was only average. I would like to see Gary van Egmond given the AIS and U17 job (he already works at the AIS). Give Vidmar the 20s and Olympic team.
Stevo
Guest
A bit off topic here but I couldn't help noticing this in the SMH about Sergio Aguero -- The youngest of seven brothers, Aguero spent his childhood days playing football with siblings before turning out for five different teams across Buenos Aires each Saturday. ''At the age of 12, I would spend the day crossing Buenos Aires,'' he said. ''At noon, I'd play the first game, the next one would be at 3.30, and then there'd be a game at five, another at 6.15 and the last one at eight. Aguero with son Benjamin. ''I couldn't live without a ball. I played for the love of the game. I was born to dribble. It's dribbling that gives me life.'' http://www.smh.com.au/sport/football/shoot-to-thrill-agueros-ghetto-grounding-20110817-1iya1.html So for those of us who were hoping to see better skills from our Under 17s and Under 20s recently, Aguero's footballing journey provides a template for our youngsters. Fortunately we're not running away from a crazy dude with a gun!
Eamonn
Guest
if it was so simple England and their system and uneducated players (read Soccernomics) might have done a tad better occasionally on the World Stage. And there seems to be a pattern - Argentina, Brazil, Spain and Germany to name a few all perform well and often. If this game is so simple - why does it take so long to master the ball? If it's so simple - why doesn't Australia simply win at World Cups occasionally. Could there be something more to this simple game?
Smell The Coffee
Roar Rookie
Kasey & M11, I too applaud Tony for taking the time to share with us his views in his articles. I appreciate the effort he goes to in other pieces to bring us local football news which in many cases we don't see elsewhere. Kasey, a bit unfair though of you to accuse me of "throwing the hand grenades, with little to no supporting evidence". My last article published on The Roar on Monday, at over 3000 words, contained more supporting evidence, and truth, than I think you could handle.
matt
Guest
You are correct. Jonathan Wilson is the Tony Tannous of the UK. Love them both
Smell The Coffee
Roar Rookie
Chips, What concerns me most about this article is that it comes only after Foster's comments expressing similar sentiment following the Colombian Catastrophes. If this piece on the "dynamics of formation" had been written earlier, not prompted by anyone, before any of the Dutch Disasters, I would not have as much of a problem. It is troubling to see how easily others are so quick to fall in formation to toe the SBS Party Line (perhaps without even realising they are doing so). The FFA invested heavily in the the Orange vision, which has turned out to be a cheap, counterfeit version of it, as predicted by those who have been in the game a long time. SBS and Foster also followed soon-after investing in this belief. And unfortunately it seems so has Foster's fans. There would be too much egg on face for many to admit that they were wrong.
darwin stubby
Guest
... and I should have added - also follow his frequent columns in The Guardian
darwin stubby
Guest
I've said it before on here ... if anyone really into this sort of stuff (and it is fascinating) pick up a copy of Jonathan Wilson’s truly excellent “Inverting The Pyramid” … you won't be disappointed
Chips Rafferty
Guest
I read the above in hope you might be offering some kind of revelation. Sorry to disappoint you, Tony. However keen students of the game were discussing and solving these "formation" issues 40+ years ago. Same end resutt as the new Chelsea coach.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
"If Football, like beauty, was simply skin deep then all a team would have to do was to hoof it up the opponents end to a rushing line of fast, strong forwards one of whom should be able to bang it into the net at will." ROUTE ONE, 'ERE WE GO!
Griffo
Roar Guru
If Football, like beauty, was simply skin deep then all a team would have to do was to hoof it up the opponents end to a rushing line of fast, strong forwards one of whom should be able to bang it into the net at will. That may be how football first started but when someone first stopped and thought up a better way of defending against this, football from then on ceased to be a simple game. I have read around the traps a bit in the last couple of weeks where people say "Oh, why bother, we'll never be like Spain et al, et cetera...". Why not? Part of it is the collective knowledge of the community and how much they see the game beyond its surface that can help drive the sport forward here. Articles like this and the links posted help a great deal. Send it on to friends ;-) Thanks Tony.
TheMagnificent11
Roar Guru
lol...I'm not sure who STC is. I'm very picky about the articles I read. I use RSS feeds to get articles from my favourite sites (including The Roar - Football and Zonal Marking) in one place. Allows me to read a headline and blurb, and then if I want to read the whole thing I just go to the link. Most of the stuff blogged on The Roar doesn't catch my attention.
Kasey
Guest
Yes please Mag11(more tactical/philosophical analysis, and while we're after a wish list, how about less bitter and twisted shyte from STC? Surely I'm not the only one sik of STCs baseless and bile filled garbage? He/she seems to love throwing the hand grenades, with little to no supporting evidence - just a belief we should all magically believe him/her and then attacks the very people h/she is trying to convince when wonders why we don't blindly aacept what he/she is telling us. Boring.
TheMagnificent11
Roar Guru
Excellent article. I wish there was more articles on football tactics and philosophies. http://www.zonalmarking.net/ is a pretty good site for tactical analysis. Haven't come across any others (but can't say I've been actively looking)
james rosewarne
Roar Guru
Great piece Tony and thanks for the Villa-Boas telegraph link. An excellent explanation of both the good and bad features of the 4-4-2 diamond formation. Not one I'm not totally in love with, but as you suggested, deployed brilliant by Laviscka when Sydney won their most recent title. It's becoming more and more obvious just how crucial wingers/wider players are in the modern game and in the increasingly popular 4-3-3. Not only does one have to be sharp and precise, but most importantly you have to be accountable, Karol Kisel being an excellent example. Quick question- Who would you regard as the most equipped players in Socceroo contention to carry out such responsibilities?
Ben Carter
Roar Guru
Hi Tony - as others said, great read. Checked the AVB piece for myself - headspin that a coach would (a) tell a paper that on the eve of the season knowing opponents would read it and (b) put something tactical so eloquently that it makes you want to watch his team play to see if it all comes true. Marvelous :-)