2014 Tactics in Review

Great article from Michael Cox:

http://www.espnfc.co.uk/blog/tactics-and-analysis/67/post/2221389/from-full-backs-in-midfield-to-diamond-formationsreviewing-2014s-football-tactics

Fullbacks as midfielders is nothing new. Or defenders as midfielders for that matter. That's the thing that was most interesting about this year, old school stuff made comebacks , but better, like defenders as midfielders, 4-4-2, 3 men backline etc

I agree with the article generally, but the idea of "A World Cup dominated by individuals" is wrong. I think that the idea that the WC was full of so-called "1-man teams" was incorrect and at the time I wrote a comprehensive post refuting the idea. People confuse "1-man teams" for teams where 1 man is more famous than the others. There wasn't a single team at the world cup that was truly reliant on 1 player. What's more, "A World Cup dominated by individuals" is not even a tactical decision. I'd have a guess that Scolari didn't send out his 1st XI after briefing them on how they are going to rely totally on Neymar in goals, defence, midfield and attack.

I don't think "man-marking in midfield" actually existed either. It might appear that way to this author, but in reality this was intense pressing of the ball carriers. There was never any "tagging" of players going on where the CDM would follow the CAM around step for step.

My list of tactical "trends" (not necessarily innovations) for 2014 would be:

- Counter-attacking tactics finally being used by most teams to successfully defeat possession-based teams. This is arguably the main trend of 2014. I think coaches have worked out how to press much more efficiently, whilst still keeping their defensive shape. Also, counter-attacking is done much quicker and much more directly (i.e. before the opposition can get players back), which enables the counter-attacking team to exploit the main weakness of the possession-based system.

- Wing-backs in central midfield (mostly limited to Bayern and Lahm). Wing-backs in wide midfield areas is nothing new though.

- Sweeper-goalkeepers (but I think this is something that is only done well by Neuer and a select few and the rest who attempt it often make catastrophic mistakes as a result)

- 3 (5?) at the back. I think counter-attacking tactics have been supplemented by coaches' fielding what looks like a 3-5-2 on paper, but is effectively a 5-3-2 on the pitch. In this way, as in the old Catenaccio system, the defence absorbs pressure and then marauding wing-backs are used as the main outlet to get the ball forward.

I agree with Dos on the 3 at the back point, although all these sides are shown on paper as a 3-5-2, in practice it becomes 5-3-2 as the wingbacks are defensively orintated, still it is a flashback to tactics past.

I didnt watch the Chille v Netherlands game the article mentions, I get the feeling it would have been interesting to watch from a tactical view point, but otherwise quite dull

Yep, spot on with the 3 at the back Dost

It's Forza not Dost.

Or is this a new inside joke I'm not aware of

Surely i didn't