Posts Categorized as ‘Chalkboard Analysis’

Chalkboard Analysis

Chalkboard Analysis: Landon Donovan, Central Midfielder?

USA’s friendly with Costa Rica created a number of interesting storylines. José Torres looked very comfortable operating in a 3-man central midfield. Brek Shea appeared a developmental step ahead of Robbie Rogers. And Edgar Castillo just couldn’t set his feet straight, in attack or defense.

But the most fascinating facet to Friday’s match was Jurgen Klinsmann’s use of Landon Donovan. USA’s Number 10 – his whole career a winger, striker, or trequartista – played almost the entire match as a central midfielder. (more…)

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Chalkboard Analysis, United Kingdom

How Liverpool Will Line Up Under Kenny Dalglish

ZAC LEE RIGG — Jokes about a 0-10-0 formation hinted at a deeper point: It was very unclear how Liverpool would align tactically this year. An ever-increasing array of relatively equal midfielders coupled with Kenny Dalglish’s tactical adjustments last term (he experimented with a three-man backline, among other variations) kept any insight into the 2011-12 season murky.

The opening match of the season, a 1-1 draw with Sunderland, finally gave a pretty good idea of what Dalglish has had in mind while making this summer’s purchases. Here’s how the team lined up:
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10 Kit Essay, Chalkboard Analysis

How will the U.S. look tactically under Juergen Klinsmann?

Juergen Klinsmann’s career highlights as a coach — reviving a stale German system and pool, reigniting national pride in a country which shied away from patriotism post World War II, systematizing a national playing identity through the youth levels of the German national team and Bundesliga — suggest that his hiring as the U.S. national team boss came for reasons that stretch beyond coaching acumen. As Alexi Lalas said on SportsCenter, the U.S. needed a “rock star.”

Still, since he’ll initially be diving into the same shallow player pool as Bob Bradley had to, it bears looking at what kind of tactical system Klinsmann might opt for with the U.S. team.

The first order of business is to determine a national style of play. With Germany, he took time before beginning to draw up an identity with assistant Joachim Loew:

We eventually decided to go down an attack-minded route, passing the ball on the ground from the back to the front line as quickly as possible using dynamic football.

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Chalkboard Analysis, Gold Cup, United States

Chalkboard Analysis: Gold Cup Final

Blake Owen - The partnership between MLS and the statistics gurus at Opta has finally paid off for fans of the US National Team. The MLS chalkboards are up-and-running, and Opta even provided stats (and chalkboards!) for the Gold Cup knockout stages.

The data from the final reveals how a lack of pressing from the United States allowed Mexico to break down the American defense to the tune of four goals. (more…)

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Chalkboard Analysis

Could Guardiola’s Tactical Shift in the Champions League Final Herald a New System?

ZAC LEE RIGG - In the 2009 Champions League final, Pep Guardiola radically shifted his attacking tactics from the slaloming system Frank Rikjaard had left him to the new, cynically dominant side his own Barcelona would become. The flair was and is still there, but the unconventional move to shift Lionel Messi central and have the forwards attack from wide positions heralded a more ruthless, efficient outlook.

In that match, Sir Alex Ferguson was flummoxed and his side never looked like recovering once Samuel Eto’o scored from his unpredictable right-hand position. Later Messi used all five-foot-six-and-a-half-inches of his height to soar highest in the box and head the killer second goal past Edwin van der Sar.

Guardiola had a trick up his sleeve in the 2011 final as well. Instead of using Messi as a false nine, he deployed him as a conventional 10. David Villa played furthest forward as a pure striker, and Pedro switched from the right flank to the left. No one bothered using the space down the right.

Check this graph by Opta of average positions in the first half. Note how Messi’s position essentially makes it a diamond midfield. Also check out how far forward Patrice Evra could roam, because no one was pinning him back. Then read on. (more…)

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Chalkboard Analysis

Chalkboard Analysis: Jonathan Spector’s Return to Center Midfield

Blake Owen – Injuries to starters Mark Noble and Scott Parker have again thrust Jonathan Spector into the middle of West Ham’s midfield. In the Hammer’s last two matches – away to Chelsea and Manchester City – the former right back started and went the full ninety at center midfield. West Ham lost both encounters, ensuring they sit at the bottom of the table heading into the season’s final trio of matches, but Spector’s performance should encourage US manager Bob Bradley. (more…)

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