Tactics Board

Midfield Defence is the Key-

Throughout the world cup one could have noticed one common fact. Whenever a big-team plays a minow, the underdogs play an ultradefensive formation, trying to stop the biggie from scoring. As always, they breakdown in the end and lose. I am a defensive minded person. Whenever I play, I play either as a defender or a defensive midfielder. Its not so glamorous to play in such positions. They dont get into the score sheet, dont hit the headlines in the backpages of the newspaper, hardly get media coverage and fans dont often sing their praise. But those players will be the first in the team sheet whenever ur coach reads out the starting line up. They are the foundation blocks of a team. Often you would have heard from the (stupid) media ppl, calling Italian game, "negative-minded". I call it common sense - "u dont conceed a goal => you cannot lose"; this obviously increases the probability of ur win. A well made tactic with an ordinary team can work wonders.

Lets take the English team.

Their attack sucks!. Rooney is the only work horse to bet on to score, if at all he is able to play full 90 mins. Ericksson is one useless guy to manage the team. Ha ha.. the first two lines shows my bias against them. But being a honest football fanatic, I want every side to play good football. Even England... for that matter even USA (but they cant :P ).... Their strangth is midfield. I see either Gerrard or Lennon as the potential scorers. Its better for them to look for 1-0 here after. The first thing they must do is GIVE MORE POWERS TO McLAREN.. Puleezzz!!!!!! :-((.... Ericksson is Dumb!... atleast McLaren is a better tactician. Play Hargreaves..... enuf of stupid politics in the team, not to play foreign based players (if you ppl dont know, only Beckham and Hargreaves play their professional football outside England ).

Club form has got nothing to do with their ability to perform in the international stage. Lampard might be a great midfielder, and had won the best player award last year, but Gerrard has played well for England in the past, and has a better scoring touch than Lampard. So kick Lampard out and bring in Hargreaves, make him sit in front of the defence... he is damn good as a midfield destroyer. That would allow Gerrard to attack more, atleast take more shots and get into the box often. If Gerrard plays in an offensive role, Owen plays well.... thats a fact know to even a dog in England ;-)..... but y Ericksson never realises that?.... if one midfielder is going to sit ultra defensive, full backs get more support going on the offensive, especially Ashley cole on the left...... Their second half substitute against Trinidad, Lennon seemed to be a good prospect. Especially pulling back Beckham as a right full back.....I would even try out a three at the back strategy with wingbacks... Becks as right wingback... .he makes better deep-crosses than whipped ones close to the corner flag.... but that is not likely to work out hereafter in this tournament... and last.... allow Joe Cole to play more towards the center, rather than restricting him to the left.....

well that was pre-Sweden match...

now post Sweden effect..

Owen most likely out for another week atlest, if not for the rest of the tournament. Rooney having played for an hour, looks ok, though not a stormer. What was Beckham dong??? :O.... so responsible as a captain< :P pun intended>.. if u ppl look at the replay of the last goal scored in the game: Rule book says, offside does not apply for throw-ins. So Ljunberg was delebrately staying close to the goal post, drawing Campbell with him. Now the face of the goal is exposed to two strikers to poach on. Ball played there... and score sheet ticked... simple tactics... England had 10 men inside the box.. wat wer they able to do abt it?.. nothing....


Brazil :
Safest bet to win the Cup, bfor it began... not so after.... But I would stlll go with them.... Nevertheless I am not pleased with Perrira's way of handling the team.... It looks like he is giving too much importance to the star value.... and he has made modifications to Scolari's tactics in the last world cup, just to make some change in the side, to press his originality... but Brazilian Christmas tree is the best formation for this team, which is no different from the last except for the addition of another quality striker in Adriano... I prefer rotating him with Ronaldo..... and I am in full support with Perrira, for sticking with Ronaldo as his main striker.....He is the best.... if u want to contend with me, then better go and see the first goal against Australia.... Outstanding tactical play..... a footballing genius... some one who looks for dribble and goals will be blind to see what impact Ronaldo had in that game..... I was able to sense Aussies wetting their pants whenever he gets the ball...... they literally panic and throw the entire team on him, to stop him from doing anything..... For that goal's move, when Ronaldihno passed the ball onto Ronaldo, he had three defenders surrounding him.. as he stopped the ball to gain control, one more closed in.... now no center-backs with Adriano... Chipperfield had to run from left to catch up with him...... Ronaldo finally manages to turn three of his markers and fool the fourth and make tha pass... if Ronie can handle 4, Adriano can put off one eyes shut... he drove the ball between Chipperfield's legs and past Schwarzer....

If you read this and say that i am biased and am blowing up the Brazilian tactics.. and that was just a co-incidence.... then I am sorry..... This is football... That goal was scored on the dressing room on the drawing board.. or may b even in the training grounds.. or in Ronaldo's mind.... and not just on the pitch during the game.....this is football... its not David Beckham, not Ronaldinho, not Ronaldo, nor Zinedine Zidane.... its football....... its the game which is so beautiful, and nobody is bigger than the game...... look for the replay of the match and see.. for the first 15 minutes Adriano was playing in the center... but Hiddink ahd employed Emerton to take care of Ronaldinho and Chipperfield to mark Kaka.. the main threats.... seeing this, Adriano was made to play in the right.. he is a predominantly left footed... he uses his right foot just to stand and run :-D..... even then he was taken towards the right, to disrupt Chipperfield and give more space to Kaka....and made sure that, no centerback is marking Adriano, and all their concetration was only on Ronaldo....

What they need to change when they face a bigger opponent in the next round?... well, my decision will be to play the Christmas tree again.. Play either Ronaldo or Adriano, and play one extra defender as a sweeper.. that makes Cafu and Carlos wingbacks... so more attack actually by playing one additional defender....

Long live the game
&
FIFA Fair Play

a football fan forever,
Sriram R