Player suitability for Pochettino system

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Prior to a week ago, I didn't really know of Pochettino. Because of that I've basically read all articles that have since been published in order to understand what it is about the way he plays that made Cortese appoint him. There have been a few good articles that point towards his record with giving youngsters debuts and nurturing them into the first team. However at Espanyol I don't think he had any other choice. So I've been focussing on how he gets his team to play. This article appears to go over it as well as any other I've read:

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/757/punting-on-pochettino?cc=5739

 

"I like football to be played well from the back, to have movement both in and out of possession, to pressure high up the pitch, and to be attacking,"

 

So in summary the main characteristics of his football are:

- Lots of pressure on the opposition in their half

- Attacking

- One and two touch football to move the ball quickly

- A high defensive line

 

How well do we think the existing squad is aligned to this approach?

 

Pressing The Opposition

This is a sure way to completely exhaust Rickie Lambert yet it appears the pressing will start from the front. However Lambert is clearly our most effective striker so how will he press so much without the ball and yet still remain a threat when we have it?

 

Attacking

This will suit us very well - though I am a bit concerned at the counter attacking ability of the better teams.

 

One and two touch football to move the ball quickly

I am not too sure about this - it relies on lots of movement and of course lots of quality. We are bound to lose the ball far more often than we like. In the Championship and by and large in this league we aren't really an 'early ball' team - we tend to work it a bit and tease open a situation. This sort of football is quite different.

 

A high defensive line

This is quite scary given our current personnel - our improved defence has been all about team shape ensuring weaknesses can't be exposed. None of our centre-halves are particularly quick and whilst they are decent at reading the game there isn't much you can do when the ball is lumped over your head into 30 yards of space. This is the biggest concern for me. I think back to how AVB did this at Chelsea with far better defenders and they were opened up at will.

 

The other theme to all this is how well the squad as a whole is aligned to this sort of football. It will be interesting to see if players who had a small role to play with Adkins (or no role at all) find this type of football a better fit for their abilities or whether it is something our best team / better players will be able to take to. There will be some casualties along the way but if I had to hedge a bet I could fast see Chaplow becoming a preference off the bench ahead of Davis because of his energy and how he hustles. Just as we get tired in midfield he could replace a winger and run about hassling the opposition. But that is just a hunch.

[shurlock]

Is Saints fit, Pochettino fit?

Interesting question whether a gameplan based on pressing the opposition can work over here. The English game is quicker than the Spanish game to begin with, so to throw in high-intensity pressing on top of that might be a stretch too far.

[DrZuess1979 the 2nd]

Would gaston be the pressing attacker ?

Seemed that way against everton

 

And 1-2 touch passing in the final 3rd. We are abit slow at moving the ball around lately in that area

 

The high defensive line is a concern, hope we don't adopt that strategy against manure !!

Edited 25 January, 2013 by DrZuess1979 the 2nd

[GAS]

If you are to press the opposition high up the pitch then I think the formation is probably 4-2-3-1. Saints have always been susceptible to the long punt up field so this would be a worry. And I also think that the lone 1, which being Lambert our talisman, is a bigger worry. He cannot play this role. A better example of this type of football rather than Spanish is Germany and Borussia Dortmand. Their lone front man is Lewandowski who is very mobile and puts pressure on the back four. Hopefully he will be a manager to get the best out of the fairly good squad we have and not ***** about with things to much too early.

[Graffito]

Prior to a week ago, I didn't really know of Pochettino. Because of that I've basically read all articles that have since been published in order to understand what it is about the way he plays that made Cortese appoint him. There have been a few good articles that point towards his record with giving youngsters debuts and nurturing them into the first team. However at Espanyol I don't think he had any other choice. So I've been focussing on how he gets his team to play. This article appears to go over it as well as any other I've read:

 

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/757/punting-on-pochettino?cc=5739

 

 

 

So in summary the main characteristics of his football are:

- Lots of pressure on the opposition in their half

- Attacking

- One and two touch football to move the ball quickly

- A high defensive line

 

How well do we think the existing squad is aligned to this approach?

 

Pressing The Opposition

This is a sure way to completely exhaust Rickie Lambert yet it appears the pressing will start from the front. However Lambert is clearly our most effective striker so how will he press so much without the ball and yet still remain a threat when we have it?

 

Attacking

This will suit us very well - though I am a bit concerned at the counter attacking ability of the better teams.

 

One and two touch football to move the ball quickly

I am not too sure about this - it relies on lots of movement and of course lots of quality. We are bound to lose the ball far more often than we like. In the Championship and by and large in this league we aren't really an 'early ball' team - we tend to work it a bit and tease open a situation. This sort of football is quite different.

 

A high defensive line

This is quite scary given our current personnel - our improved defence has been all about team shape ensuring weaknesses can't be exposed. None of our centre-halves are particularly quick and whilst they are decent at reading the game there isn't much you can do when the ball is lumped over your head into 30 yards of space. This is the biggest concern for me. I think back to how AVB did this at Chelsea with far better defenders and they were opened up at will.

 

The other theme to all this is how well the squad as a whole is aligned to this sort of football. It will be interesting to see if players who had a small role to play with Adkins (or no role at all) find this type of football a better fit for their abilities or whether it is something our best team / better players will be able to take to. There will be some casualties along the way but if I had to hedge a bet I could fast see Chaplow becoming a preference off the bench ahead of Davis because of his energy and how he hustles. Just as we get tired in midfield he could replace a winger and run about hassling the opposition. But that is just a hunch.

 

A thoughtful post. Agree with most of it. I fear for Lambert in this pressing from the front. Attacking does suit us. I disagree slightly regards moving the ball quickly. This doesn't mean necessarily an early ball but moving teams around though if we play a quick one up front in place of Lambert then it makes sense to hit early. High defensive line - yes definitely need more pace in centre of defence. Full backs are fine. On the general point about the squad as a whole, we don't have the players throughout to play this way. We've been a squad in transition this season which is why Adkins has needed to be pragmatic rather than dogmatic about 443 and why he's paid the penalty. Getting the right players in is vital.

[Tokyo-Saint]

I thought this the day he was announced, read lots on his high defensive line.

 

It was the same day our transfer committee decided to buy a defender that even his greatest fans say is slow. For me this is why the manager should be buying the players and not people who have little to do with the way we play.

[Faz]

I thought this the day he was announced, read lots on his high defensive line.

 

It was the same day our transfer committee decided to buy a defender that even his greatest fans say is slow. For me this is why the manager should be buying the players and not people who have little to do with the way we play.

 

Play SDR at Centre Back. Simples.

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Very early days but two games in you can see the predicted system very much being impressed on the team.

 

The pressing is very good, as a consequence we're attacking a lot. The one and two touch passing seen more in the middle third than final third so room for improvement there, and the massive bonus for me is we've not really been caught out too much with the high line yet.

 

In contrast to Adkins reign, early winners of the new system are Davis and Jay-Rod, whilst those who are struggling a bit are Clyne, Ramirez, and Puncheon.

 

But far too soon to draw definitive conclusions.

[modern matron]

Very early days but two games in you can see the predicted system very much being impressed on the team.

 

The pressing is very good, as a consequence we're attacking a lot. The one and two touch passing seen more in the middle third than final third so room for improvement there, and the massive bonus for me is we've not really been caught out too much with the high line yet.

 

In contrast to Adkins reign, early winners of the new system are Davis and Jay-Rod, whilst those who are struggling a bit are Clyne, Ramirez, and Puncheon.

 

But far too soon to draw definitive conclusions.

 

Sorry appreciate that it's your opinion but we have improved as a team 100% in mine! We are controlling games and have been unlucky! Keep the faith....

[Hatch]

need to be very fit to keep up this high intensity pressing game, other wise you end up letting in last minute goals.

 

oh.

[CB Fry]

Sorry appreciate that it's your opinion but we have improved as a team 100% in mine! We are controlling games and have been unlucky! Keep the faith....

 

Twice as good as before? Really? Can't quite see it yet.

 

We did well against Wigan for a half, but we've had equally good halves of football under Adkins. And we still let in two very sloppy goals. We haven't collapsed/imploded with the new manager, which was the main fear, but really I don't think you can say we're already twice as good under MP.

[Red]

Very early days but two games in you can see the predicted system very much being impressed on the team.

 

The pressing is very good, as a consequence we're attacking a lot. The one and two touch passing seen more in the middle third than final third so room for improvement there, and the massive bonus for me is we've not really been caught out too much with the high line yet.

 

In contrast to Adkins reign, early winners of the new system are Davis and Jay-Rod, whilst those who are struggling a bit are Clyne, Ramirez, and Puncheon.

 

But far too soon to draw definitive conclusions.

 

Agreed, and it is going to take time. However, in yesterday's game we only really pressed well and early for about a third of the game, which is when we looked most dangerous. Maybe a fitness issue, but our worst spell of not pressing was most of the first half, so not sure that is the full reason. I think in the heat and pressure of the game, we revert back to type (understandably), and so it is going to take a while for the players to adapt to the new system - just hope we have that time?

 

BTW - interesting comment about Clyne by Left Peg, and I agree, but find it strange as he is young, energetic and full of running, so would have thought the new system would have suited him better??

[Lazlo78]

Very early days but two games in you can see the predicted system very much being impressed on the team.

 

The pressing is very good, as a consequence we're attacking a lot. The one and two touch passing seen more in the middle third than final third so room for improvement there, and the massive bonus for me is we've not really been caught out too much with the high line yet.

 

In contrast to Adkins reign, early winners of the new system are Davis and Jay-Rod, whilst those who are struggling a bit are Clyne, Ramirez, and Puncheon.

 

But far too soon to draw definitive conclusions.

 

Missed this excellent thread until now. Interesting to see how individual players have coped with the new system, and I'm sure MP will continually look to bring in players who fit in well with his footballing ideology. Or maybe some of the academy players suddenly find themselves closer to the first team?

[Shanghai Saint]

For me, the clearest problem is Ramirez whom I don't consider has the pace or interest in playing a high intensity pressing game. Shame he's our record signing.

[Lazlo78]

For me, the clearest problem is Ramirez whom I don't consider has the pace or interest in playing a high intensity pressing game. Shame he's our record signing.

 

The last two games certainly supports this view, but I hope (and think) there's more to Gaston. Earlier, he has shown a willingness to track back and tackle, so he's no MLT in that respect. It remains to be seen whether MP can make him fit into the new system, but he should have all the assets to play between midfield and attack...

[AussieDog]

I think Gaston will come good. He has the class but just seems to be off-form at the moment. form is temporary, class is permanent. I think Clyne has struggled a little because Puncheon has struggled and is leaving Clyne exposed. Once they sort out a replacement for Puncheon I think Clyne will be Ok. Puncheon looks like the first player to be replaced and will be on his way soon and tbh I wish we had sold him and cashed in in the transfer window as I don't think he will get a new contract. Assuming everyone is fit, I'd be bringing in Lallana in his place for Man City.

[Barry Sanchez]

need to be very fit to keep up this high intensity pressing game, other wise you end up letting in last minute goals.

 

oh.

 

And the probability of injury I suspect goes up as well, the strength in depth quetion then arises again, our first XI is similar to most around us but our bench is Championship standard at best.

[david in sweden]

good performances - shame about the results, but i do like this MP style.

Our players have been trained up on the fast-moving, quick-passing game but now there is more aggression in the attack, and less of the "pretty possession football " that highlighted the Adkins tactics.

 

Also nice to see that MP is not afraid to make early substitutions - if things aren't working out by HT. The subbing-in of Steve Davis (beginning to look good) and Adam Lallana (almost back to his former best) has totally changed the style of play and given us that extra push late on in games.

 

Ironically, both Puncheon and Ramirez have had very low-key games since MP's arrival. JP seems almost invisible whereas he was our main wing threat before, and Ramirez (who I still rate)....hasn't found his best role yet.

 

MP has now highlighted our problem with defending set-pieces / corners especially, and it remains to be seen if he has the nous to solve that problem.

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Game 4 update. Principles still very much the same as we expected, but I saw a more intelligent approach to the pressing. Players seemed to want to press all the time but only if they could do it as a group and with success - saw lots of players looking over their shoulder before they went after the ball which suggested to me they are being asked to apply some decision making before they go after the ball. Almost as though pressing is great but not if they are just going to pass it around you. Love the way Puncheon nipped the ball off Barry for our first goal - you could clearly see Puncheon go the moment he saw another player go to pressure Barry. Barry never got his head up and Puncheon was there on the blind side before Barry could even control the ball properly.

 

Also very impressed by his 'don't give a sh*t what team we've got out we'll play the same way' approach - would have been easy to perhaps want to offer Fox and Hooiveld more protection on their side of the defence but none was really offered which shows a great faith in his system and the fact it worked so well also suggests that as long as players do their job the team will be successful. New players seemed to come on relating to energy levels rather than any change in shape or role for the players.

 

No Ramirez but both Puncheon and Clyne were very good so early signs are that there may not be any losers in the new system thus far - but still very early days. Seems promising though.

[St_Tel49]

Game 4 update. Principles still very much the same as we expected, but I saw a more intelligent approach to the pressing. Players seemed to want to press all the time but only if they could do it as a group and with success - saw lots of players looking over their shoulder before they went after the ball which suggested to me they are being asked to apply some decision making before they go after the ball. Almost as though pressing is great but not if they are just going to pass it around you. Love the way Puncheon nipped the ball off Barry for our first goal - you could clearly see Puncheon go the moment he saw another player go to pressure Barry. Barry never got his head up and Puncheon was there on the blind side before Barry could even control the ball properly.

 

Also very impressed by his 'don't give a sh*t what team we've got out we'll play the same way' approach - would have been easy to perhaps want to offer Fox and Hooiveld more protection on their side of the defence but none was really offered which shows a great faith in his system and the fact it worked so well also suggests that as long as players do their job the team will be successful. New players seemed to come on relating to energy levels rather than any change in shape or role for the players.

 

No Ramirez but both Puncheon and Clyne were very good so early signs are that there may not be any losers in the new system thus far - but still very early days. Seems promising though.

Steven Davis is a definite gainer. This approach clearly suits him and he has given close to MoM performances in the past couple of games

[Lallana's Left Peg]

Game 6 update. Two defeats in a row has seen the emergence of two concerns:

 

1. We are badly exposed to the ball over the top when we cannot put any pressure on the ball when the opposition have it in their own half. Too many footraces being lost and while Clyne is quick the panic on his face when he is running back to his own goal is very evident. Quite simply the defence must be protected via incredible workrate off the ball by the midfield and attack - it's the only way we'll be able to cope as a team.

 

2. We are still struggling to break down teams who come to St Marys and defend deep. It's been like this all season. We aren't the quickest team and need to move the ball quickly to make up for it. But for some reason not only has the movement been sub-standard we are also slowing the play down and allowing teams to get their shape. Pochettino's style was said to ask for one and two touch football in the final third but I haven't seen much of that at all - maybe because the defence is so exposed and ill-equipped to deal with the fast break right now we are scared to lose the ball. Feels like no mans land where for the tactic to be effective offensively we need to do one thing yet by doing that we also expose our biggest weakness as a team.

 

Hope we learn quickly although we were warned that it can take players a while to get used to it.

 

For me, the defensive problem is a personnel thing - of more concern is in the final third as we should have the players but it isn't working. That needs to be sorted very quickly.

[david in sweden]

agree with most of the OP.

 

Our back line lacks pace when faced with a fast winger /striker.

This fast, flowing style gives you possession, but we don't seem to progress very well and everyone seems shocked when we actually get inside the box, and aren't sure whether to pass or shoot.

[Graffito]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/southampton-1-2-qpr-saints-defender-1741295?

 

Our problem was lack of movement says Fonte.

[Crab Lungs]

I said we have lacked movement since mp took charge, maybe something to do with running ourselves into the ground? Anyway, I think chsplow is a fit...

[kpturner]

I'm not a Fox basher normally, but his ball watching defensive meandering for the first goal had me fuming.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Can't single out just one from yesterday - it was an alround rubbish team performance. Even the peoples darling Lambert was awful and didn't look interested some of the time.