MP's pressing system

[Bad Wolf]

I like the fact we have players who want to get the ball but sometimes I wonder whether the "pressing" system that we play drags players out of position and leaves us vulnerable in said position?

 

MP even said in his interview this week that we don't play players in positions, we play them FROM positions. So if we're playing Luke Shaw at LB for example and he comes out to the left part of the central midfield to try and win a ball, we're exposed on our left flank to an opposition player who only has to ping the ball to an oncoming winger and all of a sudden they cross it in and we're 1 down.

 

It happened today in that full back slot quite a few times. I think it works against the likes of Chelsea, City etc who are used to dictating play and playing their own way and it was a big shock to them hence beating them last season but against the likes of Norwich away where they're going out expecting to beat us, does it really work? They were dictating the play today so I'm wondering if we should adopt a more disciplined approach against the sides that are on on the same sort of level as us.

 

Just a thought, is all.

[Smirking_Saint]

High pressing is always susceptable to long ball, Im assuming thats why JC has been replaced by VW as his added height and athleticism helps with that tactic (as its JC/VW who sits with the center backs in the attacking phase)

 

We dealt with things ok today, but it was a difficult game as we missed the full backs going forward providing width and options. Again we defended ok, as we have done previously, our possession wasnt as good, one as VW had a poor game and two the options wide were not there.

 

Our problem under MP will be turning pressure into goals.

[DuncanRG]

MP even said in his interview this week that we don't play players in positions, we play them FROM positions. So if we're playing Luke Shaw at LB for example and he comes out to the left part of the central midfield to try and win a ball, we're exposed on our left flank to an opposition player who only has to ping the ball to an oncoming winger and all of a sudden they cross it in and we're 1 down.

 

When someone leaves their position to track a player or win the ball, someone else comes in to cover. That is a 'disciplined approach' and a basic requirement of any Premier League team, which we more than fulfil. You have to be particularly well-drilled to do it when you're closing down on the ball all the time, but we are and have been especially so under Pochettino.

Edited 1 September, 2013 by DuncanRG

[Bad Wolf]

When someone leaves their position to track a player or win the ball, someone else comes in to cover. That is a 'disciplined approach' and a basic requirement of any Premier League team, which we more than fulfil. You have to be particularly well-drilled to do it when you're closing down on the ball all the time, but we are and have been especially so under Pochettino.

 

They're supposed to come in and cover but I didn't see much of that yesterday, especially in the full back positions.

[DuncanRG]

I did, a whole lot. Got caught out on the right a few times when we were chasing the game and pushing up to score but other than that we were okay.

[saintant]

MP arrived like a breath of fresh air. Straight away we pressed high up the pitch and played with little fear. As a result we were flooding players forward, getting plenty of runners into opposition penalty boxes and creating chances. We were superb away to Man Utd despite the fact that we lost the game. That system seems to have vanished and I can only think MP became worried because we did concede some fairly soft goals. Now, we are quite secure at the back but there is no attacking flair and our play has become sterile and all too predictable. I guess he is searching for something in between but so far it is not working.

[Sour Mash]

Didn't think we pressed massively yesterday, wasn't particularly that sort of game, plus normally need Rodriguez and S. Davis to lead it.

[captainchris]

I like the fact we have players who want to get the ball but sometimes I wonder whether the "pressing" system that we play drags players out of position and leaves us vulnerable in said position?

 

MP even said in his interview this week that we don't play players in positions, we play them FROM positions. So if we're playing Luke Shaw at LB for example and he comes out to the left part of the central midfield to try and win a ball, we're exposed on our left flank to an opposition player who only has to ping the ball to an oncoming winger and all of a sudden they cross it in and we're 1 down.

 

It happened today in that full back slot quite a few times. I think it works against the likes of Chelsea, City etc who are used to dictating play and playing their own way and it was a big shock to them hence beating them last season but against the likes of Norwich away where they're going out expecting to beat us, does it really work? They were dictating the play today so I'm wondering if we should adopt a more disciplined approach against the sides that are on on the same sort of level as us.

 

Just a thought, is all.

 

Surely though we are not pressing like we first did when Ponch came in - the pressing has waned ....