Newcastle-Online comment: June 28th 2004
Tactics, tactics, tactics...
With our midfield we should be battering teams, certainly those below
us, but all too often we are the ones left with the bruises as our
midfield fall before their opponents in the battle for the centre
of the park. We have a very good midfield containing players that
most teams just don't have yet Bobby has failed to get the best out
of them both as individuals and as a quartet if you like. One of the
reasons for this is because of the game plan we deploy. It's safe
to say Newcastle play to Shearer's strengths and this 'game plan'
doesn't do the midfield any service whatsoever as they find themselves
often bypassed in the game and it's of my firm belief that we won't
see the best of these talented midfielders until Shearer is either
dropped or when he retires - by then it could be too late. We need
to finish 4th at least if we want to hang onto the likes of Given
and Woodgate, the future of our club. Bobby isn't going to drop Shearer
is he? And Shearer won't be retiring for another 9 months so something
needs to be done in the meantime.
A different ball game...
I propose a change in tactics, shape and system thus giving us a better
game plan and a better midfield without affecting Shearer's game (too
much) which will allow us to improve considerably on our performances
of last season both defensively and offensively.
I propose a 4-2-3-1 formation with the following
players to be deployed in this new system, shape and game plan;
Player roles
Jenas & Speed
Off the ball their jobs will be to protect the back four, the space
either side of them and to get amongst the opposition and win back
the ball when we lose it. To press at all opportunities and to generally
harass the opposition. On the ball their job is to pick it up off
the back four and to feed the forwards - that's it. They must stay
in the defensive zone they have been designated so
that we are never overstretched when we lose the ball, they must,
at all times, hold their line, act as the brick wall so to speak.
Because they are exempt from attacking (set-pieces aside and feeding
the forward line) they will have the energy and scope to do their
jobs, to stick to their tasks. They will not have the burden or responsibility
of getting goals from open play therefore they will be able to fully
concentrate on protecting the back four and feeding the front-line.
The two full-backs must push up when we have the
ball and when we don't to make the line Speed and Jenas hold a solid
4 just incase we suddenly lose the ball (when on the attack) which
could leave our flanks behind two of the forward 4 (Bellamy & Robert)
vulnerable - not if the space is occupied by Hughes
and Bernard who must push up it wont be. Woodgate
and O'Brien could then be left to look after the
opposition strikers without bumping into their full-back's or being
dragged out of position. They will have a clear line to maneuver and
operate in. One of Speed or Jenas can drop back into the central defensive
position if Woodgate or O'Brien were to be dragged out of their central
positions to fill the void, leaving us with a presence in the centre
of defence at all times when under attack. Hughes and bernard will
also have a job to supply the flank men of Bellamy and Robert.
Bellamy & Robert
Off the ball their job will be to push up alongside Shearer to close
down the opposition defence, to cut them off - giving us a 3 man wall
in front of the opposition back four. Bear in mind behind this wall
will be Hughes, Jenas, Speed and Bernard giving us an extra defensive
layer incase the opposition back four get through our first wall of
3. On the ball their job is to get behind the opposition full-backs
to cross it in or play it across for Shearer or the onrushing Bowyer
who will be the spare man (more on this later). Their job is to also
drag the opposition back four about with their movement and pace.
Shearer
Shearer's job is to act as the buffer, the point of the attack if
you like. His job is to hold the ball up to bring Bowyer into play,
to feed it to Bellamy or Robert then making his way into the box to
put pressure on the keeper and or opposition centre-backs and get
himself into position for a cross or a ball into the box. His job
is to remain as high up field as possible to press the opposition
defence deeper and deeper, so they are on top of themselves. Off the
ball, with Bellamy and Robert either side of him giving us a 3 man
wall, this will suffocate the opposition defence and force them to
hoof it long (remind you of anyone?)
Bowyer
Bowyer is the key man, the key to the lock if you like. His job is
to be the free man, the spare man. His job is to drive at the opposition
defence and to link up with Shearer, Bellamy and Robert - to get into
the box early for those crosses from either flank or one of Shearer
knockdown's. His defensive responsibilities will be limited to keeping
a line. He will rarely venture into his own half or near his own back
four - he is the free spirit. Like Scholes for Man Utd - Bowyer will
find time and room to ghost into the box and to get on the end of
things. With the opposition defence pushed back he will have the room
and time to shoot from 25 yards and such (which he is more than capable
of doing). In this role Bowyer could easily get 10-15 League goals.
The game plan
The game plan is to squeeze the life out of the opposition as far
away from our own defence as can be, to suffocate them into submission
without being ultra defensive in a manner that will restrict our own
attacking options as is the case currently. We will be dynamic, flexible,
compact and very strong both defensively and offensively. The idea
is to give the opposition as little time as possible on the ball and
to force them deeper and deeper which will cause them to hoof it long
as they try to get out from underneath themselves. Because they are
penned in they will lose their shape and discipline .
Classic examples of this is England's performance against France and
Portugal in Euro 2004 and countless Toon games last season where we
were forced back deeper and deeper leaving us to hoof it long as an
outlet - and that is the key. To cut off an outlet to the opposition
- all outlets. Attacks start from the back and defence starts from
the front. How can a team attack us if they can't get past Bellamy,
Shearer, Bowyer and Robert who have pushed them so far back they are
on top of their keeper? They can't and if they manage to get the ball
through to midfield, Hughes, Jenas, Speed and Bernard are there to
snuff them out. Should they get the ball as far as their strikers...well
long balls in the air would be food and drink to Woodgate and O'Brien.
Example of the game plan in effect without the ball;
Notice how the opposition are completely cut off yet we have room
to operate and to attack in when they inevitably hoof the ball back
to us? Notice Bowyer hovering menacingly on the peripheral of the
game? Notice Shearer occupying two centre-backs? Notice how pushed
back the opposition are? Notice how isolated the oppositions two strikers
are? That was us last season, that's how the opposition played us.
We were often suffocated with Shearer isolated up front. We were often
too deep and our midfield was so far away from our attack we didn't
stand a chance - hence a shocking away record. On the road this game
plan will kill the opposition, at home we struggled when teams sat
back to defend. Well this time it will be us doing the pushing.
The downside to this way of playing would almost certainly result
in less goals from Shearer but with more from others such as Bellamy,
Bowyer and Robert with others chipping in from set-pieces also this
shouldn't be a problem. However Shearer will be more involved in the
build up play than ever before and with his positional sense, heading
ability and innate scrounging skills I'm sure he will get on the end
of things to score enough goals.
Other plus points of playing this way which will hide team and player
deficiencies are:
Speed - his job is to protect and defend, nothing
more. Because he wont have attacking responsibilities he will have
more energy which would otherwise be used to do both - attack and
defend. We will get a good year out of him without him tiring.
Jenas - his job is to protect, destroy, defend and
give to the forward 4 like Speed's job. Because he wont have attacking
responsibilities either he will not go missing in games like he did
last season as he juggled between the two - attack and defend. His
role will be clear and easier to follow.
Hughes - we all know he is poor in the attacking
3rd, well because he too doesn't have much attacking responsibilities
his poor attacking qualities will be discarded leaving him to do what
he does best. Work hard and defend. Obviously he will still have to
get forward, as will Bernard but the onus isn't on him nor Bernard
to get behind the back four but to feed the two forward flank men
(Bellamy & Robert).
This 'game plan' not only gets the best out of those midfielders who
are under performing but it will make us more fluid, compact, flexible
and above all else - dynamic. I guarantee that we would concede very
few goals if we played this way. It would take time to develop and
need to be coached hard into the players heads but we could be more
than capable of playing this way. Further more when Shearer retires
we can just plonk another striker, be that Shola or someone else,
in his place without adapting to a different game plan/style and with
added pace and mobility we will be even more potent in attack.
Even without new signings this game plan would make our team superior
to the one that often didn't have a clue last season in every sense
and with new better signings...well we could do some damage. |
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