Week 32: Napoli - Milan 21:45 July 12 2020

[xudong]

Strange game.

For the 1st half, the shots were 10 vs. 1, but yellow cards was 2:0. The second half, the shots were 3:3, but we got 4 yellows and 1 red.

The referee didn't control the game well at all.

[honsano]

That’s a good point Nef about Donna. He needs to start putting meat on his bones and mowing guys over. Otherwise, He just needs to start making better decisions.

Conti was beaten a lot today. Benna also lost a lot of 1:1 duels. As much as we like our double pivot, those guys need some rest.

[Artan]

I am afraid now of facing the midtable teams.parma,bologna and so on. They worry me more than Juve , Inter do.

[Sleeping Giant]

Seeing another shit performance from Paqueta, I don't know at this stage whether Fiorentina will agree him in swap deal or not.

[mazen111]

this match showed how much 4231 tactic is unstable and makes you wide open in midfield and defence. we were outplayed heavily in midfield as we lacked the balance. gattuso knew how to deal with 4231.

imagine us playing 4231 with pioli against bayern munchen.

NO THANKS

back to 442 i wish

[porcho]

this match showed how much 4231 tactic is unstable and makes you wide open in midfield and defence. we were outplayed heavily in midfield as we lacked the balance. gattuso knew how to deal with 4231.

imagine us playing 4231 with pioli  against bayern munchen.

NO THANKS

back to 442 i wish

4-2-3-1 can work. but the 2 new to be top players and the CAM needs to be fast and intelligent... 
Rebic as CAM is useless. He ends up lost. Hakan is too hit and miss and not fast not intelligent enough to play CAM in that formation.
as for the 2... Bennacer can't do it all on his own. Kessie spent half of the game running around aimlessly. And most of his possession ended up being passing it back to the CM's or back out wide to the LB/RB while Bennacer was always trying to push through. If we had another Bennacer then dynamic would be completely different and we wouldn't have been completely overrun through the middle like we were.

[nefremo]

There are several fundamental things this squad is missing...NO MATTER the formation.

1) we are missing a great, tricky, unpredictable, pacey 1v1 player. Doesn't reappy matter if it's on the wings or through the middle. We just don't have this. Rebic provides pace and his willingness to run the channels allows for long balls behind the defense and it streches them out. But he's not as effective when he gets the ball in front of the defensive line. So we need this option.

2) We need more passing range in the middle. Kessie & Bennacer are doing well, and I've already said that I think Bennacer is on his way to being a world class CM. But, when we have both him and Kessie together, it's all a bit too short in the passing. There are SO many opportunities to hit a diagonal ball to the wing after playing 3-4 short passes...but neither one is willing to do it. I don't know if they are scared of making a mistake, or if it's the directions from Pioli, or what.....but we need someone in the middle to do this. I'm not saying one of Kessie/Benna needs to be benched. This can be the AM ahead of them, or even a CB. I don't know....but it's important to be able to do this. The whole point of playing many short passes is to shift around the opposing team, "bait" them and bunch them up, but than you have to be able to play the ball vertically/diagonally behind that pressing wave.

3) We need more danger on our right side, preferable provided from the RB...therefore we need a RB that's willing to and is good enough to attack relentlessly like Theo. I mentioned this during the Napoli game....but the first goal from Theo was possibly the best goal we've scored in a LONG time....and certainly the 1st that involved both fullbacks in attack. There was a diagonal ball from Hakan to Conti who ran into the attacking 3rd. It shifted Napoli's entire shape to their left....Conti was forced to play back to Bennacer, who now had a diagonal run from Rebic and played a great vertical ball into the box.....Rebic turned and made a blind cross to the back post (spacing that he opened up when he ran diagonally across) where Theo had acres to run in. It was brilliant, but it was all made possible by Conti's first deep run down the wing.


So I believe NO MATTER what formation we play next season, no matter who is the coach.....the above 3 things are a must. Because they are fundamental in any formation. And there are broad possibilities. The 1v1 player doesn't have to be a winger. He can be an ACM for example, or a CF, etc. The player who has long range of passing and vision doesn't have to be a regista or a pivot. He can be a CB, or a CM, or an AM, etc. I'm more talkong about the ability of the player, rather than the position.

The only fundamental piece I mentioned that requires a specific position is the RB/RWB. But that's fine, because you need one of those for any formation and the ones we have currently need to be replaced anyway.

[porcho]

There are several fundamental things this squad is missing...NO MATTER the formation.

1) we are missing a great, tricky, unpredictable, pacey 1v1 player. Doesn't reappy matter if it's on the wings or through the middle. We just don't have this. Rebic provides pace and his willingness to run the channels allows for long balls behind the defense and it streches them out. But he's not as effective when he gets the ball in front of the defensive line. So we need this option.

2) We need more passing range in the middle. Kessie & Bennacer are doing well, and I've already said that I think Bennacer is on his way to being a world class CM. But, when we have both him and Kessie together, it's all a bit too short in the passing. There are SO many opportunities to hit a diagonal ball to the wing after playing 3-4 short passes...but neither one is willing to do it. I don't know if they are scared of making a mistake, or if it's the directions from Pioli, or what.....but we need someone in the middle to do this. I'm not saying one of Kessie/Benna needs to be benched. This can be the AM ahead of them, or even a CB. I don't know....but it's important to be able to do this. The whole point of playing many short passes is to shift around the opposing team, "bait" them and bunch them up, but than you have to be able to play the ball vertically/diagonally behind that pressing wave.

3) We need more danger on our right side, preferable provided from the RB...therefore we need a RB that's willing to and is good enough to attack relentlessly like Theo. I mentioned this during the Napoli game....but the first goal from Theo was possibly the best goal we've scored in a LONG time....and certainly the 1st that involved both fullbacks in attack. There was a diagonal ball from Hakan to Conti who ran into the attacking 3rd. It shifted Napoli's entire shape to their left....Conti was forced to play back to Bennacer, who now had a diagonal run from Rebic and played a great vertical ball into the box.....Rebic turned and made a blind cross to the back post (spacing that he opened up when he ran diagonally across) where Theo had acres to run in. It was brilliant, but it was all made possible by Conti's first deep run down the wing.


So I believe NO MATTER what formation we play next season, no matter who is the coach.....the above 3 things are a must. Because they are fundamental in any formation. And there are broad possibilities. The 1v1 player doesn't have to be a winger. He can be an ACM for example, or a CF, etc. The player who has long range of passing and vision doesn't have to be a regista or a pivot. He can be a CB, or a CM, or an AM, etc. I'm more talkong about the ability of the player, rather than the position.

The only fundamental piece I mentioned that requires a specific position is the RB/RWB. But that's fine, because you need one of those for any formation and the ones we have currently need to be replaced anyway.

1) IMO Rebic fits the bill ONLY when he plays out of the left. He seems lost and ineffective playing centrally. That being said. Having only the one player isn't enough.


2)I feel like we get a lot more out of Bennacer while Kessie generally ends up choosing the pass back to the defence/side ways pass almost every time. Bennacer at least pushes forward and tries to go for more, even though he doesn't go the killer ball either.

3) Conti pisses me off. We see some amazing stretches from him and some absolute crap from him also. His inconsistency and tendency to get lost in games is frustrating, that's for sure.