Something I have tried to study this year has been the altering of our long standing raute-based tactics necessitated by the departure of Diego. Even during the days of Diego Schaaf had tinkered with a double six or a double eight formation (roughly a 4-2-2-2) however it had limited success. It appeared to be heading that same direction this season, with the home defeats to Frankfurt and allowing FK Aktobe to score 3 goals at the Weserstadion it looked like the new formation was shipping goals at a greater rate than we conceded in the last several seasons. (During which time, we should note, we were a goalscoring threat rivaled only by Barcelona) Then came that run of 0-0 and shutouts, which we would still find ourselves in had it not been for that momentary lapse against Bochum. It remained apparent however that Schaaf has significantly altered our playing style. We certainly remain offensively potent, however we appear much tighter at the back. Upon first look, this stability appears to come from the fact that Fritz and Boenisch no longer bomb forward with the reckless abandon they did in years past. Torsten Frings appears to be settling into his role replacing Baumi as that screen in front of the back four, and Borowski and Bargfrede, who has been a pleasant surprise, have added stability to the central midfield, allowing players like Ozil, Marin, and Hunt to take the brunt of the attacking duties. Because of the versatility of these three players, is looks like we can, with the same personnel on the field, play a formation ranging from 4-5-1 to 4-2-4 in both extremes. Allow me to illustrate my point: Code: ---------------------Wiese ---Fritz--------Merte-------Naldo-----Boenisch Ozil------------Frings-----Boro------Marin -------------------------------Hunt------------- --------------------Pizzaro----------------------- switching to ---------------------Wiese ---Fritz--------Merte-------Naldo-----Boenisch --------------Frings-------Borowski Ozil---------------------------------Marin ------------Pizzaro-------------Hunt--------- This flexibility, I think has given us a capability we did not have with Diego, where the play had to revolve around him at all times. Now, with Hunt, Ozil, and Marin and functioning, both collectively and independently as play makers, we are much more potent, in the sense that we are overall stronger as a time as we can score goals without running as great a risk of conceding. Furthermore, we appear to have depth at each position. Moreno, Almeida, and Bargfrede can slot into this system without too much alteration. This formation, to me at least, also seems to suit a player like Carlos Alberto, assuming he got a good sleep the night before the game What are your guys' thoughts on our new tactical outlook this season?
Excellent post WerderBremenYank, very good summary of the tactical changes Schaaf made this season. His critics always accused him to be tactically inflexible, he proved them all wrong. I posted my thoughts on this a while ago, definitely couldn't say it better. The unpredictability is what I like most about this new formation of ours. All the positional changes and constant movement is a nightmare for the defending team. The individual class of our gifted (young) attacking players helps also, of course, but tactically, it's far more sophisticated, more 'modern' you could say, than the good old diamond. We look so much more coherent as a team, we defend better, and even if this may sound like blasphemy to some, but we actually attack better also. We switch from defence to attack much faster (and vice versa), we exploit that crucial space between the opposition defence and midfield much more effectively. Having to outscore the opponent "by all means" because you keep conceding silly goals does not mean that you are "more attacking", you're just more desperate. We totally relied on the individual class of our players (e.g. Diego, Pizarro, Özil), or the lack thereof (e.g. fullbacks, who have an awfully difficult job in a diamond 4-4-2). As a team, our attacks are far more 'structured', which does not mean more predictable, on the contrary. Attacking in such fashion makes it difficult even for the strongest teams, with the strongest defenders, to contain us (e.g. by neutralising our #10). The team is still learning, we have still not seen the full potential yet, and inconsistency has to be expected with all the young players in our team in particular. But once the machine is well oiled and running, we'll be quite a handful for anyone. It's going to be a great show to behold.
Sleeping problems were a nice synonym for describing the truth. He was partying most of the time. It is no surpsrise, that Mourinho took C.A. as the role model of the overpaid, unmotivated youngsters, that don't develope, but spend their time with drinking, girls and cars (I have no problem with it, when it doesn't effect work, but at the C.A. case it does). Same like last Rueckrunde with the difference, that the players don't only show potential in Europa Cup matches. Very good description of some changes made, but I see it as a process. The players needed time to understand the ideas and some of them came out of a form crisis and now shine (e.g. Hunt). How the systems goes depends on, how the young team compensates stamina drain and injuries (as hackespitze123 mentioned in another thread) and how other teams react on Werders system. So far I am happy about a good start.