Counter Attack

Over the past couple of weeks we’ve seen both Barcelona and Arsenal, arguably the best sides in Europe right now at “possession football”, have been beaten by two hard-working defensive sides. But they didn’t do it by kicking their more technical opponents off the park. Indeed, they did it without tackling very much at all. In both of the matches we explore below, the losing side managed over 60% possession.

That might sound weird. You might argue that hard tackling would be the best way to win the ball back. But if you attempt the tackle and miss you could well leave a lot of space in behind you for a good technical side to exploit. Worse, you could end up giving free kicks away in dangerous areas, picking up cheap yellow cards, or even ending the game with ten men. You don’t need to have the ball to stop the opposition scoring. You just need to make sure they can’t do anything with it.

The remarkable thing about the Tottenham match was how, for the first 75 minutes at least, Arsenal couldn’t go anywhere. They were forced to play where Spurs made them. Simply by cutting off the options in the centre of the park, Arsenal were forced wide into less dangerous areas of the field. From there, any crosses were likely to arrive in a well-packed box – or at the very least, it is hard to see Michael Dawson or Ledley King losing many headers to the likes of Samir Nasri or Tomáš Rosický. By starving the supply to the forwards, removing the passing options for the creative midfielders and getting men behind the ball to cover any potential missed tackles, Tottenham were able to stop Arsenal creating anything. It was only later on, with legs starting to tire and an inspired Robin van Persie that Gomes had anything to do.

The other crucial element, better exemplified by the performance of Internazionale in the Champions League, is a decent counter attack. Well-disciplined defending will work to keep the score down, but in order to gain vital points it is essential to provide an attacking threat. Tottenham may have made the most of a couple of glaring errors (a flapping, stumbling Almunia and a statuesque Sagna), but their counter attacking threat kept Arsenal honest. You can’t throw eight men forward in search of a goal when you know that the opposition can launch quick, incisive counter attacks at any moment.

Inter are masters of this. By getting his wingers to track back and harry Barcelona’s wingback and simultaneously asking them to bomb forward quickly on the counter attack, José Mourinho ensured that one of Barca’s most effective threats was nullified. Frightened of leaving too much space down the wings, neither of Barcelona’s wing backs could push forward as much as they would have liked. Combined with an effective marking job on Xavi Hernandes and a potent counter-attacking punch, Inter walked away with a hard-fought 3-1 win.

This isn’t new for Mourinho. Earlier in the season he responded to Snejder’s sending off against AC Milan by playing a 4-3-2, eschewing the traditional response of dropping one of the forwards. The result was that Milan could not take advantage of the extra man, frequently being pegged back by Inter’s ability to counter attack in numbers.

So, what would be the lessons here for Football Manager? Well, first, the importance of opposition instructions in ensuring tight-marking on key opponents in key positions cannot be under-emphasised. By keeping a close eye on the opposition, you can cut off the supply to the forwards, frustrate the opposition and generally keep you team tight and well positioned. But it is also important not to dive in with the tackles. It is OK for the opposition to have the ball if they cannot do anything with it. All those managers who have gained 60% possession and still not won the match can attest to that!

Closing down can help to harry the opponents further, but it is important to ensure that the team remain compact – a narrower width will help with this, as will a lower mentality. All of these changes are automatically taken into account with the tactics creator, but shouts such as play narrower and/or push up will compact the side even more and give the opposition less space to play in. You might also consider packing the midfield with three central midfielders (a DMC and 2 MCs, for example) to really force the opposition to find new space on the pitch.

Finally, having players able to launch counter attacks can really help. Keeping the opposition afraid of conceding goals means that they cannot throw everyone forward. Quick wingers, versatile forwards and a willingness to attack will all help here. Perhaps a counter strategy might be useful in making the side slightly more attacking when they finally get the ball.

Most importantly, you need to keep an eye on the match. This can be a wonderful strategy for stifling creative, high-quality sides, but if they do manage to work out a “plan B” you need to plug the holes. Make sure you don’t give them too much space down the wings, especially if their crossing is becoming a threat. Similarly, make sure that players who complete a lot of passes or receive a lot of balls are well marked and covered. Full backs in Football Manager 10 are notorious for being unmarked around the half-way line where they often have time to pick a pass or drive down the touchline looking for an incisive attack.

Possession isn’t everything. It’s what you do with. By knowing how to make possession ineffectual for your opponents, perhaps this will help you analyse your own attacking issues. Remember that the match stats do not tell the whole story – so it is vital to know how you can tip the balance in your own favour.