QF3 with a clever title

[Bored Of Education]

QF3 with a clever title

I disagree about it not being 4-6-0. You can see when Torres comes on that the formation changes: he stays up against the last defender all the time and is a true 'forward' in that sense. Silva and Fabregas are attacking midfield players running into the box but starting from well in front of the back four.

Satchmo, I just had a look at the heatmaps for the France game and, apart from Torres not covering as much area as Fabregas and Silva, his main areas of operation aren't that much different, albeit he was far more central than the latter. He isn't even that far advanced than Xavi or Iniesta. Certainly compared to Ballotelli, he is much more withdrawn

[Satchmo Distel]

QF3 with a clever title

OK, thanks. It deserves more study.

[Bored Of Education]

QF3 with a clever title

I am not saying you are wrong and I am right, by the way, but I just thought I would point it out in the one and draw your attention to the heatmaps. I can see me wasting a few hours studying them.

[Bored Of Education]

QF3 with a clever title

Ah bollocks, they didn't do any heatmaps for the CL final or, more aptly, for the semis.

Come on, UEFA, what are we paying our license fee for

[Satchmo Distel]

QF3 with a clever title

It's something I would enjoy studying over the summer. Would it be different had Spain not been 1-0 up and conserving the lead? Say, had it been the last 20 mins before Spain scored against Germany and Holland in the WC?

[Bored Of Education]

QF3 with a clever title

Indeed. Mind you that does somewhat go towards saying that any tactic is anything set in stone. Every tactic changes dependent on the team in possession, the score, etc.

I suppose we have to look at whether we mean 'what is their shape when they are in possession, starting a phase of play" or "What is their shape when they are out of possession?" or some other definition? Personally, I think there is the question of whether it is the coach changing the tactics or the players? Is allowing autonomy amongst players a tactic in itself? How much is tactics and how much is formation or shape?