Tactics Formations & Team Selections Etc

[Mcforest]

So according to CH, Cafu is a number 10 player. Now I like Cafu and think he has done a good job for us but as far as I see it the best performances have been when he is the second midfielder in the 4-2-3-1 formation. When he has played that further forward role he hasn’t done bad but he is not able to grip the game and we struggle to link the team together. Yet when he is deeper, he has good energy to cover the pitch and what’s more he plays on the front foot and we see passes hitting the front four faster creating more space and overloads.

Not for a second saying Cafu is our best player or he must be in the team. I'm using that statement from CH about Cafu it as an example to shows why i struggle with CH tactics and one of the reasons we are struggling to breakdown teams. Anyone who can move a ball quickly is not deemed a deep midfielder by CH and is quickly removed from the team. CH stand point is to be a DCM you must be able to defend first and formost. But having DCM's doesn't have to mean you will defend at all costs. When in posession the DCM is the one player who sees everything in a more forward position than the CB. So they have the defensive triangle behind them already. So they have the freedom to take the bigger risks with passing, bringing the ball forward or keep it simple. Being able to move the ball quickly and have a range of passing skill is exactly what you need from one of the DCM’s. Yet to CH that is not what you do in that position. That is why i struggle with CH tactics and game plan.

Why was CH so eager to get Garner then?

Fair point the rumours suggested we want him and he does fit that role as the deepest DCM/MC (whatever you like to all it) but we don't have him with what two weeks left of the window and we are playing two deep DCM's now. Yet we could even now make that change with the players we have, but the statement he made to me sums up the mentality right now is still if you play the deeper role you must first and foremost be more a CB. Garner we were lucky with because he could do the passing part but i do feel the only reason we went for him was because of the defensive side of his game and CH would have been happy with just that.

If CH was only after a defensive brute then he would definitely not have picked up Garner. Garner is okay defensively but in my mind not more than that. His biggest assets are probably vision and passing ability.

See i think the best deep midfielders are ones who don't need to tackle. DCM is not a smash and grab position it is about slowing the attack allowing your team to reset into the def formation. Can you stay on your feet and be difficult to beat. Can you get yourself into the right position to force runners to get their head down and move them into a dead end of the pitch rather than they get their head up and be pitch aware.  And that is what Garner does very well. Saying that i really do think that Yates has it in him to be that player and i honestly think if he was to allowed to specialise in that role he would be premiership standard without a doubt and it would release a whole new Garner which is what i think you are referring to.

On another note isn't it good when we can just chat about this stuff without anyone saying your wrong blah blah it's like i see your point but think you missed this out or well actually i would say this is better what do you think.