Bayern Munich moved a step closer to winning the Bundesliga with victory at Borussia Dortmund, where Hansi Flick equalled Pep Guardiola’s record. Our professional coaches assess 👇
Hosts Borussia Dortmund favoured a 3-4-3 formation, led by the front three of Julian Brandt, Thorgan Hazard and Erling Braut Haaland, while they had possession #BVBFCB
That 3-4-3 became a 5-4-1, through Raphael Guerreiro and Achraf Hakimi withdrawing into defence, and Brandt and Hazard taking their places in midfield #BVBFCB
Dortmund adopted defensive positions intended to discourage Bayern Munich from playing through central areas, in an attempt to trap them in wide positions #BVBFCB
If Bayern advanced into those wide positions, Dortmund would increase the numbers they offered out there to limit their visitors’ options #BVBFCB
Bayern retained a 4-2-3-1 formation throughout the periods they were in possession; Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller rotated in the final third #BVBFCB
That 4-2-3-1 became a 4-4-2 when they were defending; Serge Gnabry and Kingsley Coman withdrew into midfield from their positions as wide attackers #BVBFCB
Dortmund struggled to access the spaces that existed behind Bayern left-back Alphonso Davies, largely owing to the speed and power he consistently offers #BVBFCB
The movements offered by Lewandowski and Müller posed a consistent threat; one prioritised running in behind while the other withdrew to towards possession #BVBFCB
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Spain used a 4-3-3 structure and built play patiently from the back, despite Germany pressing aggressively from their 4-2-3-1. They moved the ball around the back line to isolate Thomas Müller, before a centre-back stepped out with the ball into midfield... 🧐🧵
Olmo continued to move inside and Asensio dropped deep, in the process pulling Süle out of his position in Germany’s back line. This helped Spain to build out from the back and get around Germany’s increasingly effective high press... 🧐🧵
Traditionally, full-backs are the widest players in a back four, and as a result they attack and defend mostly in the wide areas. However, full-backs who move inside into central spaces are known as ‘inverted full-backs’. This movement adds an extra presence centrally... ↩️🧐
Although Pep Guardiola is the coach most associated with the inverted full-back, Johan Cruyff used them with Barcelona many years before. Then, he often converted the 4-3-3 into a 3-4-3 diamond, with one full-back inverting into central midfield... ↩️🧐
Manchester United were set up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, but Fred pushed forward from the double pivot to become a number 8 and give them a stronger attacking presence in central midfield. Bruno Fernandes then adapted his positioning, moving into the left inside channel... 🧐🧵
The hosts eventually pushed both full-backs higher, primarily working around the outside of Tottenham’s wing-backs. United’s wingers then came inside, with the freedom to rotate with Fred and Fernandes, as long as both inside channels were always occupied... 🧐🧵
Barcelona were set up in a 4-3-3, against a Madrid 4-4-2 defensive block. Torres moved inside to support centre-forward Aubameyang. De Jong and Pedri widened to support through the inside channels, with Busquets left as the single pivot ahead of the two centre-backs... 🧐🧵
Busquets dropped into defence to draw one of Madrid’s central midfielders up, and Pedri drifted wider to drag the other out. This often left De Jong as the free man to receive in the inside channel when Barcelona’s back line could access him... 🧐🧵
4-4-2 is made up of three distinct lines. The back four including two centre-backs and two full-backs. Ahead of them, a midfield four features two players in the middle and one on each side. Then the front two in attack who provide both height and goalscoring threat... 4️⃣4️⃣2️⃣🧵
In the 1950s, Viktor Maslov developed another variation of the 4-2-4, in which the two wingers dropped back alongside the two central midfielders. So originated the 4-4-2, which worked to overload opposition midfields with traditionally fewer numbers... 4️⃣4️⃣2️⃣🧵