Chelsea fell to defeat at Juventus after a fine defensive display from the Italians. Juve took the lead just 11 seconds into the second half through Federico Chiesa – a goal Thomas Tuchel later desrcibed as “cheap”... 🧐🧵
Bentancur dropped alongside Locatelli to form a double pivot. Bernardeschi then dropped into midfield, while Cuadrado moved into a narrow position. Chiesa then moved across the front line, attacking centrally to threaten the space in behind Chelsea’s back three 🧐🧵
Juventus initially defended with a 4-1-4-1. The hosts’ two number eights – Rabiot and Bentancur – pushed forwards to press Chelsea’s double pivot, with wingers Chiesa and Cuadrado pressing from out to in 🧐🧵
Chiesa remained as Juve’s highest threat throughout the game, and they defended incredibly deep but remained ready to counter-attack. In the moments where Cuadrado did break forward, they looked to release him or Chiesa following Bernardeschi dropping into a 10 position 🧐🧵
Cuadrado dropped so deep that Juventus ended up in a 5-4-1 with a diamond midfield, which stopped Chelsea finding their way into the inside channels, and forced play out wide. Any resulting crosses were dealt with well by Juventus’ back line 🧐🧵
Chelsea were set up by their manager Thomas Tuchel in a 3-4-2-1 formation when in possession, with the width held by wing-backs Alonso and Azpilicueta. Lukaku was supported by penetrative runs from number 10s, Ziyech and Havertz through the inside channels 🧐🧵
Chelsea defended with a 5-2-3 mid-block where Ziyech moved into the centre as a defensive number 10 behind Lukaku and Havertz to cover Juventus’ single pivot, Locatelli. Jorginho and Kovacic, as Chelsea’s double pivot, held their positions to occupy Juventus’ two number 8s 🧐🧵
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Manchester City’s 4-3-3 started on the front foot as Arsenal initially attempted to press into the host’s half, in a 4-4-2 shape. Arsenal went player-oriented in the wide areas, with Declan Rice and Thomas Partey tracking Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gündogan’s forward runs. However, Silva’s wide runs to City’s right-side created space for Savinho to drive inside, penetrating against the aggressive jumping of Arsenal’s left-back, Calafiori. This helped disrupt and stretch Arsenal’s back line in the early stages, including when Haaland was slid in-behind to calmly open the scoring... 🧐🧵
It wasn’t long before Arsenal formed a low block, while City responded with a 3-1-5-1 shape. Josko Gvardiol moved into a left-side number eight role from full-back, with Gündogan as the central option underneath Haaland. Rodri – soon to be replaced by Kovacic – acted as the single pivot. Still, it was City’s right side that proved most potent, with Silva’s wider positioning supporting Savinho’s direct movements and dribbles against Calafiori... 🧐🧵
Stemming from tweaks to the 4-4-2 formation, and initially most popular in Spain, the 4-2-3-1 grew in popularity from the 2000s onwards. It has since been used with success by many prominent coaches, including Pep Guardiola, Arne Slot and Erik ten Hag... 4️⃣2️⃣3️⃣1️⃣🧵
Central protection...
The 4-2-3-1 requires defensive midfielders who can duel, tackle and intercept in individual battles. These midfielders must be alert enough to land on any second balls. They must have good acceleration and deceleration to help with this... 4️⃣2️⃣3️⃣1️⃣🧵
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... 🧐🧵