The season 2020 - 2021.
- Thread starter Walsh.i.am
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I'm beginning to sense that one of the lessons learned is that it is no good trying to play like Man City if you lack Man City quality players. We won the Championship by measured forward movement, all the while retaining possession, leading to an overload out wide (usually wide left), designed to create space centrally which we could then attack. Often Max Aarons would be virtually alone on the right flank, ready to receive a cross-field ball and attack the penalty area. Long time readers of spielverlagerung.com will recognise this as an approach much favoured by Thomas Tuchel in his Dortmund days.
So who are we going to model ourselves on this coming season, the requirement being that whatever approach we adopt should equip us better for survival in the top tier when we land back there again. The arrival of Placheta, Sørensen and Sinani suggest we are aiming be the Championship's Arsenal for 2020--2021. If we improve our back line with a really competent partner for Zimmermann, then maybe we might be said to aspire to be Man U rather than the Gunners.
So who are we going to model ourselves on this coming season, the requirement being that whatever approach we adopt should equip us better for survival in the top tier when we land back there again. The arrival of Placheta, Sørensen and Sinani suggest we are aiming be the Championship's Arsenal for 2020--2021. If we improve our back line with a really competent partner for Zimmermann, then maybe we might be said to aspire to be Man U rather than the Gunners.
The 2020-21 Premier League and English Football League seasons will start on 12 September.
The top-flight campaign will end on 23 May, while the Championship, League One and League Two seasons will culminate on 8 and 9 May.
The play-off finals will take place on the final weekend in May.
The current Premier League season will end on Sunday after it was suspended for three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The regular Championship season concluded on Wednesday, with the play-offs finishing on 4 August.
The top-flight campaign will end on 23 May, while the Championship, League One and League Two seasons will culminate on 8 and 9 May.
The play-off finals will take place on the final weekend in May.
The current Premier League season will end on Sunday after it was suspended for three months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The regular Championship season concluded on Wednesday, with the play-offs finishing on 4 August.
That's about 5 fewer than usual weeks to get in 46 games. A knock that might keep a player out for one game could now force them out for two games. We will need plenty of players match ready to cover for the inevitable injuries.
DF on next season's tactics:
“You try to be more flexible with the squad, and add something you don’t have,” said Farke. “When we analysed this season we had many possession-based players who can pass the ball but there are some other elements we need like pace on the wings, and physicality in the midfield. With Emi Buendia and Todd Cantwell we have maybe two number 10s who like to cut inside, so we have brought in a traditional winger who can use his pace behind the last row."
With Hernandez injured much of the season, our breakaway threat suffered accordingly. Hernandez's break almost produced an equaliser against Burnley and it highlighted what we've been missing this past season. It's also a tactic that is well suited to Pukki's strengths, supported by Cantwell and Buendia providing through balls.
How does that fit into a possession based approach though? Obviously, who else comes in, who stays and who goes will have an impact on what tactics are used. Placheta and Sørensen will add new options. Where Tettey moves the ball with passing, Sørensen has the ability to dribble and carry the ball forward. Might this allow a 4-1-4-1 formation with true wingers outside the likes of Buendia and Cantwell and Pukki up front. Time will tell.
“You try to be more flexible with the squad, and add something you don’t have,” said Farke. “When we analysed this season we had many possession-based players who can pass the ball but there are some other elements we need like pace on the wings, and physicality in the midfield. With Emi Buendia and Todd Cantwell we have maybe two number 10s who like to cut inside, so we have brought in a traditional winger who can use his pace behind the last row."
With Hernandez injured much of the season, our breakaway threat suffered accordingly. Hernandez's break almost produced an equaliser against Burnley and it highlighted what we've been missing this past season. It's also a tactic that is well suited to Pukki's strengths, supported by Cantwell and Buendia providing through balls.
How does that fit into a possession based approach though? Obviously, who else comes in, who stays and who goes will have an impact on what tactics are used. Placheta and Sørensen will add new options. Where Tettey moves the ball with passing, Sørensen has the ability to dribble and carry the ball forward. Might this allow a 4-1-4-1 formation with true wingers outside the likes of Buendia and Cantwell and Pukki up front. Time will tell.
Playing like Man City is great, but requires some concession to circumstances, which we didn't/couldn't make this year. Fundamentally, the way to survive in the Premier League on a limited budget is to be highly organised, physical, and direct. Stoke and Burnley showcase that. If we don't want to be direct, we at least need to be able to organise to defend a set piece, and have sufficient physicality that we aren't facing horrendous mismatches all over the pitch. That latter lesson does appear to have been learned, judging by the messaging from Webber lately. But our tactics need to work in a variety of circumstances, and not require every player to be having a 7/10 game, and the opposition to meekly do what we want. Not necessarily an overhaul of tactics, we don't have time for that this summer, but just further refinement and concessions made to reality.
For example, if Jamal Lewis is having a crap game and he knows it, I don't want him to feel pressured into playing a one-two in his own box because the aim of Farkeball is to retain possession in those deep areas. I want Jamal to know he has an easy out-ball which may be low-risk/low-reward, but is better than a risky short pass or kicking it out of play. Perhaps just a simple tactic where one of Stiepermann, Sinani, Sorensen, etc deliberately go and stand near the touchline on the halfway line, on the side of play the ball is. So our full-back knows exactly which area of the pitch he can try and hit with a long ball, and it's not necessarily throwing the ball away. Bradley Johnson as a left-winger was excellent at this in the Championship, because he brought physicality and an aerial threat to an area of the pitch where few defenders were used to it. But we don't need to sign a 6ft4 left winger to play that way, we just need a fluid rotation where players swap roles as needed to make sure that option exists. That might mean Pukki dropping back and doing the defensive work you'd expect of a CAM, so Stiepermann can go bully the left back. The advantage of signing smart, technically-minded players is that they should have the situational awareness to play like that.
The same with goal kicks, short is great, but if we're being pressed hard and will end up kicking possession away anyway, create some better long pass options for Krul. We know Krul can pass well, if our full-backs/CBs are being pressed then there should be gaps behind those attackers we can exploit. Figure out a tactic where we can make a midfield passing option available, and not rely on long balls up to Pukki.
When you say a really competent partner for Zimmermann, is that because you don’t rate Godfrey, Klose or Hanley? Or you think Godfrey will be sold?
(FAOD, not a criticism or disagreeing with you, I’m genuinely interested in what you meant!)
I was looking for improvement from BG this season, but haven't really seen any. His partnership with Zimmermann in the second half of our Championship winning season proved less solid defensively than the Zimmermann/Klose pairing. But Klose looks way below his former level at the moment and definitely handicapped by his knee. Which leaves the whole-hearted and dependable but limited Hanley who, though admirable on several counts, is a competent Championship defender at best. If Godfrey stays, he will be first choice (because DF rates him highly and you don't get better sitting on the bench), thus ensuring we will be more Arsenal than Man Utd.
It's official.
We are now on Championship Forum
On the bright side, our near neighbours are not
It's official.
We are now on Championship Forum
Phew ! No more VAR !
Whilst i'm no fan of "plucky" Bournemouth, I do sympathise. It's one thing to go down by a point but even more frustrating to know you've been robbed too. Problem is most teams can flag various reffing or VAR grievances this campaign. If it wasn't for the cash implications of being relegated this wouldn't even be a consideration. Once again money in the driving seat.
The Premier League -- that includes AFC Bournemouth -- voted for VAR, warts and all. There's no case. If the ghost goal incident had happened when the Cherries were playing Sheffield Utd, rather than Villa, would they have applied to have the result altered? No they wouldn't. They don't deserve any sympathy.
It’s a slam dunk.
Who has more sway with the corruption that is the EPL and Sky ? Villa with their 30k fans and larger fan base or The Cherries with their 12k and lower potential.
Don’t waste your time or money Bournemouth.
Coming to terms with our new situation:
“Our decisions on players have to be spot on,” said Farke. “We had some who were outstanding in the Championship but perhaps found it difficult in the Premier so for each player we have to decide can they be outstanding again back in the Championship or do we freshen it up? The new ones we bring in, the challenge is to gel them into a team who were relegated. You only have to look at how many clubs struggle after relegation, despite having squads with a lot of quality and parachute payments. We are fully aware of this. We know it won’t be an easy season."
https://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/canaries-daniel-farke-championship-squad-challenge-1-6767150
“Our decisions on players have to be spot on,” said Farke. “We had some who were outstanding in the Championship but perhaps found it difficult in the Premier so for each player we have to decide can they be outstanding again back in the Championship or do we freshen it up? The new ones we bring in, the challenge is to gel them into a team who were relegated. You only have to look at how many clubs struggle after relegation, despite having squads with a lot of quality and parachute payments. We are fully aware of this. We know it won’t be an easy season."
https://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/canaries-daniel-farke-championship-squad-challenge-1-6767150
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