This is a thread dedicated to explaining what the F people mean by the various football formations and positions that are spouted these days. 1. Sweeper Goalkeeper: Yes so common its now even in FM, but what really do they mean? Basically it seems to be a guy who can play outside his own penalty area as well as go all the basics of the game. It requires an ability to "sweep up" behind his defense thus allowing them to play higher up the pitch. This includes clearing up balls over the top or even in the channels out wide. It also means he has to be comfortable maintaining possession for his side via both long and short passing not simply clearances. So instead of signing autographs behind the goal or smoking or picking his nose he is always poised and ready to sprint out to make those critical interceptions and his starting position is much higher than a traditional keeper who would be stuck on his line, it can be on the edge of his box when his team is in advanced positions. he's got to position himself constantly in line with the shortest distance between the ball and his goal no matter where it is so he is inline with the fastest ball that could be played. Examples of brilliant sweeper keeprs include: Loris, Reina and De gea 2. Split Centre Backs. This is surprisingly not what occurs when John terry sleeps with his defensive partners missus... no this is simply a tactic that comes into play when your team has the ball. Starting at goal kicks or when the keeper has possession, the two CBs split up and occupy positions wide of the penalty area more akin to full backs that CBs. This allows both full backs to push forward to the half way line so they are better positioned to allow for attacking. This tactic requires a midfielder to drop into the gap left by the cbs so that space is covered. It effectively creates a lot of space to pass into for the GK, a typical lone striker or even pair of strikers cannot mark two split cbs AND the midfielder so there is usually a pass on for the GK. If an opposing midfielder is assigned to press on as well then the GK can play the ball longer into the space left or to the full backs. Typically you see a lack of true pressing on the CBs as they are rated as not as dangerous as a regista on the ball but this allows players to stride forward from CB or pick their own pass and it is the pass AFTER the gaolkeepers on that is critical to good possession. A negative pass back allows closing down or a sloppy pass allows an interception and a break towards goal as the CBs are on purpose out of position. examples: LFC are the best english example of the system. Barcelona and many European sides operate this system 3. Regista: Not actually the guy that does births, deaths and marriages in south london. This is a deep-lying playmaker. This position from is where a player finds space to dictate play and the term comes from italy. Previously playmakers were no 10s, like bergkamp but required the ball to be brought to them to play. in this system the playmaker takes it off the keeper and makes things happen from deep where he's immediately on the ball and has more space too boot. In this system the playmaker is linking the defense to midfield and attack rather than linking midfield to attack. He will never be "isolated" or not able to "get into the game" The regsita stays behind the ball at all times but this emans simply he moves up as the ball moves up so he is the guy it goes to constantly to make a pass, form edge of his own area to half way line to even the opponents half. It is not a holding player par se but a play who is always there to dictate the tempo. every other player can look to him to pass to as he's in position. Great regista's have, vision, positiveness, technigue and also are hard to ge tthe ball off, strong, assured and of course have great knowledge of the game to read and tactically know where to be. Examples: Xavi, Alonso, gerrard now, Gündoğan, pirlo, scholes. 4. The Defensive midfielder This is a position i don't believe in and got into arguments on. In its purest sense it is a negative player. In a tradition sense LFC fans will recognize Mascherano as a defensive midfielder, especially in our 4-2-3-1 formation. What we have therefore is a player who's primary job is to hold position while others attack. It is not the same as the regista position but plays i nthe same area We have examples, Barca play busquets and xavi. Real play alonso and khediera, we played alonso and mascerhano These are players designs to screen the defence, break up opponents play to win the ball back Examples of players: as above plus the like sof barry, parker and makelele. 5. The double pivot. I deliberately shortened the DM description to talk about this rather strange term. This describes playing two holding midfielders, or a regista and a DM. The intent is primarily safety, to have numbers in midfield. these don't just break forward and so the attackers have licence to do what they like. example: Pogba and pirlo at Juve 6. Flipping the triangle. This is not like flipping the bird. No this is a loose term describing how say in a 4-2-3-1 you have 3 central players or in a 4-1-2-1-2 you have 3 central players. flipping the triangle merely means do you have two guys defending i.e the double pivot or do you have one regista and two box to box players going forward. this tactic requires flexibility as a side can be required to flip in the middle of a game as circumstances dictate. Example: martinez, kroos and schweinsteiger... they can flip between two holding and to attacking seeming at will.
i didn't get as far as attacking positions and sweeper i thought i'd leave for now as hardly anyone i can think of plays it
Good post mito . I believe (and I'm sure BR does too) that each player has a different role on the field (there is no symmetry) AND all the roles are not clean i.e. they overlap (hence BR's discarding of pigeon-holed players in Carroll, Adam, Downing and buying versatile players). This philosophy gives him great flexibility. Plus, it doesn't shoehorn players - it accepts the natural fact that they have different abilities that can be exploited in different ways. Gerrard can be used as a proper regista with no AM in front of him if he had more legs, but he can't hack it I don't think. Plus the regista-system may not be suitable to the pace of EPL anyway. I don't know how Pirlo does it at Juve, esp at 36. Pogba and Vidal sit in front of him, but although they assist him offensively with their creativity, they are not the greatest at tracking back and helping him in DM.
I would disagree. I think Pogba and Vidal are amongst the best central midfields today - they are brilliant at running up and down the pitch, defending and attacking as a unit. Pirlo would not have the same impact as he has done without those two in front of him. Much like Gerrard with Allen and Hendo doing all the donkey work. In the summer, I think we need a DLP to replace Gerrard but can also add more mobility to the role. Then we need a box to box runner - basically, an upgraded version of Hendo/Allen.
I was saying that Juve should theoretically be undermanned at DM, since Pirlo's old and not a DM per se whereas Vidal and Pogba are creative players (more so than Hendo and Allen) and hence more often drifting up to attack. I know that factually Juve is doing extremely well defensively, despite me doubting them on paper. But the answer there is like you said - Pirlo, Pogba and Vidal don't let their creativity and forward drifts get in the way of their defensive focus and positioning. The shortcomings in our CM are clear: Gerrard's legs, Hendo's take-on and shooting, Allen's smallness and shooting. Yet, our CM's mesh well and complement each other; also, it's tough to find replacements for their upsides: Gerrard's leadership, Hendo's both fast and tireless running, and Allen's covering, break & hold.
i must ask, when sides all over europe are winning leagues and we are 2nd without a dm... why are you guys so focused on DMs. DM's only enter the equation when we see the "double pivot" with a regista, this is the current fashion. if everyone players deeper playmakers then your DM is about marking false 9 types and oncoming box to box midfielders AND reversed wingers and frankly there's a regista and 2 cbs to "cope" the double pivot supposedly stick someone holding beside the regista (like pogbad) if you need to ensure you are not outmanned in midfield. i dunno but it seems to me rodgers doesn't want a dm
DM is an actual real field position you can't just ignore - the back centre of CM - the last hedge protecting the defence. Somebody has to operate in DM more than the other CMs. Pirlo or Gerrard can play as Registas, yet it doesn't change the fact that they position themselves in the back centre of CM more than the others, so protecting the heart of defence. Where I totally agree with you though, is that one should want their DM or R or BM or BCM (or whatever you want to call him) to do more than take up the DM position.
mito I don't know whether you meant this as a glossary of 'annoying' new football lingo - if you did, then quarterback position has to be in there i.e. Gerrard's new role.
but isn't what lfc are playing actually a regista which is not a traditional DM. per example alonso mascherano gerrard alonso = regista, mascherano = DM, gerrard = AM today gerrard henderson - allen/coutinho gerrard = regista and other two are box to box.... redgers can flip the triangle any time and ask henderson or allen to sit and hold. i don't see the need to buy a DM... a regista yes... the point is gerrard or pirlo are not a traditional DMs; you are focused on the defensive aspect but when we lose the ball thought 1 is high press using SOME players, thought 2 is the funnel back so the screen is more than just gerrard. further we play a higher line so while gerrard starts between cbs or moving towards them he is still play making. in short someone said flexibilty somewhere on not606 where rodgers sold inflexible players... the key is we don't have an inflexible CM sceanario where the box to box types cannot flip to defend and screen when needed, say v chelsea. both henderson and allen can flip to sit deeper. if you bought m'vila or even look to lucas. neither i think could flip. this is why bayern are so good in midfield in my view
Show me one game when Rodgers has done that throughout the game (in bold). The DM position is naturally singular, as it lies in front of TWO centerbacks. You can flip the triangle temporarily, but I bet you will rarely find a successful team playing with a flipped triangle (i.e. two sitting deep). The DM role will have to fall upon one midfielder more than the other. Again, having said that, I agree with you that it is not a good idea buying a DM that cannot do much else but DM, as you need fluidity in your game. So, I see why you're wary of M'vila or Lucas and Mascherano types.
isn't regista just a fancy term for deep-lying playmaker? that's always been the term for Alonso's role
as in right in the middle of a game he's told players to just sit back now we need to hold? i reckon a few times late on we've done it but we've rarely done so lately as its only now all the players are fit i think juve and real are two examples..... however my ultimate is bayern..... schweinsteiger, martinez, kroos... all top players who can go both. for me if we had billions i'd love Gundogan
Good post MITO. That DM role is needed though. In a split CB system like we employ, we need a midfielder to drop back and act like the CB - you said so yourself. Gerrard isn't mobile enough to do that AND play as a regista. Lucas is hardly immobile, he just can't play without Hendo and Gerrard ahead to pass to.
I mean, you will rarely find a club playing with 2 CMs holding in front of defence in total symmetry. Bayern sometimes experiments with it and is certainly interesting - Guardiola used Lahm at DM vs Wolfsburg, go figure. In 90% of cases however, a player will sit deepest in midfield taking on the lion's share of DM responsibilities even if on paper the formation is 4-2-3-1. Hence, the DM (plus whatever other attributes in playmaking or box-to-box he might have) is a natural necessity imo.
yes you are correct it would be unusual, the double pivot i usually a dm and regista, however it depend on what phase of play you are in for who's deepest. say masch would sit but it'd be alonso taking the off cbs and starting play or stepping into gap left by defender moving forward
I can't say which system I'd prefer btw - it depends entirely on personnel. Players will have to complement one another. Our compact 2CM counterattack scheme is effective in some games, goes missing in away games, thus prompting Rodgers to bring on the diamond system with 3CMs... Who knows how Rodgers adapts the formation when we hit the next roadblock. If we bring a versatile CM to play at DM, then maybe we could have the flexibility with a two-man CM (double pivot as you call it) to play both a compact counterattack or an expansive possession game. Which we now can't do without adding Allen. One thing though... I don't see many deeplying playmakers in the making out there. Tough for our scouts if they are out there with that assignment. The DM - Box-to-Box combo with ACM in front is the most prevalent (Chelsea, City, Arsenal, Bayern (most often), PSG etc...)
