Analyzing why the 4-3-3/4-2-3-1 is no longer a viable formation against Barcelona
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A couple of months ago, I wrote a how to beat Barcelona series and I suggested the 4-2-3-1 as the best possible formation to get the better of Barcelona. Well, at that time it was, but those days are long gone and one man’s introduction is responsible for that change, his name- Cesc Fabregas.
I got a couple of negative comments when I suggested that Fabregas was not going back to Barcelona to replace the ageing Xavi because they do not play in the same position. Xavi likes to control the game from deep while Fab prefers a more forward position, infact Xavi despite having the most passes in the champion’s league this season has only had 18% of them as forward passes with a staggering 82% going backward or horizontal (statistics courtesy of opa stats). It’s that sort of stat that got me convinced that Guardiola didn’t view Fabregas as a natural replacement for Xavi.
Anyhow, the Blaugrana’s boss has managed to fit all his midfielders in one formation and that tactical transition is the very reason Barcelona is struggling in the league (It’s hard enough to win a league trophy when a team is in a tactical transition never-mind the fact that the closest title challenger is as good as Real Madrid). Ironically, it’s the very same reason they are triumphing over Real Madrid in the clasicos.
Formation Variations Guardiola has played so far
Now, we are going to zero-in on the biggest games of the season so far; the two Clasicos, the Champions league tie away to AC Milan and the World Club Cup final.
Last season, Barcelona played a fairly straight-forward 4-3-3 and even though Mourinho is being castigated by the press suggesting that he learned nothing from last season’s Classicos, the dynamics have changed, it’s like the rules have been altered in the middle of the game.
The Catalan giants haven’t changed their game strategy- they still like to possess the ball and play tiki-taka- but their formation has changed and that’s something los Blancos are going to have to adjust to very quickly.
Guardiola’s preferred a 3-4-3 diamond earlier in the season, with Fabregas at the tip. The problem with this formation is obvious, the defence would be a bit exposed and the players themselves were not very comfortable with the notion of having only 3 at the back. Xavi complained after the 2-2 draw against Valencia telling reporters at the post game press conference,
“The 3-4-3 system is good for us, but it also makes it harder for us to defend,”- Goal.com
What we’ve seen of late is Guardiola gravitating towards a midfield diamond but with only two players upfront. With Pedro on and off as a result of niggling knocks and Villa a long term absentee through injury, Guardiola has utilized Barcelona’s squad strength.
This team has an embarrassment of gifted midfielders and the tiki taka style of soccer they play, the emphasis on short passing and most of all the fact that they spend most of the game in the opposition’s half makes their game perfect for midfielders.
With four midfielders making up the diamond and Messi adding to that number by drifting inwards, it’s easy to see why formation that employs a central midfield trio like the 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 would struggle.
Combating Guardiola’s tactics
First we must appreciate the reasons for Guardiola’s deployment of extra midfielders. Barcelona usually dominate possession irrespective of the opponent and as a result they tend to spend majority of the game in the opposition’s half.
Against a team like Real Madrid that also likes to press the opposition, the majority of possession tends to be concentrated just behind the center line in Real Madrid’s half (area marked red below). In that zone, midfielders, especially central attacking play-makers are most comfortable in possession and Guardiola understands this.
On the other hand, opposition forwards like Di Maria or Higuain who are generally accustomed to playing much closer to the other team’s penalty area or out wide will spend close to 70% of the game playing in an unfamiliar zone- effectively playing out of position.
For Mourinho’s side to adapt to these relatively new Guardiola tactics, he must do what Kenny Dalglish usually does in big games- mirror the opposition’s tactics. The special one should increase the number of central midfielders simply because they are easily adaptable to different situations. Real Madrid has the resources to do so as Jose Mourinho’s team selection for the second leg, which was mightily impressive proved.
With Barcelona playing four central midfielders alongside Messi who is allowed a free role and Sanchez as the only striker, Madrid would be well served doing the same with the Kakas and Ozils of this world coming in, Ronaldo playing a free role and Benzema starting as the only forward.
In conclusion, Mourinho has taken a lot of slack for Madrid’s performances against Barcelona this season but Madrid’s losses have been a result of Guardiola’s Trotskyite spirit of tactical revolution this season and Mourinho will have to adjust quickly especially if these sides meet in a two-legged affair of Europe’s premier competition. Ironically, that same tactical transition has seen Mourinho’s men open a 10 point gap atop the Liga BBVA.
PS: This is a rerun- i was requested to write a ‘How to deal with Messi’s new false nine role‘ and i thought this article should precede it.
NEXT on www.theirtactics.com; How to deal with Lionel Messi in his new false nine role
