adinoosm
This year Tito Vilanova has already made a move towards a 'natural' Barca side. He will not be putting midfielders in forward roles as often. Tello and Cuenca will get more playing time on the wings this season. Iniesta and Fabregas will play more midfield roles (unless Tito is out of options). with Fabregas occasionally playing a false 9 role. Tito likes natural wingers on each flank for Barcelona because it gives the game width and the center of the team some more breathing room (Messi, Xavi, Iniesta). In possession Alves will move up the right flank and Messi will drop deeper and Sanchez will drift inside, This will still give Barca width and it will have someone ahead of Messi for forward runs to help out. Sanchez offers depth and space for the center of the team also because he is always on the defensive line and making runs in behind. This is most likely what Barcelona will look like in possession. (other times Busquets will drop in between the two centerbacks and stretch the play for some additional breathing room for the center of the pitch) In this 3-4-3 diamond Busquets plays a very important role, he has to be able to effectively cut out attacks and analyze the entire game. He is very good at this 9doesn't get much credit due to his diving), he will be dropping into the back 3 when Alves is too far up and Barca lose the ball and don't win it back by pressing. This is my prediction for 2012/13 Barca!
24.08.2012
JimmyGuitarist4-3-3(ish) will be Barca's most used formation. It'll be back to basics in terms of the line-up, and I can see this being the most used line-up.
But I can see Tito experimenting occasionally, because he was just as involved in how Barca played under Pep and he was for the 3-4-3 as well.
24.08.2012
adinoosmI completely agree with that, i have also been thinking about these possible situations! I actually made a separate post about Busquets' role in the "4-3-3(ish)" formation a few minutes after this post! I really like that second idea of yours, I'd maybe place Song in the middle of the back 3, i feel like he might be more comfortable there? One problem I have is when the back 3 doesn't have a fullback-esc player. When England played with three the two outer backs of the back 3 were both fullbacks and were comfortable being dragged out wide. Id prefer if Adriano or Alba were in the back 3, but i really like that idea, Song is very versatile, can't wait to see how he will be used in the midfield/defense!
24.08.2012
JimmyGuitaristYeah, well that's why I put Alba & Alves as the wingers because they have the engine to get up & down the wing to cover the fullback positions when needed. I think the 3-4-3 only really makes sense against opponents who use 2 strikers or against a team who plays particularly narrow. There are ways around that, like what you said by putting a fullback there with Busquets filling in at CB to create a back four but Alba is like Alves. In the match today against Madrid, Adriano was actually almost playing as part of a back-three sometimes and he looked good in that role. So maybe this sort of shape:
Basically what you originally put up. Well, there's so much versatility & tactically astute players that Tito almost has license to experiment with whatever shape he wants. Song's a brilliant signing in my opinion, because he can basically give all the midfield & defence rest while also bringing his own quality.
24.08.2012
adinoosmYeah but Barca's high line would give time for Alba and Alves to track back when the initial pressing fails, Valencia took advantage of that last year when they played Mathieu and Alba together on the left flank and exposed the space in behind Alves. Yeah vs a team with 2 strikers it works well because it still leaves you a spare man at the back with a 3v2. It's also good vs. a team with a striker and a attacking midfielder right behind him that likes to play higher up (like Ozil) instead of the kind that like to drop deeper (like Kroos) Vs Madrid it pushes Ronaldo and Callejon back on the wings and leaves Ozil and Benzema isolated vs 3 so its very effective as you said. But yeah should bean exciting season for Barca! loving this squad.
24.08.2012
adinoosmwould not* sorry
24.08.2012
