BJT – 361 ELEGANCE (Anti-Football for top sides)
After tweaking my Direct 361 Anti-Football which eventually ended up being geared for sides at the lower levels, I have decided to make a 361 system that maintains that real solid base – but adding a touch of elegance to the play.
If you want to build a side geared for competing for the big trophies, this will be the version to use.
Those who are familiar with my work will know I’m a real sucker for the late 90s + a decade. I envisioned the way I wanted to play this system based on classic Brazil / Italian players combined.
So before I go further into the system, the below XI will give you an idea of how this system will play just from the names of the players:
GK – Buffon
RWB – Cafu
LCB – Maldini
BPD – Cannavaro
RCB – Nesta
LWB – Roberto Carlos
REG – Pirlo
BWM – Gattuso
CAR – De Rossi
AP – Kaka
CF – Ronaldo Luis
The Style
Compared to the Anti Football grinding a result system in a direct manner, this changes the Enganche and DLP-D roles to an AP-S that acts exactly like a Trequartista (Kaka) and so works for the team, and the classical Regista role of one Pirlo / hence Elegance
The 361 shape is exactly the same, and so when out of possession this system is extremely solid great for nullifying the opponents creativity outlets whilst forcing all the opposing play down the flanks.
Additionally by playing a slower tempo and short passing game this now has the ability to control the game, and we will also have more possession which is also a tool for defending.
Having a Regista in the DM strata is also extremely effective for launching direct balls for counter-attacks. So the system does pass into space, where the Trequartista drifting wide (like Kaka) can be found, or straight up to the Complete Forward up top.
The hard men in midfield and wing-backs are very Milan like in Ancelotti’s Xmas Tree formation. Two offensive wing-backs were used with 2 players in the AM slots and a Carrilero (Ambrosini) and Ball Winner in Gattuso.
The wing-back roles vary designed to complement these centre mids, with Gatusso more willing to join in on the counter.
But instead of the two centre-backs in that XMAS Tree system, one of those AMs have become a third Italian centre-back. Out goes Seedorf and in comes Fabio Cannavaro– lovely jubbly!
Results
This system has worked well at all levels. My honours thus far include:
Liverpool – Quadruple
Inter – Serie A / Italian Cup
Benevento – Serie B Winners
Reggina – Serie C-C Winners
The direct Anti-Football version wasn’t capable of challenging for league major honours. However it got more points than Reggina in the Serie C with 90 compared to 84 points.
However this Elegance system scored more points than Benevento in Serie B, and wins trophies at the top level - which was ultimately the intention of my design.
This should hopefully give you an idea where best to apply these systems.