Pep Guardiola 4-3-3 Barcelona Tactic

[Flynnn]

[h=2]Pep Guardiola 4-4-3 Barcelona tactic[/h]

Note: This is the exact same tactic i created for Football Manager 14.


The philosophy of Barcelona
Throughout Barcelona's history they have been under charge of great coaches with an obvious preference to those who came from Holland.

The Dutch coaches who took charge of Barcelona where Rinus Michels, (awarded as the best coach of the century), Johan Cruyff, Luis Van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard. All of them had something in common as they had all coached at Ajax Amsterdam in the past.

Barcelona have been heavily influenced by the dutch (Ajax's) playing style, not only because of the managers, but also because of the several Dutch players who played for the club for the previous thirty to forty years.

Fc Barcelona's current set up was built with Ajax as the model. Barcelona developed a youth training program in order to bring through more players from its academy. All of the young players worked systematically improving specific technical and tactical skills and collectively the youth teams were preparing to apply 4-3-3 formation or they were using it already.

The application of 4-3-3 was based on dominating the game by dictating possession of the opposition's half of the field by pressing high up the pitch and trying to regain possession as soon as possible after the ball was lost.

The club also worked hard to set up a scouting network to track young players all around the world who had the qualities to join Barcelona's youth system.

Years of hard work passed by before the team managed to reach the top of Europe (season 2010-11) having eight players out of the starting eleven coming from the Barcelona youth system, an incredible achievement.

Barcelona is the four phases of the game

• Barcelona in the defensive phase - when Barcelona where not in possession of the ball their aim was to regain it as soon as possible and often near the opponent's penalty area by applying pressure. Many teams during this phase prefer to sit back in a zone near the halfway line and wait for the opponents to come. These tactics usually lead them to having plenty of free space to use when they regain possession. However, Barcelona reached a very high standards of retaining possession in very small spaces and are capable of unlocking even the best and most organised defences. Barcelona did not need to use these kinds of tactics due to their immaculate technical level.
• Barcelona in the transition from attack to defence - As soon as Barcelona lost possession their main aim was to immediately put pressure on the new ball carrier. This would either result in the direct regaining of possession or the indirect by forcing the player into an unsuccessful pass. During this phase the free player has a very important role and in most of the situations this was the defensive midfielder Sergio Busquets. Many said that the strength of Barcelona was their ability to retain possession and to search patiently for the weakness of the opposition. However, the way Barcelona functioned during this transition phase was equally as strong. The constant psychological pressure that was put on the oppositions by trying to regain possession as soon as possible after losing it, made Barcelona's domination easier to achieve. when the loss of possession took place in the centre of the field and the immediate turnover of possession was not possible (there were not any Barcelona players near the ball zone to put pressure) the main aim of the team was to prevent the vertical and diagonal passes. this was done by tracking back and building a wall that forced the ball carrier to make square passes. By this action the ball was directed towards the sidelines where the application of pressing was possible again. When the loss of possession was taking place near the sidelines and the direct pressure on the ball carrier was not possible, the team (lead by defensive midfielder) would squeeze the play and aim to keep the ball in the same zone to make oppositions attacking move predictable and give time to the rest of Barcelona's players to fully recover. Barcelona's function during this phase was perfect. this was the reason that every opposing team had great difficulties in taking advantage of the free spaces behind the defence that Barcelona's playing style created. The player's consistency in doing their jobs during this phase of transition led the team to have La Liga's best defensive record.
• Barcelona in the attacking phase - When Barcelona had possession it was wonderful to watch. Having high quality players the team could retain possession making over thirty passes in a row. The basic aim was not to rush during the build-up play, but to search with patience for the weaknesses of the opposition and then carry out the final stage of the attacking phase. The final stage of the build-up could take place on the right side, on the left side or in the centre of the field with the same frequency. Very important elements of the team play during this phase were:

1. The creation of superiority in numbers near the ball zone and especially on the right part of the field where messi was moving to meet the ball.
2. the creation of ideal formations (triangles and rhombus)
3. maintaining width with the forward and full backs runs.
4. the use of diagonal passes during first and second stage of build-up and the use of vertical passes during the final (third) stage as well as the use of combination play in order to create and use the free space such as give and go, one-two's, cutting and overlapping.

Barcelona in transition from defence to attack- The transition from defence to attack was very quick. the teams playing style of dictating possession in the oppositions half meant the opposition were compact and well organised defensively having ten players behind the line of the ball most of the time. This meant that the positive transition usually had the form of eleven against eleven. if the regaining of possession was taking place in a part of the field where many opponents were above the line of the ball, the team was trying to play out its attacking action with speed using vertical or diagonal passes and taking advantage of the forwards pace. the direct fast breaks were formed as follows - there would be a diagonal move in behind the defence from one or both of the wide forwards (pedro and villa) and at the right moment Xavi, iniesta or messi made the final vertical pass. For the times that the direct fast break was not possible, often when the opposing team had closed down the angle for available vertical passes, the ball carrier would use a diagonal pass directed to the forward that had stayed wide near the sideline. then there would be a run inside and beyond the defensive line from one of the attacking midfielder's (usually Iniesta) or one of the full backs (usually Alves).


- For this tactic set the same formation three times and then training on tactics and match training on tactics, move the slide all the way to the left and put work load on Very high for pre-season. as soon as season starts put general training on Attacking and keep Match training on tactics, move the ball down to 20% match training and 80% general training, and put work load on to high.
- Don't set any opposition instructions.

This is not a plug and play tactic. Throughout and before the game you need to make slight changes, use touchline shouts to have a better chance of winning.
PPM, i don't really focus on these. but if you want to do them then in would do anything that links to possession.

I'M SORRY THERE IS NO SCREENSHOTS, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SORT IT ALL OUT. but if someone wants to try and upload some then would be much appreciated.

Enjoy​

 

[cragswfc]

so us a pic of this please move the ball down to 20% match training and 80% general training, and put work load on to high.