TheBigBadWolf
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So this is basically my take on Johan Cruyff's (or Cruijff) tactics that he used at both Ajax and Barcelona as a player and a manager. These tactics are mainly known for possession and attacking football, used to great affect by both Cruyff's Ajax and Barcelona and Pep Guardiola's (a student and player under Cruyff) Barcelona.
This is my attempt/interpretation of the tactic. I started my first season with Ajax and won the league in a runaway and the Dutch cup. I also won my Champions League Group over Barcelona and Marseille, beating Barcelona home and away. I did however continue to struggle after the group stages, as I have not yet being able to get past the first knockout stage in CL as I suffered a defeat to Shalke by 4-3 on aggregate.
In general I was getting 60+ possession every match in the league.
Here are some highlights from the league:
View attachment 454546View attachment 454545View attachment 454544View attachment 454543View attachment 454542View attachment 454541View attachment 454540View attachment 454539View attachment 454538View attachment 454537View attachment 454536
Here is my two games against Barca as well as the ending group standings:
View attachment 454535View attachment 454534View attachment 454533
My performance domestically:
View attachment 454532View attachment 454531
A player highlight:
View attachment 454530
Props to W4NKER for the corner tactic which has been extremely effective for me in all my saves.
Now a look at the tactic itself.
The 3-4-3:
View attachment 454529
I used this tactic when I faced a team playing two strikers, based on Cruyff's ethos.
The 4-3-3:
View attachment 454527
This is the tactic I used when playing against 1 striker or 3.
Don't worry about the players positions because they aren't correct here. But the main thing you may notice is that there is no striker. This is because I don't have a world class striker (I don't consider Bojan world class), my main attacking strength lies in De Jong, if you do have a world class striker I would suggest playing him in the striker position.
Both tactics use the same general ethos though. Mobile central defenders and/or full backs who play a high defensive line, a holding/defensive midfielder who sits in front of the back four, breaking up play and distributing the ball to the two controlling midfielders. The two controlling midfielders are used to distribute the ball to the main attacking outlets and the main passers and tempo setters for the game, which are crucial for retaining possession (Xavi and Iniesta for Barca). Two attacking wingers who can both cross and cut inside. Then in the 3-4-3 you have the AMC who basically is used as a Second Striker but isn't a second striker and the false nine striker who is what you would have in Messi or Van Basten, etc. In the 4-3-3 the Trequartista is used to try and spearhead attacks in the lone AMC or striker role. Their is also vital importance in the players hassling the opponent when they don't have the ball to try and retain it quickly.
My main influence for this tactic was reading on Cruyff, watching Guardiola's Barcelona and this video:[video=youtube;7NZ0byEyeOA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NZ0byEyeOA[/video]
I understand there may be some issues, which is why I want input and advice from others, I conceded far too many goals for my liking and I also struggled in Europe after the groups. Any advice or critique is welcomed.
Here are the links to download the two tactics if you wish to try them:
4-3-3 Cruyff.tac
3-4-3 Cruyff.tac
This is my attempt/interpretation of the tactic. I started my first season with Ajax and won the league in a runaway and the Dutch cup. I also won my Champions League Group over Barcelona and Marseille, beating Barcelona home and away. I did however continue to struggle after the group stages, as I have not yet being able to get past the first knockout stage in CL as I suffered a defeat to Shalke by 4-3 on aggregate.
In general I was getting 60+ possession every match in the league.
Here are some highlights from the league:
View attachment 454546View attachment 454545View attachment 454544View attachment 454543View attachment 454542View attachment 454541View attachment 454540View attachment 454539View attachment 454538View attachment 454537View attachment 454536
Here is my two games against Barca as well as the ending group standings:
View attachment 454535View attachment 454534View attachment 454533
My performance domestically:
View attachment 454532View attachment 454531
A player highlight:
View attachment 454530
Props to W4NKER for the corner tactic which has been extremely effective for me in all my saves.
Now a look at the tactic itself.
The 3-4-3:
View attachment 454529
I used this tactic when I faced a team playing two strikers, based on Cruyff's ethos.
The 4-3-3:
View attachment 454527
This is the tactic I used when playing against 1 striker or 3.
Don't worry about the players positions because they aren't correct here. But the main thing you may notice is that there is no striker. This is because I don't have a world class striker (I don't consider Bojan world class), my main attacking strength lies in De Jong, if you do have a world class striker I would suggest playing him in the striker position.
Both tactics use the same general ethos though. Mobile central defenders and/or full backs who play a high defensive line, a holding/defensive midfielder who sits in front of the back four, breaking up play and distributing the ball to the two controlling midfielders. The two controlling midfielders are used to distribute the ball to the main attacking outlets and the main passers and tempo setters for the game, which are crucial for retaining possession (Xavi and Iniesta for Barca). Two attacking wingers who can both cross and cut inside. Then in the 3-4-3 you have the AMC who basically is used as a Second Striker but isn't a second striker and the false nine striker who is what you would have in Messi or Van Basten, etc. In the 4-3-3 the Trequartista is used to try and spearhead attacks in the lone AMC or striker role. Their is also vital importance in the players hassling the opponent when they don't have the ball to try and retain it quickly.
My main influence for this tactic was reading on Cruyff, watching Guardiola's Barcelona and this video:[video=youtube;7NZ0byEyeOA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NZ0byEyeOA[/video]
I understand there may be some issues, which is why I want input and advice from others, I conceded far too many goals for my liking and I also struggled in Europe after the groups. Any advice or critique is welcomed.
Here are the links to download the two tactics if you wish to try them:
4-3-3 Cruyff.tac
3-4-3 Cruyff.tac