Team shape, tactics and personnel

[Tubby]

5 hours ago, MaVilla said:

I don't understand how anyone thinks Pau isn't here to be part of the starting 11.

Paul is basically Emerys wet dream, he loves him, Emery has a crush on Pau like we have a crush on Emery.

 

referring to my notes:

• Every player assumed fit and available
• I've shoehorned Chambers into backup RB because there is no one else (Revan?) that could play there right now.
• No real assumption made on CB as could be any two of four in any single game
• MC probably settled, depending on how SJM and JJ are rotated into those positions
• I have no idea how the final third would setup other than Watkins, I expect them to rotate depending on the opposition
• The advanced positions offer the most opportunity to improve, if;
  • Coutinho doesn't make it
  • if we sign a new FW

Looking for constructive comments and not nitpicking on the selection...

Thanks for reading

[Marka Ragnos]

I don't know how many times I watched Almirón (and I have to say, I love/hate that kid -- he is amazing to witness) yesterday sprinting past Digne for balls "over the top" of our high line. Isak was trying it and getting caught offside. It makes me worried, this vulnerability.  BUT ... All that said, it's unthinkable that Emery would stop trying to play the high line, and I'm glad and I don't want him to stop. Yes, very risky, but, well, he's good at it, as his work at Villarreal attests. We see Liverpool drawings lots of offsides, but Villarreal was right up there under Emery. It's going to make for a dramatic season coming up.

Edited July 24, 2023 by Marka Ragnos

[switters]

19 hours ago, TomC said:

I think that we learned a few things tonight tactically...

--Cash seemed to have more freedom to go forward than he/Young had last year. The formation may not be quite as asymmetrical.

 

Wonder if that's just down to it being Digne on the left, the asymmetrical tactic was built around having Moreno

[CVByrne]

3 hours ago, Marka Ragnos said:

I don't know how many times I watched Almirón (and I have to say, I love/hate that kid -- he is amazing to witness) yesterday sprinting past Digne for balls "over the top" of our high line. Isak was trying it and getting caught offside. It makes me worried, this vulnerability.  BUT ... All that said, it's unthinkable that Emery would stop trying to play the high line, and I'm glad and I don't want him to stop. Yes, very risky, but, well, he's good at it, as his work at Villarreal attests. We see Liverpool drawings lots of offsides, but Villarreal was right up there under Emery. It's going to make for a dramatic season coming up.

The high line is one part and the timing is key. But what makes it the complete package is the pressing. If opposition have less time to pick the pass we'll get them offside more. 

[GeordieVillan]

Like a few others have said, our line seemed like incredibly high on Sunday/Monday, higher even than it was in the latter half of last season when we seemed to get away with it a few times.

I would be worried if the line was that high against Newcastle on the first day of the season, at times we were basically on half way!

However, it’s not by accident, this is the tactics and style of the coach - he wants us to play high and compress the pitch and control the game and pace of the game, and this is how he does it.

I think we will just have to accept that there will be a few games where we might get caught out and concede a few goals. But as long as this is balanced by many more games where we are on top and get a result, then it’s worth it!

[duke313]

4 minutes ago, GeordieVillan said:

Like a few others have said, our line seemed like incredibly high on Sunday/Monday, higher even than it was in the latter half of last season when we seemed to get away with it a few times.

I would be worried if the line was that high against Newcastle on the first day of the season, at times we were basically on half way!

However, it’s not by accident, this is the tactics and style of the coach - he wants us to play high and compress the pitch and control the game and pace of the game, and this is how he does it.

I think we will just have to accept that there will be a few games where we might get caught out and concede a few goals. But as long as this is balanced by many more games where we are on top and get a result, then it’s worth it!

Risk vs Reward when it comes to the high line.  We will be caught out sometimes, just how it is.

[DJBOB]

Konsa at RB became a reality!

Though I wasn’t too impressed by his first stint there. Cash is better than given credit for at that position. 
 
Some other thoughts:

• Diaby playing the second striker was a surprise for me. I’m sure he will go back and forth between the second striker and right mid position but I’m assuming he will play up top a majority of the time
• Despite the big Pau signing, I would be shocked if Mings and Konsa isn’t the pairing in 17 days for the opener. They are so comfortable together and their offside line is so good as a pairing
• Buendia and Coutinho both occupied a more central number 10 positioning when in possession in the mid block. Will be interesting to see if this continues. Would allow for two strikers to both run in the channels instead of just aiming at Watkins. Ironically reminiscent of the Gerrard diamond
• We still struggle if the opponents effectively press the outside center back when we settle into a 325. I think our center backs position themselves too wide and we need to ocassionally be more narrow so that our center backs and width players don’t occupy the same vertical space. Makes it too easy to defend. 

[TomC]

1 hour ago, DJBOB said:

Despite the big Pau signing, I would be shocked if Mings and Konsa isn’t the pairing in 17 days for the opener.

That all depends on whether Konsa is healthy...anybody know what happened tonight?

 

[DJBOB]

Something to keep an eye on against a mid block team not pressing beyond the halfway line. Villa were primarily in a 3box3 against these midblocks but build ups were often slow and even if they were able to break the lines - the overloads were often not there to really create a big chance.

Buendia (#10) and Coutinho moved into these positions at times and I'd be interested to see if Unai uses this more often against low-pressing teams. While congested, it allows for a clearing passing lane to the wings and 1v1 opportunities if the ball is pinged out there fast enough but if Buendia receives the ball between the lines, he can turn and find a pass in each half space for either striker instead of only having one target previously in Watkins. Additionally - if a CB jumps out or the midfield line sits back on Buendia, it allows our CM's to pick a pass over the top against two different targets. I couldn't find a highlight video as an example but we tried this several times against Fulham.

 

[MaVilla]

its going to be interesting to see how Emery see's that midfield 4 and shadow striker lining up.

We have Buendia, Bailey, McGinn, Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans, Dendoncker, Diaby, Coutinho & Ramsey, so 10 players there to fit in to 5 positions, its a headache, but i guess a good headache.....

Heck, you could even add Traore to that, if he stays around.

We really need to offload some players.

[Condimentalist]

9 hours ago, MaVilla said:

its going to be interesting to see how Emery see's that midfield 4 and shadow striker lining up.

We have Buendia, Bailey, McGinn, Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans, Dendoncker, Diaby, Coutinho & Ramsey, so 10 players there to fit in to 5 positions, its a headache, but i guess a good headache.....

Heck, you could even add Traore to that, if he stays around.

We really need to offload some players.

10 players for 5 positions is about right, two players per position. Could add Philogene there also potentially.

We'll need bodies this year to play 4 competitions. 

[Tom13]

13 hours ago, MaVilla said:

its going to be interesting to see how Emery see's that midfield 4 and shadow striker lining up.

We have Buendia, Bailey, McGinn, Kamara, Luiz, Tielemans, Dendoncker, Diaby, Coutinho & Ramsey, so 10 players there to fit in to 5 positions, its a headache, but i guess a good headache.....

Heck, you could even add Traore to that, if he stays around.

We really need to offload some players.

Yeah, all of a sudden our squad is looking a little bloated.

[CVByrne]

It seems like we've played McGinn off Watkins with Philogene  in RM and Konsa in RB. So we are a 4 4 2 mid block out of possession but we can move to a 5 4 1 with Philogene moving to RB ans McGinn dropping into midfield. 

We often saw this last season but it was Kamara dropping into the back line and Buendia dropping back into midfield. I think Philogene, McGinn, Buendia all have high work rates out of possession. 

[Pinebro]

I don't want to hear any non sense and moaning about our high line.

You are going to concede goals no matter how you play. 

Emery intend to dominate games and going for it, and to do that you need to be prepared to take a few risks.

The pros far outweighs the cons. It's not even close.

[TomC]

After three games in the USA, I'd say these players are almost certain (barring injury) to start against Newcastle: Martinez, Mings, Konsa, Doug, McGinn, Watkins, Diaby.

I see three different possibilities for the backline: Digne-Mings-Konsa-Cash, Digne-Pau-Mings-Konsa, Pau-Mings-Konsa-Cash. Essentially Digne, Cash, and Pau are competing for two places. I'd go Digne-Mings-Konsa-Cash and then maybe bring on Pau for Digne later to get him some PL experience.

Hard to believe that Kamara is not a sure starter but I think Tielemans has outplayed him. Tielemans could start in his place.

That leaves one midfield position. I don't think that Unai is going to start JPB in the first PL match of the season. It won't be Coutinho or Dendoncker, and can't be JJ. So is it Bailey or Buendia? I'd go with Buendia.

 

[May-Z]

Overall I think we've had a great set of matches over there.

The overall results will say two draws and a win, but the football we have played has been exceptional for the most part. 

Emery's completely upgraded every player's skillset and has them working as a team. It's fantastic. 

[May-Z]

Double post.

Edited July 31, 2023 by May-Z

[GeordieVillan]

Still concerned about our line at the back, seems even higher than last season. Hopefully just pre-season teething!

[DJBOB]

I think people have to accept that it wilL be caught out eventually. The press intensity is lower in pre-season but that’s just the risk we play with if we continue the high line. 
 
 

[Rightdm00]

2 hours ago, DJBOB said:

I think people have to accept that it wilL be caught out eventually. The press intensity is lower in pre-season but that’s just the risk we play with if we continue the high line. 
 
 

You nailed it. Without the press the highline is pretty much an invitation for balls over the top. Not to mention no athlete can maintain a press at the temps/humidity these games have been played in.