Re: Tactics, Formations, and Strategy Thread

[Patrick Bateman]

Would one of you guys mind doing the matchday threads for this season ?

It might bring us some luck for the new season.

[McLewis]

Excellent idea, Dave. I've thinking of doing the threads like I used to back on the Vbull forums.

[ErPupone]

Would one of you guys mind doing the matchday threads for this season ?

It might bring us some luck for the new season.

superstitious are we? lol

[Patrick Bateman]

Good man Neal.I look forward to your previews,always a good read and very detailed

[Patrick Bateman]

Would one of you guys mind doing the matchday threads for this season ?

It might bring us some luck for the new season.

superstitious are we? lol

Just a little

[Lupi]

there is a position in Roma squad that called Totti

[RealGunner]

I don't know where to ask this so i'll ask here.

I don't remember Gaetano D'Agostino for Roma very well. How was he like ?

[Lupi]

his best performances came at udinese and Fiorentina

[McLewis]

D'agostino was rather average when he came out of the Primavera. He's a real late bloomer of sorts as he didn't really start developing until he was in his late 20s. Good player now though...underrated with set pieces.

[Lupi]

--------------Stek/Gio
-------Burdisso-Castan-Marcos
Piris-------Bradley--DDR---------Balza
Lamela/florenzi-----------Pjanic/Totti
-------------Osvaldo/destro

[McLewis]

I don't think we have enough depth at CB if one of those 3 goes down with an injury or suspension.

[Lupi]

I don't think we have enough depth at CB if one of those 3 goes down with an injury or suspension.

i personally like 4-3-3 formation but our midfield is simply not living up to that 3 man midfield and i feel pjanic talent go to waste when he plays as a cm in 4-3-3 formation . I believe he shows more when he is a winger but then where should Lamela go?

[McLewis]

I don't think we have enough depth at CB if one of those 3 goes down with an injury or suspension.

i personally like 4-3-3 formation but our midfield is simply not living up to that 3 man midfield and i feel pjanic talent go to waste when he plays as a cm in 4-3-3 formation . I believe he shows more when he is a winger but then where should Lamela go?

I definitely agree that Pjanic is best used behind the strikers, but then so is Totti. If we switch to a system like that, Totti is generally always going to get picked over Pjanic in that spot so it doesn't really solve that problem. I personally like Totti out wide as he's done very well from there this season.

Zeman's biggest problem this season has been an unwillingness to at least try a system that complements the full ability of all of his players.

I'm thinking maybe a 4-2-3-1 would probably suit the most players, but still not all.

Bradley/Tachtsidis and DDR could probably work well as pivots, but this would curtail a lot of time for Florenzi as the 3 behind Osvaldo/Destro would likely be Totti on the left, Pjanic in the center and Lamela on the right.

Other than that, I could see Marquinho and Perrotta fitting into that system, but Florenzi would probably be the main man to lose out and I don't think we could afford that given how good he's been in a 3-man midfield.

[McLewis]

Hell, a 4-2-1-3...which is basically just an attacking 4-3-3 would probably suit us a lot better since that advanced midfield role would be tailor made for Pjanic and Totti could retain his place on the left with 2 of Bradley, Panas, DDR and Florenzi duking it out for the 2 pivot spots.

[flameas]

the 4-2-3-1.. good old times. Totti as a lone striker... those were the days.
But since we are most dangerous in counter-attacks, then the 4-2-1-3 with two DMFs would be ideal. Most of our attacks consist of 3-5 players, so I could see us as a counter-attacking team, rather than all-attack outfit.
Regular attacks just fail in Romas case.

[Lupi]

I don't think we have enough depth at CB if one of those 3 goes down with an injury or suspension.

i personally like 4-3-3 formation but our midfield is simply not living up to that 3 man midfield and i feel pjanic talent go to waste when he plays as a cm in 4-3-3 formation . I believe he shows more when he is a winger but then where should Lamela go?

I definitely agree that Pjanic is best used behind the strikers, but then so is Totti. If we switch to a system like that, Totti is generally always going to get picked over Pjanic in that spot so it doesn't really solve that problem. I personally like Totti out wide as he's done very well from there this season.

Zeman's biggest problem this season has been an unwillingness to at least try a system that complements the full ability of all of his players.

I'm thinking maybe a 4-2-3-1 would probably suit the most players, but still not all.

Bradley/Tachtsidis and DDR could probably work well as pivots, but this would curtail a lot of time for Florenzi as the 3 behind Osvaldo/Destro would likely be Totti on the left, Pjanic in the center and Lamela on the right.

Other than that, I could see Marquinho and Perrotta fitting into that system, but Florenzi would probably be the main man to lose out and I don't think we could afford that given how good he's been in a 3-man midfield.

I think 4-2-3-1 would be perfect but its little too far of formation change for zeman , i dont think he ever try that

[McLewis]

Yeah naturally. If he was going to try it, he would've already, but we can dream after all.

[Lupi]

Maybe im wrong but i see zeman wants to out number the opponent half by putting 3 forwards and using fullbacks high up the pitch which makes the formation like 2-3-5 . On defense he wants the wingers to engage in defending and full backs to get back that makes 4-5-1 . The three midfielders should do hold the opponent till these movements happens . so having 1 forward is completely against his strategy of play , but again I'm not a tactician

in current situation however , our fullbacks are not strong enough for zeman system , our midfield doesn't hold up and strikers are not clinical enough

[ErPupone]

Zeman wants supporting runs from his two side midfielders, with a constructive player in the middle rather than a destroyer. And those two midfielders have to balance each other out, meaning one more defensive (De Rossi, Bradley) and one more offensive (Florenzi, Pjanic).

The biggest disappointment I have is Zeman's unwillingness to try out Pjanic in the middle of the midfield over Tachtsidis. On the ball, Pjanic is better in almost every possible way. And with Tachtsidis' incredibly slow pace, I don't see how he provides more cover to our backline than the Bosnian. For me, this would be a no-brainer. But, Zeman has preferred Pjanic further up the field, going into Totti-territory. I would like to see this:

Goicoechea

Torosidis Marquinhos Castan Balzaretti

De Rossi Pjanic Florenzi

Lamela Osvaldo Totti

[McLewis]

That's what I mean with the 4-2-1-3. Pjanic would play that "1" role to perfection I believe.

That role is clearly made for a 10, which Pjanic is undoubtedly, but as the article out on ESPN right now says...Serie A just isn't in love with 10s right now and that's why we're less likely to see a guy like Pjanic take up that type of position. I think it's tragic honestly and it feels like a missed opportunity.

[Lupi]

stupid question , Tacht is a big guy with the physic and is rather good as headers , can he play as a defender?

[flameas]

My formations

4-3-1-2 (the 1 plays high and strikers drift wide, through middle)

Goicoechea
Piris/Torosidis - Burdisso - Marquinhos - Balzaretti
Bradley - DDR - Pjanic
Totti
Osvaldo - Lamela

4-2-1-3 (counter, balanced)

Goicoechea
Torosidis / Piris - Burdisso - Marquinhos - Balzaretti
Tachtsidis - DDR
Pjanic
Lamela - Osvaldo - Totti

4-2-3-1 (wide, counter)

Goicoechea
Torosidis/Piris - Burdisso - Marquinhos - Balzaretti
DDR - Tachtsidis
Lamela - Pjanic - Dodo
Totti

[ErPupone]

Flameas, didn't you really dislike Luis Enrique? I ask this because that first formation is exactly what he used to/ would do.

And in my ideal formations, Tachtsidis would either be playing in the reserves or back in Serie B.

And Neal, I wouldn't even change a thing tactically. I would let Pjanic sit back, rather than act like a 10. I saw a few interesting comments with regards to those articles about the decline of number 10's. It is true that we do see more and more coaches favoring players running through the opposition's lines rather than sit between them, the latter being something that Totti does to perfection. However, in an interesting contrast, Zeman (who I've often heard accused of being outdated), favors midfielders who run through the lines and direct themselves into the opposing box. That's his most "modern" characteristic if you ask me. And he sees De Rossi, Bradley, Florenzi and Pjanic suited to this type of role. I only disagree with him on that last name, as he is suited to sitting back and acting as a playmaker, thus seeing as much of the ball as possible.

[Lupi]

IM aware of the high potential that Romagnoli has but isn't it better for him to go on loan somewhere that he can get playing time?

[ErPupone]

So, Andreazzoli, Spalletti's assistant as well as a coach under Montella and Enrique, is our new manager. He co-created our famous 4-2-3-1 which is likely to come back, with Totti as the lone-striker. Here's what I expect to see:

Stekelenburg
Torosidis Castan Marquinhos Dodo
De Rossi Bradley
Lamela Pjanic Florenzi
Totti


On the other hand, what I would like to see:

Stekelenburg
Torosids Castan Marquinhos Marquinho
De Rossi Pjanic
Florenzi Perrotta Lamela
Totti

[flameas]

Perrotta is too old and slow to be that box-to-box midfielder.
Rather have Florenzi there, Lamela on right and Dodo on left
Dodo has clearly the pace and technique, so better use him in midfield, rather than in defense.

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