Games aren't won on the team sheet before kick off, the games are won in a tactical battle that coaches face week in week out. The best players in the world may not play in the Serie A but the Italian league create some great work horse like players that would succeed in any league around the world.
Catenaccio or "The Chain" is a tactical system used in Football with a strong emphasis on defense. In Italian "catenaccio" means "door-bolt" which implies a highly organised and structured back line which has its main focus on defense and closing down any attacks the opposition may have.
The above system has been used in Italian football for years and highly successful. Is it boring? Maybe but at the end of the day if you need to get a job done then Catenaccio is definitely an option in defeating an opponent at all costs.
Yes goals need to be scored also and this is where this system may have its down fall, but you do not play this system unless you have something to defend for example a 1st leg advantage or even just a lead in a match.
AC Milan are the latest side to as they say "park the bus" in their UEFA Champions League first leg tie vs FC Barcelona. It is safe to say that after the start AC had in the Serie A and their current form it is no wonder why Barcelona were labelled favourites.
It was a very entertaining game and the game plan AC set out worked to perfection. Messi, Iniesta and Xavi were marked out of the game, yes they had the ball at their feet on numerous occasions and the passes were flowing but Barca never looked like scoring.
After the opener by Kevin Prince Boateng it was clear that we would see all Barca and not much of AC anymore. It was vital for the Rossoneri to deny Barca an away goal and they managed this in a great defensive effort.
The second goal from Muntari came from a classic defensive move that resulted in a fast break away counter attack and Sulley finished the job in style and game set and match for the Milan side.
They will now travel to the Camp Nou with most probably a 5-4-1 and sit and take every attack Barca will throw.
Juventus on the other hand had more of a different style of defensive effort on their travels to Glasgow to meet a roaring 60 thousand crowd and the might of Scottish Champions Celtic FC.
Before the match coach Antonio Conte stated that "we will try to press early to force a goal and see what happens".
This was exactly what happened when Peluso's long ball found Matri who poked home the crucial away goal on 6 minutes in. It eventuated to be a nightmare situation for the Scots as this played into the Italians hands. Juve could now defend and protect the away goal to take home to Turin.
Celtic dominated every facet of the game for the next 70 mins as Juve just sat back and endured this raid after raid on their goal.
Celtic tired and before you knew it Juve found 2 great counter attacking goals in the space of 7 minutes to Marchisio and Vucinic.
To the neutral this is not the way Football should be played and it is very boring but for those who study this type of Football it is glorious and exciting.
Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan side executed the perfect defensive plan the year they won the Champions League and on the way defeated Barcelona over 2 legs. The 2nd leg at the Camp Nou was a situation much like the task AC Milan face in 2 weeks. The way the defence played that night for the Inter side was magical watching the side slide up and down and move up the field like clutch work.
Jose stated in an interview that the Italian league is the hardest to coach in as you are constantly changing tactics to comfort your side compared to your opposition coach who reacts to your changes and visa versa.
Italian football might not have the likes of the 90's legends such as Baggio, Peruzzi, Davids, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Rui Costa, Batistuta, Crespo, Cafu, Ferrara, Zidane or anything similar to what those players created for their time in the Serie A, but we are entertained with new stars such as Pogba, Jovetic, El Sharaawy, Guarin, Vidal, Hamsik, Cavani and so on. I believe the UCL will see an Italian winner within the next 2 years and the Europa League may even be won by an Italian team this year and soon the Italian league will again get the respect it once had.
The 1990's best Squadtarting Line Up: (my opinion)
Coach - Marcello Lippi
Goalkeepers - Peruzzi, Toldo, Pagliuca, Buffon
Defenders - Cafu, Ferrara, Baresi, Donadoni, Zanetti, Montero, Aldair, Nesta
Midfielders - Zidane, Davids, Veron, Rui Costa, Deschamps, Djokaeff
Attackers - Del Piero, Ronaldo, Mancini, Zola, Salas, Zamorano, Batistuta, Inzaghi, Signori, Maradona, Baggio, Boksic.
No comments:
Post a Comment