[Albion] Hughtons 18/19 Tactics

[Surrey Phil]

I think with a much stronger squad and better depth we will see more rotation in the squad from game to game.

 

[BensGrandad]

Be interesting to see what team CH fields at Birmingham as they have already said 50% first team will play in the closed doors friendly against Portsmouth and 50% in the game against Charlton

 

[GT49er]

Seriously, is anybody really expecting much of a change?

 

[Rogero]

Seriously, is anybody really expecting much of a change?

6 more points and 3 more places.

 

[spence]

People are deluded if they think Hughton will change tactics now. It simply isn't going to happen.

We have one of the lowest budgets, weakest teams and we will be up against every season i guess. The squad will get stronger over time but tactics won't change. No idea why some think otherwise.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

0-0 till 70th hope for winner................

 

[Weststander]

CH tactics in the Championship - brilliant counter attacking football, a decent defence, with Stephens sitting deep shielding the back 4. Fullbacks, especially Bruno, attacking at will.

CH tactics in the PL 2017/18 - (justifiably in my mind .... we stayed up!) - very defensive with full backs kept back in the main, with both Stephens and Propper sitting deep. At times, our wingers had to spend long spells defending too, even Gross as well, leaving Murray an isolated figure.

CH tactics in the PL future seasons - with the huge upgrades in player quality, I see an evolution to our Championship counter attacking at pace tactics, but with the insurance of two protecting the back 4 (Stephens and Bissouma?) and without the reckless charging forward of wingers/fullbacks at the same time.

4-5-1 throughout, but Murray or Andone getting support this time.

 

[studio150]

Little change, still 4-4-1-1, compressed and difficult to breakdown when defending, and breaking with pace if that option is available when we regain possession, otherwise cautious attacking to make sure we are not exposed when we turn the ball over.

Hopefully a few more goals, and better points return away due to the stronger squad

 

[BensGrandad]

I will be surprised if a few clubs do not take on the England formation of 3-5-2 but I do not see us taking that step as we dont have the players unless CH is confident that Balogun could slip into the right CB position as Walker did. We could then use Schelotto and Bernardo as wing backs but then we lose Knockhaert and Iziquierdo plus possibly the influence and play making of Gross so I do not think that we will play that way.

 

[perseus]

I agree with most of the comments. Four at the back, six when defending and any combination in front seems OK. Not 4-1-4-1 though.

The most important tweak seems to be defending set pieces, 21 was the worst in the EPL. Scored 5 was the worst as well.

Selective pressing.

I would like the wingers to swop, midfielders to make diagonal runs, and a midfielder to cover allowing Duffy and Dunk to dribble through midfield instead of a long pass. Altogether a bit more flexible going forward. Cue Sevilla for forward play when they visited. Cue Atletico Madrid for defending

 

[perseus]

What is Gegenpressing?

Gegenpressing means to press the opposition right after losing possession, i.e. to press as an organized unit the moment you transition to defense. The entire team hunts the ball and, in the ideal case, immediately wins it back from the opponent. The aim is twofold; to prevent the opponent’s counterattack and to win the ball. The English, and even the Spanish and Italians, call it counterpressing and not “Gegenpressing”; in the end the opponent’s counterattack is pressured. In 2008, Jürgen Klinsmann spoke of “immediate ball recovery” and struck at the heart of the matter very well.

https://spielverlagerung.com/2014/10/07/counter-or-gegenpressing/

Some clubs will try this. Only very good (top 6) sides can do this, We are going to know how to counter this and not chase players in possession like blue-arsed flies. I think we did very well with our deep defence, poorly with counter attacking. Not conceding goals from open play was third best.

Any team playing three at the back at the Amex is asking for trouble. I expect Man United to play four at the back.

 

[perseus]

CH tactics in the Championship - brilliant counter attacking football, a decent defence, with Stephens sitting deep shielding the back 4. Fullbacks, especially Bruno, attacking at will.

CH tactics in the PL 2017/18 - (justifiably in my mind .... we stayed up!) - very defensive with full backs kept back in the main, with both Stephens and Propper sitting deep. At times, our wingers had to spend long spells defending too, even Gross as well, leaving Murray an isolated figure.

CH tactics in the PL future seasons - with the huge upgrades in player quality, I see an evolution to our Championship counter attacking at pace tactics, but with the insurance of two protecting the back 4 (Stephens and Bissouma?) and without the reckless charging forward of wingers/fullbacks at the same time.

4-5-1 throughout, but Murray or Andone getting support this time.

We can only attack on one wing at a time, so there is no need to have two wingers operating wide really. Can slot inside and allow the opposite full back to overlap if we want a sudden switch of play.

Addenda: most of the opposing goals came from the left side of our defence, actually the worst % in the EPL. Centre was the strongest but the opposition had trouble getting past Bruno so they went left side.

 

[knekkebrød]

4-3-3! or someting

I hope CH sets up his team in a 4-3-3 formation against top teams that line up with a three men defence(M.City/Spurs). I'd like our fast wingers locked out wide sniffing around the offside line, while our CF(Andone?) could work his socks of in a deeper role(some kind of a false nine) to put pressure on their midfielders. The aim is to:

1. force their central defenders to move out wide and create a lot of space down the middle, and take them on the counter
OR
2. slow down their wingbacks, so that they end up deeper and become less effective in attack. As a result it could also give us the advantage in numbers at the midtfield

If it works they'd probably switch to a four men defence, but at least we would do our part to dictate the game.

In my dreams Bissuoma is that energetic box to box midtfielder that roams in on counter attacks to exploit the space left in the middle of the park. I also think Dunk and Ryan would love to deliver long balls out wide to our wingers. As a bonus it is also less risky to clear the ball out wide than straight out in the middle.


Disclaimer: I know next to nothing about football, but waiting for the Iranian is killing me. I'd rather throw out some ideas.

 

[Poyningsgull]

I will be surprised if a few clubs do not take on the England formation of 3-5-2 but I do not see us taking that step as we dont have the players unless CH is confident that Balogun could slip into the right CB position as Walker did. We could then use Schelotto and Bernardo as wing backs but then we lose Knockhaert and Iziquierdo plus possibly the influence and play making of Gross so I do not think that we will play that way.

I didn't think Walker slotted in anywhere. He was and will be the weak link for England. In my view three at the back requires three quality football playing centre halves, not converted fullbacks.