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Thread: Comments on & tactical analysis of the recent UCL game between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Note: Due to the problems I mentioned before concerning UEFA copyrights, there'll be no analysis clips here, unfortunately.
Note: Due to the problems I mentioned before concerning UEFA copyrights, there'll be no analysis clips here, unfortunately.
Zidane used tactics/strategies that he's been using for a while now:
1- A 4-1-3-2 high-pressing scheme with the "2" up front made of a FWD & a CF.
2- Flank overloads, often with Benzema & Modrić to wing positions.
3- Frequent switches of play, usually through Toni Kroos.
1- A 4-1-3-2 high-pressing scheme with the "2" up front made of a FWD & a CF.
2- Flank overloads, often with Benzema & Modrić to wing positions.
3- Frequent switches of play, usually through Toni Kroos.
4- Having a midfielder overload the box when the ball is about to be crossed.
(2 & 3 often come in succession as the overload on one side creates an isolation - if not a numerical advantage - on the other).
The strategy that was used specifically for this game is long balls.
(2 & 3 often come in succession as the overload on one side creates an isolation - if not a numerical advantage - on the other).
The strategy that was used specifically for this game is long balls.
He saw how Liverpool's highline hasn't been near as effective since Van Dijk's injury and "smelled blood". The fact that he has Toni Kroos in his team + the absence of Liverpool's 2 other primary CBs & the presence of TAA (whom RM clearly targeted) made it all the more tempting.
And as people who've been following for long enough would know, I have more than once acknowledged & complimented the massive improvement Zidane has shown in terms of tactical flexibility as well as defensive & buildup tactics compared to his first tenure.
However, if you ask me, this was more about Liverpool being awful than about Real Madrid being good.
See, I've said this multiple times before but just to link things:
The current Real Madrid side is strong in the first two 3rds (buildup & progression) but weak in the 3rd.
See, I've said this multiple times before but just to link things:
The current Real Madrid side is strong in the first two 3rds (buildup & progression) but weak in the 3rd.
That's why they'd much prefer face high-pressing teams with high backlines than face low blocks: The latter reduces the importance of their strengths while challenging them where they're weaker, the former challenge them where they're strong and - once they get past that - (cont)
makes their job easy and gives them so much space in their weak areas.
If you still wanna use a high-pressing scheme regardless of that, go ahead as long as you do it in an excellent manner (ala 1st-leg Atalanta until the red). You have to make the situation as (cont)
If you still wanna use a high-pressing scheme regardless of that, go ahead as long as you do it in an excellent manner (ala 1st-leg Atalanta until the red). You have to make the situation as (cont)
uncomfortable as possible for such press-resistant team, blocking their lanes & giving their elite passers absolutely minimal space & time, to ensure they don't get to the "easy areas".
Klopp's Liverpool did anything but that, and it feels so wrong and strange to say this.
Klopp's Liverpool did anything but that, and it feels so wrong and strange to say this.
They played with a very risky highline while not carrying out the required pressing. Just look at the space they allowed Modrić & Kroos in the plays leading up to the 2 first goals. Those instances illustrate just how unbelievably lethargic Liverpool were.
They allowed Real Madrid & their elite passers to play their game comfortably WHILE giving them tons of space at the back. You couple that with the blunders of TAA (2nd goal) & Allison (3rd goal) and Liverpool should actually be thankful they only conceded three.
Things weren't much better offensively.
Generally, Liverpool's press-resistance, buildup, & ball progression depends mainly on 3 things:
1- Clean, high-tempo passing.
2- Smart positioning & VERY dynamic movement & positional switches.
3- VVD's excellence as a ball-playing CB.
Generally, Liverpool's press-resistance, buildup, & ball progression depends mainly on 3 things:
1- Clean, high-tempo passing.
2- Smart positioning & VERY dynamic movement & positional switches.
3- VVD's excellence as a ball-playing CB.
Save extremely rare exceptions, all 3 were missing on Tuesday. It didn't help that the one guy who could improve things through his own individual skill (Thiago) was absent for the entirety of the first half, which Liverpool finished trailing by 2 goals.
And while RM's press was generally good, Liverpool managed to beat the initial press comfortably quite a few times, especially via the flanks, and had lots of space to do so in several more occasions. However, they were so slow in terms of both decision making & ball (cont)
movement, very lacking in positional dynamism, and plain sloppy that they gave Real Madrid every chance to recover in numbers and close spaces. In the very rare occasions where this wasn't the case, where they played remotely "like themselves", they actually looked threatening.
I know it sounds like I'm just hammering The Reds but, I'm just describing what saw. FYI, up to early stages of 20/21, they were my favorite team to watch due to how exceptional they are as a unit on all fronts, so watching them perform like THIS was pretty, pretty unpleasant.
It may also sound like I'm trying to discredit Real Madrid. Not the case either.
Do I think this was a masterclass or anything like that from Zidane & his men like people seem to be making it to be? No. If it was, the result (or at least the xG diff.) would've been much bigger.
Do I think this was a masterclass or anything like that from Zidane & his men like people seem to be making it to be? No. If it was, the result (or at least the xG diff.) would've been much bigger.
However, it was a good performance still. That doesn't change the fact that Liverpool's horrid performance helped them a whole lot.
Two things illustrate this perfectly:
1- In Vinicius' free header play, you see Modrić overloading the box, which is smart (cont)
Two things illustrate this perfectly:
1- In Vinicius' free header play, you see Modrić overloading the box, which is smart (cont)
but then you see that Liverpool still had a massive number advantage in the box, yet still gave both Asensio and Vini too much space, leading to the free header which would've happened whether Modric was there or not.
2- You'll see RM players showing urgency to track back and intercept Liverpool's passes in midfield, which is great, but then you look at the pass' power & trajectory and see that it was weak and well off anyway.
This was the case for just about everything during the game.
This was the case for just about everything during the game.
That out of the way, time for individual highlights.
Kroos & Modrić got their deserved praise, Vini scored twice and made great movements - on and off the ball - again and again and again, and Militao was rock-solid and full of confidence, filling the spot excellently.
Kroos & Modrić got their deserved praise, Vini scored twice and made great movements - on and off the ball - again and again and again, and Militao was rock-solid and full of confidence, filling the spot excellently.
A player that I think deserved more praise is Vasquez. He was immense. He feels more & more natural at FB, put on the usual defensive shift, sticking to Mane and making things uncomfortable for him in addition to making several accurate play-switching long balls.
On Liverpool's side, hats off to Salah. He was by far their best player, doing his best w/ pressing and constantly trying to make things happen whether it's by incisive passes, crosses, combinations, or runs.
Thiago's introduction did improve things IMO, just not nearly enough.
Thiago's introduction did improve things IMO, just not nearly enough.
Oh BTW, I think Firmino should've been introduced much earlier. I may understand why Jota started but, after it was obviously failing, and after it was clear that the team could benefit from Bobby's pressing, dynamism and link-up, I don't get why Klopp waited until the 80th min.
I will try to append some sort of a slideshow w/ screenshots showing the points I made but, I think they're simple enough to be understood by text alone.
END OF THREAD.
END OF THREAD.
