Winged Dagger 3-1-3-3. The Centurions

Introduction

This tactic is a very fluid and attacking system. The team is compact attacking and defending as one unit, they will aim to stay very close together like Sacchi's Milan team.

Tactic

However, unlike that Milan side, this tactic aims to play a fast and more direct style of football focusing on exploiting the wide areas. The DW's work in tandem with the IF's to create many overloads and problems for the opponent's fullbacks. Often they will be 2v1 against the fullback or they will be very close together causing the fullback to make a decision as which player to mark, leaving the other free to exploit the space. To further exploit these overloads players are instructed to dribble and run at the defence at every opportunity they get, before pulling the ball back into an overloaded penalty area for the tap in.



Although the focus is on attacking down the flanks the actual width of the team is only fairly wide, this helps the team to maintain that compactness. This is especially relevant when the ball is lost the team is able to immediately work together to counter press the opposition, whilst also limiting the space between the pressing players and the players marking. Once the ball is won back the team counters at great pace either with direct passes or through direct dribbling to take advantage of the lack of organisation in the opponents back line.



Without the ball the team presses with the utmost intensity, whilst protecting the middle as the shape is wing heavy. To prevent the opposition from having time on the ball to exploit the space in the centre the team presses immediately from the front not giving the keeper or defenders any time to breath, and forcing them to go long. The defence holds a higher line to help the make the pitch smaller increasing the effect of the press and making the chances of mistakes happening higher.



The video below gives you an idea of the football you can expect to see with the tactic.

Results

A.Madrid







Napoli





Arsenal