Stuttgart 1-1 Barcelona – Stuttgart get things right, but don’t make it count when they were on top
It was an intriguing game tonight, Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona’s usual 4-3-3 system taking on Christian Gross’ Stuttgart side playing a 4-4-2 counter-attacking system with split strikers. Although the 4-3-3 was basically intended to work best against a 4-4-2, Stuttgart were on top in the first half here, and probably should have been more than 1-0 up at the interval.
The main problem with the 4-3-3 against a 4-4-2 is that the opposition wide midfielders can cause you a problem, as there is no specific player on your side who is designated to mark them (with two 4-4-2s, a left midfielder would pick up a right midfielder, and vice-versa). If your full-back comes forward to pick the opposition wide player up, he can find himself 20 yards too high up the pitch, whilst if your winger is charged with the responsibility, you can find yourself playing a 4-5-1 system.
It was no coincidence that Stuttgart’s brightest moments came from getting the ball to the wide men. Alexander Hleb did his usual act of looking dangerous without ever really finding a good cross or shot, but the main danger came from the opposite side, where Gebhart constantly found himself in space. Indeed, it was his superb cross which broke the deadlock, with Cacau beating Puyol to the ball to head home at the far post.
Another problem with Barcelona’s shape was that with Iniesta stationed on the left, there were no driving runs on the ball from the centre of midfield. Xavi, Busquets and Toure are all more careful players, generally looking to play the ball to the wings rather than run with the ball. As a result, the Stuttgart midfield were happy to rush forward on the counter-attack without fear of being counter-countered. One more than one ocassion in the first half, Stuttgart’s six furthest forward players all found themselves in the penalty area after the ball had gone wide.
Barcelona also struggled for width, not a common criticism of them over the past 18 months. Part of the reason for this is the absence of Dani Alves bombing forward on the right-hand side – Carles Puyol does a fine job in filling in, but lacks Alves’ genuine attacking threat and technical ability on the ball. This, combined with the fact that fielding Messi and Iniesta in the wide roles means both wide men look to cut inside at the first opportunity, meant Barcelona were surprisingly narrow and predictable in the final third.
They looked better when Henry replaced Toure, with the Frenchman going wide left, and Iniesta returning to the centre. As that change coincided with the goal, scored by Ibrahimovic, it’s difficult to know whether the shift in the game was down to tactics or post-goal confidence, but it’s hard to make a case that Barcelona look on top form with the Toure-Busquets-Xavi trio in midfield.
The final 20 minutes seemed as if both sides were content with 1-1, and Barcelona will be confident of going through in the second leg. Stuttgart might feel, as a side primarily playing on the counter, that the away leg might suit them more - where they can sit back and hope to exploit the wide open spaces of the Nou Camp.
Stuttgart 1-1 Barcelona – Stuttgart get things right, but don’t make it count when they were on top
Totally agree. Although I thought that Gross helped negate the effect of Iniesta’s move inside by bring on Kusmanovic.
It was the first time Barcelona had started with Toure and Busquets alongside each other in midfield in this season’s Champions League and Barca’s passing was very ponderous in the first half, possibly as a result. Credit must go to Cacau and Pogrebnyak as well, because they dropped deep and worked extremely hard to unsettle Barca’s midfielders but also broke forward with purpose whenever they obtained possession.
Cheers for that Tom, I didn’t realise it was the first time they’d both started together, although considering they’re fighting for (usually) the same position I suppose it makes sense. But yeah it really didn’t seem to work.
You’re right about the front two dropping into midfield, I should have included that in the article. They did well to let Barca have the ball in defence and then press in the midfield. Forced Pique into a couple of ludicrous left-right balls for Messi, who is hardly gonna beat Molinaro in the air…
Barca looked woeful in the first half. The worst I have seen them in a long time, credit to Stuttgart they played very well in the first half, very incisive if only they could have finished better, Barca could have been in a lot more trouble
A big part of the problem was that Toure and Busquets combo in midfield not working. Busquets looked the guiltier party but, Pep seems to prefer him over Toure.
Another thing I think Pep tried but didn’t succeed with was switching “the Alves role” to the left and trying to get Maxwell to do the same, as he had Xavi playing LCM for most of the first half, but the combination didn’t work, Maxwell looked hesitant to get forward. Iniesta received the ball many times on the left with no overlap OR a midfielder to lay it square/back to.
Hey ZM,
from what I’re read and understood (from coaching manuals, articles by ex-coaches etc.) in this style of 4-3-3, the opposing wide threat is dealt with in the following way: attacking full-backs are pressed and, failing that, harried by the outside-forwards back to the midway line, after which they are ´passed on´ to the inside midfielders (Xavi and normally Iniesta, in this case Busquets) who move out wider in tandem with their own full-back (Maxwell/Abidal) to squeeze the intruder in a 2 -v-1 situation. of course, as you point out the trouble may come from the opposition wide midfielder and the full-back doubling up to make this 2 v 2 but it is a risk worth taking since it leaves the 4-3-3 team with a corridor of space for its outside forward to exploit in the event of recovery and counter-attack. I still think the wide midfielders in a 4-4-2 are primarily the respónsibility of the inside-mids in the 4-3-3 but with the aid of the full-back and even the defensive midfielder, therby closing down the space by forming a tightening triangle.
Interesting points you make Roberticus, and I think it’s fair to say that the three-man midfield in this sense works pretty similar to how a three-man defence does – it rather ‘pivots’ across the pitch with the ‘outside’ central midfielders having to be comfortable coming to the flank to shut down the opposition wingers.
Indeed, this was done very effectively by Fiorentina away at Bayern last week. Rather than the usual 4-2-3-1, they played what was effectively a 4-3-3 (although more like a 4-5-1 as they had little possession). It was particularly interesting in this respect because Bayern are probably more based around their wingers than any other side in Europe, and the ‘outside’ central midfielders (Vargas on the left and Montolivo on the right) played very flat, very wide, and generally closed down the opposition wide midfielders very well.
The problem there is of course that you’re left 2 v 1 in the centre of midfield, and Mark van Bommel saw a lot of the ball pretty much unchallenged. I think often it’s a case of weighing up how much you want to give one (usually the deeper) central midfielders time and space on the ball.
But it’s an interesting issue. The obvious matchup against a 4-3-3 is a 4-3-3 at the moment, but I think with the right players a 4-4-2 can still cause a 4-3-3 problems.
Hi,
When Iniesta plays on the left flank, he normally cuts in and plays as a half winger. On the other flank, Messi too cuts in but stays really high up the pitch, as a partner to Ibrahimovic. When Alves is playing, he advances up and plays almost like a RM. So, it turns out to be some sort of a 3-5-2(with the three being Puyol, Pique and Abidal). That is one variation of Barca.
I feel, when a 4-3-3 meets the 4-4-2, the full backs in the 4-3-3 should push up to deal with the right and left midfielders of the 4-4-2. The full backs of the 4-4-2 will be occupied by the Left and Right forwards. The two strikers can also be dealt with by the two CBs plus the holding midfielder, and the 4-3-3 still maintains its advantage in the centre on the pitch. The 4-3-3 can still beat a 4-4-2
Oh indeed, there’s certainly no doubt that a 4-3-3 can beat a 4-4-2, indeed a 4-3-3 is set up specifically to contain and defeat a 4-4-2, really. But it was interesting because this is the first time in the Champions League since Guardiola took over that I’ve seen a 4-4-2 outplay Barca, and also it was against a 4-4-2 they came unstuck against Atletico the other week.
The major problem with sending the full backs forward to deal with the wide midfielders in almost any formation is the amount of space it leaves behind the full backs. This space can be exploited by forwards or central midfielders which will leave centre backs the option of leaving the man free, or chasing him and leaving space in the middle. Essentially any time the defensive line is not moving as a unit you leave gaps which attackers will exploit. This is why when defending the back four will move up together (offside comes into it here as well) and why the full backs will tuck in close to the centre backs when the ball is not on their wing rather than go wide and mark the winger. A gap out wide and further up field is much eaiser to deal with than a gap behind the full back or between the full back and centre back. I’ve just been trying to instill this into a wide midfielder who will be covering at full back due to injuries.