Real Madrid 1-1 Valencia: Xabi Alonso dictates the game but Real fail to find the finishes
The starting line-ups
Mauricio Pellegrino’s debut as Valencia coach resulted in a draw at the Bernabeu.
Jose Mourinho’s side was very familiar from last season – no new signings played. The main surprise was that Lassana Diarra was fielded alongside Xabi Alonso in midfield.
Valencia continued to play in a 4-2-3-1 system, the formation they’ve pretty much used since Pellegrino’s mentor Rafael Benitez was in charge of the club a decade ago. New signings Joao Pereira, Fernando Gago and Andres Guardado all slotted in where you’d expect.
This was a game that started surprisingly open, before becoming increasingly cagey as the match wore on, as Valencia sensed they could pick up a draw by parking the bus.
Openness
Many 4-2-3-1s are effectively just 4-4-1-1s, and when you get two 4-2-3-1s playing in a defensive fashion, the game can simply be two banks of four against two banks of four, and little excitement. In the first half of this match, however, we had two true 4-2-3-1s against each other, with the wingers pushed high up, level with each side’s number ten. Defensively, those players looked to watch their opposing full-back, rather than forming a second bank of four.
It was essentially four attackers against six defensive players for much of the first half, with the play stretched and attacks flowing quickly from end to end. Valencia were brave in pushing their full-backs forward, with Jeremy Mathieu a threat down the left in particular.
Real approach
Real Madrid seemed to work the left flank a great deal – Mesut Ozil tended to drift to that side, as he often does to combine with Cristiano Ronaldo, while Fabio Coentrao played high up the pitch too. Some good combination play also occurred when Gonzalo Higuain moved to the left, too – he drifted to the right just as often, but found fewer teammates to combine with.
Ronaldo tested Diego Alves very early on with his trademark shot from an inside-left position after cutting onto his right foot, but overall was much quieter than usual. It was notable how rarely he got the ball in a one-versus-one situation against his international colleague Joao Pereira – the first time he did, deep into the second half, Pereira got himself into a terrible body position, and crudely checked Ronaldo for a free-kick within shooting range.
Though Ronaldo would have liked the majority of Real’s build-up play coming down his side, perhaps Real should have varied it more, attacking down the right before switching play quickly to give him space to run with the ball. He only contributed one dribble past an opponent all night.
When the play did move out to Di Maria on the right, he looked in good form. Like Ronaldo, he had an early shot after coming inside onto his stronger foot, and also played an excellent ball over the top for Higuain’s goal after similar initial movement.
Alonso
The man switching play to the flanks was Alonso, who was the game’s key outfield player. He attempted 76 passes – Sergio Ramos was next on 62, and no other player attempted over 48, outlining his continual influence. Of these passes, he completed 15 of his 16 attempted long balls – the only exception was a diagonal towards substitute Jose Callejon in the final minutes, when Real needed something special.
Even by his standards, his long-range passing was superb, and his work to receive the ball in deep positions was also impressive. Jonas and Roberto Soldado dropped back and prevented easy passes from Real’s centre-backs to their central midfielders (the type of compactness Benitez was famous for demanding) so Alonso made a big effort to drop deep, often to the left, collect short balls, then spray passes out to the wings.
Plan B
As Diego Alves kept Valencia in the game with some excellent saves, Mourinho went chasing the victory. His Plan B was both early – arriving on 60 minutes – and dramatic. He took off Diarra, his combative central midfielder (Alonso was less effective after this as he now had to tackle more, and picked up a booking), and threw on Karim Benzema as a second striker. Real became a 4-1-3-2, with Ozil dropping slightly deeper to pick the ball up in the centre of midfield, but still playing as a number ten. Callejon replaced Di Maria ten minutes later.
Immediately after the switch in formation, Real enjoyed a big spell of pressure, and the second goal appeared imminent. Pellegrino responded, taking off Soldado and introducing another midfielder, Daniel Parejo. Tino Costa moved forward and Jonas became the main forward – in effect, it was still roughly 4-2-3-1…expect Parejo got behind the ball quickly, and the wide players defended in front of the full-backs.
It was now 4-5-1, and Valencia resorted to parking the bus and withstanding Real pressure, complete with some unsubtle timewasting. Their tactics weren’t particularly special – they relied on Alves too much to credit Pellegrino with any kind of spectacular success – but Valencia looked well-organised and frustrated Real in the final 20 minutes.
Conclusion
Pellegrino woudn’t have chosen to face such a tough game first up, but maybe it was a good time to play Real Madrid – both Ronaldo and Ozil weren’t at their best, and they lacked the raw physical power that was crucial in their title win last season – which was most obvious when beating Valencia at the Mestalla.
Real’s approach doesn’t appear to have varied significantly since last season, though this depends upon any late transfer activity. Luka Modric is still expected to sign, and this would certainly give them a different option, although it remains to be seen how he’d fit into the centre of Real’s midfield. Alonso’s performance here underlined his importance to the side, and while it’s odd to talk about a 30-year-old as having improved at this stage of his career, Alonso has become a more consistent, pivotal player in the past 18 months.
For now, there’s little to discuss about Valencia’s new coach – this could have been the Valencia of Benitez or Unai Emery – but Pellegrino is a promising young coach and is one to watch this season.
At this moment Barcelona seem to be in better shape than Real.Barca have changed a few things,little things but they seem enough.As for Real,the formation,the players,tactics are all the same.We will see if this works for Mourinho or not.
Barca seemed to be a 2-3-3-2 formation. The deepest 3 had 2 wide players and the most attacking 3 (Fabregas, Messi, Xavi) were very central. The 2 highest up the pitch were out and out wingers. Which left nobody for the opposition’s central defenders to mark and plenty of space for the attacking 3 to move into. With Pedro and Tello very wide and high up, the central defenders had to stay deep as the offside line wasn’t high up.
To my eyes it seemed:
——Puyol–Mascherano——
Alves—-Busquets——–Alba
—–Fabregas-Messi-Xavi—–
Pedro——————–Tello
Alves and Alba are still defenders,but very energetic ones,and play very high,but they are still 4 at back.
Thought Özil was excellent, every time he picked the ball up, something happened. Ronaldo was far too quiet, should’ve tried to get himself involved more often, but I wouldn’t say he was bad though, his passing was good. Di María was great, his decision-making was good and he got into some good positions and put in some great passes. Should’ve scored when he was one-on-one though. Madrid clearly lacked Marcelo, though, he opens up a lot of space for Ronaldo which Coentrão just can’t do on his own when playing for Madrid.
I really thought Joao Pereira was excellent, and that played a big part in nullifying Ronaldo. Tino Costa and Fernando Gago worked well together and had good games, and they dropped extremely deep in the closing stages. I think for Valencia, Alves’s keeping and Costa’s set piece delivery were crucial.
ZM & Readers,
Are there any apps/websites similar to StatsZone that provide detailed stats for La Liga games?
Thanks
yes there is .. app by soccerway.com… app name is my football pro… it gives all stats you want about all major leagues
Dear Mr ZM
You say
“Real’s approach doesn’t appear to have varied significantly since last season, though this depends upon any late transfer activity. Luka Modric is still expected to sign”
What I dont like about Mou’s team is that both alonso and his partner, whether lass or kedira play from deep. Ive not really watched much of Modric, but if he is bought what do you think he’ll do with him. Does Modric also lie deep, or will he play more forward near Ozil?
Do you have any thoughts? Great article as usual.
In my opinion,Modric would add 2 great things:
-1st.He’d avoid the obsession of being next to Alonso when this one owns the ball. Modric would create passes lines and,in contrast with Khedira,would offer a very wide range of passes.For example,Modric has got a pass with the external part of the foot which very few players can do. I like lots of things about Khedira,but he’s limited at passes and is not very confident.
-2nd.Control of the possession in important matches.This lack was necessary against Bayern Munchen. Madrid can’t control the pace of some matches. Modric,for example, is able to revolve around him very quickly while running and reset the play.
thanks.sounds like a cross between khedira and ozil
No comment on what was the game-changing incident late in the first half when teammates Pepe and Casillas collided as Getafe scored the equalizer? Perhaps it’s stating the obvious, but no review of this game could be considered close to complete without a mention of the effects that event had on morale (questions of concussions for both the captain and goalkeeper and a center back!), ZM.
He always responds to this sort of criticism that he runs a purely tactical blog.
And what of the not mentioning of the disallowed goal that Valencia scored? Such bias, ZM!
It’s worthwhile to note that Madrid were gifted a point by the referee yet again like they were so many times last season,Soldado was easily onside for his goal which was disallowed.
Thought Valencia played very well considering our best defender and midfielder were both missing,I heard Pelligrino is a much more defensive coach than Emery which isn’t surprising since he was once an understudy of Benitez.I think playing slightly more defensively and hitting teams on the break more will help us in Europe this year,in recent years we have under performed in Europe due to Emerys naivety and sometimes been unable to transfer out dominance in games to wins.
We hardly have any money for more signings but what we have spent we have spent pretty well,this team should be aiming to reach the last 16 of the CL for now and we could possibly get further with a favorable draw,once our new stadium is finally complete hopefully in 2 years(I know)and we sell the Mestalla to wipe off most of our debt we will be able to compete financially with some of the bigger clubs in England like Liverpool and Tottenham.Until then it is imperative we stay in the CL for the Ca$$$$$$$$$h.
Also I forgot to say the difference between Coentrao and Khediria when they play for Portugal and Germany respectively and when they play for Madrid is huge,for Madrid they look half the players they do for their national teams,Khediria for Germany plays as a box to box midfielder and this gets the best out of him but for Madrid he seems shackled in midfield and looks like a very average player.Coentrao the same,he looks average going forward for Madrid but for Portugal he is has much more license to burst forward and thus looks like a world class LB.
I remember reading that Jose at Chelsea would tell his FB’s to rarely go past the half way line,for Madrid the only FB who seems to be allowed to overlap is Marcelo and he was 2nd choice last season.
I still don’t understand why Lass doesn’t create passes lines in front of Alonso. He plays next to Alonso,never in front. And when he owns the ball,decides to make strange things which causes mistakes later. He gets complicated himself. Without him,Özil approached Alonso but,surprisingly,Valencia didn’t take advantatge of the crazy RM system despite having Gago,Tino Costa (very slow pace) and,later,Parejo.
Hi ZM,
I have noticed that over the last 2-3 years, the vast majority of teams have adopted the 4-2-3-1 strategy. Just to name a few, ManCity used the strategy often, Bayern Munich use it, Real and Valencia have used it, many national teams use that team formation, and in your other article you state that SAF is trying to implement it.
I know it is rather generalizing to say that certain tactics dominate, but it does seem to be the case. For example, in the 90-s, a lot of (especially Italian) teams had adopted the 3-5-2 tactic. The 4-4-2 formation was adopted by the vast majority of all teams since late 90s and until recently.
That is why, I would love if you write an article about the strengths and weaknesses of 4-2-3-1.
Thanks
Hi John,
Not specifically a review of the 4-2-3-1 formation (or any formation for that matter) but some of the articles Michael has written in this series: http://www.zonalmarking.net/category/decade/tacticsin2000s/
may be of interest to you, especially as you refer to the development of formations through the decades.
Formations tend to spread through to game and become the standard system for a while, until someone wins by picking a hole in the old standard and develops a new system which then gets copied slavishly.
Hungary and Brazil developed a 4-2-4 to disrupt WM’s rigid man marking and close down the opposition’s wingers. Alf Ramsey used 4-4-2 to defeat 4-2-4 in 1966 because he realised that four at the back had killed the winger and he was better off using midfielders who could attack from deaper positions and help out at the back. 4-4-2 became the English default for forty years. Bilardo used 3-5-2 to beat 4-4-2 in 1986. No wingers meant who really needed fullbacks now? He turned the clock back by re-inventing the three man defense deployed in WM and had his wingbacks pushed into midfield. Next, 4-2-3-1 became a default because it exposed 3-5-2 tendency to over-man central defense with two markers and a sweeper whilst leaving space available on the flanks.
Each time the breakthough was the logical result of developments seen elsewhere. Zagallo had shown that wingers needed to attack from deap and cover their fullbacks in 1962, four years defore Ramsey abandoned wingers completely. Bilardo was not the first to use 3-5-2; Denmark were at Euro84. In 1998, France started in 4-2-3-1 before swithing to a 4-4-2/4-3-2-1 hybrid. 4-2-3-1 only became their default at Euro2000.
I suspect the next trend will be a return to the back three and winbacks because it opens up the possibility of passing your way out of the pressing everyone is using these days. Mexico in 2010 and Barca have essentially resurected the old-fashioned centrehalf to do this. Wigan athletic did it at the close of the season last term. Pep went for Cruyff’s 3-1-2-1-3 system last year too!
Thing is once a system breaks through other managers slavishly copy it because they know they will not be criticied for tactical ignorance if they copy every one else. Until that is the next breakthrough occurs.
John Ramsey it was only really in the PL that the 4 – 4 – 2 was so widespread that it was basically the only formation used for a long time.
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for me mouriniho got his tactics right he played his front three high up the pitch and pinned back valencia even when they didnt had the ball forcing valencia not to commit too many players on offense since they could be hit on counter . but while he gets his tactics right he made his players stay in their positions . whenever real had the ball players either spend too much time on the ball or you could see them struggling to find a pass just because real playrs were too rigid in their positions . the objective might be to stretch valenci so that they can work the space and score . mourinho’s are never eye pleasing to watch and this game was no different their no cohesion between his players they stick to their positions and from where on the tend to work in . the crispness in the passing that is evident in the top teams is still lacking in real’s game . he gets his tactics right but the cohesion in the team that is required is still missing in his team and his team are overdependent on the quality of his players rather than the coaches plan as to how they will unlock the defense .
Very good points. after seeing this performance, I think Tottenham can name their price with Modric. Without him I think it’s going to be a long, hard season for RM.
This was their first match of the season, while they still have essentially the same team as that which gained 100 points last season. They drew comfortably with the 3rd placed side in La Liga. I suppose that after last season’s loss to Levante they were relegation candidates?
I still don’t understand why Lass doesn’t create passes lines in front of Alonso. He plays next to Alonso,never in front. And when he owns the ball,decides to make strange things which causes mistakes later. He gets complicated himself. Without him,Özil approached Alonso but,surprisingly,Valencia didn’t take advantatge of the crazy RM system despite having Gago,Tino Costa (very slow pace) and,later,Parejo.