CroJack
Key Player
More variation in our tactics is needed this time, and there is no need to hoof the ball all the time. Barnsley's kamikaze pressing leaves huge empty spaces on the pitch, and by using smarter switches of play and passing from side to side with higher tempo we can take advantage of their tactical naivety and punish them.
This is not something new. Barnsley have played kamikaze football for some time, and when I say kamikaze football then I mean their pressing game. They simply have tendency to over-commit players when they press, and what many think it's their force, in my opinion it's their main vulnerability. The trouble is, many Championship managers have not figured out how to punish them. Not even Brentford's Thomas Frank whose players were shell-shocked by Barnsley's constant, high-octane pressing. As you know, Barnsley won 0:2 away at Brentford.
Here are some examples for their kamikaze pressing against Swansea in the play-off semi-finals first leg.
Yellow arrow = succesful pass/possession kept
Red arrow = unsucessful pass/possession lost
Purple arrow = better option
Dotted arrow = a run with or without the ball
The first screenshot shows how Barnsley commit too many players when they press. There are 10 Barnsley players here, 9 of them are at the right side of the pitch, and even the 10th is running towards the rest of his team-mates. They are all trying to press 6 Swansea players, which means: a) there are 4 Swansea players free somewhere else, b) the left side of the pitch is not defended at all by Barnsley players, and c) Barnsley have completely lost their defensive shape.
In this situation a first-touch lob-pass from Ayew to Fulton or Lowe would completelly bypass Barnsley's defensive line, and especially Lowe would be able to run freely towards Barnsley's goal and probably score. Ayew chooses to dribble and wins a throw-in.
From the following throw-in we create a good attacking move. Grimes, obviously the one who was responsible for sudden switches of play, sends an excellent lofted pass/long ball towards Lowe. Imagine Lowe making a first-touch pass towards Ayew and Cullen? That would be an excellent chance.
Instead of immediately sending the ball towards Ayew and Cullen, Lowe controls it, waits a little bit for Bidwell to arriwe, and passes the ball to him. This is also a good attacking move where we have an overload in front of Barnsley's goal. Hourihane, Ayew, Fulton and Cullen are there against 3 Barnsley's defenders.
Unfortunatelly, Bidwell's cross is blocked, and the chance is wasted. I still think that a first-touch pass from Lowe, as shown in the screenshot above, is a much better solution.
We have an almost identical situation here. And it's again Grimes-Lowe combination. Notice how many Barnsley players are occupying the right side of the pitch. Bidwell and Lowe are totally free.
And again Lowe has a chance to send a first-touch pass towards Cullen who is totally free and who is running behind Barnsley defence towards their goal. Lowe controls the ball well, but slows down the play, and allows Barnsley players to regain their defensive shape. Lowe dribbles and shoots, but his shot is blocked.
1. First-touch passing should be used to punish Barnsley's kamikaze pressing
This is not something new. Barnsley have played kamikaze football for some time, and when I say kamikaze football then I mean their pressing game. They simply have tendency to over-commit players when they press, and what many think it's their force, in my opinion it's their main vulnerability. The trouble is, many Championship managers have not figured out how to punish them. Not even Brentford's Thomas Frank whose players were shell-shocked by Barnsley's constant, high-octane pressing. As you know, Barnsley won 0:2 away at Brentford.
Here are some examples for their kamikaze pressing against Swansea in the play-off semi-finals first leg.
Yellow arrow = succesful pass/possession kept
Red arrow = unsucessful pass/possession lost
Purple arrow = better option
Dotted arrow = a run with or without the ball
The first screenshot shows how Barnsley commit too many players when they press. There are 10 Barnsley players here, 9 of them are at the right side of the pitch, and even the 10th is running towards the rest of his team-mates. They are all trying to press 6 Swansea players, which means: a) there are 4 Swansea players free somewhere else, b) the left side of the pitch is not defended at all by Barnsley players, and c) Barnsley have completely lost their defensive shape.
In this situation a first-touch lob-pass from Ayew to Fulton or Lowe would completelly bypass Barnsley's defensive line, and especially Lowe would be able to run freely towards Barnsley's goal and probably score. Ayew chooses to dribble and wins a throw-in.
From the following throw-in we create a good attacking move. Grimes, obviously the one who was responsible for sudden switches of play, sends an excellent lofted pass/long ball towards Lowe. Imagine Lowe making a first-touch pass towards Ayew and Cullen? That would be an excellent chance.
Instead of immediately sending the ball towards Ayew and Cullen, Lowe controls it, waits a little bit for Bidwell to arriwe, and passes the ball to him. This is also a good attacking move where we have an overload in front of Barnsley's goal. Hourihane, Ayew, Fulton and Cullen are there against 3 Barnsley's defenders.
Unfortunatelly, Bidwell's cross is blocked, and the chance is wasted. I still think that a first-touch pass from Lowe, as shown in the screenshot above, is a much better solution.
We have an almost identical situation here. And it's again Grimes-Lowe combination. Notice how many Barnsley players are occupying the right side of the pitch. Bidwell and Lowe are totally free.
And again Lowe has a chance to send a first-touch pass towards Cullen who is totally free and who is running behind Barnsley defence towards their goal. Lowe controls the ball well, but slows down the play, and allows Barnsley players to regain their defensive shape. Lowe dribbles and shoots, but his shot is blocked.
