![]() ![]() The false Nine not only benefitted the team but also brought massive success upon the Argentinian who didn’t fit the typical profile of a striker. Again this was done to ensure numerical and positional superiority at all times. The images above show the full effect of these principles creating space for teammates to receive the ball and influence the game.Īnother crucial part of the jigsaw was Guardiola's decision to move Messi inside from the right-wing to his now-famous False 9 role. They used passing triangles, diamonds and a rhombus to circulate the ball all across the pitch stretching the opponent's lines by creating different angles through the staggering of positions. Barcelona's main aim was to overload the centre to free their wingers by getting them 1v1 against the isolated full-backs. Add Messi to this trio, who drops into midfield, you get the diamond that dominated European football with their elegant passing and brilliant positioning. Pep used a base formation which was the 4-3-3 but Barcelona were fluid and would often transition into other formations like the 3-4-3 perfected by Guardiols's mentor Johan Cruyff.īarcelona’s heartbeat was the midfield, they had an awe-inspiring trio in Busquets-Xavi-Iniesta. ![]() Combining beautiful football with both domestic and European titles with many dubbing them the greatest club side of the modern era. In 2010-11 Barcelona reached their peak the positional play Pep craved had been perfected, they had changed peoples perceptions on how the game should be played. A direct long ball from defence to attack is not favourable as this will isolate the team’s centre forward against the opponents defence leaving them isolated. The team must play from the back including the keeper, progressing up the pitch using numerical overloads. The team must always aim to provide support for the ball-carrier and avoid isolating a player if he is not in a favourable position to exploit such isolation. “The faster the ball goes the field, the faster it will come back at us,” says Guardiola when journalists questioned his style during a press conference. With the added benefit of providing a safety net protecting against potential counter-attacks. Following these points allows the team to be keyed up with the events of the match being in control. To ensure positional superiority is achieved, players are positioned in defined spaces according to four reference points: the ball, their teammates, the space, and the opponents. The team that understood positional play in the most incredible way was Guardiola's Barcelona, says Marti Perarnau, A disciple of Johan Cruyff, Pep is a major reference point for aspirational coaches around the world, with many inspired by his ‘Juego de Posicion’ philosophy.Įvery masterpiece needs a canvas, and Guardiola’s was Positional Play – a football philosophy grasped by the Catalan during his football travels around the world. Pep Guardiola will no doubt be remembered as one of the greatest football managers of all time. I may as well just sit down with my legs crossed on the bench, waiting for the opposition to counter-attack.” states Guardiola. If your possession doesn’t have motion, it’s like living without a life it’s more dangerous to play like that. “If you do nothing with the ball then what’s the point?! Everyone in the world knows when you’re playing with meaning or when you’re just playing because you like having the ball. However, Guardiola stresses the point that possession is the tool that allows them to create lots of chances, rather than being the goal itself. The style of football that Barcelona played under Pep between 20 was known as ‘Tiki-Taka’, defined as a style of play revolving around highly accurate short passes with emphasis on retaining possession of the ball. ![]()
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