OK it's been a week, and a rough week at that. The USMNT played Columbia last Tuesday, and I had
planned to write my normal post-game, but after the match I was too furious to put pen to paper (or
fingers to keyboard as it were). I decided to calm down for a few days, but then the weekend
came, and I got to experience the worst sports weekend I can remember in my lifetime.
I found the Poland match yesterday incredibly interesting tactically. No intro required for this
one. Let's get right into what I saw: As I've written several times, one of my biggest problems
with Bob Bradley as a coach is his reliance (until now) on elementary-style tactical decisions.
One of my biggest arguments for hiring someone else instead of Bradley was that after the Charlie
Davies injury, Bradley's inability to adjust his 4-4-2.
As I promised at the end of that roster discussion, I am writing now to discuss US tactical
strategy going forward into the 2014 World Cup cycle. In the last 4 years, outside of one
disastrous night at the Saprissa, we've seen two lineup formations employed by Bob Bradley's men
– the traditional 4-4-2 and the traditional 4-5-1.
Watching the spectacle that unfolded at White Hart Lane this Champions League week, whilst
shocking and pleasing me in equal measures, it also led me to question the credentials of the other
contender for the coveted fourth place in the English Premier League; Manchester City. Whilst every
single Spurs player played like it was a case of do-or-die (at this point I do not believe it
necessary to add any more superlatives to the abundance that already exist surrounding the ‘if
only he was English' wonder-kid that is Gareth Bale), and with Redknapp (soon to be England
Manager), getting the tactics absolutely spot-on; I was proud to be the son of a Spurs fan.
Just how does Pep Guardiola improve on the most successful club side in a calendar year? We
detail the tactical changes the Barcelona coach has made to his side to make them even better.
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After Barcelona's 1-0 win over Estudiantes in the Club World Cup in which the Catalan side
recorded a never before paralleled, six cup wins in a calendar year, manager Pep Guardiola turned
to his assistant Tito Vilanova, with bleary eyed with tears of joy, seemingly asking "where do we
go from here?
Arsene Wenger has made three slight adjustments to his side following key defeats in the
league, one of them pushing Cesc Fábregas higher up.
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Oscar Wilde once wrote, "experience is simply the name we give our mistakes" but following the
defeat to FC Porto in the Champions League where two errors gifted the tie, Cesc Fábregas has
had enough of experience.
Let me start with saying that last night I witnessed one of the worst England
performances for a long time. I would also like to pinpoint one player as England Major Weakness:
Gareth Barry...
When Barry was first brought into the England fold he was given the small role as back-up Left
Back or Left Winger.
Watching the spectacle that unfolded at White Hart Lane this Champions League week, whilst
shocking and pleasing me in equal measures, it also led me to question the credentials of the other
contender for the coveted fourth place in the English Premier League; Manchester City. Whilst every
single Spurs player played like it was a case of do-or-die (at this point I do not believe it
necessary to add any more superlatives to the abundance that already exist surrounding the ‘if
only he was English' wonder-kid that is Gareth Bale), and with Redknapp (soon to be England
Manager), getting the tactics absolutely spot-on; I was proud to be the son of a Spurs fan.
One thing us Spurs fans have had over the past two decades is the knowledge we can improve and
improve immensely. Whether we could actually do it, is another matter. Looking back we've had
players that were nowhere near the calibre we came to expect at White Hart Lane in the glory years
and the 1980′s.
Watching the spectacle that unfolded at White Hart Lane this Champions League week, whilst
shocking and pleasing me in equal measures, it also led me to question the credentials of the other
contender for the coveted fourth place in the English Premier League; Manchester City. Whilst every
single Spurs player played like it was a case of do-or-die (at this point I do not believe it
necessary to add any more superlatives to the abundance that already exist surrounding the ‘if
only he was English' wonder-kid that is Gareth Bale), and with Redknapp (soon to be England
Manager), getting the tactics absolutely spot-on; I was proud to be the son of a Spurs fan.