2/09/2012

Let's analyse Barca's attack

The Guardiola's Barca is on to their 3rd dream team era through Cryuff and Rijkaard. Winning the champions league last season Barca is said to be the best team ever.

Why is Barca invincible? Their are so many things said to answer to this question. Cantera, tactics, individual work by Messi, pass work, hard work, defending tight and good on the ball, etc.

It is said in particular that such skills of ball controlling, positioning, pass techniques are in high level. You will not be able to understand Barca truly, as long as you say “Barca is strong because they are superior to others in these skills” and stop thinking deeper, which is also dangerous. We are going to take one step forward and analyze Barcas attack from tactical view.

Here we listed up the main theme of Barca's attack from the large point of view to the small.

Put players into wide and equivalent position
  1. Use the pitch wide
    1. Making the distance of the pass longer.
    2. Broadening up spaces for individuals to use.
  2. Making more courses of pass.
  3. Winning the loose ball.
    1. Making the distance to approach shorter.
    2. Making the distance of cover defence shorter.

Keeping the possession of the ball
  1. Not giving your opponent time to attack.
    1. Decreasing opportunities of the opponents' attack and put mental pressure on them.
    2. Saving stamina for an attack.
  2. Mental superiority and confidence of scoring in 90 min.
    1. Quickening mind, not the heartbeat.
    2. Decreasing mistakes of passes.

Using the centre of the pitch
  1. Making more possibilities for an attack.
    1. 360 degrees angle play option= Increasing options for an attack.
    2. Not giving the ball to side-backs during the build up phase.
  2. Using side areas.
    1. Gathering up in the middle→ Use the side areas.(Switching sides)

Surrounding the vital area
  1. Middle range shot
  2. Making patterns of the through passes.
    1. 10-15m chip kick.
    2. 20-30m diagonal pass.
  3. Aggressive defense.

Deceiving the defensive concentration of the opponents- Making a space for others.
  1. Combination running
    1. Making a space by the back (on your back).
    2. Breaking through on the side areas.
  2. If two players are on the same course of pass, pass to the farther player.
    1. Two options between post play and trough pass.
    2. Making free space for your team mate by going ahead of him.
  3. Pulling your opponent together by one-two plays.
    1. Basic one-two plays
    2. Advanced one-two plays.
  4. Receiving in the central point among the opponents.
    1. Side steps and back steps.
    2. Keeping equal distances from the opponents surrounding you.

Standing parallelly in front of your opponent
  1. Head and tails of inside kicks.
  2. One touch in two steps style.
    1. Keeping your head up.
    2. Changing the direction of your body.
    3. Circling with the ball (dribbling in circle).
  3. Changing space of your trap (switch of “receiving space” and “deceiving space”).
    1. By turning.
    2. By moving.

Looking around





3 concepts of “Head and tails of inside kicks”, ”Combination running” and “If two players are on the same course of pass, pass to the farther player” are especially important to understand Barca. Without understanding of these concepts, you will not find an answer to the question like “Why Barca's pass-work is so slow but invincible?”

I will add up more precise details later, but these are the main theme of Bacas attack I know for now.