Brighton and Hove Albion

When manager Roberto de Zerbi arrived on the South Coast to replace the departed Graham Potter in 2022, eyebrows were raised, but the de Zerbis impact on Brighton quickly shed light with the one touch football to build from the back on possession football. De Zerbi’s sketchings at the Italian Serie A club, Sassuolo, led to success with the club always ahead on the possession stats, the Sassuolo became an established club. On progression the one touch football with the wingers cutting in to draw the opposition and create movement, Solly march on the right highlights the tactic perfectly. The experience of Danny Welbeck to lead the forward line to engage the de Zerbi philosophy has factored in to lend the club to being of a top eight status, it is of no surprise that de Zerbi is on the shortlist to replace Jurgen Klopp. The Europa League beckons alongside a high placed Premiership position.

AFC Bournemouth

The arrival of the former Rayo Vallecano manager, Andoni Iraola, pre-season was met with incredulity, but Iraola has won over his critics. The philosophy is to play with width encouraging the fullbacks to revert to wingbacks in attacking play with two midfield players dropping deep to hols these positions to counter the opposition’s counter attacks. The Cherries are not alien to reverting to the long ball if pressed deep in their own half. The 4-2-3-1 tactic allows the freedom with a deep defensive block being the Iraola tactic when out of possession. To be free from relegation is the season’s marker and that marker seems to have been reached.

Manchester United

Hope and optimistic vibes became a fast-tracked new trend, following a sequence of wins on the bounce, but should that be the case? A false dawn, the reality is that United are still way off competing at the top end. Question marks hang over Onana and Rashford with Antony, Casemiro, Varane, Wan-Bissaka, Johny Evans and Martial need to be shipped out, in contract or not at the season’s end, get shut. A re-build in part is required, despite all the doubts harboured ten Haag’s way, he deserves another season in charge. There are glimpses on occasions that the Dutchman could deliver, smell the tulips.

Crystal Palace

Many would consider manager Roy Hodgeson as being conservative, that is not the case with Roy prepared to let his players off the leash and plays a similar tactic to Bournemouth as covered to reload the wingers and fullbacks to attack in numbers when in the attacking phase even on formation switches. The exciting talents of Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Mateta and Jordan Ayew loads the Palace up to be a dangerous opponent. But if injuries suffice, the Palace will suffer more so than most clubs, due to the team’s intensity revolving around the quartet. Palace are too good to go down, but they could sink through the trap door if injury stricken.

Westham United

The chosen one David Moyes, but not to the Westham fans, despite the club lifting a European trophy and consistently remaining in the upper half of the Premiership under the Moye’s management. The non-justified moans and groans of the Hammers supporters who want to be lorded on a regular basis, they want it all, accept the tepid performances on occasions, all teams can suffer from sluggishness during the course of a season. The Moyes tactics are to match up with a narrow midfield alongside the fullbacks providing the width, with the 4-2-3-1 tactic is of the Moyes preference but also reverts to the 4-4-2 system with the defence holding a low block. The Westham faithful to suggest are not enamoured with the team’s low possession stat, that’s their main gripe, the Moyes chosen way.

Fulham

Marco Silva’s management tactic at previous club Everton, was to brand with the 4-2-3-1 tactic which failed to deliver with the lone forward wolf failing, Silva persisted with the tactic which led to his sacking. On arrival at Fulham, Silva landed with the combustible centre forward Aleksandar Mitrovic in the squad, who can play as the lone forward being able to use his physical presence to bring the ball down, break the shackles of the defenders and bring team mates into play when in the attacking transition. At Everton, Silva did not inherit a lone wolf and became the rabbit in the headlights. Silva stayed with the same tactic under his tenure at Everton because of Mitrovic.

On Mitrovic leaving the club, Silva reverts to a 4-4-2 formation with the team playing from the back looking on occasions for a long pass from the back line on the re-start to a slightly wide from the central position midfield player. This is a risk factor tactic if ball retention is lost which can be the Cottage’s Achillies heel which opposition teams can convert to goals. So, does the risk outweigh the rewards? In opposite mode, if the forward pass is successful, then Fulham can quickly link to a forward transition with pace at the opposition penalty box lines, this is one of Silva’s tactics highlighted. To work the system further, players are coached to be in their positional movement play which becomes of triangular shape with the pass and move. Not visible with pitch markings, but to the coach’s eye, visible. The team had a solid foundation which harbours well for Premiership longevity, the stardust would be Europa League qualification, that would be the silver lining. Link to article 11^th Jan 2020 ‘Vardy the Lone Ranger’.

Oliver Glasnor

Not to be out flanked following on from the Crystal Palace highlighted with by Roy Hodgeson’s replacement Oliver Glasnor, the former Europa League winning manager with Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt. Glasnor’s mantra is possession football with short passing movements, the long ball haulage is not the tactic. The Glasnor favoured tactic is the 3-4-2-1 system, with the three centre backs, but to suggest that Glasnor could revert to a more rigid 4-2-3-1 system with Palace in a relegation dog fight. The Glasnor is flexible in one’s thought process, a need to hit the ground running. Historically wise, a manger’s formulation imprint on a club takes time. Has the eagle Glasnor landed in time, survival, Crystal Palace?

Brendon Rodgers

The Celtic manager Brendon Rodgers post-match became a token target for the wokeism movement, who breath as shit flies in society’s ills. The Sky Sport’s reporter Jane Lewis, peppered Rodgers, who choose to close the lid on an intrusive question, it’s one’s prerogative. The reporter’s persistence resulted in, quote Rodgers “Good girl”, which caused a furore as being sexist. Brendon would have spoken the words many times in one’s native Northern Ireland as being part of the vocabulary, it’s all gone chucklesome. Come on loosen the collars, let everyone breathe, phew!

The Carabao Cup

Congratulations to Liverpool on lifting the League Cup sponsored by Carabao, with a record breaking tenth trophy defeating Chelsea one to nil with captain Virgil van Dijk’s extra time winner in the club’s quest to lift four trophies. Will it be a fairy tale ending for Jurgen Klopp?

May’s edition to Feature…

The ‘Road to Heaven’ which was temporarily spirited away for this month’s edition, and ‘Radio TalkSport’s up the Tosh Meter’.