Although only preseason, we’re starting to get some answers. Maresca has novel concepts, but football is not chess. And many of marescas tactics, whilst interesting, are easily exposed by any half decent team. ultimately, there is no substitute, for playing highly motivated, elite players, in their strongest position, with team mates that compliment their profile. Playing Reece James inverted looks good only on paper.
@@davehayden1438 Your point is an interesting one and overlaps with my main question about Maresca at the moment, which is does he have the tactical flexibility to adjust to the squad of players that he has or is he married to his philosophy? He certainly needs time, but if I was a Chelsea fan I would want to see some gradual improvements as pre-season progresses. I understand the tactical reasons for Reece James inverting into midfield, but I do agree, I think his best position is as a conventional fullback.
@@oziomamokwe8406 Bajcetic hasn’t looked up to speed at all, which is understandable, but I can’t see him breaking into the starting eleven anytime soon. Who is Taylor? Do you mean Trey? Trey Nyoni?
@@francisntol9102 Thank you, mate. I appreciate the comment and the feedback. As I mentioned in the video, I planned to include lots of tactics boards like with some of my previous videos, but I then wouldn’t have been able to publish the video before Chelsea played their next pre-season game, so I opted against including them.
Good question. I think it’s slightly easier for the younger players, but Maresca does like a settled side and hasn’t been known to tinker with his teams that much, so that could be an issue for a few players in that squad. That’s why pre-season is so important for him so he can get a good look at his squad and the club can work towards loaning out or transfer listing some of the players that he really doesn’t fancy. As a player at the highest level, you should really relish the chance to start over with a new coach and embrace the challenge of competing for your place in the side. Given Chelsea’s recent injury record and their involvement in 4 competitions, there is plenty of opportunity for game time.
I am actually excited rather than worried, even if we lose some games it is ok the point is that the team adapts to this system and we can compete again
@@ambitiousperson2298 This is exactly the right attitude. Patience will be required. I just hope that the fans and the media don’t try to hound him out if they start the season poorly.
To play Macca as No. 6 would be a waste of his chances to create and score. He score 7 goals and 5 assists last season as No.8. He plays out of pisition and slow on the ball as a No.6. He does NOT fit that role. We are in need of a defensive midfielder. 5:59
@@williamfarrell4754 He might have been the number one choice to come in alongside a marquee holding midfield signing (a bit of much needed experience in the midfield to replace the likes of Henderson and Milner), but I refuse to believe he was even 4th choice to go right into our starting eleven. He didn’t fit the profile in the slightest. Do you have a source for what you’re saying?
@@FrontalLobeFootball no source other than listening to the few t8dbits from klopp before the Bellingham Calciedo bids upto Endo signing led me to believe that had 3 top targets ..bell..cal...lat..... but they had a back up/fill the void til they try AGAIN.... and tbf for the price he exceeded my expectations
@@williamfarrell4754 I thought he did well at times too, but he’s not cut out to play Champion’s League level football. I can definitely see why Arne Slot has reservations about him. When your targets include highly sought after young players such as Caicedo and Lavia, and you end up signing a 30 year-old from Stuttgart in mid-August who would be your only fit natural holding midfield player, I would classify that as a panic signing for a club the stature of Liverpool. I have read nothing concrete that would suggest that he was always on Liverpool’s radar.
@@FrontalLobeFootball still not a panic tho as Mac10 was always gonna be 5he main go to 6 if topbtargets weren't secure(again from klopp during cal/lat saga)not the no1 or 2 plan but it was a plan none the less andcwe wasvin everything upto what last 10 games? I think that was exceptional considering the season before imo:)
@@FrontalLobeFootball very rarely do you get concrete LFC targets and it goes without saying they onow all players and they look into most but there are unique criteria to tick for concrete anything to begin and that includes staff too.
🇪🇸 Well here we are once again and the story has ended up just the same, You have only yourselves to blame Coming home to engerlish blame and Shame! It's time to sit and contemplate is it stick or twist with failure southgate you haven't won nuthin in 58! No tea and scones at number 10 no gongs handed out to the failure men Arrogance and expectancy deminished once more Leaving the tumbler thrower's feeling rotten to the core Never mind I've an easy fix just watch the Ch 4 re run of 66 When will you learn it's Really tuff your just fuckin not good enough! 🇪🇦
I'm not British and thought, "Wow, this guy really speaks the truth. This is the best English analyst I've seen. Period." Turns out you are Irish. Subscribed.
@@user-gc3hs7om1o I saw that after I recorded the video, mate. I did think that that was an odd system for him to play. I do like that tactical flexibility though. I think that’s a big plus.
Great video and analysis! You’re the first person I’ve come across who theorized that Slot could deploy Trent as an inverted left back. I’ll look for it in the upcoming season. 😊
@@Reform3d Thanks for the comment, mate. Much appreciated. It’s just a thought, but I do think it’s possible if Slot fancies Bradley at right back. Cannot see Trent playing in a Slot midfield.
You are a rancorous Irishman. England makes a final for the second straight time, did equalise only to let it slip. Spain deserved winners yes. But for a man whose team hasn't even made the finals in decades butchery is all you have.
For me, until England start recruiting potential football players at grass roots level and then coaching them to be technicians, instead of recruiting athletes (can grow a moustache at 12 years old and run sub 11secs 100 meters by 15) and having coaches try to make them football players, on the altar of the 'power and pace' product that is the premier league, then England will continue to make teams that cannot compete technically with the top countries and will continue to be the bridesmade accordingly. That wasn't a Spanish side that was fit for the most part, to polish the boots of the 2008 to 2012 Spanish side, against England it didn't matter, they are ALL technically proficient players at ALL times. I think Southgate knows this about English players, he knows that the England team can't keep possession and play a ball quickly at the same time, so he compartmentalised the games. First half drop off, have as many touches as they like to keep the ball. Then allocate 20 mins to playing quickly (knowing we might not keep the ball) but might get a goal and as soon as we do, drop off. Cos he knows we can't keep a ball at pace. Southgate get's the weaknesses foundational in the English player and mitigated it in game micro-management. For me, undertandable, and he nearly got away with it. The only England player who doesn't need to be in the emotional place of 'confidence' (Phil Foden for one, and by far not the only one) to play a simple pass accurately under pressure or no, like the Spanish players (to a man) is Cole Palmer.
@@bobcricket4873 Thanks for the comment, mate. I do agree, England aren’t as technically proficient as Spain, but there’s no excuse for that England midfield, who all play at the top level, not to pass the football better than they did. Declan Rice played one successful forward pass in the final. These players are coached better than the England sides of the past. If Southgate truly believed that they couldn’t compete with Spain technically, then why not keep the mid-to-low block and look to spring forward with pace as opposed to allocating a certain time during the game to try and up the tempo? That’s a strange strategy. The only time England really upped the tempo was they went behind and, as you mentioned, they didn’t have the ability to sustain it. This England side struggled against Denmark, Slovenia, Slovakia and Switzerland; they were no match for Spain. Those performances had less to do with technical ability and more to do with coaching, structure and confidence. A better coach would have given them a better chance to win that final.
As beautiful as Spains football has been in this tournament and as poor as ours have been - the ingredient Spain have that England needed was actually shithousery- no way would Cavajal have let Yamal cross the ball for the first goal he would have scythed him down- much like Chielini did to Saka in the last final - England need there own master of the dark arts to get over the line
What a bunch of nonsense. Credit to Spain, but they didn’t annihilate England did they? They won it in the end with a goal that was just onside. Fine margins, England got a shot cleared on the line in the end. I’m Italian and I felt bad for England, Southgate is a really nice person and it would have been great to see him prove his haters wrong.
@@dannyesse3043 I don’t recall claiming that Spain annihilated England? They did boss the game and beat Croatia, Italy, Germany and France on their way to the final becoming only the second team in international tournament history to win every single one of their games. England relied on fine margins to dispose of Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands. You’re right, Southgate seems like a lovely man and he’s done a lot of great things for this team, but if England had of beaten Spain, it would have been despite and not because of Southgate. He’s clearly not an elite coach.
@@dannyesse3043 Football did win. One team played very well for the most part over their 7 games, while the other one played very badly for the most part over the same time-span. Hopefully other nations follow Spain's lead and not this dross we get from a vastly overrated nation that, yet again, can't seem to string 3 passes together.
You should be worried about Italy way of playing, rather than Englands. I dont recall a weaker Italy in a long time...Is it the players or the coach? You tell me...
@@FrontalLobeFootball Personally, I was really disappointed by England. They have a lot of fantastic young players, but seem too scared to play. I think Southgate is responsible for that.
@@63mckenzie Agreed. Although I do think the players have to take some responsibility too. I mean Declan Rice played 1 successful forward pass in the final. Madness.
Tendría que ir con cuidado de cruzarse con Kroos, acusado de intento de asesinato. Remember? Min. 10. España VS Deutschland... The red card most clear you have seen in all of your life
@@jonathantalks7 Thanks for the comment, mate. I just don’t think Neville’s that bright and he doesn’t actually watch all that much football anymore. Why were Forest going to sue him?
Great video. As you said towards the start - luck, chance, and fine margins are rarely addressed or contemplated when it comes to sport discussion. But these factors are enormously significant. You mentioned the best team not always winning competition/cup football, I would argue it can be the same with league football over 38 games. Many fans struggle with this idea, they think whoever has the most points over 38 games means they were consistently the best (often true) and therefore how could another team be better? That can be a comforting idea, but it is false. I often think about the butterfly effect in sport and how differently teams/eras would be viewed if miniscule details went the other way. I think of all the tiny details and circumstances that had to happen for Man United to win their treble and how close they were to winning nothing. I understand why people don't dwell on it, but the impact of luck should not be discarded.
Thanks for the comment, mate. Yes, I completely agree. Perhaps I didn’t articulate myself well enough in the video. Luck is certainly a factor in league football as well; it’s often massively overlooked when one team finishes marginally ahead of another. It’s not a sexy topic and we want to believe that decisions “even themselves out” over the course of the season, but that’s never the case.
Great video. I've subscribed. You hit the nail on the head, Southgate is too reactive. I'm not sure we will get past Netherlands playing this way. And if we do, we are definitely not beating Spain
Thank you so much for your comment and for subscribing, mate. It’s a difficult one to call tomorrow, that’s for sure. I think England’s midfield is superior, but Dumfries vs. Trippier in particular would worry me. Like you said, can’t see either of these teams beating Spain though.
@@bensmith5581 Netherlands aren’t great though and it’s only one game if you were to win that one. I do agree though, the best team England have played so far is Switzerland, who are ranked 19th.
@@garethley66 Great point. Harry Kane was nowhere to be found and there was rarely anyone at the back post either. Do you think that Toney or Watkins deserves to start on Wednesday?
@@FrontalLobeFootball I think either of them would do a better than Kane at the moment. Perhaps starting with Toney and bring Watkins on if he starts to tire.
@@FrontalLobeFootball tbh when it comes to Kane it looks like the rest of the team are taking grampa out for the day, he’s been feeble, if that were me I would switch ratio, have Ivan toney or Watkins start and bring on kane to close the game out
as i said on another video, either they really are just playing rubbish,or this is some next level mind game shit going on XD.....but holy crap if they do it by stinking the place out then the sweeter the victory imo XD
@@abigailnormal5980 I don’t understand it at all, mate. Even though very few international teams play lovely football, I can’t help but think that this England team are capable of playing so much better, but does it matter when they keep winning games? Netherlands, who finished third in their group, are now their semi-final opponents!
With Arne Slot We gonna hit The Jackpot if he get rid of Robertson,Rhys Williams,Nathaniel Phillip, Tsimakis,Adrian,Gomez,Matip,Kounate,Thiago,Gravebenberch,Endo,Nunez,Diaz.
@@mohamedabdelkader8665 Thanks for the comment, mate. I wouldn’t want to get rid of that many players, but on an individual level, if we got the right offer for any of those players, I wouldn’t be against letting them go. Matip, Thiago and I think Adrian are already gone though.
