Tactics Explained | Barcelona's 4-4-2 under Ernesto Valverde 

How well do you think Barcelona will do this season? We've more La Liga based videos out over the coming weeks, so stick around for those!

One thing barca fans don't give Valverde credit for is fixing the defence. Barca had conceded 37 goals in league last season and at least another 20 in the champions league, and another 15 in the CDR. So far this season only 8 in all competitions in 23 games. Not only the defence but I wonder what kind of training he put Ter Stegen through, he's been a wall this season.

Back here again with yet another Spurs manager candidate 😭😭

They are unbeaten this season in Liga and UCL, I watched all their games and they are not dominant like they used to be but one thing stands out: defence. It’s the best we have seen in years. If suarez catches up his old form they will be really dangerous after dembele is back but for now they are pretty balanced but weaker “on the paper” compared to other teams like psg and city.

I watched every single game this season..Youre video has been ON POINT

Here as a Manchester United fan, after Valverde has been hinted at as a possible Interim manager.

Messi has become a free.to.do.player. This means that while the game goes on according to Barcelona's usual tactics - which are optimal yet minimal, Iniesta and Messi can bring in their ample experience and creativity, without worrying about the attacking or defensive solidarity and conformity. With Iniesta being remarkable in the first half, they can create a burst of chances and versatile. In the second half, Messi is consistently pragmatic while everyone else seems to tire out. This gives Barcelona the edge between 1-45, and 75-90 minutes - which is clear if you go by the stats for these periods for the duo and for Barca.

Valverde and Paulinho have both been personifications of the current transition of Barcelona and this video encapsulates that fact. Their pragmatism and all-round balance has allowed Barca to continue to succeed without Neymar/Xavi, with an ageing Don Andres and without having to over-complicate tactics or formations. Considering the conflicts between the fans and the board their embrace of these two figures have so far proven to be a very prudent move.

Valverde will most likely switch back to a 4-3-3 once Dembele is fit. They don't really have any good wingers at the moment, Deulofeu and Vidal haven't exactly performed great. He's using what he can at the moment and it's a 4-4-2 What he came up with.

Really waiting for this one... You are too good and thank you...

Watching this 3 years later, and Osumane Dembele is still injured 😂

@tito football You forgot to mention on Valverde the Europa League final with Espanyol..Great achievement Also i believe the 4-4-2 was something of an ''emergency'' of the absent of Dembele and other traditional wingers/inside forwards. When Dembele recover from his injury , i think 4-3-3 will be again his preference

You guys should add actual footage from games that illustrates the tactics at work in between the animations. Might help. Brilliant video all around though and love the analysis

Valverde should have been a success at Barcelona. I mean, Barça always got results except in few, crucial unfortunate instances but his conservative style was 'boring.' Barcelona fans wanted beautiful, flamboyant football. The wanted to relive the Tiki Taka from Johan Cruyff's era and the sexy exchanges between Xavi-Messi-Iniesta-Busquets and the back of the net with Pep Guardiola screaming instructions on the sidelines. Barcelona is owned by the fans and the board succumbed to the pressure of "Valverde Out" and ever since then, Barcelona has been devoid of good football they sought and barely even got satisfactory results. Lionel Messi covered the crevices in the team with his otherworldly prowess and the club has been in shambles ever since he left. Ronald Koeman was fired this evening. The second after Ernesto Valverde and Barça was barely satisfying under him as well. It was tough. Non evident tactics, picking on players, making bogus comments in the press, Titanic defeats; name it - Culers had all the drama. Xavi with good testimonies and not so much experience is the favorite to take over at the Nou Camp. There might not be surprises when he doesn't meet the mark; Barcelona has deeper issues than tactics, selecting the lineup, replying the press and whatever it is that coaches do.

Was waiting for this!! Thanks a lot and very nice video!!

Quality vid as always guys, you deserve a lot more subs.

Who’s here because he’s linked to united

Bro, that starting 11 was only from 4 years ago and so many have left: Semedo, Rakitic, Paulinho, Suarez, Messi, Iniesta. As well as some important subs such as Alcacer, Deulofeu, Gomes, Vidal.

I tried to recreate this tactic in Football manager 2018, and I have to say that it is working! Thank you for this video, it really gives insights and inspiration :)

The first time I heard 442 formation being mentioned alongside Barcelona's team. No wonder this guy is out of the team, I know 442 is a good defensive formation because it can be very compact in the middle of the pitch and can stop the opposition from playing in the lateral areas of the opposition pitch - and with it comes the problem of building an attack, but with enrique's defense they can still play counter because of the physicality of the midfield and suarez are still adequate not to mention he still utilizes barcelona's way of playing high pressure and his 343 diamond are definitely one of the most entertaining formation to watch - just look at his 3-2 win in bernabeu against real.

this guy can come to MU as an interim coach

Cheers Tifo 😊. I'm about to forward this to Mr Conte&Co.

Who’s here after he’s being linked to spurs

Love this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great Video keep pushing them out learned a lot 💯💯💯👍

Guardiola's style will always remain the best I have ever seen. Pep's Barca was just a joy to watch. Every opponent felt inferior to them. Now Guardiola is doing the same at City. They are playing amazing football.

Good assessment. Valverde is showing he had a clear idea of what to expect to bring Paulinho to the club. No Barca coach will be like Pep's team, but Pep also had many many great players at his disposal. The speedy counterattacks don't work on Barca anymore because the team is quite balanced. I kind of like this style of Barca. Not as exciting as before, but also no more heart attacks when opponents have the ball.

Here because United views Ernesto has a candidate 😭😭😭

Great video as always. Could you maybe do a video on Sam Allardyce's Bolton team and tactics?

a Chelsea vs barcelona tactics explained would be awesome

Honestly,i love you guys

Excellent analysis! Also try to include how Deulofeu, Gomes and Alcacer have stepped it up this season due to Valverde.

Although I already knew this through watching so many Barcelona games this season, this video is still too good to those who weren't following their games

Brilliant video, I hoped you would stress on rakitic and touch on Roberto a bit more, as you did so aptly for paulinho. Please do a video on how promising coutinho can be , given he shared an excellent chemistry with the forwards, right into his debut in the Catalan derby.

We're going to get out of tifo tactics videos before spurs get a manager 😂😭

As a Chelsea fan I'm really excited to see how this system goes up against ours. It seems very balanced and intelligently crafted. It's not really all about the formation but the roles they play. When Busquets gets the ball and the CB's split and the FB go forward it's appears as a back 3.

Thanks man for this video. Can you do Pep's City next and maybe something about how to stop them.

He was really good, but they didn't appreciate him at all

Worst Coach in recent memory. Too defensive for a Barcelona side.Paid the price against Liverpool

Perfectly summed up..... Really loved it....

the on point drawing of aged messi is make me sad and conern😧. also your explanation is also on point

Explain Domenico Tedesco's Schalke or Marcelino's Valencia tactic

genius analysis. I owe you if you make some of manchester under luis van gaal

Valverde destroyed the Barça way

who's here after the reports with United?

Your videos always help to develop my football mind, thanks amigo!

Great video! Would you be able to include examples of in-game footage along with your explanation? Would present a great visual!

Rakitic sketch looks more like Art Garfunkel. And Messi looks more like Grady from Sanford and Son. What will he do when Dembele is back online? Messi-Suarez telemetry up front seem to be struggling a bit and Alba is an average crosser and certainly not an effective striker when he gets the odd chance. Paco has done quite well up front for not being a star player.

Great video, please make a tactical comparison video before el classico same like you did before UCL final Real Vs Juve. We would love to know which team is tactically superior.

Lost only one match in la liga that season

I'm always pleased with your content.... great work... I was shocked to see edinson cavani ahead of isco, kroos and even dybala in the ballon d'or list of best players for 2017... can u do a video on his performance.... do u guys think he deserves to be there ?

Any Man U fans after this guy is touted as potential Interim??

Nice analysis as always! Please make a tactical profile on Michael Ballack.He was a unique number 8 & needs to remembered/presented more often. Why don't people talk about him more often?

great vid!!!!!! btw can u explain inter milan's tactics. Im rly hyped tht they r topping juve by evn just 2 points!!!!!

Love this type of vid! Do more BARÇA vids pleaseeeeeeee!

loved this man. another masterpiece

Underrated coach, the standards at Barca are so high he got sacked despite delivering two consecutive league titles

"Freedom given to Lionel Messi" Thats it, job at barca done. :3

Nice video. U got a Brazilian subscriber.

Can you make a video about the Syrian national team tactical's mistakes that it's done in the world cup qualifiers.

Can you guys make a video to talk about Zidane's successful tactics at Real? I'm very curious of how Zidane could won 8 trophies so fast and Real is very consistent.

A replacement or another option to Messi is needed Coutinho should be that but Barcelona were deadly because they had Eto'o, Messi, Xavi and Iniesta and Alves multiple players in different positions in their prime that could change the game even Pedro You can count the number of influential players on one finger I believe that is why Roma beat them. If Pep had worked with Zlatan, Barca would have been more dominant

You should be an analyst for any good clubs out there!

Nice tactical analysis, keep it up

Brilliant analysis. Subscribed.

Next Peps Barca please

Hey man love your videos. I have a request, could you make a video of the best free kick takes of all time in the most objective way possible. Thank you

Guys could you make a video on the importance of Busquets?

I need another iconic players episode soon haha, Iniesta would be a nice one.

Really well Explained ...Keep it up 👍

Make one about Greece in EURO in 2004

So far according to attacking stats, they're good inside the box but has yet to show capacity to score outside the box. How the elite clubs exploit Barca's weakness has become an intriguing tactic rather than other teams. Will Chelsea fare against them? Also, they're almost identical as City's in terms of scoring more inside.

I just don't see them playing as well as 2015,16,17 one. They have just been lucky to receive the desired results. Hopefully, dembele return is gonna give them some improvement on attack so that pressure can be reduced from suarez and messi.

great work guys.... keep it up

Do Marseille's Tactics Explained

Please Release the Role of Nzonzi and How he fits Arsenal

It's Bareclona at 5:19

Could you do a video to why he prefers Sergi Roberto over Nelson Semedo?

I like this video. I think you did good by not chossing to show fottage of the play.

Man, I love this kind of video. Like!

Valverde will switch back to 4-3-3 when true wingers like Dembele becomes available again. It was clear since the first few games such as the US friendlies and the supercup disaster he used 4-3-3. But it proved to be very vulnerable, and with Dembele out, he adopted a 4-4-2 so that Barca can at least win games even though it had to be done pragmatically. At the moment I think he has done wonders for a squad that is on its last legs with a thin bench, let's give him praise for that

Anyone else think Sven should have used a similar system with England? Lampard or gerrard could play that Paulinho role making late runs both would get plenty of goals and play a sitting midfielder behind the 3 scholes, lampard/gerrard and beckham? Scholes was played too wide during that time but he could do that iniesta role and beckham drifted in all the time anyway and then Owen in the Suarez role and rooney dropping off like he did for united in a similar role Messi plays in this 442. Robinson, Neville, Ferdinand, terry, cole. Beckham, carrick, gerrard, scholes, rooney, Owen. Much better than the rigid 442 he used usually didn't play to key players strengths

Valencia Tactics

Do a tactics tested pleaaaaaseeeeeee

is this umaxit channel? xD

Once they sign Coutinho they'll probably set up like this (4-2-3-1): Ter Stagen Semedo Pique Umtiti Alba Rakitic Busquets Dembele Messi Coutinho Suarez Since Iniesta is getting old I expect him to slowly but surely be phased out from the starting line up especially after Coutinho comes. I still feel Barça should go for Verratti and play him in place of Rakitic though, I just feel like it's an upgrade which they need especially when someone like Iniesta starts getting benched

i loved this guy

Not sure it matters, but I believe you've numbered iniesta and paulinho incorrectly in the animations

Can you do a video on barca tactics under pep and Chelsea under Mourinho

Don’t forget Paulinho was brilliant in China so that influenced them buying him

Valverde's at the wheel after ole ?

Great video as always, could you please do a video about kaka ?

Classic italian 4-4-2, Unpredictable, Deadly, Continous Attacking but not so good on defense. As a city and premier league fan, city had been using the same tactic during Mancini's era, but we couldnt really balance the Defense, Lucky to have Kompany. and City did win the league!! 2011/2012 (Suarez-Aguero) (Lionel-Tevez) (Iniesta-Silva) -> (Paulinho-Yaya)

Why didn't you show the real numers of the players? It would be way less confusing.

Top Class Videos as always!

I still miss the tiki-taka

This should be shown to Conte 😉

Will be interesting to see Hazard and Morata Vs Messi and Suarez, as they play similiar roles. (When Chelsea plays 3-5-2)

Hi Tifo, just a post analysis. Tactically inclined, who do you think will make it through the tie CHE Vs BAR in the UCL this year. Love to get a response from you, but feel free to answer even closer to the due date. Thanks

Why not use the players actual numbers? It's confusing to see Iniesta as the #11 or Rakitic as #7.