Wednesday 27 June 2012

Comparing Roberto Di Matteo's "anti-football" to Spain's Tiki Taka

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Chelsea plus Roberto Di Matteo have been cast inside a pretty bad light by certain due to the design with that they claimed the Champions League title*. Chelsea sat deep, absorbed stress, forced their opponents to over-commit to the attack, plus then hit them found on the countertop attack. Neutral fans frequently described this strategy because boring "anti-football". Clubs like Barcelona plus players like Messi even go thus far because to state they'd somewhat lose with their gorgeous Tiki Taka than topic their fans to these a bad brand of sports.

*Did we understand which Chelsea are Champions of Europe?

I've constantly been interested what Barcelona's Tiki Taka might resemble without the services of the superb Lionel Messi, because frankly the standard objectives of Tiki Taka plus Di Matteo's anti-football are almost the same inside my eyes. "Anti-football" has a deep sleeping, compact protection which doesn't enable opponents time found on the ball because they approach a hazardous region. Discipline is the key to carrying the correct form to create this function, shots plus objectives come whenever the opposition over-commit plus receive pulled from superior protective position.

Tiki Taka functions found on the same standard principle, however approaches it from an completely different angle. Spacing is key inside Tiki Taka also, because whenever inside possession of the ball the Tiki Taka players might hold tight triangles. They'll wait for the protection to create a mistake before taking a risk, usually racking up massive brief, secure passing numbers inside the task. This enables those to fast converge found on the ball whenever they turn it over, constantly exiting them inside fantastic protective position. Frequently the number one attacks come following the Tiki Taka team turns it over, because their proximity to the ball usually results inside them regaining possession whilst the opponent is trying to transition to attack. The Tiki Taka team is exposed whenever they turn the ball over inside area, because was exploited many time by Chelsea inside the Champions League semi-final.

There ought to be no query which Barcelona are more exciting inside their standard approach than Di Matteo's Chelsea side, nevertheless my contention is the fact that it's due completely to the presence of Lionel Messi. Without Messi or perhaps a synonymous from this planet player, I don't believe which Tiki Taka is anymore "attacking" inside nature than the "anti-football" which is really loathed by all. Unfortunately we've not had to find the active Barca side play inside a knockout tournament without Messi for an extended period, thus I've not absolutely been capable to test which theory.

Luckily for me though, the Spain nationwide team are a very synonymous squad to Barcelona without Messi. They furthermore try to emulate the Tiki Taka program employed by Barcelona, though which can be due because much to Vincente del Bosque simply not being a fairly creative manager because anything else. Barcelona had to play much of the season without the services of the conventional center forward due to injury issues, plus del Bosque has apparently decided to copy their program despite having decent choices at the position. Best of all, the Spanish nationwide team plays inside a knockout tournament thus you really can compare the 2 designs.

So what qualifies because "attacking football"? What must you be lookin at? Goals are clearly anything to consider, because scoring is clearly the main cause to attack. We could possibly go a little further though, plus consider shots. It looks logical which an "attacking" team might have more shots as a whole than an "anti-football" side, thus we'll compare how several shots the 2 sides are getting. Finally we'll consider shots about target, because it is interesting to find when there is anything to be gleaned regarding the standard of the possibilities the 2 opposing designs are creating.

Roberto Di Matteo took over inside the knockout rounds of the Champions League plus managed just 6 knockout games inside the lucrative campaign. As the fashion of play plus standard of competition is usually different inside the knockout rounds than it is very inside group play, I decided for the cause of the exercise to look just at Spain's performances inside knockout play too. I also averaged the totals inside the 3 categories for a per 90 minute rate, because knockout games frequently end up going 120 minutes. Here's how the 2 groups compare:

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This doesn't look all which different, does it? Spain average .25 more shots about target per 90 minutes than Di Matteo's Chelsea, average regarding 1.5 less total shots per game, plus score at regarding 1/2 the frequency. If I had to create a judgement based about which information, I'd probably come to the conclusion which "anti-football" is a more "attacking" design than which of Tiki Taka.

In fairness, I'm generating a judgement of Spain based about just 2 knockout games inside Euro 2012. It will be good when you had a 6 game test with that to compare, wouldn't it? Oddly enough, whenever we add the 4 knockout games within the last World Cup to the year's Euros you have 6 games with that to compare the 2 groups. More interestingly, neither team really lost a contest because span, plus both groups had 2 competitions go to additional time with 1 causing an additional time winner plus 1 causing a penalty win. Both are also today defending champions of the largest competition they will play inside. Kind of funny similarities, aren't they? Anyway, here's how the 2 stacked up following you looked at a 6 game test from each:

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Once again, this truly doesn't look too different. Over 6 games, Spain have averaged a full shot about target per 90 minutes over Chelsea. They've taken regarding 2/3 of the shot per 90 over Chelsea, nevertheless nevertheless been significantly outscored. All in every though, I'd imagine these results are far different than what 99% of the sports viewing globe might have expected to obtain. After all, Spain play Tiki Taka, plus Tiki Taka is all regarding attack.

Chelsea plus Spain go regarding winning inside quite different methods. Both have the same standard concepts though, because both focus about tight spacing, company, plus exploiting errors created by their opponent. Neither make the ridiculous amount of shots, plus neither make eye popping numbers of objectives. Both groups are focused about being brutally effective machines, plus both are active defending champions as a result of it. If you absolutely consider the numbers, both are eerily synonymous inside their attacking output. It's time to stop pretending which Tiki Taka is somehow morally superior to "anti-football", because neither approach is very adventurous by nature. Without Lionel Messi to create it pop, Tiki Taka is merely another results before beauty program that's not overly exciting to observe. If Spain win Euro 2012, a sturdy case can be created which they really "did a Chelsea".

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Read more... http://www.chelseamashup.com/2012/06/28/comparing-roberto-di-matteos-anti-football-to-spains-tiki-taka/

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