Chicken Mcgraw
Well-Known Member
Two players involved heavily in discussions at the minute. Two players with plenty of positive attributes but two players that I don’t believe fit the way Lampard is setting up:
I think we all agree now that Lampard’s preferred set up in possession is a variation of this:
Regardless of whether we play 3-5-2 or 4-3-3 this seems to be the basic plan. Mostly you will see MVE high and wide with Sakamoto inside forward like so:
When they rotate, MVE ends up inside to allow Sakamoto that position on the touch line he is most useful in like so:
These basic rotations and link ups just haven’t been as successful as they were for periods under Robins.
Sakamoto is most effective as the widest player on the pitch. He wants to isolate the full back, twist and turn and create crossing opportunities. This used to be aided by overlapping runs from MVE which are old fashioned and not possible in this new on ball system.
Instead we see MVE regularly isolated one on one with a full back. A position he isn’t effective in as he just doesn’t have the attacking attributes to cause problems out there. This is even more obvious when he plays wing back.
Similarly with Sakamoto at inside forward. He is unable to attack the fullback with his usual tricks from there. He doesn’t have the power to make runs in behind the central defenders from here nor does he have the ability of a ‘10’ to take the ball in difficult areas and create opportunities. Someone correctly pointed out in another thread that when we had O’hare, it was him who could pick up these positions leaving Sakamoto to do what he does best.
I think the perfect example of this is that Sakamoto’s best moment of the game was his through ball to EMC. Check both his and Milan’s positions when that pass was made, this is where both players are comfortable:
So how do we solve it? Well Sakamoto has to play in that furthest high and right position. That leaves a gap at inside forward and also leaves MVE having to step into midfield (think Trent). This was tried in one of Lampard’s early games but I cannot remember which. It wasn’t successful and was quickly scrapped.
The other option and one I would be keen to try is using MVE as the right centre back when in possession. His pace can be perfect at stopping counter attacks and would not show up his attacking limitations (think Kyle Walker). Of course, whilst this would get the best out of MVE and Sakamoto it would force the same problems onto our left side. It would look something like this:
MVE Thomas Kitching
Sheaf Grimes
Sakamoto Rudoni Simms EMC Bidwell
Rather than what I believe Lampard is aiming for:
Thomas Kitching Bidwell
Sheaf Grimes
MVE Sakamoto Simms EMC Rudoni
I’m not advocating changing to this I am just pointing out the repercussions of playing MVE and Sakamoto in their best roles and showing why Lampard is reluctant to use them there. As you can see, Rudoni would be shifted over to the right, a role I’m sure he would be perfectly adequate at but you lose his contributions off the left.
Sometimes I believe we see two different players in MVE. At right back we see a competent defender, who is able to provide helpful attacking support to Sakamoto. At wing back, we see a player who doesn’t seem confident in his defensive positioning and a player who is unable to beat his man when isolated out wide. At wing back, he struggles to take the ball on the half turn and regularly miscontrols moderately difficult passes. At full back when he is facing the game, he seems more assured.
Off the ball against QPR, Sakamoto was pressing the ball in central areas whilst MVE stayed in a flat back 5 (presumably under instruction). This left acres of space on their left side to carry the ball for 30-40 yards. It happened in transition 3/4 times in the first half.
You will all have heard Lampard’s comments about wing backs getting into the back post, just like Milan did v Norwich. Throughout most of the highlights against QPR, both MVE and Dasilva are in the opposition third. The intention is clearly for him to continue to play high and wide for the rest of the season.
So having considered all this, It is no surprise we have seen the output from the right hand decrease and both of these players coming in for criticism with their performances.
I would be very sad to lose Milan. I feel he is one of the best full backs in the league and will be an asset in the premier league. However, it will allow Lampard to recruit a better profile player to fit the system we currently play.
The future of Sakamoto? I guess we’ll see. Lampard talks highly of him and has shown recently he is still discovering what players are in his plans (Allen, Kitching, Dovin all in from the cold). I wouldn’t be surprised though to see both a forward thinking right back and an inside forward brought in to play in those positions.
I think we all agree now that Lampard’s preferred set up in possession is a variation of this:
Regardless of whether we play 3-5-2 or 4-3-3 this seems to be the basic plan. Mostly you will see MVE high and wide with Sakamoto inside forward like so:
When they rotate, MVE ends up inside to allow Sakamoto that position on the touch line he is most useful in like so:
These basic rotations and link ups just haven’t been as successful as they were for periods under Robins.
Sakamoto is most effective as the widest player on the pitch. He wants to isolate the full back, twist and turn and create crossing opportunities. This used to be aided by overlapping runs from MVE which are old fashioned and not possible in this new on ball system.
Instead we see MVE regularly isolated one on one with a full back. A position he isn’t effective in as he just doesn’t have the attacking attributes to cause problems out there. This is even more obvious when he plays wing back.
Similarly with Sakamoto at inside forward. He is unable to attack the fullback with his usual tricks from there. He doesn’t have the power to make runs in behind the central defenders from here nor does he have the ability of a ‘10’ to take the ball in difficult areas and create opportunities. Someone correctly pointed out in another thread that when we had O’hare, it was him who could pick up these positions leaving Sakamoto to do what he does best.
I think the perfect example of this is that Sakamoto’s best moment of the game was his through ball to EMC. Check both his and Milan’s positions when that pass was made, this is where both players are comfortable:
So how do we solve it? Well Sakamoto has to play in that furthest high and right position. That leaves a gap at inside forward and also leaves MVE having to step into midfield (think Trent). This was tried in one of Lampard’s early games but I cannot remember which. It wasn’t successful and was quickly scrapped.
The other option and one I would be keen to try is using MVE as the right centre back when in possession. His pace can be perfect at stopping counter attacks and would not show up his attacking limitations (think Kyle Walker). Of course, whilst this would get the best out of MVE and Sakamoto it would force the same problems onto our left side. It would look something like this:
MVE Thomas Kitching
Sheaf Grimes
Sakamoto Rudoni Simms EMC Bidwell
Rather than what I believe Lampard is aiming for:
Thomas Kitching Bidwell
Sheaf Grimes
MVE Sakamoto Simms EMC Rudoni
I’m not advocating changing to this I am just pointing out the repercussions of playing MVE and Sakamoto in their best roles and showing why Lampard is reluctant to use them there. As you can see, Rudoni would be shifted over to the right, a role I’m sure he would be perfectly adequate at but you lose his contributions off the left.
Sometimes I believe we see two different players in MVE. At right back we see a competent defender, who is able to provide helpful attacking support to Sakamoto. At wing back, we see a player who doesn’t seem confident in his defensive positioning and a player who is unable to beat his man when isolated out wide. At wing back, he struggles to take the ball on the half turn and regularly miscontrols moderately difficult passes. At full back when he is facing the game, he seems more assured.
Off the ball against QPR, Sakamoto was pressing the ball in central areas whilst MVE stayed in a flat back 5 (presumably under instruction). This left acres of space on their left side to carry the ball for 30-40 yards. It happened in transition 3/4 times in the first half.
You will all have heard Lampard’s comments about wing backs getting into the back post, just like Milan did v Norwich. Throughout most of the highlights against QPR, both MVE and Dasilva are in the opposition third. The intention is clearly for him to continue to play high and wide for the rest of the season.
So having considered all this, It is no surprise we have seen the output from the right hand decrease and both of these players coming in for criticism with their performances.
I would be very sad to lose Milan. I feel he is one of the best full backs in the league and will be an asset in the premier league. However, it will allow Lampard to recruit a better profile player to fit the system we currently play.
The future of Sakamoto? I guess we’ll see. Lampard talks highly of him and has shown recently he is still discovering what players are in his plans (Allen, Kitching, Dovin all in from the cold). I wouldn’t be surprised though to see both a forward thinking right back and an inside forward brought in to play in those positions.
