Universality

The Blueprint for

Soccer's New Era
How Germany and Pep Guardiola are
showing us the Future Football Game

by Matthew Whitehouse

IMAGES
Chapter 2: England’s Dominant Era

Arsenal’s Invincibles 2003/04. Some would say it was a 4-4-2, others would see
a 4-2-3-1. Importantly it had quality throughout, with a beautiful ‘balance’ throughout.
 Chelsea's 2005/06 Premier League winning team.
Mourinho's 4-3-3 proved incredibly effective and dominant throughout
the season and helped Chelsea to back-to-back titles.
 United vs Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League final.
At times a 4-2-3-1, other times a 4-3-3 and, when needed, a fluid 4-2-4.
Ferguson and Queiroz had seemingly found the modern formula.
Chapter 3: España

Real Madrid’s ‘balanced’ 2002 Champions League final winning side.

“The greatest team ever” Barcelona's starting XI versus Manchester United in the 2011
Champions League final. As close to perfection as possible?
Chapter 4: The German Model

Dortmund’s XI versus Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid in the first leg of the 2011/12 Champions
League semi-final. Lewandowski would score all four goals in a 4-1 win.
Bayern’s ‘complete’ team. The XI which defeated Dortmund in
the 2012 Champions League final.
Chapter 5: Tactical Evolution

Sacchi's Milan side which beat Benfica in the 1990 European Cup final
Dortmund's 3-5-2 which defeated Juve in the 1997 Champions League final
 The end of a back three? Brazil's 2002 World Cup winning 3-4-2-1 formation.
It was a formation which got the best out of its parts, something many coaches often struggle to do.
France's successful side that defeated Brazil 3-0 in the 1998 World Cup final.
Rafa Benitez's 4-2-3-1 with Valencia 2001-2004
 Carlo Ancelotti's Milan in the 2005 Champions League final. They played one of the most
brilliant first halves witnessed, to go up 3-0, yet ended up conceding three in the second half and
losing to Liverpool on penalties.
Chapter 6: Pressing

An example of Barca’s high pressing game in transition. The full back has won the ball back yet is
confronted by four players around the ball immediately. Look, also, at how the defence is set up - as
a back three - with the holding midfielder supporting in front and the goalkeeper’s position higher
up to play as the keeper sweeper if necessary. This should allow the team to stop the opposing team
playing forward and attacking as well as seeking to win possession back by forcing an error.
 An example of how gegenpressing works. The centre forward seeks to force the central defender to
play to the left, where the wide midfielder seeks to press and win the ball back. See the compactness
of the team, preventing space in-between. The lack of space behind means any runs and passes over
the block can be dealt with by the defence or goalkeeper.
Chapter 7: Team-building

Carlo Ancelotti's beautifully 'balanced' and together 2014 Champions League winning
Real Madrid side. This was the 4-3-3 which destroyed Guardiola's Bayern in the semi-final
second leg 4-0, with Madrid winning the tie 5-0. The side’s transition-based approach was
ruthless yet the key was how the team played as a cohesive group. This was the pinnacle
performance of Madrid's season.
Chapter 8: Keeper Sweeper
.

Heat map taken from June 30, 2014 of Manuel Neuer's touches of the ball
versus Algeria in the 2014 World Cup
Chapter 10: The Wing Back

An example of how Guardiola's system opens space for Rafinha. The positional rotation of
Schweinsteiger and Robben creates space to be exploited centrally. This spatial freedom and
movement means the full back is no longer instructed to work in straight lines but is free to move
diagonally also.
Chapter 12: The Complete Midfielder

Liverpool's line-up for the 2006 FA Cup final versus West Ham.
The formation moved between a 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2, with Gerrard playing predominately on the
right. He would score twice in the game and Liverpool would win on penalties.
 Spain's 2012 final line-up vs Italy. Note the use of the 'false nine' in Fàbregas which allowed
Spain to dominate midfield with six midfielders in their side. This was the hallmark of Spain and
Barcelona's success and why they were able to control games so well.
 Bayern's rotating double pivot. The line-up versus Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions
League semi-final where they won 4-0. Note the movement of Schweinsteiger who pushes forward to
support the attack, with Martinez staying in the holding role to provide defensive cover for his side.
Through the game this movement would be switched, based on the space ahead. Also, these two
players would move forward to create space for the other to exploit in the middle of the pitch. This
rotating double pivot was unpredictable and the movement hard to track.
Chapter 13: The Trequartista

Manchester United's 4-2-3-1 in 2007/2008.

The forwards’ ability to interchange and rotate showed a new step in football's evolution.
 Barcelona's 2009 Champions League starting XI.
The midfield trio of Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta would become one of the greatest to grace the game.
Xavi would control games with Iniesta the key playmaker of the side.
Chapter 16: Visionaries

Marcelo Bielsa’s Chile playing his favoured 3-3-1-3 formation

versus Honduras in the 2010 World Cup.
Chapter 17: The Architect

Bayern versus Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final 1st leg. It was a game in which
they would dominate possession yet fail to turn possession into chances and goals.
Chapter 18: Universality

Football's future formation? A 3-2-2-3? A triangular defensive block that can rotate and ahead of
them a structured tactical setup yet which allows rotation and fluidity.