5 teams with new tactics this season - Hit or Miss?

The 2015-16 season is off with a bang. The new season has brought new challenges, to overcome which managers have come up with new ideas. These new ideas, in turn, have translated into new tactics on the pitch, some of which have had instant effect, others, not so much. Here’s a look at five teams that have employed new, out-of-the-box tactics this season, with varying results.

#1 Real Madrid

Rafa Benitez has given Gareth Bale a new role at Real Madrid this season

The most striking change in Los Blancos' machinery under new manager Rafael Benitez has been the free role of Gareth Bale. If the start of 2015/16 is anything to go by, the Welsh attacker will start behind the striker in Benitez’s 4-2-3-1 system. More importantly, he now has greater licence to roam, is more involved in Real’s build-up play and has the opportunity to use channels created by the runs of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

On paper, the move has its flaws - Bale’s lack of agility and creative ability when compared to classical Spanish midfielders is indisputable - but his interpretation of the role has been refreshing, to say the least. More penetrative runs, more crosses, more headers and increased link-up with Ronaldo and Benzema all mean Bale is suddenly a frightening proposition for defenders.

Bale’s new role, alongwith James Rodriguez operating from the right as a creative midfielder, has made Los Merengues less dependent on Ronaldo for goals. Case in point: the 5-0 hammering of Real Betis. Interestingly, it might also signal the arrival of the English No. 10 to Spain.

While it is still too early to say if Benitez’s new tactics will clinch the La Liga crown for the All-Whites, they have certainly been a breath of fresh air at Santiago Bernabeu.

Verdict: HIT

#2 Manchester United

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is yet to get the best out of Wayne Rooney in the Premier League

Trust Louis van Gaal to field players in offbeat positions. At Bayern Munich, the eccentric Dutch manager converted David Alaba from a central midfielder into a full-back, and redefined Bastian Schweinsteiger’s role as a defensive midfielder.

Old Trafford, too, has already witnessed Ashley Young as a wing-back, with Wayne Rooney becoming a central midfielder and Michael Carrick being positioned at centre-back. Van Gaal’s experiments this season, though, have not been nearly as successful.

Marouane Fellaini’s deployment as a striker has raised the most eyebrows. The Belgian’s towering presence makes him a reliable target for crosses, but he lacks close ball-control and attacking instincts – two factors essential for a striker in the 18-yard box.

Another unsuccessful tactic was to play Memphis Depay as a second striker behind Rooney. The Dutch winger lost possession too often in central areas, contributing next to nothing by way of key dribbles or shots attempted. The gambit was soon shelved and Depay returned to his rightful place on the left wing.

Daley Blind at centre-back has been a more successful ploy, only because he is shielded well by a defensive midfield duo and, until recently, ably assisted by the pacy, attack-minded Luke Shaw. His reading of the game may be impeccable, but the lack of pace and physicality in Blind’s game needs to be compensated for by the teammates around him.

As it stands, the unfortunate injury to Luke Shaw threatens to put a spanner in the works, evident from the run of Sadio Mane in Southampton’s opener last weekend.

Verdict: MISS

#3 Bayern Munich

Xabi Alonso played as a centre back when Bayern Munich beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0

Pep Guardiola is at it again. Over the years, the Catalan has shown us glimpses of the tactical cards up his sleeve, some of which have been outrageous, yet masterstrokes.

One such move was to play Xabi Alonso as an auxillary centre-half. Faced with an injury crisis for the match against Bayer Leverkusen, Guardiola decided to play Alonso with David Alaba in the heart of defence. In possession, Alonso would step into midfield to form the tip of a defensive diamond, and then moving back into centre back position alongside Alaba while defending.

The move paid off! Alonso dictated the game, the defense kept a clean sheet and Bayern won 3-0 without a centre-back.

Bayern’s new season has also been characterized by more focus on central areas and direct attacking football. The wingers are crossing more, the strikers are arriving into the box and the midfielders are taking more shots at goal, as seen in the 5-1 rout of Wolfsburg which saw Polish striker Robert Lewandowski breaking a bunch of Bundesliga records.

These tactics, although nothing new, have never been linked with Guardiola’s ‘game of positions’ and suggest that the former Barcelona coach is willing to cater to his team’s strengths and adapt, as he aims to retain the Bundesliga crown and bring home the long-awaited Champions League trophy home for the Bavarians.

Verdict: HIT

#4 Barcelona

Sergi Roberto, a midfielder by trade, was deployed in the right-back position

Barcelona’s transfer ban till January 2016 meant any changes in the system or personnel would have to be made from within. Consequently, Dani Alves’ injury in the La Liga opener against Club Athletic forced manager Luis Enrique to start Sergi Roberto at right-back.

The solution was deemed temporary. Roberto, although a promising La Masia graduate, had always been a member of Barcelona B’s midfield three, and slotting him in at right-back appeared to be a feeble attempt to give more minutes to a young player.

Roberto’s performances, however, suggest otherwise. The 23-year-old has been a reliable presence in his new position – he has been technically sound and tactically aware, provided attacking impetus, and even looked faster than his usual self, beating Athletic winger Sabin Merino in speed duels.

In a press conference minutes after Barcelona's 1-0 win against Malaga, Luis Enrique said:

“If a socio saw Sergi Roberto today for the first time, they would say: 'This guy has been a right-back all his life.' [Roberto] is very intelligent. Only a player with a high intellectual capacity can play as a full-back at a high level like Sergi Roberto has done.”

While the move still seems to be stop-gap till Alves is fully fit and Aleix Vidal is eligible to play, it has made Enrique aware of Roberto’s tactical intelligence; he now has a versatile squad member, much like Daley Blind at Manchester United. With youngster Rafinha out injured possibly for the rest of the season, Roberto is bound to get more playing time, this time in his preferred position.

Verdict: HIT

#5 Borussia Dortmund

Thomas Tuchel has revived Borussia Dortmund’s fortunes – they are undefeated so far this season

Borussia Dortmund have an almost unchanged squad from last season. None of the players brought in over the summer are game-changers. The first team is playing in the same formation as well, with the players playing in the same position as last year.

Yet, Dortmund's tactics have undergone a radical change from last year, and all credit must go to new manager Thomas Tuchel. Also known as the Sportwissenschaftler or the Sport Scientist, the former Mainz coach believes in integrating football with mathematics and statistics, and develops match strategies to maximize the probability of his team winning.

“The scientific view of the game is an interesting input, mathematics combined with football. Sitting together with scientists and program a mathematical calculation model on the basis of the analyzed games and it results in future probabilities. Benham (statistician) says of himself that he could never coach a football team, but he can tell from which position it statistically is most likely that the striker to score because its system has analyzed countless shots on goal and constantly analyzed further.”

Dortmund under Tuchel apply heavy pressure (high block) on the opposition in specific stages of the match and combine it with patient passing football in possession. At other times, the pressing is less intense (low block) and the shape compact, only to be followed up with swift counter-attacks. What’s more, the team can switch formations from 4-2-3-1 to 4-1-4-1 to 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 almost effortlessly – within the same match.

Such an approach is a far cry from the gung-ho ‘heavy-metal’ football of Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund which, although exciting, turned out to be unsustainable and eventually led to his downfall. And the results are there for all to see.

Mats Hummels is back to his imperious, ball-playing best, Ilkay Gundogan is an efficient engine in midfield, and the Reus-Kagawa-Mkhitaryan-Aubameyang quartet are scoring freely; they have scored 19 goals in the first six Bundesliga games.

The Schwarzgelben are back where they belong – at the top, challenging Bayern Munich. Suffice to say, winning the German league this time might be decided by the tactical battle between Tuchel and Guardiola.

Verdict: HIT