Top 10 incredible tactical innovations that revolutionised football

#5 Sarri-ball (Napoli and Chelsea)

Maurizio Sarri is well-known as the inventor of Sarri-ball

Sarri-ball is a concept that has come into existence in the current decade, thanks to Italian mastermind Maurizio Sarri. Like the 3-3-1-3 formation, this system too is a derivation of Total Football.

Sarri-ball is based on possession-based football similar to Guardiola's Tiki-Taka. However, it puts greater emphasis on verticality in contrast to the Catalans' style to move the ball horizontally up the field. The possession-based style of play is executed using quick, short passes and also focuses quick transitions from defence to attack.

Using a 4-3-3 formation, Sarri-ball relies heavily on the ability of defenders and the goalkeeper to play the ball from the back. The roles of Kalidou Koulibaly and David Luiz at Napoli and Chelsea respectively can be cited as fine examples of ball-playing centre-backs in the system.

Also, Sarri's strategy attacks heavily down the left flank. The right flank trying to make an impact with a few touches. The deep-lying playmaker in the three-man midfield, Jorginho in this case, is the heartbeat of the system as every build-up play runs through him.

Sarri also prefers his defensive line to be high up the pitch so as to leave little space for the opposition to exploit between the lines. However, the risk comes at a price, since mistakes by defenders carve the system open due to counter-attack from the opposition. Up front, the system requires a lethal finisher flanked by two speedy wingers who can work in tandem with the midfielders to score goals.

Initially formed at Empoli and refined at Napoli, Sarri-ball gained prominence at the latter in season 2017/18. Napoli played a highly brand of attractive football and remained at the top of the league table for the most part of the season. Although they lost out to Juventus in the dying embers of the Serie A, their inexperience in those stages is more to blame than the flaws in the system.

Now at Chelsea and blessed with a better class of players, it remains to be seen if Maurizio Sarri's ingenious philosophy can actually bore fruits and stamp the watermark of 'successful' across the strategy.