Copa 90 has quickly become one of our favourite football related YouTube channels and when they posted a video, along with Top Eleven Animation, about the tactical winners and losers this season in the Premier League, we were intrigued. As 3 at the back seems to have become the flavour of the season, it’s interesting to note how tactical shifts have affected individual players. Copa 90 has a look at the tactical winners and losers this season.
Opening the list is Chelsea’s David Luiz. The Brazilian’s return to London certainly raised eyebrows given his first stint at the club and of course Gary Neville’s infamous PlayStation jibe. However, Antonio Conte’s decision to bring him back to the Bridge has been vindicated, and then some. If this was indeed a gamble by the Italian, then I would suggest that Conte head over to the Paddy Power Casino Review: Up to £/€300 first Deposit bonus + free spins!
Another of the winners is Liverpool’s Adam Lallana. It’s hard to argue with the assessment that a deeper role in Jurgen Klopp’s high energy system has suited the Englishman to a tee. Lallana’s incredible work rate is crucial to Liverpool’s press but his running isn’t the only thing that makes him useful with his technical ability making him important to the build-up.
Andros Townsend rounds off the list of the winners with his resurgence under Sam Allardyce. Crystal Palace looked to Big Sam to avoid the drop and the experienced manager duly delivered. How much of Townsend’s upturn in form can be attributed to Big Sam’s tactics is debatable though.
The losers section is a bit more contentious. Pogba’s inclusion especially is harsh. The transfer fee is something that has quite possibly affected his return with a lack of composure in front of goal perhaps linked to a desperation to justify the hefty sum. To paint his season a failure from a tactical standpoint though is wrong. He has been deployed in the number 10 role as well as a deeper midfielder, and been important to the team’s build-up play in both roles. In fact, the greatest compliment to Pogba’s importance to Mourinho is the fact that in his absence, Manchester United often look bereft of ideas, lacking any creativity or driving force through the middle.
The other half of Manchester is where we go for the next player featured in the video. Sergio Aguero suddenly found himself with some more time to avail the best slot strategies online as Gabriel Jesus’ arrival kept him out of the side for a bit. The Brazilian youngster’s injury opened the door for Aguero again and to his credit, the Argentine International has already shown signs of adapting to Pep Guardiola’s style. With a busy transfer window on the cards, Aguero’s future is certainly a sub-plot to keep an eye on.
Any discussion about the Premier League this season is incomplete without touching on the Wenger in vs Wenger out debate. It remains a contentious topic, further compounded by Arsenal’s success in the FA Cup. Wenger’s tactical rigidity has cost the team over the years especially against big teams. The Frenchman has addressed the issue in the recent past though and once again tweaked the system to 3 at the back which resulted in impressive wins against Manchester City and Chelsea in the Cup. We shall reserve our judgement and instead turn to Arsenal Fan TV for entertainment.
