Barnfred 55
Player Valuation: £80m
@Crimhead
Help me out here guys. I was called out yesterday for suggesting in the Rennes match thread that we were getting caught out employing a defensive high line. The poster was of the opinion that we weren't and that Silva doesn't normally employ such tactics.
Now I don't know enough about Silva to comment on what his usual tactics are, but I thought I understood what a defensive high line is. Maybe I don't and that's the problem.
But in yesterday's game, as in the other pre season games I've watched so far, I'm convinced we were playing a high line. When we were on the attack or were pressing high inside the Rennes half, our defence was at least on the half way line. In fact, there were countless times during the game that all 10 outfield players were in the Rennes half. When pressing in midfield, our defensive line was at least half way up our own half, and at no point during the game was the distance between the midfield and defence anymore than 20 metres. Plus every goal we conceded yesterday, plus the one against Porto, was a result of our defence being caught well up the pitch. We were beaten for pace in behind the back 4, usually following turnover of the ball deep inside the Rennes half.
So, have we been playing a high line? What's your view?
Help me out here guys. I was called out yesterday for suggesting in the Rennes match thread that we were getting caught out employing a defensive high line. The poster was of the opinion that we weren't and that Silva doesn't normally employ such tactics.
Now I don't know enough about Silva to comment on what his usual tactics are, but I thought I understood what a defensive high line is. Maybe I don't and that's the problem.
But in yesterday's game, as in the other pre season games I've watched so far, I'm convinced we were playing a high line. When we were on the attack or were pressing high inside the Rennes half, our defence was at least on the half way line. In fact, there were countless times during the game that all 10 outfield players were in the Rennes half. When pressing in midfield, our defensive line was at least half way up our own half, and at no point during the game was the distance between the midfield and defence anymore than 20 metres. Plus every goal we conceded yesterday, plus the one against Porto, was a result of our defence being caught well up the pitch. We were beaten for pace in behind the back 4, usually following turnover of the ball deep inside the Rennes half.
So, have we been playing a high line? What's your view?