Liked this post a lot, in general. But for the quoted part, just to add that Klopp did not succeed immediately also because of the team he had…that Europa League Final and that Cup final and that first Champions League season could have been much different had he receive a team half as decent as the one Slot is receiving. Yes it takes time sometimes to instill the playing style and philosophy, but also what you get (quality of team/squad, etc) and how it can implement your style is worlds apart (i.e. what Klopp got and what Slot gets, in both respects).
Just adding that to show that Slot will have all the support he will need to make his first year convincing.
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Interesting. I hope he can manage the fast turnaround between games.
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So his system may suit Slobs but not Konate. New CB incoming?
I have half an inkling that Konate might be vulnerable to a move to PSG. Could be barking up the wrong tree, but it is home for him, and the rigor of the Prem sees him missing a fair slice of the action. He is a brilliant defender in the purest way - stop them, and use your pace, size, strength and tackling to do it - but I half wonder if he is going to stay for the long haul.
That was my take away from the video also - however that’s not to say that Ibou cannot improve. He’s young, and Slot’s meant to be a game improving coach.
With Matip likely to be offski, we are down to Virgil, Ibou, Gomez, and Qunasah. Need reinforcements there regardless. Its one position I’d have expected us to strengthen this summer regardless of managerial change.
The longer this drags on, the longer we hold off on player transfers, which are more excruciating!
FFS.
Edwards out!!!
WTF is Romano giving it a big cross for, as though it’s off? All that Slot is saying is that it would be disrespectful to say anything until everything is official.
Romano really is a twat.
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Spot on
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this is the second part of the video above
https://twitter.com/SkySportsPL/status/1786425826386256251
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Slot’s managerial career has been short. His first managerial job came in 2017 at Cambuur before earning a move to AZ Alkmaar.
Here he earned 2.11 points per game in the Eredivisie, the highest of any AZ-coach in history, before moving on to a ‘top’ club in Feyenoord in 2020/21.
Arne Slot has worked miracles at Feyenoord as he comfortably won the club what is only their second Eredivisie in 20 years…
Not only that, but he has also punched above his weight in Europe by reaching the Europa Conference League final and the Europa League quarter finals.
In the summer window prior to Feyenoord’s title win under Slot, the club lost all four of their top scorers and had a net spend of -€35m.
The club lost key players, made profit, and still improved.
This season, PSV have won the title, but Slot’s Feyenoord have still done well.
Once again, Feyenoord made a profit of €5.40m in the summer and they have struggled to financially keep up with PSV, yet Slot’s team have only lost 2 Eredivisie games this season, won the KNVB Cup (the Dutch FA Cup), and excel across Europe for their underlying metrics…
So, how exactly do his team play?
We know the history of the manager, his achievements, and what the underlying metrics say, but what about his tactics and style of play?
From the goal kick, Feyenoord build in a multitude of ways, but what is consistent in their build-up approach is the use of ‘staggered lines’.
The idea behind the ‘staggered lines’ approach is to enable ‘bounce’ passes.
These are passes that are played into a dropping midfielder, for example, who then instantly pass to the ‘third man’.
If two players were on the same line, then one would not be able to use him as a passing option.
Instead, because the lines are ‘staggered’, Timber can use him as once of his ‘bounce’ options.
This principle is something that is unanimously coached at the elite level.
The second way Feyenoord build play is with Geertruida, Feyenoord’s right back, inverting into midfield with Feyenoord’s right-centre back pushed out to right back.
Then, the goalkeeper acts as a situational centre back & Feyneoord build with 4 in the first line & 3 in midfield.
Ahead of the initial phase of the build-up, Feyenoord consistently attack with 4 in the last line, and they regularly play ‘over’ the opposition to find them.
Another benefit of the ‘staggered midfield’ is the fact that when Feyenoord do play long, Timber is ready to push high up the pitch & counterpress behind the line of 4 in attack.
The idea is to play long, win the duel with the wingers in behind & the #8’s ready to win 2nd balls.
Although Feyernoord do invert Geertruida in the build-up on occasion, they typically build in the 4-2-4 with a staggered midfield where they are willing to play ‘through’ or ‘over’ the opposition.
However, against high quality teams, they are often more direct in their approach.
They start off in a flat 4-1 build with two #8’s between the lines.
The idea in this moment is to play short, attract the opposition to press, and then play over against the opposition team who are stretched with the #8’s pushed up to win second balls.
The idea is to create moments in transition off the back of duel wins.
Alternatively, Feyenoord are happy to ‘close and kick’.
This is when they push the team up the pitch & kick long. Again, this typically occurs against the ‘best’ teams.
Slot’s build-up is varied…
Higher up the pitch, Feyenoord transition from their build-up shape into a 2-3-5 with both fullbacks narrow.
However, to say that both fullbacks consistently invert and operate ‘inside’ the opposition’s lines would be false.
The same picture could be perceived as a 4-3-3…
We see a flat back four with reliability at Feyenoord, so to suggest their fullbacks exclusively invert in the ‘high build’ would be inaccurate.
However, I would primarily refer to their shape as a 2-3-5 because their fullbacks are more narrow than the traditional wide fullback.
The idea behind the narrow and inverted fullback role in possession is largely to connect the team together…
We can see that here on the left-hand side & on the right-hand side of Feyenoord’s attack.
There are clear triangles on each flank which help the team combine & create.
Not only that, but the close proximity of the fullbacks in relation to the #6 helps the team circulate efficiently and focus on ‘short passing’.
This does not always occur in Slot’s team because sometimes the fullbacks are wide, but when they are central the circulation is top.
Another huge benefit of the inverted fullback is the fact that they create passing lanes into the wide players in Feyenoord’s last line of attack. The wingers are easily accessible.
Slot tasks his wingers with staying high and wide against the touchline to create 1v1 situations.
This can be achieved via a direct pass from the centre back, for example, into the winger, but also via switches of play.
The fullback invert which forces the opposition wide player to ‘tuck inside’ which creates a passing lane into the feet of Feyenoord’s winger in a 1v1.
Then, off the back of such moments, the Feyenoord winger can use the 1v1 moment, combine in the triangle-based rotation on the side, or pick out one of the many willing runners from deep.
However, Slot does not only play this way in the high build.
Sometimes he tasks Hartman, Feyenoord’s left back, to hold the width with the winger tucking inside into midfield.
Overall, there are principles that are unique to Slot, but much is similar to that of the ‘elites’…
For now, I will reserve judgement on my interpretation of these characteristics, style of play, & team-based traits as it is impossible for me to assess a team solely based on their in-possession qualities.
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The X is “collab” Red X would have been akin to Stop.
So Slot X Liv happening soon is his headline.
It’s how these braindead social media lot communicate now. Infuriating
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An attention seeking, opportunistic twat
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He’s adorable.
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Poor sod, getting a taste of the stupidity of the UK press. I hope it doesn’t put him off.
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I’m sure he’s spoken to Jürgen about how to handle the British media.
I certainly would if I were him.
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Like Jurgen he has a honest smile not a politicians one.
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