England's tactical journey under Capello

Capello’s departure just 4 months before a major tournament leaves a lot to be desired, and a bad taste in the mouth too. Whatever the reasons behind the reasons for his departure are, the presented facts are that Capello spoke out against the FA’s decision feeling that he had been undermined and declaring that he did not agree with the decision. Not wanting to try and read between the lines or speculate on national characteristics or personal attitudes and working relationships, the facts are that Capello has gone.

Looking back at his tenure, it’s difficult to sum up in simple terms. Yes, he has the highest win percentage of any England manager ever, but he also presided over the debacle of the 2010 World Cup, which was statistically England’s worst ever. Alf Ramsey won a lower percentage of games, but crucially won the World Cup in 1966. Bobby Robson has a lower win percentage than Steve McLaren, but is far more fondly remembered because he led the team to an agonising semi-final exit at Italia 90 whereas McLaren will be remembered for his humbling failure to reach Euro 2008. Performances when it counts is what a legacy is founded on. Fabio Capello England reign will most likely be remembered as a failure then, because of the dismal display in South Africa and quite frankly humiliating destruction by the hosts.

It is often said that more is learnt in defeat than in victory – ergo, Capello should only be considered a true failure if lessons from South Africa 2010 were not heeded. The most stark lesson was that the 4-4-2 was dead in the water on the international stage. So long the English national team’s bedrock and point of reference, its default and natural state; the 4-4-2 was demolished in 270 soul-destroying and 90 breathtaking minutes.

Indications are that, yes, lessons were learnt by Capello. He played England in a 4-4-2 just three times in the fifteen games since the World Cup (Admittedly winning all three).

When Capello was appointed, much was made of his disciplinarian nature – this was the man to break the dressing-room cliques, pop the inflated egos and crush player power. This was the man who dropped Beckham at Madrid, the man who had managed some of the greatest names in football’s illustrious history whilst in Italy and Spain, one of the most decorated managers in the domestic game. He did that to some extent, but not everyone got the message. John Terry’s failed revolution was, well… revolting.

He was also heralded as the manager to bring England up to date tactically. People must have forgotten his glory years at Milan were largely based on a 4-4-2 formation, and he played that same formation at Juventus and Real Madrid. Tactical innovator? Perhaps not. But he is a master at creating tactical systems to suit his playing staff. The perennial problem of managing a national side is an extrapolation of the old adage “you can chose your friends but you can’t chose your family” – Capello couldn’t buy Sergio Busquets from Spain, or Messi from Argentina, or Ozil from Germany; he had to work with what he had at his disposal. For a nation of footballers whose very bread and butter had been 4-4-2 since childhood, it would be tough to get those players to adapt.

A loss to France in his second game in charge when deploying his team in a 4-2-3-1 prompted a return to 4-4-2, and after winning two friendlies against USA and Trinidad using 4-4-2, Capello fell short again with a 4-2-3-1 by drawing with Czech Republic. The remainder of 2008 went well for Capello’s 4-4-2, in the next five games he only once deviated to a 4-3-3 against Kazakhstan winning 5-1 and the other four games were victories too. The final game in 2008 was a 2-1 win over a German team who were learning their own lessons in time for 2010.

Capello played 4-4-2 six times in his first year in charge – resulting in six wins out of six.

In 2009, Capello’s second year in charge of England, he suffered an educational defeat at the hands of a very proficient Spanish side (This defeat would be used as a benchmark against which a later victory would be compared – as evidence of progress) and this prompted a big change in tactics. The next six games were played using the popular and modern 4-2-3-1, in an attempt to replicate somehow the tiki-taka game of the Spanish national side, or Barca-without-Messi as they are better known. Only Holland could keep England from victory in that run of games. This was a great period for Capello, that run without loss lasted seven games in all, culminating in a huge 5-1 crushing of new rivals Croatia – that win used as a contrast to McLaren’s battles with Slaven Bilic. During those matches, Rooney was used in the middle of the attacking midfield trio, and scored 4 goals from that position over 6 games. Momentum was building – in the press and trickled down into the nation’s consciousness, 4-2-3-1 was the future, and England has the players to fit. Then the campaign to do away with 4-4-2 took a knock, a loss to Ukraine at the tail end of the year using 4-2-3-1 again prompted Capello to retreat to the safety of 4-4-2. The belief that if England lost using 4-4-2 then it would be England’s fault – the entire nation; or even more-so, the fear that suffering defeat whilst tactically experimenting would result in castigation, in the manner which McLaren was torn apart by the press after trying 3-5-2 in Zagreb. In 2009 4-2-3-1 was Capello’s most used formation, winning four out of seven games and losing just once. 4-4-2 was used only four times - two wins and two defeats.

But Capello used the safety net of 4-4-2 - following that defeat to Ukraine, England took the field in that old familiar formation. Momentum and spirit was raised with easy victories in the warm-up games, and then… well we all know what happened then. In 2010 England played 4-4-2 nine times, winning six but critically drawing twice and losing once. However, the safety net effect of 4-4-2 is still there. One can only imagine the uproar if England had have had such a dismal tournament and not played 4-4-2. But then of course, they might not have done so badly….

After England’s disgraced team returned home, the campaign to ditch the 4-4-2 was started up afresh. Since the World Cup, Capello has experimented far more than he had before (and of course, during). In 2011 England played nine games and only once trotted out in a 4-4-2, and that was the first game against Denmark, which England won 2-1 but were given a scare by wunderkind Christian Eriksen. It will be remembered as the year that Scott Parker finally established himself as the first choice defensive midfielder for England. Four times England have set out in variations of 4-1-4-1, three of those with Parker as the lynchpin, including of course the much heralded 1-0 victory over World Champions Spain. That performance has been rightly accredited as a fine defensive performance, much in the way that the famous 0-0 draw in the Stadio Olimpico was on the road to qualification for the 1998 World Cup. Scott Parker, Phil Jones and Gareth Barry were all used in the midfield during that game, more evidence that Capello had learnt from the World Cup

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Crucially, Capello thought that the answer to the Lampard-Gerrard puzzle was Gareth Barry, and it wasn’t. Whilst Bobby Robson had the iconic image of Gazza crying to remember Italia 90 by, Capello’s legacy will forever be blighted by the images of Barry being completely outpaced and outclassed by a ruthless and mobile German attack. Blitzkreig indeed.

So, whilst he’ll always be remembered for what happened in Bloemfontein, Capello the disciplinarian used his time at the helm of England to nurse the team away from the comfort blanket of 4-4-2, even if he faltered spectacularly on the way. In the long term, the FA will hope that the disastrous campaign in South Africa can be used as a point to build up from, much in the way that Germany itself recovered from disappointing returns in the 1998 World Cup and even more-so from Euro 2000.

Underdogs – Yes Indeed!

Underdog Champions

We welcome Dhilip Krishna(who is a good friend of mine btw) to The False Nine,as he takes a look at some of the unexpected victories of teams who were at beginning given no chance of winning.

There seems to be little place for the underdog in modern football. With the game now so utterly dominated by money, it is tougher than ever for a team with a lower profile or less resources than to come out on top.In the Premiership, the title race and even the battle for Champions League qualification is regularly contested by the same elite group of clubs. Yet the underdog is the type of team that will always have a special place in our hearts, and every once in a while, a smaller team will have their moment of glory.This article looks back at some of the great underdog teams of the past and their triumphs. Note that this article focuses only on teams that had actual success within a tournament or league, so one off triumphs will not be considered, as it did not lead to a trophy.

NOTE:

Please be aware that this list is made up only of British sides and international teams due to the impossibility of compiling a list using teams from all over the world, given the number of underdog triumphs there have been. This is, of course, far from a definitive list. Simply a selection of underdog victories which capture the imagination.

 6.Nottingham forest (1978):

The previous season, Nottingham Forest had finished third in the Second Division. Their manager was Brian Clough who had already lifted the championship with Derby County and was rebuilding his reputation after disastrous spells with Brighton and Leeds United. Despite the high profile of their manager, few would have predicted the success Forest would achieve and just how quickly it would come about. Forest added Peter Shilton to their side, and he proved a vital component as Forest conceded just 33 goals in what was back then a 42-game season, John Robertson thrilled the fans with his wonderful wing play, and the likes of John McGovern, Kenny Burns and Larry Lloyd provided defensive solidarity. Clough’s team lost only three games all season, finishing seven points clear of nearest rivals Liverpool, aconsiderable gap back then considering only two points were awarded for a win. They also defeated Liverpool, thanks to a Robertson penalty, in the League Cup final in March to lift their first trophy for 19 years. The side also swept up the end of season awards. Burns won Football Writers Player of the Year, Shilton won PFA Player of the Year and Tony Woodcock won PFA Young Player of the Year. Unsurprisingly, Clough was crowned Manager of the Year. The side played some excellent football as they claimed a League Cup-League Championship double. It was a remarkable triumph for Clough, his assistant Peter Taylor and the club as a whole. The next season, Forest would win the European Cup and then defend it the following year, but it was during the ’77/78 season that Forest were true underdogs. They remain the last side to win the First Division in England in the season following their promotion to the league.

5.Sunderland (FA Cup 1973)

Sunderland’s FA CUP  triumph in 1973 is a story which illustrates the magical nature of the FA Cup. Sunderland were languishing in Division Two at the time and only finished sixth. It would be difficult to foresee the triumph when they began their campaign with a draw against Division Three Notts County before defeating them 2-0 in a replay. They were also forced into a replay against Division Four side Reading, and though they eventually progressed, their form didn’t seem particularly promising. They once again faced a replay in the next round, but this time against Division One Manchester City, who they beat 3-1 at Roker Park to give fans hope that perhaps they could pull off a middle, and they received a favourable draw for the next round, fellow Division Two side Luton Town. For the first time they managed to progress without the need for a replay, winning the game 2-0 to sit up a semifinal against Arsenal. The Gunners would eventually finish as runners up in the league and were heavy favourites to finally bring Sunderland’s cup run to an end. But shockingly, Sunderland once again won, a narrow 2-1 victory sending them to Wembley. There, they would face the leagues third placed side and the cup holders, Leeds United. Though Sunderland had performed admirably so far, Leeds were still expected to bring an end to their dreams. They were a side with no full international players, whilst Leeds had stars such as Billy Bremner, Allan Clarke and Johnny Giles and were managed by Don Revie. Ian Porterfield gave Sunderland a shock lead, and despite pressure from Leeds which forced Jimmy Montgomery to pull off a double wonder-save, Sunderland held on. It was, and still is, their only trophy since the Second World War.

4.Wimbledon( FA Cup triumph 1988):

 Wimbledon’s rise to the First Division itself had been a hectic scramble. Within six years, they had risen from the fourth division to the first. Their football left much to be desired, with the beauty of the game sacrificed for results. This will have been of will concern to their fans though, and Wimbledon’s journey culminated with their glorious FA Cup triumph of 1988. The journey to the final saw them overcome West Brom, Mansfield Town, Newcastle United, Watford and Luton Town, a reasonable enough list of scalps as it is. In the final, however, they came up against the great beast of the English game, Liverpool FC. They had already won six league titles and an FA Cup in the ’80s alone and were looking to complete a League-Cup double here. Their starting XI featured the likes of Alan Hansen, Bruce Grobbelaar, Peter Beardsley, John Aldridge and John Barnes. If football were played on paper, it would have been a comprehensive win for Liverpool. The game itself is the stuff of FA Cup legend, with Lawrie Sanchez handing Wimbledon the lead. In the second half, Liverpool won a penalty, and Aldridge stepped up. However, Dave Beasant stopped it, becoming the first ‘keeper to save a penalty in an FA Cup Final at Wembley. Wimbledon held off more pressure from the champions to defend their lead until the final whistle, at which point, the “Crazy Gang” went wild, as against all the odds, they had overcome one of the finest sides in Europe.

3.Denmark(Euro 92 champions):

Even They Couldn't Believe it!

Though not quite on a par with Greece’s European Championship in terms of its shock value, Denmark’s victory at EURO 92 was still rather unexpected. Denmark weren’t even going to be playing in the tournament, but Yugoslavia, who won Denmark’s qualifying group, were banned for political reasons, and Denmark stepped in as a late replacement. After this reprieve, they began the tournament unspectacularly, drawing 0-0 with England in their opening game before losing 1-0 to hosts Sweden. They needed to win their final game against France to progress. Denmark took an early lead, but France hit back, and it looked like Denmark would be heading home. However, 12 minutes from time Lars Elstrup scored to send them through to the semifinals. There, they faced Holland. Twice Denmark took the lead, but they were pegged back both times, Holland’s second equaliser coming heartbreakingly late, in the 86th minute. The game went to penalties, and Denmark scored with all five of theirs, whilst Marco Van Basten missed for Holland to send Denmark through to a final with a newly unified Germany. The Dane’s took the lead after less than 20 minutes, and with just over 10 to go, they wrapped up their victory with a Kim Vilfort goal, sealing one of the finest moments in the nation’s sporting history. Denmark was a team without any genuine star quality. The closest they had was goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and Brian Laudrup. The victory was made even more impressive by the fact that Brian’s brother, Michael, the side’s star playmaker, had retired from international football and didn’t appear in the tournament. With the way in which they “qualified” for the tournament, their late goal against France and their penalty shoot out victory over Holland, it seems that, if a team was ever destined to win an international tournament, it was Denmark in 1992.

2.Aberdeen (Sir Alex Ferguson special , Winner’s cup 1983):

Aberdeen’s  Winners Cup win of 1983 was surely one of the greatest underdog triumphs. Aberdeen finished third in the Scottish league that season, illustrating the improbability of their success. The side they faced in the final, Real Madrid, finished as runner-up in La Liga. Even when Aberdeen thrashed Swiss side FC Sion 11-1 on aggregate in the preliminary round, few would have foreseen what was to come. They narrowly made it past KS Dinamo Tirana in the first round proper before a comfortable victory over Lech Poznan to set up a quarter final with German giant Bayern Munich. Remarkably, Aberdeen once again triumphed, winning 3-2 in the second leg after a 0-0 stalemate in the first, and followed it up with a first leg annihilation of Belgian side Waterschei, winning 5-1. A 1-0 defeat in the second leg made little difference. This brought Aberdeen up against Real Madrid. Though not a vintage Madrid team, they should still have had more than enough to overcome Aberdeen. It truly was a David and Goliath match up, Madrid, one of the most famous sides in the world with their six European cups, facing Aberdeen, who had managed only two league titles in their own country. Yet somehow, Aberdeen did it, taking the game to extra time where John Hewitt scored the winner to secure one of the great European upsets. Even with all he has accomplished since, it must surely still rate amongst Sir Alex Ferguson’s finest achievements in management.

1. Greece  , 2004 Euro triumph

Always an obvious choice for any list of underdogs, Greece’s triumph at the 2004 European Championships was remarkable. Grouped with Russia, hosts Portugal and their neighbours Spain, few would have even given Greece a chance of progressing beyond the group stage. But they pulled off a shock 2-1 victory over their hosts in the opening game, before drawing 1-1 with Spain. They were defeated 2-1 by Russia in the final group game but progressed ahead of Spain on virtue of goals scored. In the knockout stage, they defeated France and the Czech Republic, both games finishing 1-0. They faced a rematch with Portugal in the final, with their hosts eager for revenge after the humiliation of the opening game. But Greece held out, and in extra time, Traianos Dellas netted the winner, stunning the footballing world. Greece’s triumph was based largely on their defensive solidarity (they didn’t concede a goal in the knockout stage of the tournament), and great credit must go to their manager experienced manager Otto Rehhagel. Greece are occasionally condemned for the defensive style of football they played in the tournament. However, when the resources available are so limited in comparison to their opponents, that style of football was the only way in which Greece had any hope of being competitive, and their victory is a true triumph for the underdog.

-Dhilip Krishna(He blogs at http://kareish.wordpress.com/)