Pitch dimensions

[qqq]

Hello all,

Firstly, this is a great section of the forum and is clearly frequented by knowledgeable people, hence my cry for help.

I am a decent manager, won some silver over the last few years, ok, ok with Man Utd, but it still takes effort.

What I would like is a few opinions on how you good people approach the different pitch sizes.

A. Long

B. Long and narrow

C. Wide

D. Short

E. Wide and short

F. Long and wide

G. Long and short (joke)

I believe I have become a bit lazy as a manager and I have lost a few games due to not setting up my tactics to

take the pitch shape into consideration. So any tips and the like would be very helpful. I know and understand that

getting out-played is not the fault of my apathy as the grey suited boss, but the hunger to stop the chances of

this happening is why I ask you folks to shed some of your wisdom for me.

My game style is 4-2-4 (4-4-2), 2-CBs 2-WBs- 2-CMs 2-Wingers 2-Strikers

Slow possession, short passing type of game, works really well but I feel it can go up another level.

Cheers,

Jon...

[Burford]

i think o a long pitch you should play a bit more direct as there will be more space behid the defece also have your defesive line deeper so you dont get caught out by there defence

o a wider pitch you should play narrower as otherwise there will be too much gap between your defenders ad also exploit the wings

narrower pitch opposite to wide

short pitch opposite to long

[PeeKay]

The two pitches sizes I know about represents the teams that play on them, you can draw your own conclusions

Barcalona play on a massive pitch.

Stoke play on the small pitch.

[phnompenhandy]

Long is good for a long ball game; short is best for short passing.

Wide if you like wing-play and your players are fit.

Narrow (and short) if your players can't run about much.

Short and narrow is going to be congested, long and wide will leave huge gaping spaces.

Therefore, you tailor the pitch to the strengths of your squad. You sound like you want a wide pitch, with wing-back and wingers. Maybe quite short, but if you have nippy strikers who like to latch onto through-balls and beat the off-side trap (Hernandez) a longer pitch might suit you.

[Hog]

I assume long is good if you focus on through balls and using space all the time like Barca do, and short for less technical sides who like to stay compact and dominate physically like Stoke.

[Marsupian]

I assume long is good if you focus on through balls and using space all the time like Barca do, and short for less technical sides who like to stay compact and dominate physically like Stoke.

Yes if you are generally a weaker side and rely on pressuring your opponents and restrict their space than playing a long, wide pitch would be foolish. If you are a weaker side and rely on the counter attack with fast strikers you will want a longer pitch so there is more room behind the D-line for long balls (maybe a narrow pitch as well so the opponent has less room on the flanks to get a cross in).

I'm also not sure if you wan't a short pitch if you are generally favorite and play a short passing game. If you go up against teams like stoke and try to play a short passing game they have an easier time to restrict your space in midfield so a long, wide pitch might in that case be better even tho you play a short passing game.

[qqq]

Some good advice, I am also developing a faster counter attack tactic to throw the opposition off guard. Exact same formation but just a bit more energetic. I will need a tactic to also counter the effects of the away pitch size based on your helpful comments.

Many thanks...