Functional attack
This is a controversial topic in the Brazilian tactical community. Some people defend the existence of this offensive organization approach, while others claim it's a collective delusion. It's a comical debate that has become an editorial trend, a political party, and a worldview.
If you're only vaguely familiar with this topic, read comments out here but have never sought to delve deeper, I recommend the obvious. Read the writings of "Joszef Bozsik", one of the originators of functional attack, on Medium and form your own opinion. I'll leave the links at the end of the article.
Fluminense under Fernando Diniz
This time, we'll give the coach himself a chance to describe his model:
"My game itself is heavily inspired by Guardiola, in the sense of wanting to impose the game, dominate, and have fun, I think we similarly understand football, possibly. But it's curious: when I saw his teams' games live in the stadium, it became very clear that the way of executing is very different," explains Diniz.
"His team is positional, it's a game in which players hold positions in the areas of the field they occupy. And the game comes to them. The exceptions are the center forward, in this case, Aguero, and the first man, Fernandinho. My team today, for example, is completely different. We have a lot of positional interchanges, we keep fewer positions in the midfield and upfront, we try to apply a dynamic game, it's a different collective participation."
Contrary to most modern managers and their constant battle for space through positional play, Diniz adopts fluid possession-based tactics based on constant approximation and numerical superiority. A narrow 4-2-3-1/4-2-2-2 is used with different individual roles based on each player's style. Fluid and free-flowing structure, not rigid.
The Model
Perhaps the team that most abuses the crowding of players in the side corridors, Fluminense shows off refinement in short touches to overcome one-on-one and reach the goal. In these approaches, one can notice a curious X pattern.
ssstwitter.com_1676691236045.mp4
The "tricolor" makes frequent use of attraction, with André, and even Nonato simultaneously, dropping between the defenders, in addition to many supports from the attacking players. By moving the ball wide and emptying the central marking, it makes it easier for the striker Cano to make unmarked runs.
ssstwitter.com_1676691386223.mp4
Team characteristics and how it sets up depending on which side has the ball:
Notes:
The concentration of 6-7 players on one side
Ganso is close to the sideline, facing the field. Dictating associations, pausing and providing technical relief
Caio Paulista and Luiz Henrique as options on the opposite side
Defensive midfielders supporting the build-up play (full-backs positioned higher up the field)
André directs the build-up play according to his interpretation, dropping between the center-backs
Nonato with more incisive runs
4-4-2 formation without the ball
Arias makes short passes and breaks lines with excellent acceleration
Always pass and move forward. Space is conquered, not occupied.
Samuel Xavier attacks the area from the half-space as a surprise element amidst the associations in the corridor
Cano providing support
Replication in the Game
The only thing I can't see at the moment is that my AMs don't associate as much as I want, they don't get toward the byline simultaneously for example. I already tell them to Roam, didn't change so much. What do you guys suggest?
I will make some tweaks again, but I'll leave that for now.
Text 1 by Jozsef Bozsik
https://medium.com/@Jozsef_Bozsik/entre-a-bola-e-o-homem-há-o-espaço-e-o-tempo-ataque-posicional-jogo-de-posição-e-ataque-89fd98088355
Text 2
https://medium.com/@Jozsef_Bozsik/entre-a-bola-e-o-homem-há-o-espaço-e-o-tempo-ataque-posicional-jogo-de-posição-e-ataque-funcional-6c70bc622931
I want them to be where the ball is. The Enganche in particular (Ganso for Fluminense), needs to see the game in front of him and needs to face the field which is why he's constantly going to the sidelines. I use APs here, the reason I didn't choose Enganche was that I want to be able to tick "Roam from position", to get that movement from him, he's always near the ball but not much as I want from him. The way they go without the ball will depend on the formation. If they come up with a 4231, Enganche joins the striker to form a 442, if it was a 4222 then the AMs need to drop. They go man to man to pressure the opposition build-up, so for example, if the opposition goes with a 433 they form a 4132, with the Enganche and striker on the center backs or with the two forwards depending on the structure (4231/4222) they bring.
