Comments on: Tactics at the World Cup: A Look Back and Forth

By: Kwolf

Kwolf — Thu, 27 May 2010 21:46:00 +0000

3 at the back is surely going to be considered/implemented by teams mainly due to the ‘recent’ changes to the offside rule. The offside trap of Sacchi and Graham’s late 80s sides are now defunct. The 3rd man would need to be an ultra-libero, think Huddlestone, as sweeping up for more than is absolutely necessary would be suicide. I’m not clued up on the make up of those teams playing 3 at the back in SA. However I fear that 3 genuine ‘Centre-halfs’ would be a disaster. Which makes Capello’s pondering over 3 at the back very worrying. Rio 5 years ago would be perfect. Not now. Not now. Carragher, Terry and Rio in a back 3! We’d be giving them the ball straight back! If only we gad Jose in charge ;)

By: Kevin Coleman

Kevin Coleman — Thu, 27 May 2010 17:13:28 +0000

Fantastic read, Adam.

I for one can’t wait for the World Cup. There’ll be a huge range of formations, styles and tactics on offer, and the three-man defense could be coming back into mainstream use.

By: Adam Bate

Adam Bate — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:20:32 +0000

Yeah good point. I chose Paraguay as a throwaway additional example at end but New Zealand, Uruguay, Algeria or Mexico would probably have been better cases of 3-man defences?

By: The Football Express

The Football Express — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:00:54 +0000

Good read, Chile will certainly be one of the more interesting sides to watch next month. But there will be lots of sides playing 3 at the back.

I don’t think Paraguay will line up in a 3-4-3 much though, they have tended to field a 4-4-2 or a 5-3-2.
Although they have a very versatile squad and they have been sent out in a vast range of formations in qualifications & friendlies over the last couple of years