[Telegraph.co.uk] As a matter of urgency, Avram Grant needs to sit down and have a full and frank discussion with Andrei Shevchenko judging by his performance at Old Trafford. For some reason, the Ukrainian striker just could not get into the game and I think at one point he went 15 minutes without even touching the ball.
A player of Shevchenko's experience should have ensured he got into the game but he failed to fulfil his part of the bargain when it comes to the 4-3-3 formation used initially by Chelsea yesterday. It's up to Shevchenko to get the ball and give marauding midfielders like Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel the chance to run off him into dangerous positions. But far too often the midfielders would have been asking 'where are you' when they were in possession and were unable to get into attacking positions which left Shevchenko looking isolated.
In contrast to Shevchenko, Wayne Rooney was something of a free spirit. That's because he is told to start out as an orthodox centre-forward, but he's given the freedom to occupy any threatening position where he thinks he can do some damage. He was a joy to watch yesterday. Everything was quick and simple and he read the game brilliantly. It bodes well for United and England.
As far as Chelsea are concerned, the sooner Didier Drogba returns the better, and that will not necessarily mean good news for Shevchenko. They just do not hit it off together. But then again, Drogba is probably best left to his own devices because he's a formidable attacker on his own who doesn't worry about having any other strikers for company.
Shevchenko wasn't the only player who failed to rise to the occasion yesterday. Even before Joe Cole and Florent Malouda were pulled back to create a 4-4-1 system following Mikel's dismissal, their running crucially lacked aggression. To make the 4-3-3 system work, wingers must remain in high positions to support the striker. That's another area for improvement.
A player of Shevchenko's experience should have ensured he got into the game but he failed to fulfil his part of the bargain when it comes to the 4-3-3 formation used initially by Chelsea yesterday. It's up to Shevchenko to get the ball and give marauding midfielders like Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel the chance to run off him into dangerous positions. But far too often the midfielders would have been asking 'where are you' when they were in possession and were unable to get into attacking positions which left Shevchenko looking isolated.
In contrast to Shevchenko, Wayne Rooney was something of a free spirit. That's because he is told to start out as an orthodox centre-forward, but he's given the freedom to occupy any threatening position where he thinks he can do some damage. He was a joy to watch yesterday. Everything was quick and simple and he read the game brilliantly. It bodes well for United and England.As far as Chelsea are concerned, the sooner Didier Drogba returns the better, and that will not necessarily mean good news for Shevchenko. They just do not hit it off together. But then again, Drogba is probably best left to his own devices because he's a formidable attacker on his own who doesn't worry about having any other strikers for company.
Shevchenko wasn't the only player who failed to rise to the occasion yesterday. Even before Joe Cole and Florent Malouda were pulled back to create a 4-4-1 system following Mikel's dismissal, their running crucially lacked aggression. To make the 4-3-3 system work, wingers must remain in high positions to support the striker. That's another area for improvement.
2 commenti:
Un'altra buona ragione per cui leggo quotidianamente la stampa sportiva inglese è che là si parla (figurarsi!) ancora di calcio. Il gossip lo fanno altre testate, tipo The Sun. L'approfondimento tattico del post Manchester-Chelsea propone questa grafica interessante, e un po' impietosa, sui palloni toccati da Sheva e Rooney in partita. Dico impietosa perché il 10 dei Devils, oltre ad essere un calciatore entusiasmante da guardare (una specie di Totti, con meno visione ma più dinamismo e pari esplosività nelle conclusioni) è soprattutto un ragazzo di 22 anni ancora da compiere. Altra vigoria insomma rispetto al Balon d'Or, che sicuramente difetta di condizione, ma viaggia pur sempre verso i 31 e di kilometri in carriera ne ha già macinati alcune migliaia. Da questo a sentenziare che l'atleta sia finito ce ne passa. Di qui, la riflessione tattica ben suggerita dal Telegraph. Per quale motivo Sheva gira sempre al largo della manovra? Vero è che non arriva mai un pallone buono da giocare. Ma è anche vero che di smarcamenti e passaggi, lui ne detta pochini. La sensazione è di essere finiti in una sorta di imbuto tattico, dal quale non credo che questo oscuro israeliano sia in grado di uscire (e tanto meno di condurre fuori Sheva). Occorre una ventata d'aria fresca, che scuota l'ambiente e risvegli il 7 Blues dal suo perdurante torpore... Affascina l'ipotesi - per noi romantica - Marco Van Basten, che ieri pomeriggio era seduto in tribuna dietro al russo: roba da stracciare definitivamente la tessera di San Siro e saltare sul primo low-cost per London City ogni Friday evening!
Sheva è fuori dagli schemi ma anche mal sopportato dai compagni. Lui non si smarca e se ne sta isolato sulla fascia dove qualche genio lusitano deve avergli suggerito di posizionarsi. Ma poiché il calcio è uno sport dove contano i goals, lui da lì al massimo può crossare perché nelle decine di secondi che gli servono per posizionarsi in area qualsiasi difesa ha già provveduto a chiudere gli spazi.
Questa è la magra verità oltre ad una evidente malavoglia di chi sente finita da un pezzo l'esperienza con i Blues.
Danielone
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