"We've identified that the counter-press is used by the most successful clubs in the world..."

I haven't posted in quite a long time (still been reading though).


A lot of things went wrong last season, but the one that disappointed me most was that under Morais we lost our identity. We have never been the biggest, the richest, the best or the most talented, but we have always had a clear identity, which was our strength.

Morais and his team took 3 years of hard work (by Lee Johnson & Hecky) and had already thrown it away after 45 minutes against Burton. Yes, we got better at his 433 percentage football, based on physicality and being "safe", but it was as far away from what had made us successful as you could get. I don't blame Morais for that as that is his style, but he should never have got the job in the first place.

Anyway, what I am VERY pleased about is that the board have sat down and decided which direction they would like the club to go in. Identified a successful style and shared their vision with the fans.

Counter-press is high risk, high reward football. It will certainly be fun to watch, but it will also take time for the players to learn and perfect before consistent results are seen. I hope that the fans buy into this new identity like we bought into the one LJ & Hecky gave us and allow the board and the coach time to get it right.

GG's statement got me far more excited about next season than any new coach could.

 

It will take some time for the players to fully understand what is being expected - in Germany it’s coached from youth football all the way up.

If this is what the club want then we need to be implementing it in all age groups so when players step up from u18s or the 23s they know exactly what is expected of them. This is what was happening under LJ and Hecky regarding formation and positions.

If we can get it right then it should be great to watch. At least he will have the full pre season to try and coach it into the players & hopefully the recruitment team are identifying the type of players needed to play this football. A couple of players Stendel knows can implement it may help in the short term.

Won’t happen perfectly in first few months so will need a bit of patience. Unlikely I know!

 

How do you think this style will work out in League One? Presuming the players understand it..

The negative is we will give the ball away far more often than Dortmund, Liverpool etc, but the positive is the players we are pressing have far less ability too.

I guess we just need to be incredibly fit!

 

Cant see as he is bringing owt we aint tried before. Pressing got us promoted and gave us a cracking start in the Championship, when Hecky got soft on the players workloads the form went out of the window.

We have players on long contracts who aint been up to it fitness wise, so if he is to bring in more players its going to be a costly exercise.

 

Agreed. I loved the way we pressed in that charge to promotion. Proved it can work well in L1. I'd love to see it again.

 

I don't think we have ever seen counter-pressing at Barnsley.

Yes we pressed and did it very well, but we pressed with discipline in a team shape. That is the more traditional way to press. Put pressure on the opposition, while maintaining a good defensive shape. The main aim is to force the ball into areas of the pitch that are less dangerous and force a mistake.

Counter press is far more aggressive. When you lose the ball high up the pitch a counter press will mean 3, 4 or even 5 players at a time will aggressively press the opposition player, not just with the intent to force an error or force their attack down a certain route, but to actually win the ball back ASAP.

It is a step forward from what we knows as a "pressing system" - Lots of teams in England press. Only really Liverpool counter-press.

That's why it is so high risk high reward - you win the ball back in dangerous areas A LOT and therefore create A LOT and score A LOT, but if the press is beaten you leave yourself open and concede a lot too.

There may be a fair few 5-4's next season until we get it right!

 

For me we lost a few points down to fitness last season, so for me that’s a real pisitive

 

If we're getting amongst them in their half I think (hope) that it'll work well - the most frustrating thing for me last season under both Heckingbottom and Morais was how much pitch we conceded in most games - we always look better defending higher up the pitch.

 

Pressing is pressing 2 or 3 up on a player pressing aint nowt new. My opinion is they are trying to reinvent the wheel with a bit of spin on it.

 

Can't wait to see Stendel's implemented version of pressing football.
Agree with above, it will require investment.
Also unless attitudes change, I can't see many of the current midfield fitting into the style.
Players I can see working with it are Potts, Hedges & Knasmullner.
Hammill would have been useful in that style too, but he has gone, so need to find alternatives.
Not seen enough of Mallen to say one way or other.
Could be very exciting.
I do actually feel very positive right now, just hope he is backed to make it work.

 

Pep and Klopp "reinvented the wheel" - we are just catching up 8 years later.

You will see something different next season.

A normal press waits for a "trigger" (That LJ liked to talk about so much), the trigger for a counter press is simply losing possession. It skips the traditional steps of "lets get re-organised before we press again"

https://www.martiperarnau.com/pressing-counterpressing-and-counterattacking/

 

I shall wait to be amazed but I wont be, sorry my friend counter pressing is what happens in Black Friday sale shops.

Each to our own thoughts fella.