The central midfielders focus on regulating the tempo and penetrating the opponent’s defensive zone while their off-the-ball movements are crucial not only for stretching the opponent’s second line, but also for creating convenient passing angles for the central defenders. In this variant the central defenders play a key role who being often the only passing option are responsible for finding free passing partners to force the second line. In next variant three central midfielders play closer together in a narrow shape ( Pedri, Koke, Busquets) which after all causes the full backs to go deeper. When the wing fails Spain goes back to playing the ball deep in a U-shape. The central midfielders are generally positioned very wide all the time forming a triangle with the nearest defender and winger which isolates the center. Problems arise when the overlapping is ineffective which closes the play zone without passing options and forces the team to move the ball back and change sides. The full back overlap the winger while at the same time the central midfielder regularly runs into the half-spaces or looks for space for himself between the lines. Wide triangles in the offensive third consisting of a full back, a striker and a suitable central midfielder are in turn crucial for developing possession of the ball in the opponent’s half and finalising actions. The only goal is to progress with position rotations and passing combinations in triangles.
Koke and Pedri usually go down the middle while the full backs go forward. The approach to ball possession is mainly based on triangular combinations between central midfielder, defender and winger.
When the opponent retreats to the middle to provide additional passing opportunities, Spain’s trio of central defenders aggressively press the midfield, which combined with the midfielders’ aggressive pressing prompts the rivals to play more directly past the second line. The central midfielders also push aggressively against their rivals’ central defenders. Spain’s 1-4-3-3 formation employs two variations when the team is in possession: either the defenders are positioned high and wide, allowing the midfielders to drop back and triangularly circulate the ball on the wings, or the defenders are positioned deeper and the midfielders focus on combination passes in the centre of the pitch.ĭefensively their full backs get forward to intercept the opponent’s wingers and often force them backwards. Luis Enrique wants his favoured 1-4-3-3 formation to be more vertical, but at the same time not giving up possession of the ball, which is still central to his philosophy of the game.Įnrique’s approach to ball possession focuses more on constantly penetrating the opponent’s defensive zone rather than playing the ball deep and patiently.
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