Offensive Organisation:

Sporting CP’s actions sought the connection from the outside so as to break the opponent’s last line. Moreirense defended in 5x4x1 with a sweeper playing lower on the pitch between the CBs when in Defensive Organisation. However, Sporting managed to overcome this with a “3+1” formation. Ruben Amorim and his technical staff managed to create advantages and break the opponent’s defensive line of 5 with their usual actions.

The connection from the outside could have also created another kind of advantage as the CB Steven Victoria failed the approach in support movements. The situations of 2×1 from the inside and against the opponents’s CM were constant and were even turned into a connection to later get the space-zone. Sporting should have taken more advantage of this dynamic given the opponent’s behaviours which would increase the unpredictability between the connection from the outside to break the last line and the connection from the outside to the inside.  

Watch and analyse how to get the half-spaces in this match.

The following connections and behaviours could have been a solution in the context of this match: Connection with the left Centre Back; Playing Feddal as a winger; Promote an overload of wingers with the winger Nuno Santos; Pote.

Defensive Transition

The moment of the game where Sporting could have struggled. By controlling the match, Sporting decreased the opponent’s chances of building-up and Moreirense struggled to play in offensive transition during the match.  Even without having a high number of transitions, when in offensive transition, Moreirense had some interesting counter-attacks (the striker was playing in support, the wingers moved high on the pitch threatening the line of 3 and it would have also been possible to have a CM, especially Alex Soares, in the play).  Even with Palhinha’s very efficient performance, it was in this moment of the game that Sporting conceded a goal (at the beginning of the match). 

Offensive Transition:

Micro analysis of a rare moment during the match that turned into a successful finishing opportunity.

Author: João Cancela

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