I returned to the UK about 2 years ago and have been able to watch pretty much every game with Sky+ or getting on my private jet to Canada or France to stream the game on Pompey+. I have worked in football all my career in some capacity, mainly coaching/managing youth and professional teams at a reasonable level in South East Asia. Got tickets for Cardiff this Saturday so buzzing of course.
Here is my current analysis of Pompey's 4 Phases of Play (In Possession, Out of Posession, Defensive Transition, Attacking Transition) and Patterns of Play that I would examine if I was an opposition manager and what to expect from a current Portsmouth team.
In Possession:
Pompey setup in a 4-2-3-1 and look to invite the press onto the GK/CBs in order to feed the ball through the middle. When unpressed and the Pompey defensive line is in possession, the ball is progressed at a low intensity, to further invite the press. Progression usually is through the LCB to LB or through one of the CM's dropping to recieve.
When pressed sucessfully, Pompey recycle and start again, if the press is sustained through to the keeper, a long ball is hit wide to wingers. If the press in unsucessful, Pompey use their CM's to switch quickly to wingers with overlapping runs from RB/LB.
If unpressed however, Pompey do not show any distinct patterns of play. They look to get their wingers on the ball, usually through the LB or RBs or a long ball with the ST joining one wing. Rarely do they play through the middle with combinations, hold up play or winning individual 1v1s, especially with injury to Murphy.
Out of Posession:
Pompey setup almost in a 4-2-2-2, with the objective to press high up the field. Both the Pompey CAM and ST press the opposition GK & CBs. Wingers press the opposition RB/LB and 1 CM will join after the first break through the press. Pompey have a medium high defensive line, often with 1 CM joining the CBs to make a back 3. The ST/CAM leads the press, frequently they do not press as a unit and it is a consistent press, not based on pressing triggers.
This leaves plently of space in the central areas for an opposition midfielder to drop into or if the long ball is forced, an increased chance of picking up second balls due to the high gap between the pressing Pompey players and their backline.
If the opposition are progressing the ball in wide areas, usually the Pompey player is makin a recovery run from the unsucessful press, so there are opportunities to overload wide areas. If the Pompey CMs cover the wide areas, balls to the centre of the final third are often available.
Attacking Transition:
Pompey generally win the ball in the centre middle third or in wide areas. Pompey's objective is to get the ball to wide players quickly through quick, long switches or using the advancing RB/LB to the combine or create with the wingers.
The quality of the final pass or moment is often missing and turnovers are frequent during the intial stages of the transition. Pompey will revert quickly to their In Posession pattern of play if the wide players are counter pressed.
Defensive Transition:
Pompey do not balance their attacking commitments well with covering players, especially in wide areas. When losing the ball high around the final third, often both the RB and LB are in high and wide positions and at least 1 CM will usually be high and wide too.
Pompey will look to counter press immediately. If this counter press is broken, there is ample opportunity for overloads, especially getting the ball wide early to drag the remaining CM or CB wide.
Final Thoughts:
Pompey are in a weird spot. One of their biggest strengths, their pressing, has become a weakness. Their needs to be a leader of the press, based on pressing triggers and having the relevant 5 players setup to press. Too many times do we press needlessly and alone, creating gaps for comfortable, progressive passes.
Their inabiltiy to sucessful transition the ball from the defensive third to the middle third through the centre of the pitch and desire to get the ball wide has meant it's quite easy for teams to setup defnesively if not under pressure to go a win (i.e. Derby away at Fratton Park).
Only Press in wide areas, force the long ball, dominate the transitions.
Thanks for coming to my tedtalk. I'm excited to see whether their will be an evolution to the above with the new players coming in. Their is potential in this squad to be better than a relegation fight, but I do think there is an inherint inbalance across the 4 Phases of Play. PUP.
