The Double Pivot Shows Its Stuff

By: Corey | January 26th, 2009

I watched the Depor game hoping that it would finally be the one that saw Juande loosen up on his tactical instructions and let the lads flow forward a little more. To my dismay, and my bowl of popcorn, I was again stuck in my Lazy Boy watching the double pivot again impress me with its effectiveness. I also was able to see Robben again look great on the wing, keeping me from not nodding off a bit. But what was most important here, was that we yet again did not concede a goal, even against a less-then-potent Deportivo team that had a few chances.

While many non-Madrid fans have popped up on the forum complaining of the fact that while Real were winning and not conceding, they were not playing flowing, pretty football that we should be playing. I dismissed this as arbitrary, considering our pathetic league performance under Schuster. And I will still dismiss this as arbitrary, probably for the remainder of the season as Juande looks to instill more discipline in the side, more of a tactical backbone, before there style can start to blossom. It is undeniable that a side like Real must be playing for more then a 1-0 win at home, but we must be patient with our team. I feel that Real fans have seen their personal expectations for their team become overly ambitious and unrealistic.

Considering the list of incidents that have taken place this season, as well as some of the players the coach is forced to use due to three key injuries and poor planning during the summer and winter markets, I would say that its a season of transition, but that its also been a good season so far, considering we are in second place, with only a rampant Barca proving to be the highest of obstacles to over take. BUT, I can not take to many more of these 1-0 snoor fests!

Deportivo were as defensive as we (Steve and I) assumed they would be, and Real were as defensive as we all knew they would be. The injuries to Guti and Parejo have deprived the team of their two creative central midfielders during a run of games where they would have most likely been allowed more freedom to do their thing. We will hopefully have Guti and Parejo back for the next league match at Numancia, but all bets are off whether Juande will shed the double pivot. When you look at the team’s performance in the Deportivo game, two things stand out amongst the rest. The double pivot was brutally effective and the attacking midfield position is in need of a change.

The Double Pivot

Gago has improved tremendously this season, and has really flourished when playing alongside a more defensively minded then himself. Gago is in essence a defensive midfielder, but his closing down abilities far exceed his abilities to intercept passes or tackle effectively. He also is often caught flat footed when he is being run at by a tricky player, often providing nothing more then a speed bump for that player until he meets the center backs. But with Lass or Mamadou Diarra next to him, he finds himself able to double team those tricky players that use to give him fits when he was on his own. He also provides the added benefit of shutting down players who drift into wide areas but then cut in to space between the center back and outside back or the defensive midfielder and the exterior midfielder on that side.

His attacking play has also improved to the point where there is smart, if uninspiring distribution of the ball, and he provides a “pivot” (duh I know) when he stands just above the box for some horizontal movement of the ball when the opposition is pinned back. Although not as mobile in the attacking half as Xavi, or as capable of providing effective late runs into the box for scoring chances, he does help keep the ball moving.

Lass on the other hand wins the ball, whether it be with a tackle or an interception. If he doesnt win the ball, then he puts another player into the position to win it. His ball winning abilities far exceed Mamadou Diarra’s abilities, but his physical prowess often sees him get pushed off the ball. That never deters him, as he still goes after the ball. Lass is able to move the ball around well, albeit very short or direct balls. He seems to flourish in situations where he wins the ball and then knocks it to the over lapping outside back. Otherwise he tends to zip the ball to Gago or the attacking mids, which is fine.

The problem here is, there is two players in the center of the park that have a limited passing range, but most noticeably, do not have the dynamic with or without the ball that characterizes a creative central player like Guti or Ruben De la Red. The late runs into the box, the unseen passes, the slide rule through balls to wingers, or the exquisite chipped pass for the forward to run on to are all missing in this equation. Guti, Parejo and De la Red should all provide those abilities, to the detriment of the defensive solidity that Gago and Lass provide. Looking at the three individually, you could say Ruben has the most potential because he can win balls and tackle back, but he is out for the season at least. Guti is a lightweight defensively, but he can get stuck-in to a varying degree if the mood strikes him. Parejo is an unknown quantity for me, not because I have never seen him play, but because he has simply never played in La Liga.

The question thus becomes, with Guti and Parejo fit, and extending into next season, Ruben de la Red, does Juande loosen the ropes a bit in the center of the park in a bid to control the ball more as well as improve ball movement through all areas of the team, and inevitably create more chances for the strikers?

The Attacking Midfield Role is Stagnant

People have attributed the “left” sided player, or the attacking midfielder, and its ineffectual performances more to Juande’s rigid tactical instructions then any other factor. I do think that Sneijder is a very cerebral player, and that his injury plus the switch in his positioning and his duties during a match have meant his form is no where near where it could be. Minus the injury, the same must be said about Van der Vaart, who seems out of place in a wide position, as well further back in a center midfield role, but when played behind a striker has been unable to impress either.

With the use of the double pivot, it is essential for the attacking midfielder to create options for the strikers, as well as facilitate ball movement throughout the team and maintain possession in key areas, all of which Sneijder and VdV cannot seem to accomplish. Sneijder often gets the ball, moves forward, plays a sloppy, often over cooked pass to a striker and then runs after it, expecting to receive the ball back for a shot. He rarely turns for a horizontal shift of the ball, and rarely just dwells on the ball, letting the play happen. He is forcing things to happen 99% of the time, which makes his play both frustrating and useless to the team. The strikers rarely see a good ball to feet, and any ball they have to run on to is more an effort of hoofing the ball out of the grasp of an opposition player then a measure chip over the defensive line.

Whether or not Sneijder or VdV can regain some form is not really my place, it is mostly a mental thing, but it also will require Juande to examine how he expects his team to create chances. You cannot rely solely on Robben’s erratic but brilliant wing play to keep the defense on their heels. The strikers are on the field for a reason, and need better service in order to be effective. The attacking midfielder and one of the two central midfielders must be able to perform better with the ball at their feet, whether it be maintaining possession or providing that killer pass. With the defense sorted out in my estimation, does Juande now take the bold step that many Real fans expect of him? Does he lighten up on the defensive sensibility of his players and add a creative player to the center of the pitch? And does he continue to let Sneijder and VDV toil on the field with little yield from their play, or does he try a new player, maybe the ineffective Drenthe or Marcelo as wingers? All questions that need to be answered in the coming weeks, because while I like that my team is winning, is not conceding goals every ten minutes, and is not a laughing stock, I also love it when there is more then three or four passes strung together in a move. Your thoughts?

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