Crazy Ball – Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics during a 1-1 draw against Liverpool in December 2019, just 9 days before he was sacked by Napoli’s owners, will be shown again in the Merseyside derby against Juergen Klopp’s men on Saturday (17/10).
Carlo Ancelotti is a 61-year-old senior coach and an accomplished tactician. In the past he was known for being very stubborn in his tactics, but became more flexible since managing Juventus in the 1999 to 2001 range, when he changed his favorite 4-4-2 formation to 4-3-1-2. to adopt the role of Zinedine Zidane as a playmaker behind the two main attackers.
When managing Napoli from mid-2018 to the end of 2019, Carlo Ancelotti once again showed one advantage and tactical flexibility against Juergen Klopp’s troops in European competitions. In the Liverpool vs Napoli match on December 1, 2019, or nine days before he was sacked by Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis, he showed off how to deal with a team that likes to exert pressure far on the opposing field.
In the 21st minute of the Champions League match at Anfield, almost all of the outfield players (all except the goalkeeper) are currently occupying their positions on the opposing half of the field or around the separation line. The ball fell to the player in the No 22 jersey, Giovanni di Lorenzo, who threw the ball all the way to Dries Mertens, who had already taken the ball up front.
The attacking attempt was not offside as the ball was knocked out of the Napoli half and the rest was good work from Dries Mertens, beating goalkeeper Alisson Becker from a tight angle. The scoreboard changed 0-1 for Carlo Ancelotti’s boys.
#UCL journey – Ep. 4
Match 5 – Liverpool 1-1 Napoli???? #ForzaNapoliSemprepic.twitter.com/3OWOS5SUsI
– Official SSC Napoli (@en_sscnapoli) March 13, 2020
Liverpool survived the defeat with a header from Dejan Lovren in the second half, but that’s not the point. The main message of the Liverpool vs Napoli match at Anfield is that Carlo Ancelotti knows how to take advantage of the enormous empty space between the Reds’ last outfield player and the goalkeeper, created by Juergen Klopp’s penchant for ordering his players to push deep in the opposing half, gegenpressing.
Saturday’s Premier League game (17/10), with the Toffees currently the best team in the Premier League at the moment with four straight wins and at the same time the Reds are the second-worst team to concede (11 goals, only losing to West Brom), will present a dilemma for Juergen Klopp.
The Germany manager will probably be forced to abandon his favorite tactic, installing two to three defenders level to handle the blazing moves of Everton’s youngster Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Brazil forward Richarlison, as well as overseeing playmaker James Rodriguez who is expected to continue his formidable Premier League form.
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