Marti Cifuentes - Style of Play, Tactics and Analysis

[beepee1984]

3 minutes ago, jv1 said:

270 mins in a week - I haven’t got a clue what he is trying to do - nobody is inverted - the full backs heat maps confuse me - 2 holding mids that don’t get into the final 3rd - a 10 that doesn’t create - wingers that have been absolutely pocketed for 250 of those mins - a striker that can’t run and nobody running past him - bizarre tactics to win any game at any level - concerning is a monumental understatement 

But I don't trust the players to even be adopting anything the manager askes.

 

These players don't put in any effort and unless we see transfer activity, the manager and tactics they want to play are completely mute

[jv1]

3 minutes ago, beepee1984 said:

But I don't trust the players to even be adopting anything the manager askes.

 

These players don't put in any effort and unless we see transfer activity, the manager and tactics they want to play are completely mute

I don’t disagree but I also don’t see much from the gaffer at the minute - if these 3 performances were cooper or ruud they would rightly be getting hammered - we have to give marti a chance I know but I’m still a bit concerned on what I’m seeing so far 

[beepee1984]

2 minutes ago, jv1 said:

I don’t disagree but I also don’t see much from the gaffer at the minute - if these 3 performances were cooper or ruud they would rightly be getting hammered - we have to give marti a chance I know but I’m still a bit concerned on what I’m seeing so far 

I agree, but these are the same performances as we saw under Cooper and Ruud. Although I see nothing to suggest Marti is going to be a good manager, I just don't believe any manager would look good with our club being like it is at the moment

[whoareyaaa]

4 minutes ago, jv1 said:

I don’t disagree but I also don’t see much from the gaffer at the minute - if these 3 performances were cooper or ruud they would rightly be getting hammered - we have to give marti a chance I know but I’m still a bit concerned on what I’m seeing so far 

It’s the same group of shite that’s why

[Bablemikey]

It is very early in his tenure, but we do need to see significant improvements and I would hope to see the manager being decisive and making changes. Vestergaard needs to be dropped for Faes. If we can play JJ LB and Ricardo RB I think that might work better. I would like to see Nelson introduced on 60 mins to bring him up to speed.

The big challenge is in midfield. We do not have viable options right now, but we are so slow & lightweight presently which is compromising both attack and defence. We might need to play Hamza alongside winks for some bite, and introduce Page too, assuming BEK is off.

[volpeazzurro]

11 minutes ago, Bablemikey said:

It is very early in his tenure, but we do need to see significant improvements and I would hope to see the manager being decisive and making changes. Vestergaard needs to be dropped for Faes. If we can play JJ LB and Ricardo RB I think that might work better. I would like to see Nelson introduced on 60 mins to bring him up to speed.

The big challenge is in midfield. We do not have viable options right now, but we are so slow & lightweight presently which is compromising both attack and defence. We might need to play Hamza alongside winks for some bite, and introduce Page too, assuming BEK is off.

If you think Thomas or Kristensen are bad at left back the answer to that problem will never be JJ, he’s bloody useless there! He had a very limited purple patch there many years ago but that’s long gone. He’s very right footed and can’t position himself on his favoured right let alone the unfamiliar left. I’m just hoping that Leeds offer 50p and a Mars bar and he goes. Him and Faes both need a map and a brain before they step on a pitch again.

[Richmondfox]

32 minutes ago, jv1 said:

I don’t disagree but I also don’t see much from the gaffer at the minute - if these 3 performances were cooper or ruud they would rightly be getting hammered - we have to give marti a chance I know but I’m still a bit concerned on what I’m seeing so far 

I don’t see much from him as a manager.  They could be Cooper or Ruud games and I wouldn’t know the difference,  Let’s see if he sticks with the same team, formation and tactics. The clean slate rubbish just means the shit players get played for too long again we see exactly the same as the previous managers, but they don’t do anything about it. 

 

Do these managers pull the tapes and go over them with his team? I have no evidence but don’t think he’s aggressive and tough,  good enough or enough of a name for our arrogant donkeys to listen to. I don’t think he’ll be brave enough to dump Ayew,

Thomas, JV and Soumare because they have prem experience. 

[Bablemikey]

Just now, volpeazzurro said:

If you think Thomas or Kristensen are bad at left back the answer to that problem will never be JJ, he’s bloody useless there! He had a very limited purple patch there many years ago but that’s long gone. He’s very right footed and can’t position himself on his favoured right let alone the unfamiliar left. I’m just hoping that Leeds offer 50p and a Mars bar and he goes. Him and Faes both need a map and a brain before they step on a pitch again.

I don’t think JJ is the best answer at all, but he has more physicality than Thomas is maybe slightly better defensively. Unless we can bring in some starting talent I don’t see what other options we have really.

 

 

[volpeazzurro]

1 minute ago, Bablemikey said:

I don’t think JJ is the best answer at all, but he has more physicality than Thomas is maybe slightly better defensively. Unless we can bring in some starting talent I don’t see what other options we have really.

 

 

You could be as physical as Mike Tyson but if you’re nowhere near the ball or the player it’s pretty pointless. He was astoundingly shocking last season and hasn’t improved.

[Richmondfox]

29 minutes ago, Bablemikey said:

I don’t think JJ is the best answer at all, but he has more physicality than Thomas is maybe slightly better defensively. Unless we can bring in some starting talent I don’t see what other options we have really.

 

 

I found that JJ’s defensive technique is to wait for a nudge and fall down. I remember at the start of the Enzo season players had to toughen up as they don’t fool the refs and we’re winning nine of the fouls by falling over. 
 

We are screwed whoever we put in.  Our best player is always injured.  The other 3 are useless defensively, weak and easily bullied and offer nothing in advanced positions.

[StriderHiryu]

1 hour ago, jv1 said:

270 mins in a week - I haven’t got a clue what he is trying to do - nobody is inverted - the full backs heat maps confuse me - 2 holding mids that don’t get into the final 3rd - a 10 that doesn’t create - wingers that have been absolutely pocketed for 250 of those mins - a striker that can’t run and nobody running past him - and absolutely nobody who knows where the net is - bizarre tactics to win any game at any level -no death by possession - no real style of build up play - looks like a complete hit and hope to me -concerning is a monumental understatement 

The idea is that the full backs in the offensive phase are the free men, so they have fairly crazy touch maps. In general there are specific positions on the pitch, but who is in those position is supposed to be fluid as an element of surprise. It's the Cruyff 433 we've seen over the years deployed by many teams. 

 

However, I think your crititcsm is warranted, especially around the midfielders who have been a massive disapointment in this style of play so far. If a system is going to be fluid, so do the players! I think Marti needs to very quickly learn who can play the system, or heavily modify it and go for more fixed positioning instead. 

[StriderHiryu]

2 hours ago, Uncle Monty said:

F bombs at the end with Ayew 😂. Surprised you were able to keep your composure that long. 

Every time I see that clip again I just even more infuriated! Vardy makes that pass every single time, and he's a player who's way better than Ayew will ever be. I am really concerned that we are a team of individuals and we are not working together as a team. 

[jv1]

2 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

The idea is that the full backs in the offensive phase are the free men, so they have fairly crazy touch maps. In general there are specific positions on the pitch, but who is in those position is supposed to be fluid as an element of surprise. It's the Cruyff 433 we've seen over the years deployed by many teams. 

 

However, I think your crititcsm is warranted, especially around the midfielders who have been a massive disapointment in this style of play so far. If a system is going to be fluid, so do the players! I think Marti needs to very quickly learn who can play the system, or heavily modify it and go for more fixed positioning instead. 

Thanks- if these full backs are meant to be the free men when attacking you couldn’t get much worse than jj and Thomas for those positions - neither have any attacking capabilities at all - can’t beat a man and distribution is terrible - that’s one major example of why isn’t working - might be slightly different with Ricky but those 2 certainly can’t do it - at the minute it looks just as rubbish and clueless as a cooper and Ruud 433 never mind cruyff- I don’t see the building blocks or straight up ability in 90% of the players - he needs help and quickly

[honeybradger]

8 minutes ago, jv1 said:

Thanks- if these full backs are meant to be the free men when attacking you couldn’t get much worse than jj and Thomas for those positions - neither have any attacking capabilities at all - can’t beat a man and distribution is terrible - that’s one major example of why isn’t working - might be slightly different with Ricky but those 2 certainly can’t do it - at the minute it looks just as rubbish and clueless as a cooper and Ruud 433 never mind cruyff- I don’t see the building blocks or straight up ability in 90% of the players - he needs help and quickly

Surely if youre looking for full backs to attack into the space then Aluko is our best option. His quick feet and ability to drive the ball forward helped us unlock defenses a few times in pre season.

[MaidstoneFox]

On 02/08/2025 at 15:13, Paninistickers said:

Just had a Brentford pre season vid pop up on my feed and sat and watched for 10 mins as Ive found their approach - mental and tactical - to the PL interesting for the last 4 seasons or so. The detail on shape. Lots of shouting to get into shape when game is in a certain phase.  The team meeting on shape. 

 

I know it's Andrews now not Frank, but I'd guess the approach is fairly ingrained by now

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andrews is very tactile. I wouldn't want him touching me all the time.

[Claridge]

Can anyone honestly say they have seen any change since Ruud? He must of watched last seasons games and seen this group/tactics don't work. Hard with this group of players, but for the love of god try something different

[fox_favourite]

Personally, watching @StriderHiryu analysis, it seems that there is a plan, there is a structure with Marti. But he's dealing with selfish bozos and grumpy babies, so the execution is poor. 

 

I might be wrong, but I can see what he's trying to do. We desperately need new blood for this to work. 

Edited 20 August 2025 by fox_favourite

[whoareyaaa]

1 hour ago, Claridge said:

Can anyone honestly say they have seen any change since Ruud? He must of watched last seasons games and seen this group/tactics don't work. Hard with this group of players, but for the love of god try something different

He can't do much different as he has exactly the same players, have you seen the midfield options they are woeful and offer nothing going forward.

 

The only way he can change things is by playing a 16 year old in Page as that's the only other option.

 

Up front he has Ayew and Daka 

 

I don't get what people are expecting tbh, looks like we are going to lose Bilal who has played at 50% knowing he has one foot out the door.

 

We also have the issue of a cult of players that don't want to be here

 

Edited 20 August 2025 by whoareyaaa

[coolhandfox]

3 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

The idea is that the full backs in the offensive phase are the free men, so they have fairly crazy touch maps. In general there are specific positions on the pitch, but who is in those position is supposed to be fluid as an element of surprise. It's the Cruyff 433 we've seen over the years deployed by many teams. 

 

However, I think your crititcsm is warranted, especially around the midfielders who have been a massive disapointment in this style of play so far. If a system is going to be fluid, so do the players! I think Marti needs to very quickly learn who can play the system, or heavily modify it and go for more fixed positioning instead. 

Issue I have with the system is we have very ordinary fullbacks who have limited technical ability, who are being asked to do something they aren't capable off.

 

Also leaves us very exposed to the clipped ball into the space they vacant, which expose the CB especially if it Vestergaard.

 

[kenny]

4 hours ago, honeybradger said:

Surely if youre looking for full backs to attack into the space then Aluko is our best option. His quick feet and ability to drive the ball forward helped us unlock defenses a few times in pre season.

@StriderHiryu will Marti start to look at non full backs playing that position? Enzo did it with Choudhury but will he try someone like Mcateer or Skipp as full back and accept their defensive frailties?

[Benji]

On the plus side, at least we didn't get Martin: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/crlz4y36jwko

[Claridge]

1 hour ago, whoareyaaa said:

He can't do much different as he has exactly the same players, have you seen the midfield options they are woeful and offer nothing going forward.

 

The only way he can change things is by playing a 16 year old in Page as that's the only other option.

 

Up front he has Ayew and Daka 

 

I don't get what people are expecting tbh, looks like we are going to lose Bilal who has played at 50% knowing he has one foot out the door.

 

We also have the issue of a cult of players that don't want to be here

 

loads he could try, two up top, three at the back, different fullbacks etc… might not work,but surely anyone can see the current team /system doesn’t and never will

[whoareyaaa]

Just now, Claridge said:

loads he could try, two up top, three at the back, different fullbacks etc… might not work,but surely anyone can see the current team /system doesn’t and never will

True this system is dog shit.

[Ric Flair]

Biggest concern from what we saw in pre-season is the pressing to win the ball back has vanished.

[ronnup]

31 minutes ago, Claridge said:

loads he could try, two up top, three at the back, different fullbacks etc… might not work,but surely anyone can see the current team /system doesn’t and never will

 

Its a bit early for this