Marti Cifuentes - Style of Play, Tactics and Analysis

[Ian Nacho]

I'm by no means a tactical expert but to me it feels like we're attacking far too much down the wings and not enough through the centre which is limiting us to hopeful crosses into the box meaning we're hardly testing goalkeepers. 

[shen]

1 hour ago, Ian Nacho said:

I'm by no means a tactical expert but to me it feels like we're attacking far too much down the wings and not enough through the centre which is limiting us to hopeful crosses into the box meaning we're hardly testing goalkeepers. 

See, to me it looked like we were far too narrow with both wingers looking to go inside rather than stay wide or run to the byline. With no overlaps (bar VK who to his credit tried but got overlooked time and again) or decent underlaps/runs into the channel, it make us very predictable. Double up on the wingers and stay compact centrally to not leave any spaces for the midfield or striker to run into.

 

All that is left are difficult combinations through the middle like yesterday goal or the equaliser against Oxford. And we're just not good enough to pull that off more than once a game at best.

[StriderHiryu]

1 hour ago, Ian Nacho said:

I'm by no means a tactical expert but to me it feels like we're attacking far too much down the wings and not enough through the centre which is limiting us to hopeful crosses into the box meaning we're hardly testing goalkeepers. 

Attacking down the wings would be fine... if our wingers weren't being double and trebled up on. On occassion either Jordan James or Ricardo / Hamza makes in the underlap run for the wingers, and whenever they do, all of a sudden space opens up for them. In this system though, it does not happen as much as it did under Enzo. 

 

As a result we are ssing both Mavididi and Fatawu struggle compared to two years ago. 

[lfu]

59 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Attacking down the wings would be fine... if our wingers weren't being double and trebled up on. On occassion either Jordan James or Ricardo / Hamza makes in the underlap run for the wingers, and whenever they do, all of a sudden space opens up for them. In this system though, it does not happen as much as it did under Enzo. 

 

As a result we are ssing both Mavididi and Fatawu struggle compared to two years ago. 

I was screaming out for Hamza to push up when Fatawu had the ball in the final third, he was sitting so deep like the only thing he was expecting would happen was for Longman and Brunt to wrestle the ball off of Abdul so he needed to stay in the backline

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

3 hours ago, Ian Nacho said:

I'm by no means a tactical expert but to me it feels like we're attacking far too much down the wings and not enough through the centre which is limiting us to hopeful crosses into the box meaning we're hardly testing goalkeepers. 

100%. And Abdul I’m afraid looks a shadow of the player he was under Enzo, and Mavididi is having a stinker. We are strong in wide areas but he’s not getting the best out of them. So the main tactics becomes null and void. Although I have noticed clearly rehearsed patterns of play through the middle more in the last few games - like the move that resulted in JJ’s goal last night.

[Fox92]

4 minutes ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

100%. And Abdul I’m afraid looks a shadow of the player he was under Enzo, and Mavididi is having a stinker. We are strong in wide areas but he’s not getting the best out of them. So the main tactics becomes null and void. Although I have noticed clearly rehearsed patterns of play through the middle more in the last few games - like the move that resulted in JJ’s goal last night.

Abdul is our only player that has any threat but he does the same thing every game, cuts inside and crosses or shoots. 1 shot in 10 will go in and look great, the others are completely wide. Don't forget he only scored 6 goals under Maresca and 3 of them came in one game. Mavididi didn't have a great second half of the season under Maresca as I recall but he carries no threat at all now.

 

Everything is just slow. How many times do I have to watch Vestergaard standing with the ball or someone picking up the ball in an attacking area but still pass backwards. Everything is so predictable. 

 

I was sceptical when we appointed Cifuentes, at the end of the day he had QPR in mid table where they were expected to finish anyway. I am still yet to be convinced, it's been a poor and that includes being knocked out of the League Cup against a League One team don't forget. 

[Muzzy_no7]

So far this season the three major points for me have been:

 

-Lack of running beyond the defence to stretch play and create space. 

-Not anywhere near enough of a press.

 

-One of, or both full backs not overlapping. 

 

Starting Daka last night did actually make us play a little better, not good enough…but better. He pressed and encouraged others too. He made runs and created space. He had their defenders back peddling. Ayew hasn’t been doing any of this and it’s killed our attack.

 

Also, we desperately need one of our full backs to overlap. It literally doesn’t happen at all. For me it should come down the left mainly, LT or VK should be overlapping. There’s enough cover. The two CB’s, Winks and Ricardo/Hamza should in theory then dominate the middle of the pitch while we are attacking. We are very predictable and an overlap regularly would enhance our blunt attack. 
 

The press has been pathetic and that’s why I think Daka and Carranza should be starting, not Ayew as it makes us play better as a collective, cohesive unit. Fatawu joins in but Stiffy just looks disinterested both on and off the ball. 
 

Hopefully Ramsay coming back will get things going so there’s proper energy behind the striker in central areas, not just JJ. 

[cityfanlee23]

3 hours ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

So far this season the three major points for me have been:

 

-Lack of running beyond the defence to stretch play and create space. 

-Not anywhere near enough of a press.

 

-One of, or both full backs not overlapping. 

 

Starting Daka last night did actually make us play a little better, not good enough…but better. He pressed and encouraged others too. He made runs and created space. He had their defenders back peddling. Ayew hasn’t been doing any of this and it’s killed our attack.

 

Also, we desperately need one of our full backs to overlap. It literally doesn’t happen at all. For me it should come down the left mainly, LT or VK should be overlapping. There’s enough cover. The two CB’s, Winks and Ricardo/Hamza should in theory then dominate the middle of the pitch while we are attacking. We are very predictable and an overlap regularly would enhance our blunt attack. 
 

The press has been pathetic and that’s why I think Daka and Carranza should be starting, not Ayew as it makes us play better as a collective, cohesive unit. Fatawu joins in but Stiffy just looks disinterested both on and off the ball. 
 

Hopefully Ramsay coming back will get things going so there’s proper energy behind the striker in central areas, not just JJ. 

The thing that is annoying me the most is that the 3 points you’ve made were the main propaganda that sold me into accepting “possession at all costs” football once again. 
 

And just like the last time I find myself bored to sleep yet somehow this is now even worse. Enzo had a better team, sure, but we aren’t even attempting anything, it’s boring, it’s slow, it’s predictable. 
 

All I’ve wanted to see is crash and bash football, I’ve now sat through Puel (who I defended), the demise of Rodgers, Enzo, Cooper, Ruud and now Marti. 
 

That first 18 months under Rodgers was magical, I miss it, I genuinely have to make myself watch us because I watch football to be entertained and we’ve been boring for years. 
 

less than 1xG ffs. We have Fatawu, Mavididi, Monga, Winks and Ricardo and we have less than 1xG. 

Edited 1 October 2025 by cityfanlee23

[SafewayFox]

Watching the Millwall v Cov game and whilst there is quite a lot of sideways passing from both sides.

 

The biggest difference is how quickly they go through the gears to get up the pitch and both sets of wingers have taken on a player down the outside rather than cutting into a really congested central area.

 

I’m showing my age when harping about the good old days, but when our wingers aren’t having much joy against their FB’s, why don’t they switch like they used to?

[Silebyfox_89]

Vesty and Faes slow the play down to much and made it easy for Wrexham to get back into shape.

Hamza struggles with forward passes in the centre and too often recycles to the backline.

Neither fullbacks overlapping doesn't create spaces or overloads for the wingers and there easily marked out.

The press was disjointed at times and seemed to tail off second half.

[GingerrrFox]

Wrong thread.

Edited 2 October 2025 by GingerrrFox

[Collymore]

Fatawu tonight was like a self destruct button. Can't think I can remember such a tactically poor show from manager and player. We seemed to be facing a goal conceded or dangerous chance faced almost every time he was dispossessed and there was absolutely no game plan or general idea of how to play. 

 

Not the first time it's happened either. 

 

We looked so poor and disjointed throughout. What the hell is Marti trying to achieve? 

 

I've also noticed tonight a lot of the attacking players playing with their back to goal laying it off quickly back to the midfielders and defenders but so much so it looked like an instruction. 

 

Absolutely all over the place literally. A horror show on the eyes. Almost Paulo Sousa levels of ineptness at times... 

Edited 21 October 2025 by Collymore

[Noahfence]

Yeah not really seeing any signs of how he said we’d play or anything to suggest we’re heading in the right direction… 

[Paninistickers]

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just bringing up a post from August. Not (entirely) to be a smart arse....but remember thinking at the time - how much can be drawn from pre season training videos? I didn't think too much. But Andrews' pre season looked more impressive than ours and at present it's bearing out. 

[Plastik Man]

1 hour ago, Paninistickers said:

Just bringing up a post from August. Not (entirely) to be a smart arse....but remember thinking at the time - how much can be drawn from pre season training videos? I didn't think too much. But Andrews' pre season looked more impressive than ours and at present it's bearing out. 

I remember watching that in the summer, probably because you shared it.

 

And funnily enough was thinking about it at the weekend watching Brentford tear apart Liverpool!

[Muzzy_no7]

I’ve dropped him a DM about pressing, pressing traps outside, overlapping fullbacks and strikers/8’s making runs. 
 

See what he says 😂😂😂

[Richmondfox]

21 minutes ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

I’ve dropped him a DM about pressing, pressing traps outside, overlapping fullbacks and strikers/8’s making runs. 
 

See what he says 😂😂😂

He hasn’t got to that page in his book yet. Maybe the new analyst can explain the big green sections on the heat map in the opposition box and high on the wings. 

[Clever Fox]

I thought Faes done much better when he came on as a sub. I' mean he didn't concede a goal for a start.

But seriously, He won a few headers made a few passes and created the chance for Caranza for the overhead kick.

When nothing else is working up top what have we got to lose by giving him a  run up there.

He'll muscle a few defenders and maybe create something for somone else to score. 

 

What I don't want to see is Marti playing the same players, trying to do the same things again ,when it hasn't worked all season.

[JimJams]

Are you advocating Faes as a 9?

[Foxin_Mad]

Does this clown have any tactics or style of play. Other than being utter dogshit I’m not really seeing any identity’s 

[chuddy8]

3 hours ago, JimJams said:

Are you advocating Faes as a 9?

no, faes as the tricky winger and vestegaard as the on-the-shoulder striker 

[Stadt]

If we have to be wedded to this shit system (he almost never deviated from 4231 at QPR) then st least play Aluko.

 

Provides the ability to underlap if he’s on the left and provide receiver pace. If he’d played like Thomas has - most would say he’d (Aluko) never make it.

Much better carrier too so he can open the game up, Thomas moves and receives the ball like he’s made out of MDF

[sm1]

3 hours ago, Foxin_Mad said:

Does this clown have any tactics or style of play. Other than being utter dogshit I’m not really seeing any identity’s 

Of course he has. Chuck to Abdul and hope he scores.

[StriderHiryu]

We covered some of the points discussed recently in the analysis show yesterday.

 

 

[CWLCFC]

Wingers need more support from inside and the fullbacks, as they are being doubled or even tripled up on every game.