Marti Cifuentes - Style of Play, Tactics and Analysis

[murphy]

23 hours ago, JimJams said:

Are you advocating Faes as a 9?

I am and I already have in the Blackburn pre match thread like Steve Walsh c. 1993.

 

Admittedly this is due to the fact that we don't have a functional striker and would have the added benefit of keeping him out of trouble by dint of being at the other end of the pitch, but I think it might work. 

 

I think he would cause chaos and have more chance of getting onto the end of crosses.  It might not be pretty but remember, he doesnt have to be good, he just has to be better than Ayew, Daka or the other bloke. 

Edited 29 October 2025 by murphy

[Clever Fox]

23 hours ago, JimJams said:

Are you advocating Faes as a 9?

We need a focal point so It's worth a try. We know he'll win headers and even that would be an improvement at the minute.

He's not bad with the Ball at his feet either.

Let's face it we wouldn't be breaking new ground. Walshy, Elliott, Huth, Armstrong. etc.

 

Obviously we need a big CF but until we sign someone he's an option, AS we have plenty of CBs to play at the back.

 

[JimJams]

Isn't his aerial presence pretty shit?  I thought he lost more duels than he won.

 

Besides, it'd be an ugly message to Evans if Wout Fxxking Faes got a go up front before him!  

[Filbert Fireworks]

We once got to watch JV smashing them in and winning the Premier league.

 

Now we are very seriously discussing putting Wout Faes up top in the hope he disorientates the opposition and wins a header. 

 

I've just screamed into a pillow.  

[murphy]

4 minutes ago, Filbert Fireworks said:

We once got to watch JV smashing them in and winning the Premier league.

 

Now we are very seriously discussing putting Wout Faes up top in the hope he disorientates the opposition and wins a header. 

 

I've just screamed into a pillow.  

That's pretty much the plan, in a nutshell, yes.

 

I think I have just grown tired of flogging the same dead horses, we've got to try something different.  Anything.  Even Wout Faes.

[honeybradger]

1 hour ago, Clever Fox said:

We need a focal point so It's worth a try. We know he'll win headers and even that would be an improvement at the minute.

He's not bad with the Ball at his feet either.

Let's face it we wouldn't be breaking new ground. Walshy, Elliott, Huth, Armstrong. etc.

 

Obviously we need a big CF but until we sign someone he's an option, AS we have plenty of CBs to play at the back.

 

Do we? Faes is one of the worst centrebacks in the league in the air and the sole reason that Cifuentes must think that Carranza is decent is that he comes up against Faes in training.

[Clever Fox]

14 hours ago, honeybradger said:

Do we? Faes is one of the worst centrebacks in the league in the air and the sole reason that Cifuentes must think that Carranza is decent is that he comes up against Faes in training.

Have to disagree, I think he wins a lot of headers in challenges, Caranza hasn't shown anything that makes his selection any more than others in the squad.

We've no out ball or focal point. That's our first problem, With someone up there challenging defenders we might create something.

Do I think it's perfect, No. But we have to try something different, Marti can only pick from what he has available and the options are poor.

We've been rumbled and Marti has to change things around otherwise we'll continue to drop points.

[honeybradger]

1 hour ago, Clever Fox said:

Have to disagree, I think he wins a lot of headers in challenges, Caranza hasn't shown anything that makes his selection any more than others in the squad.

We've no out ball or focal point. That's our first problem, With someone up there challenging defenders we might create something.

Do I think it's perfect, No. But we have to try something different, Marti can only pick from what he has available and the options are poor.

We've been rumbled and Marti has to change things around otherwise we'll continue to drop points.

It's factually correct that Faes is the second worst defender in the air in the championship after Coady.

 

He has an abysmal 35% aerial win rate.

[Dan]

On 29/10/2025 at 20:21, honeybradger said:

Do we? Faes is one of the worst centrebacks in the league in the air and the sole reason that Cifuentes must think that Carranza is decent is that he comes up against Faes in training.

Really does speak volumes about our recruitment.

[honeybradger]

2 minutes ago, Dan said:

Really does speak volumes about our recruitment.

£15 million each for Faes and Vestergaard, a centreback pairing that is conceding among the highest chances per game in the championship, only reason we arent conceding 2-3 a game is Stolarczyk is one of the best in the league.

 

Some people were saying we got our money's worth on Faes as well because he's played for us a lot. He has probably cost us £150mil+ by playing.

[Dan]

4 hours ago, honeybradger said:

£15 million each for Faes and Vestergaard, a centreback pairing that is conceding among the highest chances per game in the championship, only reason we arent conceding 2-3 a game is Stolarczyk is one of the best in the league.

 

Some people were saying we got our money's worth on Faes as well because he's played for us a lot. He has probably cost us £150mil+ by playing.

Add in the same on Souttar who has played what, 10 games for us? £8mil or so on Coady.

 

Can be easy to exaggerate how bad it is at times but I think you would do well to find such consistently dire recruitment in one position as ours at centre half since we signed Fofana.

[Paninistickers]

I'm bemused how slow we play when the games are at 0-0 and we are seemingly cruising (when, ofc, we aren't) 

 

The urgency and tempo forced upon us at Swansea second half and from 60 mins yesterday is how possession football should be played. Free kicks, throw ins, roll outs from keeper all done within a nano second.

 

The winning goal was actually a masterclass. Faes, Vesty to each other (which the crowd hate) even went backwards 10 yards before we then pinged it through midfield. 

 

Clearly not sustainable all game. But the players can allow themselves lulls. But we don't seem to do that at all. Cifuentues set up is all so painfully slow. I don't think there's much more most of the players need to do other than just up the tempo

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Stadt]

2 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

I'm bemused how slow we play when the games are at 0-0 and we are seemingly cruising (when, ofc, we aren't) 

 

The urgency and tempo forced upon us at Swansea second half and from 60 mins yesterday is how possession football should be played. Free kicks, throw ins, roll outs from keeper all done within a nano second.

 

The winning goal was actually a masterclass. Faes, Vesty to each other (which the crowd hate) even went backwards 10 yards before we then pinged it through midfield. 

 

Clearly not sustainable all game. But the players can allow themselves lulls. But we don't seem to do that at all. Cifuentues set up is all so painfully slow. I don't think there's much more most of the players need to do other than just up the tempo

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re usually so pedestrian even when chasing games. Yesterday was the first hike we’ve thrown a bit of caution to the wind imo.

 

Ayling’s equaliser is a goal we just wouldn’t score 

[FoxesFan100]

6 minutes ago, Stadt said:

We’re usually so pedestrian even when chasing games. Yesterday was the first hike we’ve thrown a bit of caution to the wind imo.

 

Ayling’s equaliser is a goal we just wouldn’t score 

How did we score yesterday? Must be seriously confused with how JJ scored… or am I missing your point? 

[Stadt]

1 minute ago, FoxesFan100 said:

How did we score yesterday? Must be seriously confused with how JJ scored… or am I missing your point? 

The fullback getting on the end of a deep cross with 10 men isn’t something we’d do.

[Tommy Fresh]

12 minutes ago, Stadt said:

We’re usually so pedestrian even when chasing games. Yesterday was the first hike we’ve thrown a bit of caution to the wind imo.

 

Ayling’s equaliser is a goal we just wouldn’t score 

Away at Hull we went for it, obviously didn't get anything from it but we definitely had a go

[Stadt]

22 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Away at Hull we went for it, obviously didn't get anything from it but we definitely had a go

I’d had quite bit to drink at Hull tbh, I remember being fuming rather than specifics  

[Richmondfox]

3 hours ago, Paninistickers said:

I'm bemused how slow we play when the games are at 0-0 and we are seemingly cruising (when, ofc, we aren't) 

 

The urgency and tempo forced upon us at Swansea second half and from 60 mins yesterday is how possession football should be played. Free kicks, throw ins, roll outs from keeper all done within a nano second.

 

The winning goal was actually a masterclass. Faes, Vesty to each other (which the crowd hate) even went backwards 10 yards before we then pinged it through midfield. 

 

Clearly not sustainable all game. But the players can allow themselves lulls. But we don't seem to do that at all. Cifuentues set up is all so painfully slow. I don't think there's much more most of the players need to do other than just up the tempo

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s slow all over the pitch, that’s why the goals we score like the winner is in spite of Marti not because of it, otherwise we would see it happen many times in the games,

 

The position Thomas and Ricardo receive the ball is so deep, almost level with the CBs.  By the time JV had invited the press and danger on the defence, they just send it backwards.  One quick pass to them and they can run with the ball unmarked to set the wingers off. Nope. Pass around until someone loses it or Skipp sends it backwards to start again. 

 

it’s painfully obvious Marti zero attacking plan for this team and zero ability to change it based on the oppositions in game set up. 

[Paninistickers]

35 minutes ago, Tommy Fresh said:

Away at Hull we went for it, obviously didn't get anything from it but we definitely had a go

Point being we need to have a go before we need to have a go

[Paninistickers]

I've raised this question very early season, but be interested in others thoughts again 10 games later. 

I'm not sure we are well served by having a 10 and two wingers. . 

 

I prefer three in midfield. JJ deeper. And Winks having an extra body (Skipp) around him so, basically, he has to do less leg work. 

 

Instead of the ten we encourage the wingers to get narrower and closer to Daka. I think we can play quick around teams rather than just pushing it wide and hoping the winger beats their man. 

 

 

[Richmondfox]

2 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I've raised this question very early season, but be interested in others thoughts again 10 games later. 

I'm not sure we are well served by having a 10 and two wingers. . 

 

I prefer three in midfield. JJ deeper. And Winks having an extra body (Skipp) around him so, basically, he has to do less leg work. 

 

Instead of the ten we encourage the wingers to get narrower and closer to Daka. I think we can play quick around teams rather than just pushing it wide and hoping the winger beats their man. 

 

 

Anything that gets JJ driving with the ball again not with his back to goal.  We need players who want to pass into space and players who want to run into that space, then use their brains to cross or shoot. I don’t think Mavadidi can be relied upon to do anything well.  I liked him under Enzo.
 

Skipp and Ayew should never be receiving a pass in an attack with their backs to goal. You know what will happen. 

 

Winks should be passing to JJ quickly before the opposition has had a chance to press us or reset at the back.  That means someone has to tell JV to speed things up. 

[Tommy Fresh]

54 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

Point being we need to have a go before we need to have a go

Yeah I'm just pointing out another time we seemed to actually want to attack

[Tommy Fresh]

1 hour ago, Stadt said:

I’d had quite bit to drink at Hull tbh, I remember being fuming rather than specifics  

I say we had a go, Fatawu did 

[Finnegan]

On 29/10/2025 at 18:49, murphy said:

I am and I already have in the Blackburn pre match thread like Steve Walsh c. 1993.

 

Admittedly this is due to the fact that we don't have a functional striker and would have the added benefit of keeping him out of trouble by dint of being at the other end of the pitch, but I think it might work. 

 

I think he would cause chaos and have more chance of getting onto the end of crosses.  It might not be pretty but remember, he doesnt have to be good, he just has to be better than Ayew, Daka or the other bloke. 

 

 

 

 

[whoareyaaa]

54 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I've raised this question very early season, but be interested in others thoughts again 10 games later. 

I'm not sure we are well served by having a 10 and two wingers. . 

 

I prefer three in midfield. JJ deeper. And Winks having an extra body (Skipp) around him so, basically, he has to do less leg work. 

 

Instead of the ten we encourage the wingers to get narrower and closer to Daka. I think we can play quick around teams rather than just pushing it wide and hoping the winger beats their man. 

 

 

Skipp is garbage and not needed at all all you have to do is watch the game and you will see we only need James and Winks in the middle which allows another attacker on to give the oppostiton something to think about

 

It didn't work under Cooper or RVN or Marti, bin it.