A-League tactics: diamond formation saves Perth Glory
Kenny Lowe's tactics have allowed his side to exploit their pace in attack but it may not be enough to save the coach his job

As the race for the top six enters its final week so does the race to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon. With back to back wins over Newcastle Jets and Central Coast Mariners respectively, Perth Glory have been able to lift themselves off the foot of the ladder with one game of the season remaining.

Interesting then that those two wins have coincided with Perth’s switch to a 4-4-2 diamond formation. The diamond has made somewhat of a revival this season in the A-League and at different stages Sydney FC, Wellington Phoenix, and Melbourne Heart have all lined up with that shape in midfield. Central Coast Mariners, who used it as their default formation in the early stages of Graham Arnold’s reign, even switched to a diamond this season, albeit for only 30 minutes.

Like any formation, the midfield diamond has its strengths and weaknesses but Perth have been able to play to their strengths and caused trouble for the Central Coast defence with their pace up front.

Strengths and weaknesses of the 4-4-2 diamond
One of the most obvious structural weaknesses in the 4-4-2 diamond is the lack of width in the middle of the park. There is always the potential for the opposition to push their full-backs forward to create two versus one situations out wide. But each weakness is relative to the individual approaches of the side using it and Perth turned that potential weakness into a strength.

Perth, with Chris Harold and Sidnei Sciola up front, encouraged Central Coast’s full-backs Josh Rose and Storm Roux to push forward. The use of the full-backs was long been one of Central Coast’s main attacking threats and with no direct opponent to worry about, Roux and Rose duly obliged.

However this allowed Perth to trouble Central Coast on the counter attack. As soon as possession was turned over, Harold and Sciola up front would look to break in behind and into the channels to exploit the spaces left by the advanced full-backs.

Steven Gerrard, when speaking about Liverpool’s front two of Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge in a 4-4-2 diamond recently said “if teams wants to play two versus two against these two – Suárez and Sturridge – all the best.”

That is not to say Perth’s lightning quick front duo are any match for the record breaking ‘SAS’ partnership but defences today, so used to coming up against a lone striker, can struggle against teams that choose to play with two players up front.

Twice in the space of two minutes in the first half, Perth’s attacking threat was evident. In the 16th minute, with Josh Rose forward to defend a throw in, Sciola was able to draw centre-back Eddy Bosnar wide before sprinting in behind to chase a Nebojsa Marinkovic through ball. Bosnar was able to recover and clear the ball for a corner kick but just 60 seconds later Perth were in behind again, this time with Harold causing the threat.

Perth Glory’s attacks in behind caused problems for the Mariners’ defence. With the Mariners in possession, Rose pushed forward but the ball was turned over and Perth could counter-attack. Sidnei Sciola sprinted into the channel left free by Rose who had pushed forward, which forced Bosnar to move across. In doing so, there was a huge space between Bosnar and his central defensive partner Zac Anderson and Marinkovic was again the player who provided the through ball directly into the path of Harold. Harold was able to get a shot away in the box and while it was a tame effort, it was another example of how Perth looked to utilise their two quick forwards to trouble the opposition defence.

Sciola, albeit controversially, was involved in Perth’s third goal. In an offside position after mistiming his run, his pace worried Anderson who somehow managed to shank a clearance into his own net.

The two results may not be enough to secure coach Kenny Lowe the job for next season, but it has been a bright end to what has been a disastrous season for Perth Glory.

Don't need so many players.

Desperately need a quality #8 (import). McGarry to be retired.

Also need a CB (Djulbic/Madaschi or similar).

If Hersi is comng (I don't want him), then he is cover for wide right and #10 and we can probably get rid of at least one of Redwards or Zahra (or even both). I'd prefer to probably find a wide right player who is more comfortable to cover at #8, rather than an out and out Att mid.

The striker situation depends on Smeltz and Sernas. I think we can contractually release both if we wanted and get a new striker in. Or we could try to continue with Smeltz and hope he can get his body right.

Also need a keeper - Duncan has been good, but a little suspect commanding the box in the air.

After that, I think we can afford to find cheaper players or younger players to fill in the rest of the spots.

Really difficult to gush about the coach and diamonds and so on.
I'm afraid I look at it all too simply.
Kenny has had 4 months or so to get sorted.
What one Glory player have I noticed has really improved under his interim term?
Ok, our new keeper, and by default.
Not one other player.
Little else has changed, we are still tooooo old, tooooo slow and lack any spark.
I think I had a dream the other night that we played a through ball.
We've won 7 from 26.
Once every 4 games we have a win. Wow.
We've scored 27 goals in 26 matches. Wow, thank goodness for the 5 in the last 2 matches.
We scored less 8 seasons ago when we finished just ahead of the Knights.
The stats say we had 3 shots on target for our last match. Wow.
And they also say we had more shots on target and overall against Wanderers than the last 2 weeks with this diamond formation. But our 'offsides' have increased a lot, so there's something we've gained.
We are very, very ordinary, and the last 2 weeks have glossed over that.
I do not want Kenny or Jacob anywhere near this club next season, it needs a new approach totally free from their touch.
As difficult as it is for me to comprehend, it is now appearing more likely that we've had 47 or 50 coaches who Kenny has outperformed in the selection criteria.
Staggering beyond belief.

I actually think Burns would be a great manager... eventually

Needs a few assistant gigs first (preferably external), and needs the senior player group at Glory to move on so there can't be any perceived favouritism, but his knowledge and leadership are good indicators of management ability.

Edited by Scoll: 8/4/2014 05:13:33 PM

Well, he'll probably only have to wait 8 months. By then, Lowe will have gone tits up and the assistant coach will be appointed as head coach as is the done thing out west in Glory land.

:lol:

Our priorities, as I see them:

1. Proven goal scoring striker.
2. Central midfielder, preferably creative
3. Centre back
4. Another winger
5. Another CM (box-to-box, or creative depending on 2.)

Striker is obviously important, as is a new centre back.
I'd like to see Brandon O'Neill get a good run in the middle - a good run. Either as part of a three, a diamond with Nebo and Griffiths, or as a regular rotation option off the bench. CamEd is another option of course.
For me, the wings are less of an issue - you can throw Harold, Maclaren, Sidnei, and (new guy) out there in various combinations.

If nothing else, the coach and their opinion of best formations etc is so crucial as to what are the options we need to go after. Some will look for up to three new central midfielders... others may look for wide midfielders who can run and tackle and press in a 442... Who knows.

@FOXSportsNews: .@PerthGloryFC in talks to set up 'Macron Cup' - kit sponsor - which would involve SSC Napoli, Leeds United and Hajduk Split #football

Yawn.

Sage just being an attention whore again.

Our priorities, as I see them:

1. Proven goal scoring striker.
2. Central midfielder, preferably creative
3. Centre back
4. Another winger
5. Another CM (box-to-box, or creative depending on 2.)

Striker is obviously important, as is a new centre back.
I'd like to see Brandon O'Neill get a good run in the middle - a good run. Either as part of a three, a diamond with Nebo and Griffiths, or as a regular rotation option off the bench. CamEd is another option of course.
For me, the wings are less of an issue - you can throw Harold, Maclaren, Sidnei, and (new guy) out there in various combinations.

If nothing else, the coach and their opinion of best formations etc is so crucial as to what are the options we need to go after. Some will look for up to three new central midfielders... others may look for wide midfielders who can run and tackle and press in a 442... Who knows.

Our priorities, as I see them:

1. Proven goal scoring striker.
2. Central midfielder, preferably creative
3. Centre back
4. Another winger
5. Another CM (box-to-box, or creative depending on 2.)

Striker is obviously important, as is a new centre back.
I'd like to see Brandon O'Neill get a good run in the middle - a good run. Either as part of a three, a diamond with Nebo and Griffiths, or as a regular rotation option off the bench. CamEd is another option of course.
For me, the wings are less of an issue - you can throw Harold, Maclaren, Sidnei, and (new guy) out there in various combinations.

If nothing else, the coach and their opinion of best formations etc is so crucial as to what are the options we need to go after. Some will look for up to three new central midfielders... others may look for wide midfielders who can run and tackle and press in a 442... Who knows.

BTW Look how he flourished under Arnie - heck, that may be a contributing factor to swing the gig in Arnie's favour, should he become available! But anyway, depending on our appointment, Glory's squad is the kind who could benefit greatly from a strong, productive, influence - many young players, eager to learn and impress, players heading towards their prime and some veterans pushing for the NT come the 2015 Asian Cup and what not.

Edited by GloryPerth: 8/4/2014 10:28:27 PM

[quote=GloryB]Don't need so many players.
Vukovic will be back. For some reason he is warming the bench at Vegalta Sendai (has played one cup game), although they got beaten 4-0 by Urawa Red Diamonds on the weekend so hopefully he will get a game this week. Graham Arnold may not last out the season based on current results which would also strengthen the likelihood that Vegalta wouldn't exercise any option to buy clause in the loan deal.

Edited by biscuitman1871: 8/4/2014 03:19:20 PM

Graham Arnold’s sacking from J-League Vegalta Sendai has shocked insiders in Japan who say it was too early for Vegalta to pull the trigger.

Respected J-League writer Sean Carroll has been covering Japanese football for a number of years as a Tokyo-based freelance journalist (@seankyaroru)

He says the Arnold sacking caught him by surprise.

“I'm shocked, to be honest. Results hadn't been good but six games is not enough to let a coach build a team,” he told www.footballaustralia.com.au.

“Especially considering how long they'd tracked him for, the fact that he took over from a guy who'd been there six years and that he [Arnold] was in contact with his predecessor [Makoto Teguramori] and how he was helping him adjust to the transition

“Obviously we don't know much about what the atmosphere was like day-to-day at training, but it seems like an early sacking.

“The J-League breaks for the World Cup at the end of May, if results hadn't changed by then then it would have been far less surprising.”

Speculation has begun about Arnold’s possible return to the Hyundai A-League with Sydney FC and Perth Glory two clubs that may have the former Socceroo coach in their sights.

Intriguingly, Newcastle Jets – bitter rivals of his former club Central Coast – are also in the market for a new coach for next season.

“Vegalta were a team on the slide at the end of last season and made very few reinforcements ahead of this season so it was always going to be a bit of a tricky season,” added Carroll.

“With 28 games to play it seems a bit early to pull the trigger.”

Follow Sean Carroll @seankyaroru

I've changed my opinion on Arnold over the past few years and think he has improved as a coach. Mariners have consistently brought in players sold good players and started again while maintaining consistentcy at the top, with little money. Not sure how he would get on with Sage though.