FC Barcelona 2010/11

On 02/08/2024 0

Recreating the False Nine

Introduction

Let’s have a look at one of the most famous team of the century: the FC Barcelona 2010-11 during which Guardiola set Leo Messi as a false nine.

Friendly disclaimer: it would be incredibly long to describe all tactical variations of a team, as managers perpetually adapt to current situations and oppositions. Furthermore, it's also impossible to transcript them exactly in a videogame (yet?) such as eFootball. Please accept some of the analysis and implementation will be a necessary simplification to capture the essence of this team.

How do they play

The standard formation is a 4-3-3:

In defense, the left back Abidal will restrain himself and not go to far. He’s mainly here to offer a solution to the left winger and to the midfield. Dani Alves, on the other hand, was in charge of stretching the play.
In midfield, Busquets was a central DMF recycling possession. On his right was Xavi, a deep playmaker, able to control the play and looking for killer ball. The left midfielder is Iniesta, who were also able to attack the half space and assist, and sometimes to stretch the play in place of the left winger if this one was cutting in.
In attack, we have Messi, dropping deep to: create a superiority in midfielded, have space to turn and dribble, and/or to provoke a gap in the defense if a CB followed him. The right winger is closer to the center as Dani Alves is already on the side. He’s ready to cut-in following Messi’s movement. On the left flank, the winger stretches the play, then attacks the box during the final third.

Une image contenant capture d’écran, diagramme, cercle, Caractère coloré

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As you might have noticed, I did not mention the “early” build-up phase of that team. IRL, they would have Busquets dropping between the CBs, OR the GK joining the build-up between the CBs and the fullbacks going higher. I did not mention it for two reasons: it’s not possible to recreate it (e.g. GK going high), and/or the game does not leave us enough tactical options (mainly individual instructions) to set it up. I then chose to focus on the “main” building-up/attacking phase instead.

Recreation

I’d like to address a couple of point before going into details:

The False Nine

The most known feature of that team is obviously the false nine role of Messi. Joining the midfield to create numerical superiority, and dragging a defender away from his line, allowing another player to attack this space. I’m going to say it right away, this role is not doable in eFootball. This is for one simple reason: the game is not coded for a CB to automatically mark a player and to follow him that far when he’s dropping back (except if the human player assigned a specific man marking instruction, but let’s not count on this). My angle to replicate this role is to set up a player that will stay just before the CBs, meaning he’ll be available to: receive a pass from midfield, have space to turn to the goal and attract a CB manually pressing my player by the opposite human player.

The defensive shape

Again, eFootball is quite limited in terms of defensive organization. If the standard formation is a 4-3-3, I chose to set up the maximum amount of the players in the midfield line of defense, giving a defensive shape of 4-5-1 (you cannot have a 4-6-0 as I would like). I made this choice to replicate the notion of the whole team pressing, as the forwards (forward line of defense) quickly leave the collective effort in this game, once the ball have pasted them.

The screenshot below is an example of what I've managed to do. I’ll go player by player before giving you a global recap and a video of this tactic during an online game.

Roles:

GK
Not a lot to say here, except that Low Punt is useful as we got wide players, allowing a quick distribution and counter attacks.

LB (Abidal): LB Defensive Fullback
Abidal was providing support to the left flank and assuring a defensive balance. He does not need to go any further but just to provide a safe pass option to the midfield. Just as the CBs, he needs to be fast as the Possession Playstyle set a high line of defense.
Profil: Fast

CB (Piqué): CB
Needs to be fast to compensate the high line of the Possession Playstyle.
Profil: Fast

CB (Puyol): CB, but not Build-up
Needs to be fast to compensate the high line of the Possession Playstyle, AND to compensate “his” fullback going very high.
I require the center-back not to be a Build-up player because this type of player tends to push higher up the pitch when there's no right back available. In our system, this positioning would bring the center-back closer to the opposition rather than providing an accessible passing option for the other defenders.
Profil: Fast, Aerial threat

RB (Dani Alves): RMF
To replicate the ultra-offensive playstyle of Dani Alvas, we’ll set a RMF with instruction to join the defense without the ball. He’ll be in charge of stretching the play on the right flank. Finally, because there isn’t any tall striker in the team, you won’t cross directly but needs to dribble a bit to find an angle for a cutback.
Profil: Complete, Dribbler, Stamina
Instruction: Deep Line

DM (Busquets): DMF Anchor Man
An Anchor Man will remains central, offering support and recycle the ball. As most of the players, he will need a good Tight Possession as we intend to possess the ball.
Profil: Dribbler (tight possession, balance)

CM (Iniesta): CMF Creative Midfielder
The player should both be an available pass option and a threat to the left half-space. A CMF Creative Midfielder fit this role as:

as an AMF, or as a Hole Player he’ll be to high to help the midfield
a Box-to-Box would be great but he can be to high, and/or not provide pass option
an Orchestrator could do, but he’s not attacking the half-space as I would like to.

In reality, Iniesta wasn’t fast, but could read the game like no one. Ingame, you cannot benefit from Iniesta’s brain, so we’ll look for a player with attribute to make runs and score.
Profil: Fast, Dribbler

CM (Xavi): DMF Orchestrator
As the (deep) playmaker of the team, he’s set as a DMF so he’ll not venture to much high on the field (this is reserved to the winger and the right back). The Orchestrator playstyle allow him to drift, and he will then be right below the right flank duo if needed. As a DMF, he’ll also help cover in defense for the high fullback.
Profile: Dribbler, Passer

LW (Pedro): LMF (Prolific Winger)
At first I was using a LWF Profilic Winger. In charge of stretching the play, then attacking the box, Prolific Winger is the perfect playstyle for this. As I’ve eventually switched to an LMF, this playstyle does not activate. Because of the Possession Playstyle, the LMF will “naturally” act as a Prolific Winger, so I’m still going for this player’s playstyle. A roaming Flank will be too central and a Cross Specialist to wide when attacking thee box.
Profile: Fast, Dribbler, Shooter

CF (Messi): AMF Classic N°10
The most complicated role to set up. As said before, no perfect replication of the false nine exists. Almost all of the strikers does not drop. The Deep Lying Forward drop during the early build-up, but when you reach the final third he behave like a normal striker, hence not being available. I tried to set up a DLF with the Defensive Instruction, but in that case he was never exploiting any space, which was detrimental without any other strikers.

In short, I use a Classic N°10 with the Anchoring instruction. A Creative Playmaker will make too much run at my taste, for me what do the Classic N°10 is perfect. Always available, and its AI will exploit a space if there is an opportunity. But if the Classic N°10 is not for you, the Creative Playmaker should be yours.

Finally, I use the Anchoring instruction as allowing the lateral roaming is very disturbing for the whole balance. I know that IRL Messi had all the liberty, and that can work in the game, but given an eFootball game is quite short, I want to maximize the situations where I’ve got this “diamond” midfield.
Profile: Complete: you should be able to run, pass, dribble and score.
Instruction: Anchoring

RW (Villa): RWF Roaming Flank
He’s our main threat, performing endless runs forward. The Roaming Flank style is perfect as he’s the most central of the wingers. A question I asked myself is: shouldn’t I use a traditional striker as CF if I just want to replicate that? Well I tested, and here why I prefer a winger: during the early build-up, the RWF will stay wide until the RMF arrive. Also, a CF will be less available during the build-up. It’s then a choice to favor possession.
Profile: Fast (as he’s running in tight spaces, he needs Acceleration), Finisher.

Recap

In Practice

Please find here an extract from an online game. I chose this one as the opposition is playing in 4-2-4, so 4 of his offensive players are not pressing, allowing me to develop my play. It’s then easier to show how I’m willing to play.

Last comments

Corner Kick: As you saw, most of the players should be agile and quick on they feet. But this type of profile is rarely aerial threat, that’s why I strongly advice to ask one your CB to join this kicks (In-match role >> Player to join attack).

Because the right back is high, we expect the Anchor Man and Orchestrator, both DMF, to help cover him while he’s coming back during transition. But because the passing system of this game, allowing any CB to execute a Pirlo-esque killer ball, you are vulnerable in this part of the field. That’s also why this tacitc is particularly weak against 4 forwards, as your defense will be outnumbered in one pass. A solution to that would be to aggressively press as soon as possible, to at least give time to your right back.

In term of play, you should really aim for the possession: move your opponent until he commit a mistake. It’s easier to say than to do, and it’s quite frustrating playing this way after the rush from defense this game allows. In this tactic, you will need to switch the play to gain a few meters, and to switch again to gain a couple of other meters. It’s rewarding when you score a goal, but difficult to do when you are losing.

Finally, it’s not a revolutionary tactic that will lead you to top 500. It’s fun, but it has exploitable flaws. IRL, this tactic was used by exceptional footballers that were already dominant in their league, it’s not necessarily something you used to beat someone a couple of league above you.