⚪️🔵 Lazio's off-ball structure vs Inter ⚫️🔵
🔍How did Sarri annihilate Inter's build-up in first phase of possession ?
THREAD🧵
🔍How did Sarri annihilate Inter's build-up in first phase of possession ?
THREAD🧵
As Inter build-up from deep with 3 central defenders, De Vrij is the one who will decide which player will press: if if the pass goes to the left (video), Savic will position as second striker and form that 4-2 off-ball structure.
That being settled, let's see how it looked : depending on De Vrij's first pass, Savic or Vecino jumped to Bastoni/Skriniar. Right after the pass, Anderson pressed hidh to cut passing angles.
Lazio's structure consequently switched into a 4-3, given Lazzari automatically jumped to Di Marco. The plan was to rely on both fullback's high speed to not let the time to Inter's wingbacks to analyze potential passing angles.
Inter's lateral passes between central defenders clearly eased out Lazio's structure to prevent any vertical progression. Zaccagni just had to press high, and at the end, ball carrier had no choice but playing random long balls, relying on Lukaku's ball retention skills.
In mid third possession, quite the same process, with a slight difference : given this narrow 3atb, the only pass options is to the wingback. Lazio's wingers (Anderson-Zaccagni) consequently won't press in that zone, replaced by fullbacks (Lazzari already preparing his press).
The biggest difference in both pressing structure was the time and distance given to ball carrier to think and act. Lazio's central defenders had enough time to spot the best option to progress in possession.
An interesting aspect to point out : Lazio's wingers constantly checked if the fullback could accompany his press. Here, Anderson scan before jumping to Bastoni. Lazzari's speed constrained Di Marco to loose the ball, while Gagliardini cleverly attacked the right space.
Implementing such a structure requires positional discipline, because the main objective was to cover-shadow Brozovic, given his extraordinary pass panel. He can pass the ball everywhere he wants, that's why locking him into the structure reduced build-up options.
Lazio players positioning has been implemented so Inter had to do at least two passes to reach Brozovic. Otherwise, this player could destroy a whole structure with one single pass.
And when Brozovic was in possession, roles changed in the "who jumps out" question : Cataldi, Lazio's holding midfielder, pressed to switch the structure into a 3-3 (inspired from usual Brozovic's moves when Inter press)
Last year, Lazio's pressing structure had some failures, because press coordination was not developed. We never clearly know who had to press depending on ball location. Now, it looks like an algorithm: if Zaccagni drops, then Anderson jumps to the other side. Roles became clear.
Inter had no choice but switching into a 4atb defense, with Brozovic dropping as central defender, Bastoni as a fullback, and Barrella replacing Brozovic's position. However, as Cataldi constantly manmarked Brozovic, issues were the same for Inter.
Savic and Cataldi even stepped up to press Inter higher, given lateral passes from Nerazzurri's defense.
As I said, winger's scans before jumping to central defenders was part of Lazio's success in its pressing structure coordination. Each time Inter managed to progress vertically, it's due to the absence of scans from Anderson or Zaccagni.
Lateral passes from Inter central defenders eased out Lazio's structure, but it also destroyed Brozovic physical condition, because he had to exhausting lateral runs, Inter defenders couldn't find interesting passing angle.
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