RELATIONISM- A TACTICAL EVOLUTION
In the 60's 2 great minds came toghether at Ajax and created a style of play that would go on to dominate modern football. Yes, I'm talking about Rinus Michels and Johan Cryuff who brought about Total Football. Various additions were made by Sacchi, Lobanovskyi and other but the final perfection was made by Guardiola.
His Barcelona team with Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets etc conquered every trophy there was to win and inspired many modern generation coaches to the same style of play.
Modern iterations of Position play (the tactics used by Pep) are used by Arteta, De Zerbi, Sarri most famously. But recently coaches have developed counter-tactics to tackle this positional play from the coaches and only teams with the highest level of quality reach the top.
Recently led by a small revolution in Brazil by Fluminese coach Diniz, a tactical approach used extensively by South American teams is slowly finding it's way back to fashion. People have labelled this approach as Relationism.
This is also the tactics used by Scaloni at the 2022 World Cup to win Argentina the world Cup.
I have read various articles and videos (which I will cite below) and here is my understanding of this different style of play
In the 60's 2 great minds came toghether at Ajax and created a style of play that would go on to dominate modern football. Yes, I'm talking about Rinus Michels and Johan Cryuff who brought about Total Football. Various additions were made by Sacchi, Lobanovskyi and other but the final perfection was made by Guardiola.
His Barcelona team with Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets etc conquered every trophy there was to win and inspired many modern generation coaches to the same style of play.
Modern iterations of Position play (the tactics used by Pep) are used by Arteta, De Zerbi, Sarri most famously. But recently coaches have developed counter-tactics to tackle this positional play from the coaches and only teams with the highest level of quality reach the top.
Recently led by a small revolution in Brazil by Fluminese coach Diniz, a tactical approach used extensively by South American teams is slowly finding it's way back to fashion. People have labelled this approach as Relationism.
This is also the tactics used by Scaloni at the 2022 World Cup to win Argentina the world Cup.
I have read various articles and videos (which I will cite below) and here is my understanding of this different style of play
WHAT IS POSITIONAL PLAY
Positional play is all about structure and players given designated zones. Each players movement has some purpouse with levels to the whole team.
Guardiola for example has divided his entire team into different zones and has assigned each position to each player. His rule is that no more than 3 players can be in horizontal zones and 2 players in each vertical zones.
For Guardiola he does not care who takes which position but he wants these positions to be occupied. This means that there is always a structure in place and that teammates will know where the players will be and there it helps in improving the accuracy of their style of play.
This style of play is like a game of chess. They know which space is vacant and which space is occupied. This makes this style of play extremely automated and rigorous because players are not allowed to stay out of the prescribed position. It is a very scripted style of play.
Positional play is all about structure and players given designated zones. Each players movement has some purpouse with levels to the whole team.
Guardiola for example has divided his entire team into different zones and has assigned each position to each player. His rule is that no more than 3 players can be in horizontal zones and 2 players in each vertical zones.
For Guardiola he does not care who takes which position but he wants these positions to be occupied. This means that there is always a structure in place and that teammates will know where the players will be and there it helps in improving the accuracy of their style of play.
This style of play is like a game of chess. They know which space is vacant and which space is occupied. This makes this style of play extremely automated and rigorous because players are not allowed to stay out of the prescribed position. It is a very scripted style of play.
RELATIONSIM
Relationsim is about functionality and embracing chaos. It is a very fluid style of play and confined to any structure.
Unlike positional play it does not depend on structure and positions rather it depends on functional style of play between the teammates. It focuses on how you play, how you move and how bonded you are with your teammates.
What it does is that it basically tries to overload an area of the pitch and create chaos (aka confusion in the mind of defenders). In modern world defenders are given marking assignment in terms of zones or man marking. With players playing in a fluid structure not confirmed to any certain positions it confuses the defender and causes chaos.
Here are some of the features of Relationsm
Relationsim is about functionality and embracing chaos. It is a very fluid style of play and confined to any structure.
Unlike positional play it does not depend on structure and positions rather it depends on functional style of play between the teammates. It focuses on how you play, how you move and how bonded you are with your teammates.
What it does is that it basically tries to overload an area of the pitch and create chaos (aka confusion in the mind of defenders). In modern world defenders are given marking assignment in terms of zones or man marking. With players playing in a fluid structure not confirmed to any certain positions it confuses the defender and causes chaos.
Here are some of the features of Relationsm
FIELD TILT
Like I mentioned before what Relationist teams like to do is to overload one area of the pitch and try to play through the overload. In positionalism when there is a 4v4 in one flank what the team on the ball tries to do is to switch the flank so as to catch the opposition off guard. But here they try to play through the press with passes being timed correctly. And players being away from the center of the tilt.
One of the advantages of such a tilt is that it does not give space for counter attacks as there very limited space in the to play through very quickly
Like I mentioned before what Relationist teams like to do is to overload one area of the pitch and try to play through the overload. In positionalism when there is a 4v4 in one flank what the team on the ball tries to do is to switch the flank so as to catch the opposition off guard. But here they try to play through the press with passes being timed correctly. And players being away from the center of the tilt.
One of the advantages of such a tilt is that it does not give space for counter attacks as there very limited space in the to play through very quickly
PASS AND MOVE
A concept that is so heavily relied upon in Relationsim is passing and move. Players have to make a pass and move forward so that the ball progression can be done quickly.
A concept that is so heavily relied upon in Relationsim is passing and move. Players have to make a pass and move forward so that the ball progression can be done quickly.
ONE-TWO'S
These are things we see commonly in many teams. Teams are encouraged to play one touch quick passing football between 2 player where one of them makes a give and take system.
These are things we see commonly in many teams. Teams are encouraged to play one touch quick passing football between 2 player where one of them makes a give and take system.
SKILLS AND DRIBBLES
Players in this system are allowed to express their individual ability and use dribbling and body feints to evade defenders and escape the press.
Players in this system are allowed to express their individual ability and use dribbling and body feints to evade defenders and escape the press.
FORMING DIAGONALS
Something very rarely done in Positional play, Relationsim encourages the forming of diagonals which helps the team to do quick one-twos or 3rd man runs. A simple chart can be seen below.
Something very rarely done in Positional play, Relationsim encourages the forming of diagonals which helps the team to do quick one-twos or 3rd man runs. A simple chart can be seen below.
CONCLUSION
Many players and coaches have spoken about how modern coaches have stifled creativity and individual expression has been curtailed because of positional play's extremely rigid nature.
Relationsim's assymetry meanwhile gives players their ability to express their talents and let players be more functional.
Many players and coaches have spoken about how modern coaches have stifled creativity and individual expression has been curtailed because of positional play's extremely rigid nature.
Relationsim's assymetry meanwhile gives players their ability to express their talents and let players be more functional.
CONCLUSION
Many players and coaches have spoken about how modern coaches have stifled creativity and individual expression has been curtailed because of positional play's extremely rigid nature.
Relationsim's assymetry meanwhile gives players their ability to express their talents and let players be more functional.
Many players and coaches have spoken about how modern coaches have stifled creativity and individual expression has been curtailed because of positional play's extremely rigid nature.
Relationsim's assymetry meanwhile gives players their ability to express their talents and let players be more functional.
MATERIALS FOR FURTHER READING
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Hope you enjoyed reading. Likes, RTs appreciated
#Milan #RealMadrid #BrazilFootballTeam #Diniz #Relationism #Guardiola
Hope you enjoyed reading. Likes, RTs appreciated
#Milan #RealMadrid #BrazilFootballTeam #Diniz #Relationism #Guardiola
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