How Kalvin Phillips and Marcelo Bielsa reimagined the nuances of the six space
Kalvin Phillips would have had an outside chance of being selected for the England squad in their Euro 2020 campaign which was growing stronger with each passing game he played. Marcelo Bielsa forced him to adjust his diet, eliminating Sunday roasts while adjusting his position with him settling in front of the back-four as a deep-lying playmaker rather than in his more natural box-to-box role. That role is so integral to Bielsa’s style of play as his proteges usually utilise more innovative and unconventional methods to fill that role, Jorge Sampaoli and Juanma Lillo utilised Samir Nasri in the role at Sevilla, Gabriel Heinze uses left-back Braian Cufre as a central midfielder in build-up for Velez Sarsfield and Juan Carlos Osorio is developing Baldomir Perlaza and Brayan Rovira at Atletico Nacional.
Bielsa utilises a 4+1 or a 2+3 build-up shape as the centre-backs will play closer to the goalkeeper while the fullbacks will maintain deeper positions with direct access from the centre-backs and goalkeeper. It also seems like a 2+3 build-up shape because the fullbacks will remain in the same vertical line as Phillips as the Yorkshireman’s role is to move into the space in between the fullback and centre-back to receive possession and work combinations so Leeds can switch the ball. Right-back, Luke Ayling who played as a midfielder at youth level will also work connections with the centre-back to move into the six space to progress play.
Phillips is very strong at receiving the ball with both feet as he prefers to receive the ball on his right foot in all the different areas that he moves into. If he is receiving possession on Ayling’s flank, his body will be facing the direction he is receiving the ball with his right leg positioned closer to his goal. This will allow him to work a one-touch pass down the line or spin past pressure and switch the ball to the opposite flank. Even when he is receiving the ball while facing his own goal, his teammates will usually pass the ball to his right foot, allowing him the opportunity to swivel past pressure by letting the ball roll across his body or work a one-touch back-pass to the goalkeeper.
Phillips and the centre-backs normally receive the ball with their in-step allowing them to have better control of the ball and a better vision of the whole pitch but if Phillips is participating in connections on the right flank, there are situations where instead of letting the ball roll across his body, he will take his first touch with outside of his right boot. When Leeds are in possession, Phillips’ movements and positions are ball-orientated as he moves from flank to flank, filling in the gap in between the fullback and centre-back. Phillips’ could be dawdling while the centre-backs and goalkeeper are circulating possession to then rush to the half-space when the fullback receives possession.
Phillips is a master of moving into space to receive possession as if the opposition are in a 4-4-2 pressing shape, with two attackers pressing the centre-backs. Phillips will push up and move into the wide areas as the centre-backs circulate the ball before dropping in between the two strikers, to receive the ball turn and play line-breaking passes. His teammates playing the ball to his stronger foot allows him to receive the ball, turn and release the ball quickly. Midfielders are normally focused on holding the six space or dropping closer to their centre-backs to receive the ball while Phillips will push higher then make timely drops into space for the goalkeeper or centre-backs to release possession to him.
Leeds work another automatism where they utilise a double-pivot as when one of their midfielders pushes forward, drawing markers and creating space in front of the centre-backs another player will drop deep to receive the ball in the six space. When Phillips pushes forward, and his midfield partner drops deep he could move into the wide areas in anticipation of the switch ball where Bielsa’s side will be able to work wide combinations and create space for runners in behind for Leeds to eventually work a cross to the back post. At times in defensive situations, especially on counters, Phillips will drop in between the centre-backs to supplement the defence and intercept passes.
In some situations, when Leeds regain possession and the opposition are in a counter-pressing situation, Phillips will push out of the three chain and into the six space to receive the ball and distribute possession into the wide areas. Bielsa has developed Phillips into a masterful manipulator of space in opposition pressing shapes as at times, he will remain further away from the fullback in possession, so he can receive a switch ball to work the ball out of pressure. Phillips’ constant movements also create issues for a 4-2-3-1 pressing shape as he makes it difficult for the opposition attacking midfielder to mark him and track him. With the goalkeeper and centre-backs circulating play, the opposition midfielder will be forced to push up to engage the centre-backs while Phillips thrives in manipulating cover shadows.
In Leeds’ FA Cup tie against Arsenal, Phillips put on a masterclass in manipulating Mesut Ozil to receive the ball in space and orchestrate attacking moves as the German struggled to manage the Englishman’s constant movement. In the second minute of the game, Ozil pushed up to press the centre-back and gestured for Nicolas Pepe or one of his teammates to cover Phillips before the centre-back worked a one-two with the fullback to work a pass into the centre for Phillips to receive the ball and play a pass to a fullback. Phillips then received a pass in the opposition half to play the ball back to his centre-back as Leeds worked the ball to the opposite flank with Phillips moving into the space in between the centre-back and fullback.
The fullback then worked the ball to the opposite centre-back pushing into space in the centre as Phillips moved back into the centre to be a passing option as the centre-back worked the ball back to the fullback for Phillips to move into the space in between the centre-back and fullback to receive the ball and work a pass to the fullback. Arsenal were in their 4-4-2 shape as Leeds’ fullback worked the ball back into the centre-back for Phillips to drop into the space in between the two strikers to receive the ball and work a chip to Patrick Bamford.
In the 13th minute, Leeds played the ball back for the goalkeeper to work a pass for Ben White to pass the ball back to the keeper who spread the ball to the left-back as Phillips was jogging to the opposite flank. The left-back then played the ball back to his centre-back as Phillips was moving into the centre to receive the ball behind Ozil and pass to the left back. Once the Englishman distributed the ball, Ozil who was charging back to mark him lifted his head to the sky in exasperation as Phillips’ movement and distribution was so masterful.
In the 16th minute, Arsenal were pressing Leeds in a 4-2-3-1 shape as the centre-back circulated the ball before working a pass to the right-back to attract pressure from Arsenal’s left-winger as Phillips moved into the space he vacated for the Leeds youth product to receive the ball with his right foot on the turn, play a ball to his midfield partner who switched to the weak side. In the 28th minute, Leeds worked another move, but it was about Phillips’ movements to drop deep and show for the ball rather than actually receiving possession. He was in the higher areas as Leeds’ centre-backs were attracting pressure as they shifted possession to the left wing before the ball was moved back to the centre-backs to switch the ball to the opposite flank. When the ball moved to the left flank, Phillips adjusted his body shape and moved towards the flank to receive possession before readjusting and dropping into the six space to demand possession from the centre-backs while moving towards the right flank.
He managed to stay a few yards in front of a drained Ozil as he moved and adjusted his body shape according to where possession was being held. The ball then moved to the right flank where instead of following the ball, he took a few steps back due to Ozil closing the direct passing lane to him as the right-centre-back and right-back exchanged possession before moving the ball back to the keeper. The keeper passed the ball to the left-centre back as Arsenal were now pressing with a front two as Phillips dropped in between the opposition front two to receive possession and work the ball to the right centre-back to drive forward and play the ball to an attacking player dropping into the right half-space.
Towards the end of the half, Phillips dropped to receive the ball from the left centre-back to make a directional first touch to the left flank while under pressure, evading pressure by working a one-two with the left back moving closer to the touchline to receive the ball, swivel past a marker and play the ball to a teammate in the half-space as Leeds worked a triangular passing situation to break on the left flank. In the 68th minute, Phillips showed his press resistance in skipping past pressure again when he received a line breaking pass from his centre-back with his left foot, using his right foot to prod the ball past Matteo Guendouzi before switching possession to the opposite flank.
As mentioned earlier, Phillips prefers to use his right foot to receive the ball but is capable of receiving and releasing the ball with his left. He will situationally use his left foot to let the ball roll across his body to skip past a marker and earn a yard of space to work his next pass. In football, it has become more imperative for players in every area of the pitch to be able to develop the functionalities of their weaker foot, especially for receiving and passing the ball due to spaces being tighter and time on the ball at the highest level becoming shorter. As a deep-lying distributer and with his constant movement and change of body shape, Phillips has mastered his decision making of how to receive the ball with the more advantageous foot in the specific situation.
Bielsa, his managerial and playing staff watch copious amounts of video, perfecting sequences and situations so they become rudimentary or second nature as this is how he develops players and teams. Phillips has also played at centre-back while Ben White moved into midfield when the Leeds youth product was unavailable as the two Englishmen have thrived under the Argentine mastermind. Phillips’ body shape when he receives possession, innate knowledge of timing and spaces as well as determining his position based on the ball, his teammate in possession and the opposition is exemplary.
A 24-year-old midfielder with no Premier League experience was rightfully considered for an inclusion in the England squad for Euro 2020. Bielsa and Phillips have added new quirks to an already highly scrutinised position with the latter being able to push forward and drop into space while being a conduit for wide build-up. Leeds have a structured fluidity to their build-up and Phillips is at the heart of it as there is no doubt that he is Premier League-level midfielder and could be integral to a Three Lions European Championship campaign.
