Left Back Football

Ashley Cole has had to wait for his first managerial job after an excellent playing career, littered with silverware. He coached in the Chelsea academy as well as being an assistant with the England youth sides. This year, he took a risk in moving to Serie B side Cesena as he immediately instilled a fast paced attacking style, with vertical movement and passing to prove his coaching potential. In interviews, he has expressed a commitment to attacking ideals as this shows in his team as it is impressive that he managed to express his coaching ideas in a language that he has not mastered yet, relying on a youth coach to translate.

Build-Up

On a granular level, the main idea of Ashley Cole’s side is to consistently give options and passing angles to the man on the ball. In build-up, they operate in a 2+4 shape with a double-pivot midfielders as they look to circulate possession to attract pressure before playing deep passes in between the lines to activate quick vertical attacking moves. Cesena shift between being controlling possession and playing quick and fast paced vertical transitions.

They also look to make the field as big as possible in possession as in the photo above, they have shifted the ball to the right flank, the ball-near midfielder has moved towards the half-space, the winger has dropped deep as they create a triangle with the ball-near midfielder, fullback and centre-back. You can see the attacking player drop deep and take a marker with him as in these situations, Cole’s side will play direct pass to the nine-space for the nine to lay-off for the midfielder to switch for the winger on the far side. They can also play direct passes to the nine-space for the 9 to lay-off, triggering a run in behind from the winger as the midfielder will play a pass in behind as his fellow attackers will make a run into open space. In the build-up phase, the attackers in the attacking line will play closer together to receive the ball with those early passes in between the lines so they can connect and break on the counter.

Cesena can also work shorter passing interchanges in build-up as the fullback can play the ball to the central midfielder as in the picture, you can see the deeper player making a run to drag the marker out of position. He can play the ball to the midfielder to turn and play a pass to his midfield teammate who can switch possession to the weak side where the winger will have a 1v1 situation. Cole’s side can also work connections to switch to the ball far fullback who can drive into space. Cesena can circulate possession to the ball-far centre-back who will play it back to the strong side so Cesena can play an early pass into the central space from the wide area for a lay-off and switch.

When Cesena are building up with the goalkeeper, players in the second line take high positions and drop into space to receive early passes past the first line of pressure to play one-twos with the fullback for a deep vertical pass into the centre. They can also play the ball directly to the fullback who will play the ball to ball-near central midfielder for a deep vertical pass to the attacking line. In all phases of the game, Cole’s side will constantly involve the 9, asking him to drop deep to receive possession so they can switch the ball or make runs off of him. Even if the 9 gets fouled after receiving a deep pass in between the lines then that means that Cesena can move higher up the pitch for a free-kick situation.

Cesena utilize the fullbacks in a very fluid manner as they can play closer to the touchline, playing one-touch passing combinations before moving into the half-space to receive possession and driving the ball forward. When the ball is on the opposite flank and is played to the six, the ball-far fullback will move into the half-space to receive possession to evade pressure. In the attacking phase with the wide triangular rotations, Cole’s side can use the fullbacks as inverted midfielders before making overlapping runs to receive possession to cross. The fullbacks will make both overlapping runs and underlapping runs to receive possession to have high quality crossing opportunities.

Cole’s side can also tilt the field to one side in build-up, they will shift both midfielders to one side, playing the ball to fullback who will play the ball to the ball-near midfielder in the half-space, before making a circular run around him as the midfielder in the half-space plays the ball to the winger in the wide zone to play the ball back to the fullback. The winger and fullback will work one-twos to play the ball into the channel for a low crossing opportunity. The fullback can play the ball to the half-space for a direct lobbed pass into the channel for the winger to cross into the box.

Cesena will switch between a 2+3 and a 2+4 when they are trying to work the ball through the centre. They also utilize a goalkeeper in build-up as Jonathan Klinnsmann was very effective at this before his injury as from short goal-kick situations, he would play the ball to a centre-back who would play the ball to his other centre-back to attract pressure and lob a direct pass to the nine-space. In the picture above, Cesena are in a 2+3 with the midfielders in a triangle as in these situations, they will play the ball to the six-space for a one-touch vertical pass to the 8 to evade pressure.

Cesena can also use a 2+3 with tighter player spacing from short goal-kicks with the 8s positioned really close to the 6, so they can play short passes, attract pressure and either play a direct lobbed pass or deep ground pass to the nine who will lay-off to a teammate for a deep pass to the winger to create a breaking situations. One way that they do this is playing the ball to the fullback as they have done who will play a pass to the 6 who will have a vertical body position, facing the touchline to play a one-touch pass to the 9 space. Playing the ball into the centre for a direct pass into the attacking line is an integral facet of Cesena’s build-up play.

When Cole’s side build-up through the centre, they look to play the ball quickly with as few touches as possible in the deeper areas to attract pressure, evade pressure and create a breaking situation for a high-quality opportunity. At times, the centre-backs will circulate possession to attract pressure and play a direct pass to the 8 space as once the 8 receives possession, he will push the ball back with the 6 pushing up into his vacated space while the ball-far 8 will make a run to receive possession in a pocket so they can progress play. The midfield will interchange positions in a triangular shape to facilitate quick combinations.

When Cesena build-up in a 2+4, when the centre-backs have position, one midfielder will be slightly deeper than the other to receive possession to play a one-touch pass to his teammate. They will also interchange positions, to create space for a pass to the free-man who will then play a direct pass to the 10 space. When Cesena build-up in a 2+4, they seek to attract numbers to apply pressure on the ball to play deep passes in between the lines to create breaking situations, the 10 and 9 will interchange with one of them staying high to occupy the opposition centre-backs while other drops deep to receive possession.

Vertical Attacking Play and Movement

The tenet of creating passing options for the man on the ball and finding the free man remain the same in the attacking phase for Cole’s Cesena. They will constantly move and drag opposition defenders out of position to create space for teammates to drop into and receive possession. Cole’s side circulate possession in triangles as they work quick one or two touches connections in between the lines as they stretch the pitch, switching possession to both sides with direct switches or short passing circulations.

In the picture above, the ball is played to the deeper midfielder which will attract pressure for the other midfielder in the same vertical line to move the open pocket of space to receive possession. The midfielder played the pass there as with movement, Cesena had created a triangle there as the ball could be played to the attacker for a lay-off and pass to the fullback or winger making a run into the channels for a low cross into the box. There is constant movement as the ball player will play possession before moving into an open pocket of space to receive possession.

This allows Cesena to utilize one-twos and give and go’s in tight spaces in between the lines to create shooting opportunities or to draw markers for a lobbed pass or deeper pass to penetrate. The striker will drop deep and the winger will make runs off the striker to receive possession in the attacking line as Cole uses fluidity in the front line to draw defenders out of position and create space for runs to receive possession for low crosses. Cesena create really high quality shooting situations and can look to wall the ball into the net at times.

Cole’s side will stretch the pitch, working triangles as they will have the ball on one side of the pitch, the winger and play in the half-space will trade passes with the winger cutting inside as once he cuts inside, a midfielder will drop deep into the vacated pocket of space to receive possession, playing the ball to the opposite flank. With the movement and interchange in positions and the central attacking midfielder and central striker exchanging positions, Cole’s side work direct vertical pass from the wide areas to the nine-space for quick interchanges and switches or quick interchanges and passes in behind for shooting opportunities.

In the wide areas, the striker will also move wider and make a run into the channels to receive a through ball in the box, with the 10 then moving to occupy the nine-space for a low cross while another midfielder will also move to the top of the box to receive a cut-back. Cole has utilized multi-functional attacker Cristian Shpendi, using him on both wings as well as an attacking midfielder. He receives early passes, connects and makes runs, moves into the nine-space when the striker drops deep and makes runs into the box to receive and make low crosses.

Cesena will work situations where they will shift the ball from the wide areas to the half-space, playing lobbed passes for a runner in the half-space to square a cross across the box to runner in the box. They will also play lobbed crosses to the back post to knock the ball back into the centre for the striker to finish. They will also lob passes for runners at the back post to finish from the deeper areas of the half-space zone. Cole’s side can change the tempo efficiently by labouring and moving the ball from side to side as well as playing quick deliveries into the box to create shooting situations.

Another aspect of the vertical movement and player spacing of Cole’s side is that they tend to play with an attacking midfielder as they move and create space in the 10 area for direct passes from deep and the wide areas. In the possession phase, Cesena will play the ball backwards with their deeper midfielders dropping closer to the defenders to play a direct vertical pass to the 10 space. When they have the ball in the wide areas, a player in the half-space will make a clearing run for the 10 to drop into a pocket of space and receive possession. The 10 will receive possession, be able to turn in the pockets while his teammates make runs off the ball to create opportunities.

Cesena utilize wide combinations to create low crossing opportunities from the by-line and channels as well as lobbed crosses from the half-space as they also utilize triangular circulations and movement. In the picture above, you can see that Cesena have as many as 7 players in the wide zone as the player in possession can shift the ball to the player in the ten space to continue his run and drag a marker out of the area to clear the space for a pass to the attacking player in the half-space who will play the ball to the original passer to make a cross into the box. They seek to create passing angles to circulate the ball to create high quality shooting situations in the box.

Cole’s side will have a player positioned in the half-space, wide zone and the deeper half-space, they will combine and rotate as if the opposition defend deeper to deny crossing access from the by-line, they will play a pass to the player in the half-space to play a lobbed cross into the box or to play the ball back to the wide zone for a quick one-two to create a crossing opportunity. After playing the ball, the players will move and interchange positions while in the box, as the ball-far wide player will interchange positions with the striker and allow him to stay in the box while moving to the wide areas to create numerical superiority. The player can move wider to dummy a direct vertical pass into the central spaces and make a run into the channel to receive a lobbed pass to and play a cross into the box.

Apart from looking to create space by the by-line and in the half-space, Cesena also look to play the ball into the deeper half-space, preferably in the box as they are higher opportunity crossing situations from that area. When Cesena are combining in build-up and in the attacking phase, they will have players make runs into this area to receive possession and cross. In the wide combination sequences, Cesena also prefer to have their striker stay in the width of goal to receive deliveries as if they play the pass into the channel, they will have a good low crossing opportunity.

Counter-pressing

One of the more intriguing aspects of Cole’s style in Cesena is the way they transition in between the phases of play as it tends to be quite organized and seamless with what they look to do. They can play a counter-press to be aggressive and win possession immediately while they can also utilize a counter-press to slow down an opposition counter-attack with the goal of shifting into their medium or low block. In their more aggressive counter-press, they will shift and look to close down the space where the ball is lost, committing players into that zone as the defenders will push up and have to defend spaces in isolation as the ball-near centre-back will push up, as the ball-far centre-back will have to cover passes into the channels.

After losing possession, they also may be less aggressive in applying pressure in the area, probably if it is in the centre of the pitch, they will focus on covering passing lanes to force turnovers, force wide passes to slow down the opposition’s counter-attack. If the opposition manage to play past the first wave, defenders will cover for each other to fill defensive gaps and look to win possession. If they counter-press and force a wide pass or a back-pass, they will focus on reorganizing into their medium block which can sometimes be a 4-5-1/5-4-1 shape in order to regain defensive control before shifting to their high press.

Pressing

Cesena do not have a direct all-out press, they utilize a medium block to force the opposition into back-passes as they utilize these as a trigger to move into their more aggressive press. They sit in a 4-5-1/4-4-2 medium block before moving into a more man-orientated press as they can press with a front two or three in the press as they look to win possession. Cole’s side would not be characterized as an aggressive pressing side as they are more elaborate with the ways and situations that they would like to press.

Even when pressing from the starting whistle, Cole’s side will not push up and directly press, they will move forward in a medium block and look to push forward and apply pressure in a man-orientated press in the central block. The intriguing thing about the Cesena press is in the central spaces, they will apply pressure in a man-orientated fashion in the centre in a 4-4-2, marking the opposition centre-backs with the midfielders pushing up to mark the opposition midfielders if the first wave is by-passed. Cesena are not aggressive in using their wingers to apply pressure as they prefer to use them deeper and closer to their fullbacks. They will shift across to defend the wide zone with their winger positioned deeper as the winger will push slightly higher to close down if the ball is played to the opposition fullback. The winger and fullback will close down their counterparts in the opposition while remaining deep, as the winger will not go and press deep into the opposition half.

Cole’s side will also press in a 5-2-3 press when the opposition with a winger staying high next to the striker and the attacking midfielder in the front line, the front three will press the opposition back three while the midfield two will press the opposition double-pivot. When the ball moves out wide in this situation, the ball-near fullback will be more aggressive in pushing up to apply pressure, with the defensive line and midfield line becoming more aggressive in marking and tracking their marker.

In their medium block, be it in the 4-4-2 and 5-3-2, you will see the strikers with the opposition double pivot in their cover shadow, checking to see if the defensive shape is providing adequate coverage in marking before pushing up to apply pressure. They push up to apply pressure as a unit while if the ball is played into the wide areas, the fullback will push to press as if the ball is played back into the centre, the striker will track back to win possession.

Defensive Shape

Cole’s side operate in a very interesting medium to defensive block as they are zonal but man-mark and track markers, defenders will push up with strikers while the midfielders will track midfielders making runs. In the picture above, you can see the man-marking in between the lines as you can see that the midfielder is tracking his run while the defender has pushed up to the wide. You can also see that on the ball-near side, the defender has pushed up higher while the opposite defender will mark his man but will also slide across to cover.

Cesena tend to be really organized defensively in covering their men and they also transition well from the high press to the medium block to the low block. They will to apply pressure on the ball, pushing up in their 4-4-2 as once the opposition spread the ball and the more time they press without winning possession, they will shift into their medium block to preserve energy. When the fullback moves out of the defensive block to push up and engage a marker, the winger will track his runner into the half-space as the wide players are tasked with covering for each other to prevent crosses.

In their defensive block, Cole’s side also shift at least three players in the wide area, the winger, fullback and ball-near midfielder will move into the wide areas to close down, win possession and prevent crossing situations. If the ball is played back into the centre, the central midfielders and centre-backs will be very aggressive in pushing up and apply pressure on the ball. Since Cesena play early balls in between the lines and take risks in possession, if they concede a turnover, they are effective in retreating and shifting from the build-up phase to the defensive phase. The midfielders are well-versed in moving back into their low block shape.

In the deep block, Cesena will focus on having men in the box, the tenet of covering for eachother still applies, as they will cover opposition players making runs into the box, they will cover when defenders push up to engage opposition players on the ball in the centre. In the photo above, they have 6 players in the box as they could have as many as 7 players in the box as they focus on closing down space, making blocks while if a cross is played in the box, they prefer to have men in the box to divert the cross away from goal. Cesena attack with numbers while they also use numbers to defend.

Cole’s side are effective on the counter-attack as well as they transition into breaking situations very quickly. Since the players are closely spaced in the defensive phase, they will work short and quick passes, about two to three short passes before playing a long lobbed pass to the nine-space or into the channels. They will interchange positions and attack with one player attacking the central space and one on each flank. Cesena can also counter-attack with quick and short combinations to move up the pitch rapidly. If the goalkeeper makes a save, he will look to play the ball as soon as possible so his team can counter-attack. They play direct passes for runners in the channels while the striker will make a near post run to receive possession to have a shot on goal or to lay off for a shot on goal. If they win possession in a higher area, one of the first two passes will be a penetrative pass to create a shooting situation.

Conclusion

Cole’s side are effective and have a plan in all phases of the game, the can create high quality opportunities from direct build-up situations, more elaborate attacking transitions and on counter-attacks. There is cause for optimism as his side competed well against the stronger teams in Serie B in a short space of time, with good performances Palermo and Catanzaro, as in his eight games in charge, only three were against teams below them in the league table. With continued growth, this could make Cole and Cesena dark horses for promotion next year. His style would suit mid-table Premier League sides such as Brentford, Everton and Sunderland while with his Chelsea ties, he would be a good future option for Strasbourg. His style would also really suit the Bundesliga. He would also be an effective manager for a Championship side looking to play a more progressive style of football while maintaining balance. With his willingness to adjust in the press, he would also be effective in MLS as he played there previously. In his first job, he has proved himself to be an enterprising young manager and one to watch over the medium term.