Kuala Lumpur: After a stunning series of quarter-final games, the 2017 AFC Champions League semi-final between China’s Shanghai SIPG and Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan is likely to whet the appetite of any football fan.
With the teams having vastly contrasting styles of play, we turned to two football experts to dig deep into their tactics, strategies, strengths and weaknesses.
Gary White
Former Shanghai Shenxin Coach (2016), now Chinese Taipei coach
“Shanghai SIPG build their game out from the back, with the help of a holding midfielder since the central defenders haven’t got great technical skill.
The full-backs take part in the process and are in charge of bringing the ball into the attacking half.
The side’s wingers tend to drift inside to receive and organise the play forward, while Hulk and Oscar act as link up players trying to move the ball forward.
Their attacks are primarily focused on the right flank as we saw against Guangzhou Evergrande.
Shanghai SIPG are not very intense during defensive play so there’s the possibility to have time on the ball to evaluate situations and making decisions.
The wingers have a low defensive attitude and their zones can be easily penetrated because the full-backs tend to keep their position in a narrow defensive line.
Shanghai SIPG have shown several problems in keeping the correct alignment.
In particular, the defensive line concedes too much space and the defenders don’t adjust their position according to the ball.
This forces the midfielders to close the holes that appear in the defence.
They count on a lot of fast and technically gifted players, led by Oscar, and are very dangerous from counter-attacks.
Overlaps on the right side are used to create space and get into into crossing positions.
Oscar and Hulk are the key individual players in creating opportunities and they look to combine with Wu Lei and Elkeson when they break into the attacking third.”
Gert Engels
Former Urawa Red Diamonds Coach (2008), Assistant Coach (2004 – 2008)
“There is the mental approach and the tactical/football approach.
I saw that Urawa lost the Emperor's Cup game against [Kashima] Antlers. This might have been disappointing but you have to forget it as soon as possible.
You have to approach the game with confidence and you have to approach it as the last chance for a title this season.
I think they have nothing to lose because they are not the favourites, in my opinion.
Take the confidence from the second leg against [Kawasaki] Frontale as well as from the strength you showed till now at home. Take it also from watching the second leg from SIPG against Evergrande
It is always helpful to know about the strong poinst of your opponents but it is much better to focus on your own strong points.
What I saw from Reds recently, they were never comfortable in defending. They should play confidently and especially focus on the transitions on both sides.
Playing three or defenders at the back, I think this depends also a bit on the opponents. Recently, you see a lot more teams playing with three (five) in the back.
But even better is that you are able to switch that whenever you like.
You see this in Europe recently - even during one game - that they switch their formation, sometimes adapting to the opponents, sometimes trying to change their own game.
More than the formation is the attitude and the style of your game.
And again, the focus must be on the transition on both sides and to keep the opponents under permanent pressure, which is not so common in the J.League compared to European football!
There is no “star player” at the moment at Reds. So they would do well to focus on the team. Which could, hopefully, make the difference against SIPG.”
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com