Tactical Analysis: Should David Moyes utilize a ‘false nine’ with Manchester United?

Sitting up to watch the UCL final group game between Man Utd and Shakhtar, I couldn’t help but realize the immediate problem facing the current tactical system employed by David Moyes. Choosing to give importance to fast, counterattacking football with a high level of intensity, the Manager has sacrificed the hallmark of all great United sides: Ball retention. One minute we would have Shakhtar attacking the United goal and within some 20 seconds the ball would be in the hands of the Shakhtar goalie.

Tactical Analysis: How has Gerardo Martino changed the role of wingers in his Barcelona side?

“What are your comments on the change of philosophy you have constructed at Barcelona?”
Tata blinks for a few seconds at the interviewer, before recollecting the words he will state for what must seem like the thousandth time. The former Paraguay coach seems agitated as he splutters out the answer to a question he has heard too often since arriving at the huge club.

59% Pass Accuracy, Zero Chances Created: £25m Star Has Shocker For Chelsea

Chelsea’s Brazilian playmaker Oscar has been in scintillating form this season and has kept Juan Mata out of the side on a regular basis. He is the club’s top scorer in the Premier League and is one of the most frequent chance creators at the club.

Oscar has forced his way into Mourinho’s eyes as his main playmaker – alongside Eden Hazard – and he’s thrived from it.
Chelsea traveled to Switzerland last night in search of qualification to the knockout stages of the Champions League. They faced Basel who beat the Blues in the first game of the group stages at Stamford Bridge.
Mourinho’s men did advance to the knockout rounds but not in the fashion he’d have hoped. The Blues were abject and suffered a 1-0 defeat thanks to a late Mohamed Salah strike.
There seemed to be no fight in the team as they were brushed aside by a decent Swiss side.
In order for Chelsea to return to London victorious, Oscar needed to be in top form. To put it simply, he wasn’t anywhere near it.
The Brazilian is a great passer of the ball and has fantastic close control when in possession but he didn’t show it last night. No outfield player had a worse pass completion rate than Oscar who managed to complete just 59% of his 18 passes, not making a single key pass. He also completed just a single take-on which was a true sign of his poor performance. He is usually fantastic at drifting past players while on the ball but he failed to show that in Switzerland.
His passing was spread out around the pitch which was a sign that he went in search of the ball to try and influence play but failed at that, too.
Oscar failed to take a shot, make a cross or win a headed duel. He was pretty much non-existent, as you can see by his heat map.

Oscar’s heat map vs Basel

He was busiest in an extremely deep role which is unusual for the Brazilian and another reason why he suffered so badly.
Oscar’s duels were the second-worst for a Chelsea player last night, too, winning just 29%. Only Jon-Obi Mikel won less (22%). His duels included winning just one tackle, committing two fouls and losing all three headed duels.

Oscar’s poor duel figures vs Basel

Oscar’s performance in Switzerland was one to forget. He was invisible and was taken off by Mourinho after just 10 minutes of the second-half. His Performance Score of -4 summed up his evening. He’ll be hoping he won’t repeat that performance anytime soon.
  culled from squawka.com