It took Hajduk Split the sacking of two different coaches in a relatively short span of 45 games between Željko Kopić and his successor Zoran Vulić to finally get it right. Or at least so it would seem in a small sample of games the team has played under their new manager, the ex-B team coach Siniša Oreščanin.
Appointed at the end of the year, and having taken part in a total of 11 games so far (and two friendlies), Oreščanin aims to be the breath of fresh air the Croatian titan and the Master of the Sea needs right now. The changes he has implemented in a team that was desperate for some have had an immediate impact, granting Hajduk Split seven wins, only one loss and three draws in his short spell.
This tactical analysis will use statistics to dissect the difference in style that Siniša Oreščanin has brought with his appointment, and how it can translate to a (hopefully) better future for the club.
Overview and key elements
It didn’t take long for the players to start adopting the new boss’ ideas. Right from the get-go, and his very first game in charge, Oreščanin started reshaping the squad’s approach to the beautiful game. The very first change was on paper the simplest one: the preferred system of 4-3-3 was swapped for a more asymmetrical 4-3-1-2, which seems to be the one Siniša Oreščanin likes the most.
Hajduk Split played a total of 42% of all of their games in the 4-3-3 system but in the 11 competitive games Oreščanin has been on the bench, he used 4-3-1-2 a total of 10 times, only opting for a 4-3-3 once against Slaven Belupo in the domestic league campaign.
On paper, that should look something like the image above. The full-backs are always positioned high up the pitch. In the attacking phase, the centre-back pairing will set up a high defensive line, and basically, be the only players further back. The two forwards drift to the sides, opening up some space for the attacking midfielder to join the attack, and there is usually one defensive midfielder who connects the thirds, drops deeper and ventures forward depending on the situation.
One other thing Oreščanin successfully implemented in the attacking phase is the slower build-up from the back. Starting with the goalkeeper/centre-back tandem and the dropping midfielder, the full-backs are in an advanced position providing width and a long ball option in behind the defence.
