April 12, 2020: Tactic Wars Solution – Harshal Patel

Before we show you Harshal’s solution, let’s remind ourselves of the challenge he was posed.

🚨Tactic Wars Conundrum🚨

Check out the thread below to find out what challenge our analysts face this week!

⬇️THREAD⬇️ pic.twitter.com/QMselsTy6E

— Total Football Analysis (@TotalAnalysis) April 13, 2020

With a bumper UEFA Champions League tie against French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) coming up, my team has been hamstrung by having most of the first-team squad being sold during the January window. We have been only allowed to sign players over the age of 32 as replacements, to aid and reinforce the remaining first-team players at the club. Having brought in some quality replacements, we go into this tie having honed our tactics on the training field, and with our analysis having given us the optimal tactical system to get past Thomas Tuchels PSG side.

Lineups

PSG (Blue) (4-3-3): Navas; Meunier, Silva, Kimpembe, Bernat; Marquinhos, Gueye, Verratti; Mbappe, Icardi, Neymar

Were assuming that PSG line up in their standard 4-3-3, with Mauro Icardi as the central striker over Edinson Cavani.

Harshals XI (Red) (4-4-1-1): Handanovic; Wan-Bissaka, Van Dijk, Bonucci, Robertson; De Bruyne, Modric, Fernandinho, Milner; David Silva; Cristiano Ronaldo

My setup would be in a 4-4-1-1 shape, with James Milner being tasked with playing a defensive winger role on the left, while Kevin De Bruyne is given a lot more license on the opposite flank. David Silva plays as the number 10, looking to link up with De Bruyne and Luka Modric, with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line.

PSG in possession

The aim of this shape is to try and deny Kylian Mbappe and Neymar space and time on the ball. With Neymars tendency to come inside from the left, along with Mbappes blistering speed in behind, the full-backs roles will be extremely important. They have been asked to mark the wide players tightly, thus making the back four quite narrow. De Bruyne and James Milner are expected to shuttle out and pick up the PSG full-backs when they advance up the field, with Milner also being asked to press the PSG right-sided midfielder (most likely Idrissa Gueye) depending on where the ball is and Andy Robertsons positioning.

PSG often look to their full-backs to prov