After 16 Allsvenskan matches, Helsingborgs IF were at the bottom of the league table with only 13 points. Under the former Aston Villa player – Olof Mellberg, the team conceded 27 goals already, more than any other teams in the Swedish top-tier.
In this tactical analysis, we are dissecting the defensive approach of Helsingborgs this season, what has caused their vulnerability to protect their own goal? How to exploit the defence of this team? You will find the answers in this scout report.
Man-oriented pressing
Under Mellberg, Helsingborgs played in a 4-4-2 formation. The press was largely man-oriented in this shape with a medium-low engagement line. The average PPDA of the team was 12.89, ranked 12th in Allsvenskan and suggested the defensive approach was comparatively passive.
Mellberg wanted his team to protect the central areas initially and deny the build-up from developing there. The strikers tended to stay at the centre or around the opposition pivot, overloading the area and invited the opponent to attack flanks. In this image, the strikers were on the pivot, allowing the opposition defenders to play without pressure.
The pressing trigger was usually a behaviour that put the ball to either vertical half of the pitch. This could be a wide pass or the ball-carrier himself dribbling into that region, and the pressing began from here – the striker would chase the ball while the remaining teammates man-marked options nearby the ball.
In this example, the carrier dribbled forward and triggered Rasmus Jönsson to press. Meanwhile, Mohammed Abubakari (CM) and Armin Gigović (RW) marked the opponent corresponding to their positions. This approach would speed up the play as the pressure was coming behind the ball, while the carrier lacked options to circulate the ball, hence, the attacking team lost the tempo and it was difficult to control the rhythm. When everything increased the speed, it was more difficult to play a good pass or make a good decision.
