The Borussia Dortmund analysis: Istvn Beregi Formation: 4-2-3-1 (on the picture there are the average

movements to the positions) Purpose: Break through on the wings, they try to

Average attacking formation: One midfielder comes deep, the two FBs goes up, the AMFs are in a central position, that makes space for the FBs, that's why the wingers must defend deep!

disrupt the defense there, important that wingers have to defend, because of the attacking FBs.

Positioning principle: make decisive dominance around -The FB the has the ball ball, It is often, that the striker comes deep to get ball (use tight man-marking on him), the central AMF (Mkhit.) or the left winger (Reus) takes his place.

the players are shifted to that side, make diamonds, what helps the fast game (the players are thinking in depth).

There is the example for the shifting, 6 of the 8 attackers are on the right side, we can see that the players are positioned in levels, in that it's easy to play the forward pass-backward pass combination. When shifting to one side on the weak side (where there isn't the ball, strong side is, where there is the ball) the winger comes deep and central, so he is linking the strong-weak side. In these situations the weak side is only played by the FB, keep attention for these runs! Dortmund's play algorithm: make diamonds in possession (good for the fast play, too), because if the ball is lost the diamond formation (which is the best formation for pressing) is given for pressing back (gegenpressing). ("Gegenpressing is the best playmaker"-Jurgen Klopp)

Defending: In 4-4-2 formation It's important here too, to make a decisive dominance around the ball, and to tighten the attention of the attacker.

Pressing high: Againts a 4-4-2 defending, the opponent's one CM comes deep to make a 3v2 situation, the two attackers are about to disturb this CM, leaving free the two CBs, beacuse they are less creative, and they can't control the game as well as a CM. When the CBs have the ball, the attackers task is to not let the CM turn to any side, the best is if the CM's only option is a backward pass. When the keeper has the ball, the midfielders go up too, so they try to disturb the attacking team in bringing out the ball.

When the defender is passing to a CM the two attackers immediately try to tighten his attention. If the forward pass goes to another CM, on who there is a man-marking, the marking defender tries to force a backward a pass, or tries to control the attacker to a space, which is checked by the defense. On the bottom 2 pictures there are the defensive shifting schemas.

Throw-ins: Make dominance around the ball, easier to press back if the ball is lost. We can see , that there are a lot of players in little space. This principle is valid at defending, they try to tighten the attacking team's space.

Keeper short pass to CB, the two CBs comes to the corner of the penalty box, and one of the CMs comes back too, to help in bringing out the ball. When the keeper kicks the ball long, it's searching Lewa's head, the 3 attacking MF are in a central position, that makes space for the FBs, the 3 AMF and Lewa are in diamond formation, so all side is covered, this improves the chance, that they will have the ball.

On the left picture there is the average positioning at attacking corners, there are 2 players at the penalty box's semicircle, there are 4-5 players inside the penalty box, 2 players going to the nearest post, the corners are usually kicked to the short. In defending corners 2 players at the semicircle, 1 player goes to the short without marking anybody, 1 player goes to the post (usually to the same side from where the corner comes), 1 player marks the attacker, who tries to disturb the keeper, in the middle there are 4 players.

Attacking combinations: diamond formations squared

Glossary: - straight line: pass - dotted line: movement - jagged line: running with the ball - CB: centre-back - CM: central-midfielder - FB: full-back - AMF: attacking-midfielder - W: winger