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RB Leipzig 2019/20
In-possession: Principles and Patterns in 3-2-5
By: Craig Moniz
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Key Features:
Tactics & Players
Positional Principles:
Maintaining a back three
Occupying central zones
Middle Third:
Manipulating left interior channels
Decoy movements
Attacking Third:
Attacking vertically
Wide overloads
(ST) Timo Werner:
28 goal involvements in 25 games
Outstanding understanding of player movements around him
(LCB) Dayot Upamecano:
World Class ball-playing center back
Can play with both feet, recognizes and executes line breaking passes.
(LM): Christopher Nkunku
Has provided 12 assists
Contributes across all phases of play to link passing sequences together
Positional principles:
Maintain three players in defensive line
Right back operates as auxiliary center back or CMFer drops in-between the center backs splitting them. Maintains numerical superiority against opposition first line of pressure against teams pressing with two. Allows access to uninterrupted ball circulation side to side. Ball playing center backs have time and space to pick out passes in-between the lines and initiate attacking sequences.
If one CMFer drops to receive ball other positions himself past the first line of pressure. Opposite side fullback pushes forward to provide balance of width.
Occupying central zones
One of LM/ RM invert into left or right half space, other holds width. LM/RM drops into MF to maintain double pivot if CMFer drops into defensive line. One of Strikers also occupy half space. Creates overload between opposition midfield and defensive lines, (5v4) against defensive line. When ball is being progressed through the lines provides access to multiple forward passing options. Very difficult for man oriented defenses to track the movements of forwards, allows for them to get onto the ball more and be more influential in possession, Forwards can completely bypass defensive block with one or two quick combinations.
Middle third:
Manipulating left sided interior channel
Objective: Create vertical passing sequences to play through opposition defensive lines. Potentially bypass defensive block completely through getting the ball to the player at the top of the diamond pattern.
Left sided players LB, ST, and LM will interchange positions within a diamond pattern. (LCB) Upamecano always has safe diagonal pass to (LB) Halstenberg but also will have a vertical passing option inside the left half space. Achieve this through decoy movements and rotations , moving around opposition defenders in turn creating space to move into making multiple passing options in free space to progress through the opposition defensive block.
If possible, get the ball to the player at the top of the diamond who will be making a run in-behind the opposition defensive line.
Patterns:
Pass to (LB); Triggers run of player at the top of the diamond in-behind defensive block. Player in left flank moves inward to open up forward run of left back and begin run in-behind.
Movements of (CMF); Triggers left sided forwards movement into left half space and receive pass from LCB.
Middle third patterns:
Making passing options between the lines
Figure 1. (CMF) initiating movement into left half space
(RCM) Demme drops into defensive line, drags Mainz player with him, splits CBs, (LCM) Laimer positions himself behind opposition first line. Initiates (LM) Nkunku to drop into left half space opens 2nd passing angle for (LCB) Upamecano to make a vertical pass between the lines. Nkunku then can play to Laimer who’s body positioning will allow him to make a pass into a forward against the defensive line.
Figure 2. Using decoy movements
(LM) Nkunku moves to left flank offering diagonal passing option to (LB) Halstenberg. (ST) Werner makes movement to deeper in left half space and drags a defender with him. He then makes a decoy movement away to open up space. (RM) Sabitzer recognizes opportunity and makes movement inside from opposite flank to offer vertical passing option.
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Middle third patterns:
Bypassing defensive block
Figure 3. Pass to (LB):
(LM) Forsberg moves inside left half space, invites (LB) Halstenberg to move into vacant space. (LB) Halstenberg receives pass from base of diamond (LCB) Upamecano. Player at top of diamond, (LM) Forsberg makes run in-behind defensive block to receive completely bypassing defensive block.
Attacking third:
Attacking vertically
Objective: Obtain space in the central areas by making overloads away from goal in the wide zones. Pull players out of position in-turn opening space to attack towards the goal vertically.
Players make rotational movements in diamond pattern to move opposition players around weakening the compactness and organization in defensive shape. The four of a diamond against most opposition will create numerical superiority in this zone of the pitch creating optimal ball movement between them. Player looks for pass back into a free player in the central zones.
Positioning of forwards pins back opposition defenders, can’t afford to press Leipzig deeper players without fear of creating space for forwards to move into. Allows deeper players to find forwards between the lines with time and space.
. Patterns:
Diamond in wide zones: Makes numerical superiority against opposition defenders, draw pressure, find free player in central zone to receive pass. Players make rotational movements.
(LCB) pass to (ST): Opposition forwards unable to press deeper central players due to forwards positions. Allows (LCB) to play with time and space to execute vertical pass between the lines to a (ST).
Attacking third patterns:
Wide overloads & attacking vertically
Figure 1. Playing vertically
Forward line pins opposition defensive block back. Forwards positioning creates 3v2 against CBs. (LCB) Upamecano receives pass in free space able to scan pitch and identify forward ready to receive pass between the lines. (ST) Poulsen plays a one touch pass to (ST) Werner while (RM) Sabitzer makes a blind side run behind the opposition defender to go through on goal receiving a one time pass from (ST) Werner.
Figure 2. Wide overloads and finding free man
Focus play moving the ball around the shape to then open space inside. Ball near forwards form diamond pattern, make rotational movements to pull and drag opposition players out of position. End with finding a free man in the central zones to then play vertically back inside.
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Attacking third patterns:
Pullbacks and knockdowns
Figure 3. Overlapping runs to create pullbacks
Player is isolated in 1v1 with ball, closest player makes overlapping run to receive ball and make cut back into the penalty area. If player from central zone, next closest player will make run into the vacant space.
Figure 4. Knockdowns to make shooting opportunities
(RCB) Ilsanker plays long pass to (ST) Schick, physical profile to play as target man. Gets ball to forwards with one pass bypassing the first two defensive lines. Makes knockdown to nearest forward, (LM) Nkunku to make shooting opportunity.
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Conclusion:
RB Leipzig 2019/20:
RB Leipzig’s 3-2-5 structure is a deep block killing machine. Producing the 2nd best xG90 in the league and 2nd most shots per 90. Only behind Bayern Munchen in both categories.
The tactical framework in place facilities using dynamic player movements in rotatations and passing sequences to open space in advantageous central zones to weaken the opposition defensive shape.
A fantastic player pool further supports the theme of dynamism as it allows for different sets of solutions to the same problems. Utilizing target men, ball-playing center backs and inverted forwards the team has it all to offer.