Derby County’s catenaccio
Derby County have experienced a torrid time in the top flight over the last few months and are on course for the lowest ever accumulation of points over a Premier League season. Relegation is virtually assured, but Paul Jewell must still endeavour to obtain as many good results as possible before the season’s end. A realistic target for Derby is to pick up six points, which would trump the previous lowest total, 15 - the sum of Sunderland’s efforts in 2005/06. This minor triumph will hardly take Derby into the summer in buoyant spirits, but it may assist them to regroup effectively before next season’s Championship campaign.
Derby performed creditably in their last fixture at home against Man Utd and were only beaten by a second-half goal from Cristiano Ronaldo. With Fulham and Reading still to play at home, Derby must be hopeful of procuring some points over the spring months. For these games at Pride Park, Jewell can deploy the 4-4-2 formation which functioned proficiently against Man Utd.
However, away points are also required to supplement any home gains. With just three draws on their travels this season, Jewell needs to scrutinize how he sets his Derby side for away fixtures. Derby must try to steal as many points as possible and this means shutting games down so that they don’t concede goals. They have leaked an average of 2.6 goals per game away from home; therefore, fairly drastic measures are required. For away games, starting with Middlesbrough this weekend, Jewell should set his side up with an ultra-defensive 5-4-1 formation. This approach is often referred to as catenaccio (’door bolt’) and is associated with defensive Italian football of the 1960s which was perfected by Inter Milan.
Three centre-backs are employed under 5-4-1 with full-backs situated either side of this triumvirate. Dean Leacock, Darren Moore and Andy Todd can take up the three central defensive positions. The combative Robbie Savage should sit the deepest of the midfield quartet as the key defensive shield. With Savage slightly withdrawn from the rest of the midfield this could be considered a 5-1-3-1 formation. Defensive duties will still be the primary focus for the more advanced midfielders and their hard running can help to close the game down. Mile Sterjovski started three games for Gus Hiddink’s highly organized Australian side in the 2006 World Cup, so is well equipped to make a positive contribution at right-midfield. Likewise, Eddie Lewis has featured in two World Cups for the USA at both left-back and left-midfield, so he has the capacity to help shut down the opposition on his flank. David Jones came up through the youth system at Man United and played well against his old side last weekend; he is handed the remaining midfield slot.
Jewell needs to be aware that the catenaccio approach may actually have some defensive shortcomings if faced with a five-man midfield. With resources focused on the back-line, 5-4-1 might allow the midfield to be overrun and thus opposition attacks are almost invited. This can be countered by enabling one of the centre-backs to push forwards into midfield when necessary: Andy Todd must therefore be briefed to join Savage at the base of midfield when additional help is required to impede burgeoning opposition manouevres. Todd has played for Derby in a defensive midfield position before, so is the most suitable candidate to take on this extra responsibility.
Although this system is designed to choke the game to a goalless conclusion, with a hard working midfield and Scottish international Kenny Miller up front, there is the possibility that Derby might nick a goal. Whilst 5-4-1 may appear excessively negative, it could actually provide Derby with their best chance of winning an away game this season.
Edward @ March 18, 2008
I fear that Luke Young could take advantage of such a formation by forcing Lewis onto the back foot and County into a lop-sided shape.
With the cumbersome Moore, cumbersome Todd and less than speedy Savage put together as a protective arrowhead (assuming Leacock will be covering Edworthy’s attempts to cover Sterjovski) there will be little difficulty in exploting the space left once this trio are sucked into following the immediate action. If Gazza Southgate has his attacking hat on I can see Aladiere timing his runs out of the traps to good effect and turning the Derby backline on many occasions.
Paul Jewell’s best chance of coming away with a point or three is to play a 4-2-3-1 formation using Lewis and Savage as the two in front of Ghaly, Leacock, Moore and McEveley. The three further on are Sterjovski, Jones and Pearson and the lone striker is Earnshaw.