Burnley Vs Norwich (1/21)
Score: 1 - 0
xG: 1.71 - 0.90
Possession (%): 61 - 39
● Ineffective Norwich press. (10)
● Inability to progress through Burnley's press. (11-15)
● Norwich's mid-game formation change. (16-18)
● Why Burnley dominated. (20)
Formations: (2/21)
• Both teams set up in a 4-2-3-1 base formation.
• In possession:
-> Norwich initially became a 2-4-1-3.
-> Burnley became a 2-3-1-4.
• Out of possession defending in their defensive 3rd:
-> Norwich initially became a 4-4-1-1.
-> Burnley became a 4-4-2.
(3/21)
• It was immediately clear Burnley were going to dominate the ball and Norwich were going to try to be tough to play through.
• In the attacking 3rd Norwich had a relatively aggressive press, but when Burnley were in the midfield 3rd the Norwich press became more gentle.
(4/21)
• Burnley were set up well in possession, in a 2-3-1-4.
• Cork became the single pivot and Brownhill moved into another vertical line after helping in the build up.
• This forms a staggered midfield which creates passing options.
• Rodriguez would often drop behind Tella in a false 9 position, this created another passing angle.
(5/21)
• In the build up Burnley's FBs would remain on the same horizontal line as Cork.
• This created an outball when Cork or the CBs were under pressure.
(6/21)
• Burnley's shape created wide triangles through which they could bypass the ineffective Norwich press.
• This was especially important considering Norwich's horizontal compactness as Burnley were able to play around Norwich.
(7/21)
• The Burnley wingers, Zaroury and Gudmundsson, stayed wide on both touchlines to stretch the Norwich back line.
• Their width allowed the FBs to move inside into the half spaces to underlap the wingers.
• When the wingers moved into the half spaces, the FBs would overlap.
(8/21)
• Zaroury's width meant he was isolated in a 1v1 with Aarons.
• This created qualitative superiority as Zaroury often found a way to play into the box with a pass or a carry despite being marked by Aarons.
(9/21)
• Brownhill was also used to create an underlap between Aarons and Tomkinson.
• The trigger for this was Aarons pressing Zaroury out wide as it created space to run into.
(10/21)
• When out of possession Norwich were unable to win it back fast enough.
• Pukki's press was ineffective due to the numerical superiority of the Burnley CBs (2v1) and the easy out-ball to the FBs.
(11/21)
• When Norwich did win the ball they struggled to find a way through Burnley, who were set up well.
• Burnley's pressing triggers were loose passes or sideways passes between CBs.
(12/21)
• Burnley did well to block passing options through the lines, this was thanks to what's called 'cover shadowing'.
• This is where pressing players are able to block passing options behind them (in their shadow).
(13/21)
• Norwich's FBs started far too high in the build up, this gave the CBs and the double pivot no out-ball.
• It also led to a lack of wide triangles through which Norwich could have progressed.
(14/21)
• A combination of Burnley's cover shadowing, Norwich's high FBs and a lack of movement meant Norwich were unable to play through Burnley's press.
• Instead, Norwich often resorted to passing back to Gunn who would go long.
• This was an attempt to play over Burnley's press rather than through it.
(15/21)
• Hayden or Nunez would sometimes drop between the CBs and the FBs to fill the gaps left by the high FBs.
• However this doesn't create much attacking potential due to the lack of passing options.
• This move is also easier to press using the touchlines as traps.
(16/21)
• Eventually, Norwich changed from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 (4-5-1 in the defensive 3rd).
• This partially fixed Norwich's failing press and created an extra passing option.
(17/21)
• In their new shape (out of possession) Norwich created a pressing diamond, with Hayden just infront of Nunez and Sara.
• In this position Hayden was ready to challenge Cork as soon as he recieved the ball.
(18/21)
• Dropping Sara into a deeper position to the left of Hayden also allowed Norwich to trap the Burnley FBs against the touchline.
• This made it harder for Burnley in possession.
(19/21)
• Aarons was starting to cope with Zaroury with the help of Sargent.
• However Burnley started to switch the play with longer passes to Zaroury who was now isolated again with Aarons.
Summary: (20/21)
• Norwich were ineffective both in and out of possession, Burnley were effective in both.
• Burnley were able to invite pressure before playing around or through the press, Norwich invited pressure and had no way of playing through it so were forced to go long from Gunn.
(21/21)
• Norwich's horizontal and vertical compactness made it hard for Burnley to easily break them down.
• But the failing press gave Burnley unlimited time on the ball to find ways to create chances.
• Norwich's build up play is still very poor due to their failure to create passing angles when in possession.