For all of Jose Mourinho's bluster and histrionics, he
couldn't deliver a Champions League trophy to Madrid. So which other manager
has won 2 champions leagues this past decade? Step forth, Carlo Ancelotti.
Ancelotti is as different from Mourinho as can be. A rather
modest presence and arguably the most successful coach in European competition
this century. This feature endeavours to provide an insight into his tactics
and what little we can glean about what to expect at Real Madrid.
The one major difference however when compared to Mourinho
is his successful career as a profession footballer. To be a contemporary of
Gullit, Baresi, Van Basten and also a favourite of a certain Arrigo Sacchi
would indicate a certain level of inherent tactical nous. His goal in Milan's
5-0 thrashing of Real Madrid in 1989 was indicative of the fantastic ability he
possessed. Good at shooting and comfortable in possession.
He started his managerial career in Italy by getting Reggiana
promoted to Serie A and moved on to a hugely talented Parma side after. His
tactics? a Sachi-esque 4-4-2 with an obsessive penchant for positional
discipline. A runner up place was
followed by a fifth place finish. Soon after, he moved to Lippi's rather
succesful Juventus and finished runner
up twice. He rather famously missed out the opportunity to sign The Divine
Ponytail or Roberto Di Baggio because of his adherence to the system at Parma.
At Juventus, however he deployed a 3-4-1-2 that allowed Zidane the freedom that
would have been unthinkable in a 4-4-2.
His old club Milan beckoned and in 2001, he took on the
mantle there. he began his reign at a disjointed Milan team with a 4-3-2-1 and
when criticized publicly by Berlusconi of his defensive nature, he switched to
a 4-3-1-2. Strikers in the early part of the decade were still primarily goal
poachers rather than all round players who could create a bit too. This
criticism is however responsible for the coming to fore of the regista role.
Andrea Pirlo was a trequartista for the Italy u-21 side then and was
transferred in from Inter where he had failed to break into the first team.
At Brescia, his parent club, he had been deployed in a
creative role at the base of midfield because of Di Baggio playing a 10.
Ancelotti did the same and the modern regista was born. A deep lying playmaker,
providing creativity from the base of midfield. Ancelotti's Milan side is
lauded as one of the finest of the decade and it's most notable feature is the
CL success in 2003 and 2007, and if Liverpool hadn't come back from the dead,
there could have been one more.
This side was arguably a complete reversal from his initial
adherence to his system when starting out as a manager. The team managed to
pack in three or four gifted playmakers at a time with names such as Kaka,
Pirlo, Seedorf, Rui Costa supported by more functional players such as Gattuso
and Ambrosini. See the problem? there's no genuine width there. Cafu's tireless
running complemented by the occasional drifting out from the midfield or
forward players provided whatever smattering of width could be found. Kaka was
later pushed up to a striking role with their CL 2007 win standing as the
pinnacle of this team. However, despite being probably the best team in European
Competition, he managed just one Serie A title at Milan.
His time at Chelsea despite doing the double was fraught
with formational experiments from 4-3-3 to a 4-3-1-2 and it could be said that
it was a team that relied more on gifted individuals rather than a solid
tactical base. Finishing second was enough for him to be fired and nouveau
riche PSG beckoned. His PSG team was again a mass of gifted individuals that
had to be shoehorned in the same system. To the best of my knowledge, he has
employed a 4-3-2-1 and a 4-4-2 most notably in the CL tie against Barcelona.
At Madrid, there is a good chance that he will continue with
Mourinho's 4-2-3-1 and adapt as he deems fit. An interesting thing here is to note that the fact that Ancelotti hasn't played in a 4-2-3-1 very often so it will be interesting to see if he finally deploys it. It is known that he had wanted
Modric at PSG and he could be expected to take on a more prominent role. At
whose expense? Khedira is arguably the most capable of being a midfield
enforcer. Alonso is as pure a regista as could be. Also, with the signing of
Isco, Ancelotti finds himself surrounded by gifted midfielders. So who does he
leave out?
Isco, Ozil, Alonso, Khedira, Modric will all believe that
they have chances of making the starting midfield. Ancelotti could however go
one step further and introduce a 4-3-1-2 or a 4-3-2-1. The issues with these
formations is that they compromise width. Marcelo/Coentrao and Carvajal/Arbeloa
will be tasked with a massive workload. Ronaldo would have to play more
centrally though and Angel Di Maria along with Callejon could find themselves
having not much of a part to play in such a formation.
The transfer window has just started however and Madrid's
pursuit of Bale may well be successful. To fit in Bale and Ronaldo is to play a
4-2-3-1 and Ancelotti may continue with Mourinho's system. If Bale does arrive,
Callejon and Di Maria will suffer, again. One important thing to note here is
the simple fact that he is a mild mannered, modest manager who is influenced by
opinions. Expect Casillas to be handed his starting place back. Also, Ramos's
occasional positional indiscipline and impetuousness is something that
Ancelotti will not overlook as easily as Mourinho did. Combined with the more
explosive Pepe, they both are not sure-fire starters. Varane should continue
along with one of the two and expect Raul Albiol to be given a few chances too.
Ramos could return to right back but with Arbeloa and Carvajal as competition,
it isn't very likely.
I daresay that he will stumble around a bit for his perfect
formation and if he doesn't find it quickly, it could be a problem. On the
other hand, the midfield mastery that is the hallmark of most of his teams is a
welcome attribute in La Liga with the burgeoning numbers of talented Spanish
players and incredibly techincal midfields. His calm personality and good
relationships with his players could play an important factor. When Ibrahimovic
says that Ancelotti is the best he's worked under, you suspect that the prima
donnas at Real will agree.
