The rule of three is that everything that comes as a trio is typically better or superior. Whether in art, architecture or literature, three is certainly a magic number, and now once again we see a rise of the three in football.
No, I am not talking about three up top, or across the middle, but instead I mean three at the back.
Three at the back is not a new concept in football and has been used over the years to varying success by any number of teams. However, in recent seasons we have rarely seen anything other than a flat back four in the Premier League but lately there have been at least two of the countries larger clubs making the tactical switch over their last few matches.
Both Manchester City and lately Liverpool have either made changes part the way through a match or from fixture to fixture from a consistent and regular four defenders in a line to three central defenders with wing backs – but why?
In Manchester City’s case it appears to be a method of becoming a more offensive team. After winning the league last year with an almost impenetrable defence lead by the imperious Kompany but with the rapier like incisive attacking from players like Silva and Aguero, Mancini now appears to be looking to both keep his side fresh and unpredictable but also control matches even more completely.
In their last match against Spurs and 0-1 down, Mancini needed to change the direction of their attacking play and pose fresh problems to a very well organised Tottenham side. Aside from bringing on Dzeko, Mancini made the brave decision to switch to three at the back and bring on Macion, who incidentally banished his demons from his Bale debacle several seasons ago, which then shifted the balance and exerted the telling pressure that brought him the victory.
Admittedly in other matches three at the back has brought Mancini criticism, even from his own player in the form of Micah Richards, but I personally will never castigate a manager from looking to influence a match through varying tactics, rather that than one who sits and does nothing other than moan to the chairman about a lack of funds or referees being unfair.
In Liverpool’s case the reasoning to switch to three at the back is potentially more interesting. Whilst Man City are doing it for clear and obvious reasons, Liverpool seem to be doing something a little different.
Brendan Rogers has made it clear that he intends for his Liverpool side to dominate possession. He also wants his team to regain possession quickly and defend with pressure. To do all of this he requires personnel in numbers high up the pitch as well as back in defence. In essence he wishes to replicate a version of Barcelona and to do this his team needs to be ultra compact and generally move together as a unit up and down and side to side over the grass.