Sporting want to defend high up the pitch. Their coach says that when they dropped deeper at Braga, Braga got near their goal and scored from their only shot.
“Não queríamos isso, fomos conseguindo manter esse bloco alto e, quando baixámos, o Braga andou uma ou outra vez perto da nossa baliza e, no único remate que tem, acaba por fazer golo.”We didn't want that; we managed to keep that high block, and when we dropped deeper Braga got near our goal once or twice and scored from the only shot they had. our translation
Sporting play fast and direct, not patiently.
“Güncel taktik veriler de bu 4-2-3-1 tabanını, yüksek tempolu ve dikine bir oyun anlayışıyla tarif ediyor.”The latest tactical data also describe this 4-2-3-1 base as a high-tempo, direct style of play. our translation
Their playmaker starts in the middle but keeps sliding over to the left and cutting inside. That is deliberate: it clears the touchline for the left-back Maxi Araújo to charge past him.
“Explicando a geometria da equipa: o charrua começou por se fixar na posição 10, mas tem derivado com frequência para a esquerda, trocando de posicionamento com Flávio Gonçalves e realizando movimentações interiores para abrir a ala às investidas de Maxi Araújo.”Explaining the team's geometry: the Uruguayan started out fixed in the number 10 position, but has frequently been drifting to the left, swapping positions with Flávio Gonçalves and making inside runs to open up the flank for Maxi Araújo's raids. our translation
This is a much-changed, much younger side than the one that won the league. Expect real quality in patches and then spells where they simply lose the thread.
“O treinador entende que a quebra exibicional do médio se insere nas «dores de crescimento» de um coletivo que sofreu profundas remodelações de uma época para a outra, vendo a sua média de idades descer consideravelmente.”The coach sees the midfielder's dip in form as part of the growing pains of a side that has been deeply remodelled from one season to the next, with its average age falling considerably. our translation
They press hard, but it fades. As the game wears on, especially for their playmaker, the whole team stops closing people down and you get time on the ball.
“O Zalazar também caiu bastante em termos físicos e deixámos de ser tão pressionantes.”Zalazar also dropped off a lot physically, and we stopped being so aggressive in the press. our translation
Sporting press high, keep the ball with short passes, and go quickly when they win it back.
“Ao mesmo tempo, o treinador pretende manter a identidade de jogo do Sporting, baseada na pressão alta, no futebol apoiado e nas transições rápidas, acrescentando apenas maior robustez ao setor intermédio.”At the same time, the coach wants to keep Sporting's identity, built on a high press, short passing play and fast transitions, only adding more muscle in midfield. our translation