Roberto De Zerbi is currently one of the most interesting and innovative coaches in
world football. Despite a relatively unremarkable CV, his Sassuolo team
have grown increasingly impressive during his tenure and sat second in Serie A after
six games played. And while his critics suggest his teams can’t defend and that
his attacking play is too intricate and showy, Sassuolo have nonetheless been very effective.
As The Athletic’s Serie A correspondent James Horncastle explains:
“It's a nonsense. There is always an aim behind the aesthetic at Sassuolo. De Zerbi's strategy
is holistic. Intricate build-up play, under pressure and in tight spaces should improve
a player’s technique, it encourages them to take responsibility, and when a move like this comes
off it boosts self-esteem. That's the multiplier effect at the core of De Zerbi's philosophy.”
What is especially interesting is what De Zerbi does differently to
what we might expect from teams playing his favoured system,
the 4-2-3-1, and the structure he was forced to employ against Napoli, the 3-4-3.
Sassuolo are a side who try to retain possession and make a lot of passes. According to Statsbomb,
they’ve made the most short passes in Serie A so far this season and the second most between
15 and 30 yards. And, only six teams have tried fewer long passes, or passes over 30 yards. This
style of football requires a lot of movement and ball rotation and this starts at the back.
In a ‘normal’ 4-2-3-1, one of the midfield pair generally drops in to offer a passing
option to the centre backs or keeper, while the full backs push high and offer width,
and the wide forwards tuck in. This creates a sort of staggered 3-4-3.
Sassuolo’s full backs do not. While they do play wide, they don’t advance high as part of
the build-up in their half, remaining closer to the centre-halves instead,
with the more advanced wide players providing width from the touchline.
Crucially, the midfield usually stay behind the opposition first line of defence.
Sassuolo actively invite the press in order to play through it,
rotating the ball through the defenders and using the goalkeeper, Andrea Consigli,
as an additional passing option, especially very deep.
This allows Sassuolo to progress the ball vertically to the midfield once
the opportunity arises, finding either Manuel Locatelli, the team’s hub, or Pedro Obiang
in the space between the lines. These two play unusually close together,
maximising the opportunity to find each other with safe passes should they received the ball.
This was also the case when Sassuolo used the 3-4-3,
with the back five creating a kind of empty box shape in possession to allow the midfield to stay
up, although on occasion Locatelli would drop in if the side were struggling to progress the ball.
Sassuolo’s passing, especially the wall passes effected when the centre back
passes to a midfielder, who then passes to the other centre back,
is able to shift the opposition and open spaces. Once the midfield are in space,
they can then spread the ball wide and bring the wingers into play.
Sassuolo are a wide attacking team, with the attacking midfielder,
usually Filip Duricic, and the prolific centre forward, Francesco Caputo, looking to hit the
box from deep as much as possible rather than holding the ball up and playing others in.
However, they are not a crossing side. Despite developing their attacks from wide,
in the final third they are most proficient when working the ball
into the area through a series of quick passes and runs in behind defenders.
Again, according to Statsbomb, only four sides have made fewer completed crosses
into the penalty area than Sassuolo, and all four make considerably fewer passes anyway.
While the wingers stay wide, this is to stretch the opposition and allow them to receive the
ball in space, or create space centrally if a defender is dragged over. Either way, the
wingers will then look to play it back into the midfielders, who advance, or to Duricic or Caputo.
Once Sassuolo have established themselves in the opposition half this way, they try to play
quickly through and across, using the passing options afforded by a kind of staggered 2-3-5
shape to get in behind the opposition. The skill and dynamism of the wide players,
Jeremie Boga and Domenico Berardi is crucial here, as are the runs of Duricic and Caputo.
This is the technical intricacy and build-up in tight spaces referred to by James Horncastle.
Sassuolo are probably the most tactically and technically exciting side in Italy after Atalanta.
There are vulnerabilities, as this commitment to attacking football
can allow them to be countered. But for a side without many star names,
Locatelli and Berardi aside – even Caputo is still underappreciated, despite his 21
goals last season – Sassuolo under De Zerbi are innovative, exciting and – crucially - successful.