Graham Taylor's 4-4-2

TG_Taylor_4-4-2

[Graham Taylor originally in English]

00:03
[text screen:] GRAHAM TAYLOR 4-4-2 FORMATION
00:09
(6 secs)

00:10
[text screen:] MIDFIELD ROLES IN 4-4-2
00:15
(5 secs)

00:16
Taylor 1:
In the 4-4-2 formation, the two central midfield players are very important. Because if we want to play with width, and the ball is lost, these players can be stretched, they could be outnumbered, and so these two are very important. What is also important is that they do not both go forward at the same time. So you always have a situation whereby, if one goes forward, the other one has to stay back. In the game today you have other formations where coaches will pick a holding midfield player and he will stay there all of the time. In the 4-4-2 formation, you tend to change it: one will go forward and one will always stay. The two never go forward together, because you leave such a space between these players and the back four, if the ball is lost, then you leave your team open to quick counterattacks with lots of space for the opposition to play in. So those are very important players, and it is important that they know their roles and what is expected of them.
01:16
(60 secs)

01:17
[text screen:] THE IMPORTANCE OF PARTNERSHIPS IN A 4-4-2
01:23
(6 secs)

01:24
Taylor 2:
I think a key point on the roles of the two central midfield players, and through the whole spine of the team, are partnerships. You have a partnership that has to work between your front two and it is very important that they have an understanding, they share the workload, and that they know how to run what we call 'the channels', if they come in here to bring defenders out. But they have an equal amount of work and are aware what each other is doing. They know how to hold the ball up and bring midfield players into play.
01:55
(31 secs)

01:55
Taylor 3:
We have spoken about the partnership between the two central midfield players - where they should not go forward together, or perhaps they stay back. And of course in defence you could argue that key to any formation you play are these two centre backs. So you have these six people in here. And then you have another partnership here, with your full-back and your wide midfield player, or wingers as they used to be called. So you have got a partnership and understanding here, because there is nothing to stop the full-back coming forward. And if he comes forward, then the winger will protect him by taking his space.
02:31
(36 secs)

02:32
Taylor 4:
I would say within that 4-4-2 you can expand this idea even more - there will always be partnerships and understandings between back fours, for example, but that is the same in any formation if you are using. But here, what you have got is one, two, three, four, five partnerships, where the players have to understand one another. This will spread to in there or up there, but these are the vital ones, where each player has to know completely what the other player is likely to do.
03:00
(28 secs)

03:01
[text screen:] ARSENAL'S FLEXIBLE 4-4-2
03:06
(5 secs)

03:06
Taylor 5:
When I look back, when Arsène Wenger came to this country in 1996, he inherited a very strong competitive Arsenal side. But with that side he produced a team that did play 4-4-2, but was very flexible. Some would argue that the players who really gave them their flexibility were the front four, while their back six stayed in their positions and gave a strong base. They were difficult to get past, with a very good goalkeeper in David Seaman. So you could argue that the flexibility of the Arsenal side was just really these front four, with Ljungberg making diagonal forward runs.
03:49
(43 secs)

03:50
Taylor 6:
Then if you are an opposition full-back, and you are in this position, and Pires makes the run in there, what do you do..? Do you go with him, or do you let someone else deal with him? If you go with him, there is a massive space in here. Henry comes out into the space - does the centre back come with him? So if the centre back has him, and there is that kind of change in positions, then it is easy to say: stay where you are; we will not go out with him, we will stay where we are, so that if Pires does come in, this player will take him, and if Henry moves then he is covered too.... But it does not work like that. That sounds good, but it does not work like that. And therefore the movement of their front four causes a big problem.... you might suddenly also have Bergkamp dropping off back here.
04:32
(42 secs)

04:32
Taylor 7:
So you have got movement all over the place by their front four - and their opponents found it very difficult to handle it. And with their quick sharp passing and movement, Arsenal were a very good side. And I still feel that Wenger, to a degree, has changed the face of English football. When he came in 1996 nearly every team was playing 4-4-2, but we were playing a static game. I think Wenger has to be given great credit for his ideas with the movement of players and the flexibility of teams.
05:14
(42 secs)

(end)