Moofar

My grinding, defense-first Rotherham club has managed to make it to the next round of Carling Cup play (last League 2 team left), and now has drawn Sheffield Wednesday.

With a Championship side, obviously the overall talent level is much better. Top to bottom, they are just a better club. The only systematic weakness that appears is that most (if not all, depending on who plays) of their midfield is mediocre to awful at aerial play, and the strikers are only marginally better. Many of them Like the Ball Played to Feet.

The question is how can I exploit that weakness tactically, particularly when overall I know I will have to play at best a Counter style if not pure Defense. I think my defensive system will hold up well, particularly because the cross shouldn't be as big a threat, but how can I make the most of this advantage in the midfield?

carlist

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WozzaWolves

Have a target man in the centre of midfield, who is good in the air and make your players send the ball to his head ;)

hicapaul

I think you'll nedd players with a high work rate and good heading ability. Set tempo to high and goalkeeper distribution to long and well as team passing. This should get the ball well up the field. If you add running lines to all of you midfielders, this will push then forward, adding to the forward line and pulling the opposition midfield out of position, as they try to follow you, leaving lots of space in the middle of the park. To avoid them getting the ball to feet, push your defence high up the pitch, this will give them less room to play about, but could leave space behind unless your team is good at playing offside

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Moofar

Good advice, thanks. In practice, the Rotherham roster isn't much better if at all, but it was still a relative weakness on SW's part.

Didn't try the defense further up the pitch (had already played), but that makes sense, esp. because their forwards are not that quick. I tried the running lines to midfielders. I think overall, it was the right approach, but not enough to offset all the areas of inferiority, lost a heartbreaker on an 83rd minute goal.