Blog: A tactical assessment of Marcelino's Villarreal
Ahead of tonight's Europa League meeting with Villarreal, guest writer Paul Wilkes provides a tactical explanation of what Liverpool can expect at El Madrigal.
Marcelino’s side share a number of similarities with the Villarreal team which was so successful under Manuel Pellegrini. The 4-4-2 formation has been retained, although their style is a little more direct than with the Chilean coach at the helm.
Villarreal have the third-best defence in La Liga, and the centre-back partnership of Eric Bailly and Victor Ruiz enables the team to not only be solid but able to distribute the ball out from the back comfortably.
Captain Bruno is the only survivor from the five-year period that saw ‘The Yellow Submarine’ achieve a second-placed La Liga finish and a Champions League semi-final. The 31-year-old central midfielder’s positioning is excellent as he attempts to intercept passes from the opposition.
Their full-backs push forward but rarely venture past the opposing team’s penalty area, while the wide players roam laterally into the centre of the pitch. This enables them to find space between the defence and midfield, then without possession they aren’t outnumbered when facing three-man midfields.
Former Manchester City youngster Denis Suarez is particularly adept at the movement, along with key passes into the strikers from the position. He’s the only winger in the squad to have started more than 20 league games, with Samu Castillejo, Samuel, Jonathan dos Santos and Nahuel all rotated regularly.
Villarreal don’t create that many chances, as they work as a unit in order to be difficult to beat. They have the lowest shot-per-game ratio in the whole of Spain’s top flight.
At El Madrigal they have a number of attacking options available to them including the on-loan pairing of Leo Baptistao and Adrian Lopez. However, the front two of Roberto Soldado and Cedric Bakambu have established themselves as a decent combination in recent months.
Soldado has reinvented himself as more of creator than a finisher, with eight assists in the league this season. The former Tottenham Hotspur striker endured a miserable time in the Barclays Premier League, but his runs into the channels allow him the opportunity to link up with Bakambu.
The Congolese forward is the second-highest scorer in this season’s Europa League. His dribbling technique and finishing ability has given him 12 goals in 21 league starts since he made the move from Turkish club Bursaspor.
For more from Paul, follow @paulwilkesfooty.