Do High-Press Tactics Become Impractical For Sides In Europe Later In The Season?

In a perfect world, every player would be able to give their absolute all for the full 90 minutes every single time they step onto the pitch. Not only that, but the manager would always be able toThere are occasions when we here at ReadyBetGo want to bring you interesting facts about the gambling industry  When something catches our eye, we will publish it for your enjoyment. 
  choose from a complete squad and would typically select his strongest starting XI for the entire season. Unfortunately for those in charge of structuring the teamsheet, we do not live in a perfect world. With this in mind, we’re going to take a look at the practical limitations of intense high-press tactics. 

Does The High-Press Actually Work In The First Place? 

Yes, anyone who has looked at the achievements of Klopp’s Liverpool, not to mention his Dortmund side, when they were at their best, will be left in no doubt. The issue, however, is that if you review Klopp’s Premier League record, there appears to be a cycle of optimal performance one season followed by something of a drop-off in results the next. Many analysts put this down to the physical demands of pressing high up the pitch and the need for everyone to be in peak physical condition for the entire season. 

More Games & European Runs Mean More Miles In The Legs

Statistics show that when the three forwards are leading the press from the front, they each average between 9 and 11 rapid movements per game. This is in addition to the sprints and surging runs that they carry out as part of their offensive duties. The modern player may be fitter than ever, and pressing will get them even fitter, but hamstrings still get pulled and thigh muscles still fail. This becomes a bigger problem after the winter break when deep runs in Europe, not to mention the FA Cup, lead to serious fixture congestion for the top sides in the Premier League. 

Signs The Press Is No Longer Working Need To Be Monitored

Injuries to the most effective pressing players on the frontline are an obvious and easy thing to monitor, but there is another key metric that tells us a lot more: long balls. When the opposition starts firing long balls into the final third of the pitch, it isn’t actually the sign of desperation that many casually assume. Not all teams and tactics have to be built around keeping the ball on the deck, especially when there is a quick and reliable way to negate something the opposition is doing. Pressing teams who begin to fall victim to long balls are typically tiring, not closing the defenders down quite fast enough, and being dominated. Combining long ball data with live odds on sites like LV BET allows statisticians to test their theories during a game. 

Layered Pressing For A More Strategic Use Of Energy 

There are times in a game where a high press is still a good option in the latter stages of the season. Starting an away game against a fellow title contender and attempting to rattle them in the first 15 minutes is a prime example. As the game continues, pressing teams often adopt a layered approach in which they switch between a high line and dropping back into a more static mid-level block. It’s this ability to conserve explosive energy and bring the press out when a shift in momentum is most needed that represents the smart approach to game management.