asymmetrical structures place these responses under stress, as the

opposition players are in unfamiliar positions.

When Ajax met Tottenham recently they resembled a 2-3-5 shape. It gave
Tottenham problems for large portions of the game. Tottenham struggled to
cope with the unfamiliarity of the positioning of certain players. Any delay in
decision making at the top level of football can have huge effects. Therefore
by bringing forth an unfamiliar structure, a team can increase these moments
of delay. Consequently, these moments can lead to gaps in the opposition.
These gaps can then be exploited for ball circulation, penetration and chance
creation.

Aj
ax’s unusual 2-3-5 against Tottenham.

Disadvantages
Whilst asymmetrical and unnatural structures have many inherent
advantages, they also come with some disadvantages. As unnatural as these
structures are for the opposition, they are similarly unnatural for the team
implementing them. Therefore it takes a huge amount of expertise as a
manager to implement these structures. The difficulty is often not creating
the structures, but rather getting your player to be in the right place at the
right time. Thus it can take a long amount of time for players to learn and
adapt to the new system. As we know in football, most managers aren’t
afforded much time.

The unnatural form of these systems means that it takes a huge amount of
detail to form them. Often this detail will come by way of player cues and
instructions. A manager must be wary of the effect of over-complicating the
game. This can have disastrous effects on certain players. In particular,
players who enjoy playing off the cuff. One such player would be Eden
Hazard. Therefore it is key to use simple, concise and clear instructions for
players.

Finally, as in most of football, the quality of players is absolutely fundamental

to a complex yet functioning system. Better players can take on more
instructions. The ability of a player like Bernando Silva cannot be
underestimated. Cognitively he is able to recognise both offensive and
defensive moments and how to react. This means remembering and
implementing exactly the instructions of the coach for both phases. He can do
this whilst maintaining his all round general play. He is not affected by the
complexity of the instructions given by his manager.

Furthermore, higher quality players can fulfil multiples roles in complex

systems and therefore aid its successfulness. Kyle Walker is an example of
this. He has the speed to play both as a full-back and centre-back in various
moments of the game. The same could be said for a player such as Firmino,
who is excellent both offensively and defensively.

Conclusion
Through this tactical analysis we have seen that asymmetrical and atypical
football systems are common in football. Many coaches employ them due to
their ability to disrupt the opposition. They also use them to emphasise their
own strengths and hide their weaknesses. However, it takes an extremely
competent set of players. Furthermore, a skilled management team is needed
in order to implement such structures.