All this recent focus on how teams tactically neutralising Barcelona is also insightful on how teams like T&T can and SHOULD play when we visit Central America. In the case of Mexico and Costa Rica especially, doesnt matter if is home or away, we have seen exactly how to play teams that will control the ball against us...
First of all, all the love the world has for Barca because of their silky possession football, this style s not for everyone, Trinidad and Tobago included. Its just not our style to play like that. We like to watch it on tv, but we are incapable of playing like that. We do not have the discipline nor technique to play that kinda football. The Latin Americans (following Spain too) realise that they are inferior physically to the north americans and caribbean countries, hence that their style of controlling the ball with more technique and less touch passing. Trinidad is a lot more like Germany or England in terms of approach, we rely on individual strength a lot.
If any team in world football sets a defense like what Chelsea did yesterday, T&T will have no clue what to do. We do not have the patience or discipline to play in a compressed offensive half (akin to half court sets in basketball) against a set defense. Instead we rely on an open running game to ketch teams on the counter to beat them.
But what Chelsea and madrid show is how to neutralise a team that will always have the ball more than us and have better players technically than us. Having the actual players of the quality to carry his gameplan through is another question. But at least its a plan to aspire toward.
With regard to the counter attacking perspective, we have that naturally with them speedy gonzales players we always produce (the finishing quality is a different matter though).
Whenever T&T play top concacaf teams, we always look like he hanging on, chasing the game, one play from getting a red card, and one play from getting scored on. The Chelsea and Madrid displays should be the benchmark we aspire to play when in Central America.
At the end of the day, you cannot lose if you do not concede.
Against Mexico, we will never control the ball, and they will always attempt to pull us out and open us up. One big difference between Mexico and Barcelona though is Barca's inability to shoot with quality from outside the box, while that is second nature for Mexico. This adds another complexity to how you stifle them.
Beenhakker was the only coach who came closest to instilling this sort of tactical play for T&T. One little aside is that leo Beenhakker won La Liga 3 years in a row with Madrid in the late 80's, therefore it is not surprising he has the know how to get it done and bring success to moderate teams like T&T. With a bit of luck, we could have picked points off both Sweden and England. Thats what a $50,000USD a month coach vs local gives you.
Thats what Beenhakker vs Sweden (0-0) gives you compared to BSC who tried to take on Mexico and lost 0-4 in the Gold Cup.
I hope Cornmeal, Eve et al taking note, if not we will continue to be like Man Utd and trying to take on Barca in the wrong way and getting cutarse. In our case we will not be losing tournament finals, we will just continue to be the beating boys in WCQ's and Gold Cups.