What Can we Learn From Synergies?

I recently found an interview Xabi Alonso did 6 years ago, where he reflects on his playing career, highlights the importance of synergies, and argues that the ability to motivate and convince is the secret to being a great coach.

His comments align with my current interests in the sport and support earlier words I've been wanting to archive.

Xabi on Synergies

Xabi Alonso: "We almost won the league with La Real that sounds quite utopical, but it was because of creating synergies, a big inertia and everything was like that, rather than generated or trained automatisms."

When reflecting on his old team, Xabi says, "Kovacevic and Nihat understood each other perfectly well and that year was a miracle how well we worked and we almost won the league with La Real that sounds quite utopical, but it was because of creating synergies, a big inertia and everything was like that, rather than generated or trained automatisms. It was all ... eh ... instinctive, so to say ... But, when that comes, you have to take advantage of that...what to do so that [the synergy] has the best possible efficiency."

Xabi on Motivation

Here's what he had to say about motivation:

How to get the ideas to the players and how to convince. [This] for me is THE secret of being a great coach. Whoever knows how to have that clear and then how to make it reach the players, he has almost everything.

This aligns neatly with last week's assessment – more data points!

Moi on Synergies

We often discuss & analyze midfield partnerships (trios/duos) in isolation, but are they the most important synergies that form on the pitch?

I find it more useful scoping such relationships by zones & across different game phases. Here’s an example of how that might work:

We often discuss & analyze midfield partnerships (trios/duos) in isolation, but are they the most important synergies that form on the pitch?

I find it more useful scoping such relationships by zones & across different game phases. Here’s an example of how that might work: pic.twitter.com/veEkbNd0oz

— Joel A. A. (@joeladejola) June 1, 2023

For wide offensive synergy, we should be looking for:

• Underlaps/Overlaps
• Crossing (from wide + half space)
• Link up play & combinations
• 1v1 ability
• Ability to receive on the half turn

For central offensive synergy:

— Ability to receive under pressure
— (Third man) runs behind the backline
— Threaded passes or through balls
— Long shots
— Link up play & combinations

For central progressive synergy:

– Composure to recycle possession
– Anticipation to assess risk & read loose balls
– Athleticism to compete for 1st/2nd balls
– Range to execute switches
– Ability to break a line & find a vertical teammate
– Long shots

For central defensive synergy:

– Anticipation & initiative to coordinate the defensive line
– Marking opposition's front-men
– Breaking the first line with a carry
– Range to execute switches
– Defensive fundamentals in 1v1s
– Composure to control opposition punts (ala Colwill)

The composition of any midfield trio is very important. Primarily because one of them is part of every other synergy on the pitch.

We can't truly appreciate any combination, any tactic, without understanding the game model, and its roles across the different phases + synergies.

Archive from 6.1.23

Here is the full interview with Xabi, 'The sight of the holding midfielder.'

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