The Virtue of Patience – A Play in Nine Acts

By: phil | December 13th, 2011

For the last two installments of our patented stop-motion photo analysis, we pointed out errors or shortcomings in FC Bayern’s tactical approach, so it’s only fair we give credit where credit is due. Although FC Bayern didn’t look brilliant in every facet of the game this past Sunday, they did enough to scratch out a 2-1 victory, on the road against a solid Stuttgart club. With a deserved one-man advantage, Bayern had controlled the majority of the possession during the end of the first half and the beginning of the second, but Stuttgart was still clinging to the draw as we approached the one-hour mark.

We pick it up towards the end of the 56^th minute. Tymo blasted a shot that was well-blocked by a Stuttgart defender, with the ball taking a ricochet back out to Kroos (he’s in the black gloves):

Now as soon as he corrals the ball, Kroos can see an obvious move – slip the ball into Lahm, who’s downfield by 6 yards and just on the edge of the box. But, Kroos can also see a Stuttgart player (I believe that’s Tasci?) sort of between him and Lahm. This requires a deceptively complex bit of patience from Kroos – if he knocks it right into Lahm, the defender will either be able to touch it away, or at least be right on Lahm’s hip when he receives it. Instead, Kroos takes a half dribble forward, and forces the defender to play the ball:

Here, the ^ defender right in from of Lahm has to pause and turn towards the ball (that’s him with his legs extended). Even though he knows there’s a good chance the ball is going into Lahm, the extra half-dribble means he has to respect the possibility that Kroos could carve out space and shoot it himself. From another angle, you can see how the defender got turned around by being forced to take away the Kroos shot:

So then, Toni can simply slide the ball in behind him:

And we’re in business. Lahm takes one further dribble towards the end line and draws the CB over towards him:

This is where you earn your captain’s arm-band. Philipp does not have a single goal in Bundesliga play this year, and you know he’s tempted to blast a shot from this position. In fact, looking at it from another angle, you might forgive him for doing so:

Wouldn’t be ^ a terrible shot, and clearly the Stuttgart defenders are all playing the shot. But Lahm is the consummate pro, and he immediately knows where the highest percentage play is – squaring the ball across to Gomez:

Caught the two CBs completely off guard. From a different angle, you can see the Stuttgart players racing over to cut off Lahm, leaving the middle of the area wide open:

Unselfish play is the hallmark of winning teams. Even against a lesser opponent, you’re far less likely to score goals if everyone wants to be the shooter. In fact, maybe ESPECIALLY against a lesser opponent, because it’s easier for a team that’s going negative / all-defense to shut down a club full of selfish stars. But if everyone can pass the ball, everyone is always looking for the open man, and no one is worried that they aren’t getting “their” shots, you become a team that’s much harder to defend. This is doubly true if you show a bit of patience and wait for the defense to chase the ball – gaps will open up as the defenders desperately try to shuffle.

From this point, it’s a simple knock-in for one of the world’s premier “simple knock-in” guys. So this next shot is what the guys at Free Darko would call a “sand dollar” – irrelevant, though not unpleasant: