Recall from previous visits to the Soccer Den that three basic principles distinguish Vanney-Ball from other systems. The sequence leading up to the first goal against San Jose illustrates all three principles.
The defensive principle: Every member of the team must be aware of their defensive responsibilities at all times while defending and attacking. Vanney-Ball defense depends upon the entire team cohesively moving and constantly communicating.
As Matt Doyle points out in his analysis of the first Galaxy goal, Miki Yamane does not behave like a typical right-back bombing upfield into attack. Instead, he takes up a position to cover goal-dangerous space in case the possession game breaks down. Notice also Mark Delgado takes up a position in the middle that serves a defensive and ultimately an offensive purpose. If the opposing defense cuts out a long pass, he can break up anything that comes through the middle.
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High tempo passing and movement: The possession game depends upon high tempo passing, combined with movement off the ball, that forces defenders to continuously adjust their position to protect goal-dangerous spaces. Defenders cannot cover as much space when they must constantly adjust their feet. Effective possession produces line-splitting passes and overloads in the midfield and final third. In the same video above, notice the line-splitting pass to Mark Delgado that he turns wide to Joseph Paintsil. The high tempo of the pass sends the entire San Jose defense toward their own goal.
Runs behind the defense: Vanney-ball involves well-timed and shaped runs behind the opposing defenders that open up space between the lines in the midfield and attacking zones. When a player running behind the defense receives a pass, the entire team must move forward while keeping their defensive balance so additional players can join the attack. The best Vanney-ball counterattacks come in waves as players are continuously added to create overloads.
Even with the ball in his possession, Paintsil does not attack the defender in front of him because if he loses possession, he will leave the defensive space behind him unprotected. However, Edwin Cerrillo and Riqui Piug provide cover for Delgado who recognizes the opportunity to run in behind the defense. Notice the timing and shape of the run designed to create an overload with Paintsil.
The pass to Delgado forces the defense to move toward him. Paintsil immediately attacks the space vacated by Delgado. Yamane has already provided cover, with Puig arriving close behind. If Paintsil had not zipped a curler into the left side of the net with his off foot, a second wave of Galaxy attackers would arrive against a completely disorganized defense.
The entire sequence encapsulates Vanney-ball in a nutshell. Yamane held position when the Galaxy had possession in the defensive third. Delgado took up a position to facilitate the offense and cover the middle. When the ball came to him, he immediately cycled it to a player in open space. Paintsil resisted the urge to attack the defender one on one. Delgado recognized the arrival of defensive cover and made a well timed a run to create an overload. The Galaxy style of play is very different than most MLS teams emphasizing transition.
The Independent Review Panel made perhaps the most important decision of the week for the Galaxy when they rescinded Delgado’s second yellow. Everything good the Galaxy did involved the midfielder. The plaudits will go to Paintsil, but Delgado held the keys to unlock the Ghanaian rocket. MD covered more ground, connected more productive passes, and involved himself in more positive defensive and offensive plays than any player on either team. Vanney-ball runs through his bloodstream and oozes out his pores.
Kudos should also be directed to Will Kuntz and the scouting department. Paintil’s left-footed missile into the far post corner hearkens back to Landon Donovan. The assist to Dejan Jovelic reveals world-class soccer intelligence. As he received the ball behind the defense, he did not accelerate like most attackers. Instead, he cruised at a pace that kept the defenders scrambling, allowing Jovelic to join him.
Notice the touch just before the pass. Rather than cutting his run across the defender as good attackers generally do, he took the ball a bit wider, forcing the defenders to adjust their feet. The perfectly weighted pass left the hapless defenders in a heap and the keeper out of position. With the ball in his stride Jovelic hammered it into the roof of the net.
The play also illustrates the role of the number nine in Vanney-ball. The system rewards combination play off the center forward rather than traditional hold-up play. Delgado and Jovelic executed the principle to perfection. The give-and-go opened a window for Delgado to play defense destroying pass to Paintsil. Jovelic peeled off and stayed slightly behind the Ghanaian, aligning himself in perfect striking position just inside the far post.
Meanwhile, the Earthquakes largely avoided attacking against the right side of the Galaxy defense, preferring to expose Julian Aude and Martin Caceres rather than Maya Yoshida and Yamane. Whereas Yamane maintains his position facing the opponent, pushing them away from the goal, Aude found himself chasing back toward his own goal line, resulting in an unhealthy ten corner kicks conceded. He will need to improve his coordination with fellow defenders and read the game more quickly.
Gabriel Pec clearly needs time to adjust to the radical difference between Vanney-ball and the fluid relational system at Vasco De Gama. For long stretches, he seemed lost with the swirl of movement around him. He displayed his quality with a dangerous shot on goal, but he will most likely spell Diego Fagundez or Paintsil for the next several games until he adjusts to the style of play. His half-hearted effort to close down a cross led to the only San Jose goal.
With a congested schedule and stop start season ahead, Vanney must integrate as many players as possible into the team. As Gaston Brugman recovers from his surgery he should be able spell Delgado. John Nelson solidified the Galaxy left as they closed out the game, but he does not possess Aude’s passing skills.
This article did not focus much on Riqui Puig, who contributed continuously by breaking pressure, raking sixty yard passes and moving defenders about. He scored by arriving late in the box after a lung busting fifty yard gallop to tag a beautiful cut back from Jovelic. Still he and Jovelic struggle to click as the following clip illustrates.
When a San Jose defender pops Puig’s cross field pass into the air, he collides with Jovelic trying to get it back. When Paintsil receives the ball in a wide position, he looks for Puig at the top of the box, but he gives up on the play. Though Jovelic later rewarded the Spaniard, they don’t see the game the same way. How good the 2024 Galaxy can be will depend on whether Vanney can help them figure it out and how well the squad can integrate into the system.