As a coach you have to approach every game differently because of your opposition and the players available to you.  In effect there are two basic set-ups you need to master.  Your team as the more skilful side and of course on the other hand – you as the underdog.
For example, this week we saw the Champions’ League group match between Celtic and Manchester United.  If you look at the Scottish Premier League Celtic are top of the table and flying.  However, on Wednesday night they played the champions of Europe, at Celtic Park, in a game they had to win.
Because of the superior quality of the players in the United side Gordon Strachan’s whole tactical approach would have been to contain and frustrate United by 1 being absolutely committed and working harder than Manchester United and 2 keeping a solid shape making sure that United didn’t get in behind into dangerous crossing positions.
This means getting tight to the likes of Ronaldo and Rooney – being all over them like a rash and not letting them isolate defenders.  You have to support each other in numbers and especially with Ronaldo you have to drive him inside into your strength in numbers.
Basically you have to concede areas of the field.  You cannot close down too high up the pitch otherwise you get “picked off” so Celtic formed a tight unit in their defensive third of the field and showed Ronaldo inside where it was more congested.
Celtic players were definitely under the orders that man and ball wouldn’t pass!  And on numerous occasions Ronaldo was fouled before he could get in his stride.
Going into the last ten minutes with Celtic leading by a goal Strachan’s game plan of containing and frustrating was working.  If the Portuguese wizard had been sent off for lashing out at his defender – who was doing his job and was all over him like a cheap suit – then he wouldn’t have been able to hit the incredible dipping swerving shot that led to United’s equaliser a couple of minutes later.
From then on there was only one side in it with Celtic clinging on and Berbatov should have won it in the dying seconds.
The reason why I highlight this is because often on TV you’ll hear pundits talk about it being a game of tactical chess and as we’ve seen with Pulis at Stoke or Benetiz at Liverpool they set their teams out to win games and if they happen to entertain that’s a by-product.
As painful as it is winning is paramount and if you ask any fan they’ll say “don’t care we won”.  As a coach you’ll be loved for winning and sacked for playing good losing football.
What I’m saying is: as the coach even with an inferior side you can win games and that is always justified if you get the desired result.  It is your responsibility to choose the tactics to suit the game and this will depend on who you’re playing and how your team is playing.
There is always a balance between playing entertaining football and winning.  As a coach you’ve got to be brave and prepared to experiment.  To recap there are two styles for you to work on in the coming weeks – you as the better footballing side and you as underdogs.
If you watch Celtic this weekend Gordon will have a completely different set-up because they are 12 points clear of Motherwell and they know they’re the more skilful team.
If the players understand their jobs they’ll enjoy the game more, they’ll become better players and that’s after all is the point.  We should all want to improve.
Over the coming weeks we’ll look at how to set up a side when you’re the underdog.
Have a great winning weekend.
Coach John

PS Remember when your side looks good it will perform better.  Visit Umbro's home of football kits to get yourself kitted out right.