Barnet went into the first free weekend of the National League season sitting in first place! Dean Brennan’s side are currently top of the division on 30 points, having won ten of their opening 13 matches, scoring 28 goals and conceding 12 in the process.
Brennan has also implemented a hugely impressive possession-based style at The Hive. In this in-depth article, I’ll analyse Barnet’s in-possession and out-of-possession structures under their Irish head coach, and determine what the National League title favourites’ chances are this season with his tactics.
In-possession
On paper, Barnet use a 3-4-2-1 formation. Their wing-backs push high and wide into the last line, during the build-up phase, leaving Barnet with a back-three. From goal-kicks, their goalkeeper, Nick Hayes, helps to form a situational back-four – creating a 4-2-5 shape (below).
Barnet mix between either ‘playing out’ from their goal-kicks, or ‘going long’. They can either keep the pitch open and clip passes over the opposition into their centre-forward, Nicke Kabamba, who is in close proximity to Barnet’s two #10’s – usually Zak Brunt and Callum Stead; or close the pitch to one side, push everyone up to the half-way line, and launch the goal-kick towards Kabamba. From here, they can challenge for duels and look to initiate attacks high up the pitch.
It’s when Barnet decide to ‘play out’ from goal-kicks that we see the first subtlety to Brennan’s approach, however. Often, rather than Hayes taking the goal-kick short to the centre-back, it will be the centre-back taking the goal-kick to Hayes.
This is significant as it makes it more difficult for the opposition to force Barnet to build down one side of the pitch. If the goal-kick was taken short towards one of the outside centre-backs, it becomes easier for the opposition to limit Barnet’s passing options, and they would be more likely to either lose possession or ‘go long’ – which is chaotic as it would require them to win duels in order to retain possession. Additionally, with the goal-kick played into the centre-back, he is more likely to be able to pass or carry the ball safely into the midfield once pressure is applied to the goalkeeper.
During open-play, Barnet build in a 3-2-5 shape (below). The 3-2-5 allows Barnet to have players in close proximity during the build-up, as well as having sufficient numbers in the last line. Five players are positioned deep, and five players are positioned high. The close proximity of the deeper players allows them to combine quickly, retain possession, and exert control on matches. Then, in the final-third, the front-five can overload opposition back-fours with ease and, because they have players spread evenly across all five vertical zones, these players can quickly combine and interchange positions.
However, Barnet don’t always build in a standard 3-2-5. They regularly stagger their double-pivot so that they’re playing at different ‘heights’. One of the pivot players, perhaps Mark Shelton, can push forwards in-between the two #10’s so that Barnet create more of a 3-diamond-3 shape; or, more often, Anthony Hartigan will drop into first line to create a 4-1-5 shape (below). When the latter happens, with him positioned in the first line of build-up, Hartigan is fulfilling what can be interpreted as a ‘quarterback’ or ‘deep-lying playmaker’ role.
Hartigan’s passing range allows him to dictate the play from deep. He can either hit big switch passes into the wing-backs, who stretch the pitch horizontally by being positioned high and wide; or launch passes over and beyond the opposition for forward players to run onto, because Barnet also have players who can stretch the pitch vertically. Additionally, with there being fewer players centrally clogging up the midfield, it opens up passing lanes into the forward players, and there is an abundance of space available for the defenders to carry the ball into.
The 4-1-5 build can be exploited, though. With the midfield being emptied, there is often a huge vacant space between the first and last line, with often just the one remaining Barnet pivot player positioned here. This makes Barnet vulnerable in defensive transition when either play breaks down high up the pitch, or possession is lost after an unsuccessful forward pass or carry. In addition, the remaining pivot player often has to act in isolation as he is too isolated to combine quickly with those around him.
Despite this, Barnet have still averaged the highest possession share in the National League so far this season (65.0%) and are one of the very best possession-based sides in the division.
However, when Barnet are unable to build safely from defence, they can aim long passes towards their centre-forward, Kabamba, to either escape danger or after baiting the press. From here, he can either hold possession up and quickly combine with those around him; or challenge for aerial duels, where Barnet can then counter-press in order to initiate attacks high up the pitch. Barnet are able to be effective in either of these scenarios due to the consistent half-space occupation of their #10’s, and the subsequent close proximity they have to Kabamba. I will elaborate on this point further, shortly…
Because they tend to build with a 3-2-5 shape, Barnet are regularly able to attack with five players in the last line. This allows them to easily overload opposition back-fours. However, they often even push Hartigan’s partner in the double-pivot higher up the pitch – forming more of a 3-1-6 shape!
Below, versus Tamworth, we can see how Barnet had six players pushed high in order to overload the defensive line. With the ball on the left-side, Barnet managed to create a wide overload against the right-back, their wing-back could easily meet a pass played in-behind, he crossed into the penalty area, and Barnet scored.
Regardless of whether Barnet attack with five or six players in the last line, though, the principles remain the same. All five vertical zones are consistently occupied, which allows them to easily combine, create triangles and interchange positions.
Below, versus Aldershot Town, Barnet managed to have three players close together on the right-side. This allowed them to rotate positionally – which is difficult to defend – and a pass was played in-behind the defensive line for a runner from the half-space to meet. From here, Barnet got themselves into a crossing position which Kabamba scored from.
However, even when Barnet are unable to create attacks through possession, they also offer a dangerous threat in transition. Stead, in particular, is a top transitional threat for this level, and he gives Barnet an alternative method of scoring goals as opposed to only being dangerous through a high-possession style.
Out-of-possession
So we’ve clearly established that Barnet are excellent at controlling matches with the ball, but what about without it?
When their opponents aim to ‘play out’ from goal-kicks, Barnet press in man-to-man fashion all across the pitch. As we can see below, versus Altrincham, Barnet applied maximum pressure on the ball in the high pressing moment from a goal-kick.
From open-play versus Southend United, as we can see below, Barnet pressed the back-three in man-to-man fashion. They then had Hartigan man-mark a Southend #8, with Shelton jumping from the other #8 onto Southend’s #6. To not leave Southend’s #8 free, the press was backed up by the left-sided centre-back, Myles Kenlock. This left Barnet with a 4v4 in the last line, against Southend’s two strikers and wing-backs.
This was a zonal turned man-to-man press from Brennan, and it again applied maximum pressure on the ball in the high pressing moment, as there were 1v1 battles all across the pitch once the high press had been triggered. However this structure can be exploited if these 1v1 battles are lost, whether that be through duels, dribbling or combinations, for example.
The good thing for Barnet is that this isn’t Brennan’s only approach to pressing high.
Versus Gateshead, Barnet looked to force them to build down one side of the pitch. From here, Barnet’s ball-side #10 pressed the outside centre-back, and one of their central-midfielders jumped to mark Gateshead’s #6, with the press again being backed up by Kenlock (below).
The difference, though, was that Barnet’s far-side #10 tucked inside to mark a Gateshead #8 (above). This left Gateshead’s far-side outside centre-back free, but he couldn’t be reached as play was on the other side of the pitch, and Barnet had applied good pressure on the ball. Consequently, Barnet had an additional player who could be positioned deeper to protect the defence. In this instance, Barnet had a 4v3 numerical advantage in the last line.
This pressing structure from Brennan was excellent. It allowed Barnet to press in man-to-man fashion, exert optimal pressure on the ball, and have a +1 to protect the defence. Barnet not only have the structure conducive to pressing high, but they also have the appetite to do so. This mentality has been instilled from Brennan.
But what about when pressure isn’t able to be applied high up the pitch? After all, it’s not possible to press with this intensity all of the time.
In these moments, Barnet’s high defensive line is able to be exploited. Below, versus Maidenhead United, we can see Barnet’s defensive line about to be exposed. Pressure wasn’t able to be applied effectively enough down Maidenhead’s right-side, and a pass was played beyond the defence where a lot of space was left in-behind. Maidenhead managed to cross the ball from the right-side, and scored.
Additionally, with Barnet’s wing-backs pushed high and wide into the last line, it can leave the back-three exposed in defensive transition. Here, versus Altrincham, Barnet had just lost possession. Their wing-backs were therefore high up the pitch. Once the central-midfielders weren’t able to stop the attack, a pass was played in-behind Barnet’s high defensive line for a player to run onto – who had come from a wide position.
This may seem like the high line of Brennan’s should be abandoned. However, this isn’t the case. Although it can be exposed, the high line enables Barnet to push high up the pitch, reduce the distances between the lines, condense the pitch, and press with aggression. If they attempted to press high without implementing a high defensive line, there would be huge gaps between the lines which would be able to be exploited instead.
The alternative, then, would be to sit in a mid-block rather than press high with aggression. However, this isn’t conducive to controlling matches as Barnet would allow their opponents too much time on the ball.
Conclusion
Dean Brennan’s Barnet are, therefore, excellent at controlling matches with and without the ball – as illustrated by the following chart.
Barnet have averaged the highest possession share in the National League so far this season, can mix between playing short or long passes from their build-up (which makes them less predictable), have numerous methods of chance creation, and press high with intensity to limit the amount of time their opponents spend with the ball themselves.
This ability to consistently exert control on matches with and without the ball is sustainable, and is conducive to challenging for league titles. And then if there are matches where Barnet can’t exert control, they have excellent threats in transitional moments who can win them matches without controlling possession.
Compared to other sides in the National League so far, Barnet rank first for goals scored (28), first for expected goals (25.15 xG), joint-fourth for goals against (12), and first for expected goals against (9.27 xGA).
Finally, in comparison to other sides who are on a similar level to Barnet tactically, Brennan’s side are further into their project than the likes of York City or Rochdale. This is his third full season at The Hive as head coach, and he’s had more time to implement and recruit players to fit his style than Adam Hinshelwood has had at York, or Jimmy McNulty has had at Rochdale, for example. In his first two full seasons as Barnet head coach, Brennan led them to fifth-placed and second-placed finishes.
It’s for all of these reasons stated above that I believe Barnet are in prime position to lift the National League trophy in May.
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