Rob Elliot was named as the permanent Gateshead manager in June after a successful period as caretaker manager last season, where he led them to FA Trophy victory. Under Elliot, who took over from Mike Williamson, Gateshead play an exciting, possession-based style of football; and they will be looking to improve on their sixth-place National League finish last season, this time around.
In this in-depth article, I’ll analyse Gateshead’s style of play under Elliot; assess his on and off-ball approaches; and determine whether his tactics can help them build on a sixth-place finish and FA Trophy victory last season, to mount a title challenge this time around.
In-possession
Gateshead are a possession-based side who look to regularly ‘play out’ from defence. They aim to keep the ball on the ground, and value ball-retention rather than an overly direct approach. Their top technical quality allows Gateshead to reliably retain the ball and control matches through possession.
On paper, Gateshead use a 3-5-2 formation. During the build-up phase, Gateshead’s wing-backs push into the last line – away from their back-three; and their second-striker drops into the midfield; forming a ‘3-diamond-3’ shape.
When building play, Gateshead’s aim is to either use their technical quality to play through opposition presses, where they can use their dynamic front players to cause issues in open spaces; or progress forward safely, and sustain pressure on the edge of the opposition penalty area.
Gateshead have top technicians all over the pitch. Their press-resistance allows them to receive the ball under pressure, baiting the opposition press, before exploiting the space that has been left behind. Due to their technical quality, they can take full advantage of anything less of an optimal pressing approach, and progress the ball up the pitch either through passing or carrying the ball forward.
Gateshead’s players are also composed when in-possession. They don’t tend to panic when pressure is applied to the ball. This gives Gateshead an element of ‘pausa’ – which is the idea of waiting for the perfect moment to strike, rather than rushing your actions.
But it’s not just Gateshead’s outfield players who are calm and composed on the ball. Below, we can see how Gateshead’s goalkeeper has helped to form a situational back-four during their deep build. This helps to create another passing option in the first line of build-up, and overload opposition presses. More interestingly, notice how the ‘keeper has placed his studs on top of the ball.
Whilst this may seem like a small detail, this technique can be very effective. Whilst his studs are on the ball, a player’s body weight is neutral which allows him to be able to shift to either side easily, depending on which side he is being pressed from. This player can also assess the entire picture before acting. This technique displays extreme confidence, and exemplifies Gateshead’s composure in-possession.
When they have time to do so, Gateshead’s defenders, and particularly their goalkeeper, also have the ability to ‘clip’ passes over the opposition, into the feet of their #9 for him to hold the ball up – rather than playing long passes in order for them to challenge for duels, which is more risky. This, again, requires excellent technical ability. As such, it is of vital importance that Gateshead’s ‘keeper can demonstrate a good range of short, medium and long passes, in order for them to play through, over or beyond opposition presses. New signing, Tiernan Brooks will give Gateshead excellent quality in this regard.
The ‘3-diamond-3’ build-up shape of Gateshead’s allows them to play at four ‘heights’. Their #6 sits ahead of their back-three; their #10 and two #8’s are positioned slightly ahead, between their opponents’ defensive and midfield lines; and their wing-backs and #9 occupy the last line. This can be interpreted as a 3-1-3-3 shape.
Positioning players at four different ‘heights’ presents the opposition with tactical issues. With players positioned between the three defensive lines, how does the defending side deal with this? Do they press aggressively and leave players free between the lines; or do they set up with a slightly more passive approach to take care of the players between the lines, but consequently allow Gateshead more time on the ball?
This is different from dropping a striker into the midfield, too. In this instance, it’s likely a defender could just follow them and step into the midfield when they drop off, rather than needing someone to take care of the player who is positioned constantly between the lines.
In a match last season versus Altrincham, as we can see below, Gateshead built play in their usual 3-diamond-3 shape. To counter, Altrincham pressed them in man-to-man fashion all across the pitch in the high press. Their front-three in their 4-2-3-1 formation marked Gateshead’s back-three; their #10 marked Gateshead’s #6; Altrincham’s #6’s marked Gateshead’s #8’s; and their back-four marked Gateshead’s front-four. One of Altrincham’s centre-backs, Jake Cooper, even stepped into the midfield to man-mark Gateshead’s #10.
Because they didn’t have to rely on using their wing-backs (who’s starting position would be deep) to press Gateshead’s defenders, and instead pressed them with their front-three, Altrincham’s high press was much more efficient in so far as they could apply pressure quickly to the ball high up the pitch. This meant that they didn’t only press aggressively from Gateshead goal-kicks, and could do so from open-play as well. As a result, Altrincham limited Gateshead to just a 47% possession share in this particular match – which was far below their season average of 62%.
Altrincham’s aggressive press often rushed Gateshead’s defenders into playing long passes towards their front players, where they had to challenge for duels in order to keep possession. This presents Gateshead with a problem, because their technical players lack the physicality required in order to consistently win duels to a high standard against the division’s most physical players. Last season in the National League; Gateshead ranked 21st for defensive duels attempted, winning 62% (joint-22nd); and 24th for aerial duels attempted, winning 42.6% (joint-20th).
This isn’t how Elliot wants Gateshead to play. He wants them to possess the ball and play through opposition presses, where they can either cause problems in open spaces, or sustain attacks high up the pitch.
In the National League last season, Gateshead had the highest average possession share (62%), attempted the most passes, and had the highest passing accuracy (85.4%). They also attempted the most progressive passes, with the fourth-highest accuracy (74.4%), and ranked third for attempted passes to the final-third, with the second-highest accuracy (65.9%).
So why don’t all sides just press Gateshead in man-to-man fashion all over the pitch to put maximum pressure on the ball, and limit Gateshead’s control? Altrincham did it fairly well and made it uncomfortable for Gateshead.
To answer this question, we have to consider the risks of man-to-man pressing approaches. By definition, all Gateshead players would be man-marked by opposing players, and there would be 1v1 battles all over the pitch. Although this could make it difficult for Gateshead to reliably retain possession, it’s also a risky approach from the defending side, as Gateshead’s dynamic front players can cause issues in open spaces.
As previously mentioned, Gateshead’s goalkeeper also has the ability to ‘clip’ passes into the #9, bypassing the press, getting his side up the pitch. In this instance, Gateshead would be closer to the opposition goal with, perhaps, a 4v4 scenario – a very advantageous moment.
Therefore, due to the risks attached to pressing in man-to-man fashion against Gateshead, opponents will often be a bit more risk-adverse – either not committing to a full man-to-man press; or sitting in a mid-block, allowing Gateshead to progress safely. This prevents their defenders from becoming isolated, but also allows Gateshead to exert more control on the match – which is what Elliot wants.
When Gateshead have possession on the edge of their opponents’ penalty area, they push their #8’s high, into the last line, who occupy each half-space. Their second-striker joins their #9 in the central space, and their wing-backs hold the width. Gateshead’s #6 sits ahead of their back-three, forming a 3-1-6 shape.
With both of Gateshead’s #8’s pushed into the last line, they often create overloads against an opposition back-four or five. Opposing midfielders will often drop back to fill the gaps in the last line, consequently creating space for Gateshead’s #6 to receive the ball and recycle play. This adds to how Gateshead are able to keep the ball high up the pitch, and sustain attacks.
Last season in the National League, Gateshead scored 88 goals versus an expected figure of 86.25 (xG) – ranking them third for both metrics – and ranked second for touches in the penalty area. They also had equal threat from both sides of the pitch, making them less predictable and more difficult to defend. Gateshead attempted 346 crosses from the right-side of the pitch, and 351 from the left-side. The positioning of their ‘front-six’ means that all vertical lanes are consistently occupied. However, there are rotations within these lanes. For instance, a #8 may take up a position next to the #9 in the central space, but if he does so, the second-striker will rotate with him, so that he occupies the now vacated half-space. This means that Gateshead adhere to a strict positional structure.
Out-of-possession
This constant occupation of all vertical lanes makes it easier for Gateshead to counter-press if play breaks down. However, it’s not only Elliot’s structure that makes Gateshead an effective counter-pressing side, they also have the appetite to do so. As soon as play breaks down high up the pitch, you’ll see multiple players press the ball in an attempt to win it back at the earliest opportunity.
If this counter-press is unsuccessful, however, Gateshead’s 3-1 rest-defence shape can be exploited. As earlier mentioned, Gateshead’s technical players lack the physicality required in order to consistently win duels to a high standard against the division’s most physical players. In defensive transition, their #6 often has a lot of ground to cover, and if he can’t stop opposition counter-attacks, Gateshead’s back-three may be exposed.
But it’s not just in the counter-press where Gateshead are aggressive. They are also intense in the high press. Last season in the National League, Gateshead ranked third for ‘passes allowed per defensive action’ (PPDA) – which measures the number of passes that teams make in their own 60% of the pitch, before the opposition makes a defensive action. In other words, the metric quantifies a team’s high press.
Below, we can see a screenshot from a match versus Altrincham. Altrincham built play in their usual 4-2-1-3 shape, and Gateshead pressed with a 4-2-3-1 shape. Gateshead’s left wing-back pushed higher, with a #8 sitting next to their #6. Gateshead’s other #8 was positioned the other side of their second-striker, and their #9 lead the line.
In this instance, Altrincham’s centre-back had his studs on the ball, meaning his body weight was neutral, and Gateshead’s press wasn’t yet shifted to one side. This is, therefore, the perfect moment to analyse Gateshead’s pressing structure.
Notice how Gateshead are set up in a zonal pressing structure, with their #9 between both centre-backs; and second-striker between Altrincham’s double-pivot. Gateshead’s left wing-back is positioned between Altrincham’s right-sided #6 and right-back, and their #8 is between Altrincham’s left-sided #6 and left-back. Gateshead’s other #8 and #6 are making the centre compact, and can take care of Altrincham’s #10 between the lines, and they have a 4v3 in the last line.
Once their #9 begins to press Altrincham’s centre-back, Gateshead match up in man-to-man fashion. Their left wing-back presses Altrincham’s right-back, and their #8 and second-striker mark the pivot players. Gateshead used the touchline as an extra defender, and forced Altrincham into ‘going long’. This was a zonal turned man-to-man press. It has all the benefits of a man-to-man press, whilst also allowing them to have players ready to drop, because they were initially marking zonally, in the event that Altrincham attempted to play over them.
In this instance, Altrincham’s left-sided centre-back and left-back were free, but they were unable to receive the ball as Gateshead had successfully blocked the passing lanes out to them.
An aggressive off-ball approach allows sides to prevent their opponents from spending too much time with the ball, and is conducive to playing possession-based football; controlling matches; limiting the frequency at which you have to defend deep in your own half; and, ultimately, challenging for league titles.
When they are forced to defend deep, Gateshead sit in a 5-3-2 shape. Their wing-backs drop back to defend in the last line, and they leave two players in attack. Last season in the National League, Gateshead conceded 64 goals against (joint-ninth) versus an expected figure of 66.93 (xGA) – which ranked them 16th. These figures will, likely, need to be improved upon if Gateshead are to challenge for the title.
Gateshead’s persistence on ‘playing out’ from defence can also lead to turnovers in dangerous areas of the pitch. Almost 70% of Gateshead’s goal-kicks were played short, last season. Although they mix playing short or long passes from goal-kicks, this perhaps exemplifies Gateshead’s intent on ‘playing out’ from defence. This is significantly higher than other possession-based sides, last season. Barnet played short goal-kicks 51% of the time; Rochdale, 49%; and Chesterfield, 44%.
This 5-3-2 shape, and the fact that Gateshead’s dynamic wing-back, Luke Hannant, is asked to defend in the last line, means that they lack an outlet once they have turned possession over after defending deep.
Conclusion
To summarise, Gateshead are a possession-based side who look to build play from defence. Their technical quality enables them to reliably play through, over or beyond opposition presses, and they have dynamic players who can cause problems in open spaces. When in the final-third, Gateshead look to overload their opponents’ defensive line, and counter-press aggressively when play breaks down in order to sustain pressure. When they are out-of-possession, Gateshead will attempt to press aggressively, again, with the intent on turning possession back over.
The below chart measures the amount of passes National League sides made in their own 60% of the pitch before the opposing made a defensive action, and how many passes they allowed before making a defensive action themselves. As we can see, Gateshead are in the top-right quadrant. This means they make lots of passes before their opponents make defensive actions, and are also aggressive in the press and don’t allow their opponents to make a lot of passes before they make defensive actions.
This is how to exert optimal control. Keep the ball, progress safely up the pitch; and when you don’t have the ball, win it back as soon as possible. If implemented successfully, it limits the frequency at which you have to defend deep in your own half; allows you to attack with great regularity; and, ultimately, challenge for league titles – as long as you have the personnel quality to match the structure.
Although they lack a bit of physicality to win duels to a high standard, and need to improve their defensive numbers, tactically, Rob Elliot has Gateshead set up to challenge for the title. The loan signing of Mark Beck from Solihull Moors will add physicality to Gateshead’s attack in the #9 role, and he’ll be a useful weapon against low-blocks, which Gateshead will regularly have to face due to the amount of control that they exert. However, he may not be the most intense presser against the ball.
Despite this, I expect Gateshead to build on last season’s sixth-place finish, in which they accumulated 75 points, and go one further to make a push for the title.
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