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Press Uruguay’s build-up, force mistakes from their midfielders, and then break on the counter with fast attackers. Do not allow them to cross into the box and DO. NOT. CONCEDE. SET. PIECES.Uruguay Analysis and LineupThe core of Uruguay’s attack is obviously the striker duo of Cavani - Suárez.However, Uruguay has a big problem: Suárez is not a physically dominant striker anymore. Direct play on Suárez and long passes into space for him are not an option anymore, as Suárez cannot outrun most defenders and has much more trouble winning physical duels.This has forced Uruguay to adapt their game plan to the new, slower Suárez by improving their possession game. There is a new, exciting generation of young Uruguayan passing midfielders—Lucas Torreira, Rodrigo Bentancur, Matías Vecino, Diego Laxalt, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, and Nahitan Nández—who are changing Uruguay’s traditionally direct football style. I talk a bit more about them in this podcast:As seen in the match against Russia, these players allow Uruguay to have a good build-up from the back, create advantages on the ball, and more easily reach Suárez in the final third, with Bentancur usually being the main link between midfield and the striker duo with this ball-carrying and final passing capabilities. Cavani is also helping the team reach Suárez, by dropping deeper and bringing the best out of his hold-up and link up play and using his still-dominant physique to compensate for Suárez’s decreased movement.However, Uruguay has had some trouble adapting to this more possession-based identity, and Tabarez is still trying to find the best spatial distribution to take advantage of his passing midfielders. The first two games featured the traditional 4–4–2 with a Vecino - Bentancur double pivot who failed to be proactive enough, so for the most part Uruguay had to shift over to their more traditionally direct game plan.Against Russia Tabarez found a structure that works better, a 4–3–1–2 midfield diamond formation with Lucas Torreira as holding midfielder, Nández and Vecino as CM, and Bentancur as the nominal CAM:In the defensive phase, Bentancur tracks back and turns the formation into a flat 4–4–2. Also noteworthy was the use of Diego Laxalt—normally a LM or LAM in Genoa—as a LB, which gave Uruguay much needed width and creativity on the left.This spatial distribution gave Torreira three clear passing options and allowed Uruguay to have a cleaner build-up from the back, even though Torreira looked fairly vulnerable to pressing by Russian striker Artem Dzyuba.The big question for Uruguay ahead of this match is if they will continue using this scheme or will shift back to the traditionally direct and reactive 4–4–2 shape.Uruguay strengthsAerial dominance: 4 out of 5 goals in this WC have come from set pieces, and they have the 5th highest percentage of crossing success in the tournament (see plot below, crossing success % is y-axis). Expect Uruguay to be similarly effective at defending in the air.Influencia de centros laterales en el Mundial.Centros al área por 90´ y % de centros rematados por selección. pic.twitter.com/b31T5ZrIDm— Fútbol Avanzado (@FutbolAvanzado) June 26, 2018World-class quality in the boxes: Godín - Giménez is the CB partnership of one of the strongest defensive teams in the world—Atlético de Madrid—and Suárez - Cavani are two of the most consistent goalscorers of the last few years. They are the reason for Uruguay’s aerial dominance and effectiveness at not conceding goals and scoring goals.Midfield versatility: Even though they are good passers of the ball, the new Uruguayan generation is as hard-tackling and hard-running as the old one. Uruguay has the players to use a more proactive plan or a more traditional reactive plan, depending on the rival and moment of the game.Competitive mentality: Uruguay’s Garra Charrúa—the name given to their do-or-die attitude—is legendary. This team knows how to overcome obstacles and turn around games. And once they score a goal and decide to close shop, it’s incredibly hard to score against them given their quality and mentality.Uruguay weaknessesSuárez’s physical decline: This makes the reactive, direct game plan less effective than before.Proactive game plan is a work in progress: Tabarez is still finding the right midfield structure and lineup for the proactive game plan. Uruguay still doesn’t execute this tactic really well, and a good pressing or defensive game could disrupt their possessions.Weak full back offense without Laxalt: Other than Laxalt, Uruguay’s full backs tend to be conservative and contribute little to the team’s attack. This makes their proactive plan less effective, as it will be harder to overload Portugal’s flanks and get into crossing / key passing positions.Scoring from open play: The weaknesses of both game plans mean that right now Uruguay has a hard time scoring from open play, and is excessively dependent on their set piece game.Portugal game plan: how to win?Having analyzed the opponent, we can go on and talk about game plans.Since this new Uruguay seems more comfortable than Portugal on the ball, Portugal will probably be the more reactive team in this match.Santos and Portugal will not move away from their traditional reactive 4–4–2, so it’s simply a matter of figuring out which names will make it into the lineup.Game plan To-DosDisrupt Uruguay’s attempts at a possession game, forcing the younger and more inexperienced passing midfielders to make mistakesAfter stealing the ball from their midfielders, use speed, dribbling and creativity to disorder and surprise their defense on the counter.Use low crosses rather than overhead crosses: apart from a Ronaldo miracle, Portugal is never beating Uruguay in the air. If Portugal uses a brute-force overhead crossing strategy like the one used against Iran, the results will be even poorer: Godín, Giménez and co. will win aerial duels and Uruguay can break on the counter with players like Cavani, Laxalt or Bentancur.Do not let Uruguay cross into the box. Not only do they have a high % of successful crosses, but Pepe and Fonte are not as dominant in their box as before.Prevent Cavani and Bentancur from carrying the ball to and combining with Suárez. They have good chemistry and can break down defenses with quick passing.DO. NOT. CONCEDE. SET. PIECES.José’s preferred lineup and game planMy preferred lineup is one that takes advantage of the Portugal attackers with greatest speed and dribbling: Goncalo Guedes as LW and Gelson Martins as RW, Ronaldo as a free-roaming attacker and André Silva as a more fixed CF who will divide the attentions of Uruguayan defenders, giving Ronaldo more space.Portugal would use their usual low block 4–4–2, but with André Silva and perhaps another midfielder (Moutinho? Guedes?) trying to press the the deepest Uruguayan midfielders (most likely Vecino and Torreira) and get the ball off them. Best case scenario, you get something similar to the Croatia v Argentina image below, in which Portugal steals the ball and the creative touches of Ronaldo and Moutinho can launch Guedes and Martins into counterattacks behind the backs of Uruguayan full backs.If that bit of pressing doesn’t steal the ball, then at it least it can force Uruguay out of the center lanes and out wide, where the Portuguese full backs and wingers should be ready to mark Uruguayan wide attackers and prevent them from making good crosses into the box.The most likely Portugal lineup and game planI would expect Santos to use the same reactive, low block 4–4–2 but with his most trusted midfielders: Joao Mario, Moutinho, Carvalho. And instead of starting Bernardo Silva and Guedes, who seem to have fallen out of favor after the first two group stage games, he will use André Silva (same reasons as in my game plan) and Quaresma, mostly expecting him to do something similar to what he did vs Iran.In this case, Portugal would also try to sit back and do a bit of pressing on Uruguay’s midfielders, but they won’t have the speed and dribbling required to significantly damage Uruguay on the counter.There’s a good chance a lineup like this will end up with Quaresma desperately crossing into the box like he did against Iran, which is exactly one of the things Portugal shouldn’t do vs Uruguay.Prediction for how the game will be played: Low chance of both teams scoring from open play. Will probably go to extra time and penalties unless Ronaldo or Uruguay can decide the match with set pieces.Uruguay will be the more proactive side and Portugal will be more reactive. However, since Uruguay’s possession game is not mature yet, it will be hard for them to create good chances and feed the well-marked Cavani and Suárez. That being said, while brute force crossing is not a good idea for Portugal, it might a good strategy for Uruguay, given the decline of Pepe and Fonte.As for Portugal, the most likely scenario is that their offensive game will be very poor, depending excessively on crosses and doing little damage on the counter. The only thing that could change this is Ronaldo having another playmaking performance like the one vs Spain, or him deciding the match on set pieces.Uruguay is the favorite if we consider that they should mostly dominate Portugal in both boxes and that they have the more adaptable midfield, but Ronaldo can take down anyone in this tournament.Did you like this answer? I’m writing World Cup match review threads on Twitter (@jcperez_) and covering every matchday in an (almost) daily podcast that’s available on iTunes, Google Play Music, and my own YouTube channel, The Football Engineer!

Clear the deadwood.Every successful Mourinho team has done it, United is no exception. The amount of deadwood accumulated from Moyes all the way to today has infected the team with mediocre players who shouldn’t be wearing a United shirt anymore. We need to have quality depth and not give minutes to players who aren’t much of a difference maker.2. Strengthen The Side Smartly & Secure the Locker RoomDuh. However, we cannot go on a “Galatico” spree and only target world class players. That will upset the pecking order and agitate those players who already have limited playing time despite their talent and form. Mourinho’s 3rd season is normally the most testing for his locker room so he needs to appease his stars to avoid a meltdown.Therefore, not every signing needs to be a world class player but one who will not upset the fabric of the team while improving the side greatly.Predicting only 4 signings, only 2 need to be world class. One for the defense, one for the central midfield. The other 2 can either be youthful players with high potential or veterans who do not have high egos. (One for LB the other for a right winger.)Most of the current locker room tension is generated by Pogba, Martial & Shaw so therefore Mourinho has to tread carefully.3. Center the team around PogbaThere’s no other way around it. When Pogba does well, the entire team does well.The box to box juggernaut needs to be surrounded with the right pieces to operate. We already have a multi-functional player in Matic who can operate as a destroyer & deep lying midfielder, however we have seen Matic being overworked this season and he is hitting his thirties. Futhermore , Pogba operates best in a 3 man midfield so it sets up perfectly for the midfield to be centered around Pogba.Therefore getting a world class regista is of high importance (Jorginho) and have 3 players specializing in 3 midfield roles. A strong shield, a playermaker and a box to box midfielder to balance both defense and offense.4. Stick To Our Strengths, Ignore the poets & CriticsUnited fans clamoring for Jose to play a Pep style of football simply are foolish. The best way to defeat a Jose side is to force them to play a possession based game, make his side lose their organisation while going on the offense and hit on the break. (Ironically this is what Jose does best. )United at the start was tearing opposition apart not because they dominated possession but overwhelmed them. If our opponent is inferior, United needs to move the ball quickly in the final third, use the pace of our wingers to open up opposition and use our physicality to finish those bus parkers off.If United is inferior, we need to play to our strengths and follow Jose’s doctrine to be defensively organised first and then pounce. With a stronger side, Jose will not face the problem of being defensively organised but lacking a link between defense and offense when trying to initiate the limited offense opportunities.I am not advocating cowardice or bus parking, but I am advocating playing to our strengths which Jose has not consistently done so despite having the capability.We might not be able to beat every opponent but we can be damn sure we can accumulate enough points.5. Improve Tactical FlexibilityI think this is one of the flaws of United this season, the insistence of “if you don’t succeed try and try again” but completely ignoring the “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results”. This sort of approach has cost points to be dropped, with the team trying to force their way with a particular style with the hope the an opponent will eventually open their door under immense knocking. Jose needs to have more plans during games, Be it long balls, over loading a flank, central build up or high press. I often see United only sticking to a game plan and changing it only once they conceded or when time is running out. United needs to be more adaptive to game situations and that is how you win games.Be it formation changes from a rigid 4–2–3–1 to a expansive 4–3–3 if Plan A doesn’t work don’t wait to change it.6. The Enemy of my Enemy is my friendA tough point to do, a good way to win titles is to either reduce the competition., or increase it. The fact City has run away with the league this season is due to the lack of competition and insufficient teams to cause them to drop points.Only Liverpool & United have managed to inflict a defeat on City while Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs failing to get one over them. It didn’t help that the minnows didn’t pull of much upsets either.Chelsea & Arsenal squads are inadequate to compete with City losing on every front while Spurs are still in their infancy of being a Premier League powerhouse.In order to avoid a one horse race, the Big 6 needs to be strong. Let’s hope everyone strengthens with the ultimate victor being the one who last the longest.

Create a game plan for your study day. Instead of waking up feeling dread about all the work that’s ahead of you, plan exactly what you will do, starting with an easy focus hack first thing in the morning. Then, be vigilant about how you spend your time—and remember, it’s not the quantity of time you spend studying that matters, it’s the quality of what you do when you are really focused on your work.Try any combination of these 7 study tips to create a game plan that’s the right fit for you.Tip #1. Make a commitment to reach ONE study goal a day.The best way to get your mind on board to concentrate on studying is to start the day with a question: “What is the one thing I am committed to completing today?”Why it’s important: It will encourage you to think strategically about the day, keep you focused on your top study goal, and force you to prioritize the one goal that you want to reach by the end of the day. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have many study goals, but it does means that you can finish one today (read a certain number of chapters or practice exam questions, for example), so that you can concentrate better on your other goals in the days that follow.How you can practice it: Write the question in big bold letters on a sheet of paper and hang it on your bedroom or bathroom wall. Pick a location where you can easily see the question as soon as you wake up (next to your bed or the bathroom mirror, for example). Then, read it out loud as you start your day. Take a few moments to think what you want to prioritize, and then come up with an answer and say it out loud too. Later, as you go through the day, make sure you’re working on completing what you’ve identified as your study goal for that day.Tip #2. Let your brain map out your progress.This technique is called building a mental model: you imagine in detail how you expect things will go during your studies and even when you get to exam time. By telling yourself a story, you train your brain to anticipate your progress. Here’s how:Start your day by visualizing making progress at studying. Do this before you begin your study session, and set aside about 5–10 minutes for this activity. You can do it either before you get up in the morning, while you’re having breakfast, or right after breakfast as you’re sitting with your eyes closed.Be detailed in thinking about all the steps you will take. This can include covering the chapters and exercises planned for that day, to taking the time to review the material, to writing out an outline of important concepts, to practicing exam questions and knowing the answers.Anticipate and identify which parts you will find challenging to understand and remember. This helps you prepare for problems so you don’t end up getting surprised because you don’t understand a part of the lecture. Then, come up with ways to resolve this (for example, by asking a classmate, reaching out to the professor during office hours or via email, or by designating a little extra time for review).Tip #3. Do the most complex cognitive tasks early.Why study early? It’s all about taking advantage of your circadian rhythm, which dictates which activities we’re more likely to do best at certain times of the day. For most people, your brain’s peak performance happens 2-4 hours after you wake up. This is the time when your brain can focus on analytical thinking that requires the most concentration. For studying, this can be reading, writing, coding, analyzing, critical thinking, or problem solving.When should you study? If you wake up at 8, your peak times are between 10 and 12. And just because it’s noon, it doesn’t mean you have to stop; feel free to extend this time for another hour or so to maximize your peak performance and wrap up an important section, chapter, or lecture.What are the benefits? Doing your hard work early in the day allows your brain to focus fully on the problem at hand, with fewer distractions, less inputs from your environment, and with a lot of energy that you've gained from a restful night.Tip #4. Use a timer to work smarter.For most efficient studying, you don’t need to be sitting at your desk for hours. Use a timer to better manage your study session. That way you allow your brain to focus in a more targeted and effective way. Here are some examples:Read and review study material. Set the timer to 30 or 60 minute increments to maximize concentration; or, for really short bursts of study, try the Pomodoro technique which consists of 25 minute blocks of time, followed by 5 minute breaks.Practice exam questions. Use the review questions from your textbook or handouts prepared by your professor; you can also create your own questions based on the most important concepts from each chapter. Write the questions down on a sheet of paper. Then, use the Pomodoro technique to rehearse for the exam. Give yourself only a short time to answer each question. Use each 25-minute block of time to cover several questions, and go down the list until you’ve covered them all.Take breaks. When you're done with one timed segment, step away from your desk and do something completely unrelated to work: get some fresh air, stretch, have a snack, grab a cup of coffee or tea.Tip #5. Improve your note-taking skills.Don’t just sit and read the textbook passively; write stuff down. This improves your brain's cognitive skills, makes retention of information easier, and boosts memory.Note down what’s relevant. This includes key concepts, ideas, and topics. Don’t waste time writing down every single word, Instead, boost your critical thinking skills by identifying what is relevant to the topic. An excellent example of how to write relevant information is to use the Cornell Method.Use bulleted lists. This saves time, enables you to skim the material when you need it, helps you locate information faster, and makes the review process easier.Use color. Get notes more organized with multi-colored pens, markers, or highlighters to emphasize the most important sections. Use specific colors to highlight top priority concepts, then pick other colors to identify second level priority items such as examples and additional information.Tip #6. Clear your mind by eliminating distractions.Distractions can easily take you away from the work you’re focusing on. You know only too well how this goes: you think you’ll spend ten minutes browsing Facebook or Twitter, and next thing you know two hours flew by without you noticing. How about if you minimize all that noise? Here’s what can help:Check your email and social media apps only 2–3 times a day (around lunchtime, later in the afternoon, and evening).Set your phone to Airplane mode when you need to focus, or simply turn off the volume and put it away for a few hours.Let people know you are not available in the next few hours; this can apply to family members, classmates, and close friends.Tip #7. Build a habit of getting enough sleep.What are the benefits of sleep? Neuroscientists believe that sleep can help us learn and memorize better, and also give our brain time to get rid of unnecessary waste. Conversely, chronic sleep deprivation can reduce our cognitive abilities, can impact our concentration, and can even reduce IQ.How can you optimize your sleep? Adjust your sleeping position so that you sleep on your side. According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, the brain’s glymphatic pathway (the exchange of two fluids, the cerebrospinal fluid in your brain and the interstitial fluid in your body) helps to eliminate “brain junk,” and this process of elimination is most effective when we sleep on our side. The result? You wake up more refreshed the next day with a clear mind.What helps to unwind faster in the evening? Step away from electronics (mainly your computer and TV screens), because the light may be keeping you alert without you even being aware of it. Have a cup of herbal tea, some warm milk with honey, or a magnesium supplement. Then, do something relaxing 15–20 minutes before bedtime: listen to some music, read a book, or just close your eyes and breathe deeply for 10 counts before you brush your teeth and get ready for bed.If you’re determined to improve your studying habits, I write many study tips and hacks on Twitter and on my blog. And I have created an e-book on how to study smarter, which is a 30-day plan to get you started in simple, easy-to-follow steps. Having spent many years both as an undergraduate and later graduate student, I’m well aware of how challenging these years can be in a student’s life. I’ve done a lot of research on how to optimize study habits and make each day more productive and even enjoyable!