Opposition Analysis 2014/15 - Kilmarnock FC

Season 2014/15
Opposition Analysis
Kilmarnock

Opposition Analysis – Kilmarnock
1. Samson
v Partick Thistle 20/12/14 Change of Positions
Preferred Foot
01 Samson - RIGHT
02 Barbour - RIGHT
18 Ashcroft - RIGHT
06 Connolly - RIGHT
23 Chantler - LEFT
07 McKenzie - RIGHT
04 Hamill - RIGHT
19 Slater - RIGHT
28 Magennis - RIGHT
33 Muirhead - LEFT
09 Miller - RIGHT
Substitutes
10 Johnston - BOTH
11 Cairney - RIGHT
13 Brennan - RIGHT
20 Eremenko - RIGHT
26 O'Hara - RIGHT
29 Pascali - RIGHT
37 Splaine -
2. Barbour 23. Chantler
6. Connolly 18. Ashcroft
19. Slater
33. Muirhead
4. Hamill
28. Magennis7. McKenzie
9. Miller
Team Shape Attacking Organization Defensive Organization Possible Line-Up
Change of Positions
1. Samson
19. Slater
33. Muirhead
4. Hamill
28. Magennis7. McKenzie
9. Miller
1. Samson
19. Slater
33. Muirhead
4. Hamill
28. Magennis 7. McKenzie
9. Miller

Change of Personnel
1. Samson
2. Barbour 26. O’Hara
19. Slater
10. Johnston
4. Hamill
28. Magennis
7. McKenzie 20. Eremenko

1st phase from Samson was direct apart
from on one occasion in the 2nd half. His
direct distribution was aimed at Miller
initially however this changed to Magennis
in wide positions. It looked like Kilmarnock
were trying to expose the lack of height
Hamilton possessed in full back positions.
Kilmarnock looked to get players in behind
to get on the end of any potential flick on
whilst there would also be options in front
of the player so they could lay the ball
back.
Right footed left centre back

Here Miller is challenging for the ball in the air.
As often as possible in these situations
Kilmarnock got two players a head of the ball,
Magennis and Muirhead here, to get on the
end of the 2nd ball.
33. Muirhead
28. Magennis
9. Miller
7. McKenzie

33. Muirhead
28. Magennis 9. Miller
7. McKenzie

Here Samson looks to play the ball out
quickly however only the right back
Barbour is in any position to receive the
ball. Both centre backs aren’t interested in
taking possession and building an attack.
This occurred on the other side as well
with the left back, suggesting that if they
do look to build from the back it is the full
backs who receive the first pass.
Hamilton locked on if Kilmarnock did
threaten to build this way. The result of this
however would see Kilmarnock end up
playing a direct ball forward anyway as
they didn’t look to take any risks with
possession at the back.

Hamilton’s pressure was excellent in the 1st
half and Kilmarnock were forced
backwards on many occasions.
Even in the 1st phase there was a lack of
movement the give the player an option.
Therefore the passes from the defenders
were percentage channel passes to the
forward players.
Kilmarnock really struggled deal with
Hamilton’s pressure in the 1st half. Slater in
particular was marked quite tightly my
MacKinnon and almost every pass he made
when under pressure was back to the goal
keeper Samson.

Mackinnon putting Slater under pressure. On
many occasions he was forced to play
backwards passes to the centre backs or
goalkeeper.

In the 2nd phase they attempted to use the
wide areas. Magennis despite moving to
the right hand side played quite narrow.
Their attack seemed to lack any sort of
structure in these occasions and it was only
when the full backs got forward to provide
the width did they create chances.
The link up play between Miller &
McKenzie could be dangerous as McKenzie
is dangerous when dribbling with the ball.
The full backs were disciplined in that only
one would advance forward and attack, the
ball side one. The other full back would
tuck back round with the two centre backs.
When in possession Magennis is very direct
and powerful however he can be a bit
clumsy. In the 1st half. Jonhston &
McKenzie looked like the only players who
could beat defenders with pace and a trick.

When they look to switch play across the pitch
the trigger for the opposite side full back to
attack is when the central midfielder has safe
possession of the ball.
2. Barbour
19. Slater

Again here the picture shows Kilmarnock
attacking via the right side of the pitch. The
right back is joining in the attack and
providing width as Magennis comes
forward with the ball.
There main threat/action in the 3rd phase
was to cross the ball into the penalty box.
They never looked to attack through the
middle
Both centre mids moved higher and picked
up positions on the edge of the penalty box
to collect any 2nd balls on the edge.
2. Barbour
19. Slater33. Muirhead
4. Hamill
28. Magennis
7. McKenzie
9. Miller

In the 2nd half Kilmarnock started to
threaten more on the counter attack with
the direct running and pace of both
Johnston and McKenzie.
Instead of playing longer passes forward
and looking for the 2nd ball, these players
would pick up possession and drive
forward.
Johnstone played on the left hand side but
often came inside onto his right foot where
is looked equally comfortable. 10. Johnston

In the 2nd half Kilmarnock started to
threaten more on the counter attack with
the direct running and pace of both
Johnston and McKenzie.
Instead of playing longer passes forward
and looking for the 2nd ball, these players
would pick up possession in deeper areas
and drive forward.
Johnstone played on the left hand side but
he is right footed so he came in the pitch
when he was attacking. McKenzie moved
to in behind the striker Miller.
With Eremenko on the pitch he is very
dangerous from set pieces so don’t give
away free kicks close to the penalty box!
7. McKenzie

Initially Kilmarnock let Hamilton build from
the back as the striker & attacking
midfielder sat off the centre backs and
allowed the 1st pass to go.
When the ball went to the centre back, one
of these players would go and press whilst
the other one in the hole would sit on
Hamilton’s deepest midfielder.
This means that at the back Hamilton had a
3v1 against Kilmarnock’s lone striker so
there were definitely opportunities for
them to keep possession in these areas.
Their objective here was that they wanted
to keep Hamilton down one side of the
pitch but this didn’t really work. After 10
minutes they changed their approach and
started to lock on which forced Hamilton to
go more direct from the goalkeeper. The
centre backs did push up and then drop o
quickly on a few occasions to try and build.
33. Muirhead
9. Miller

33. Muirhead
9. Miller

When possession enters the 2nd phase in
midfield Kilmarnock didn’t really apply any
high pressure.
They tried to organise into a 4-4-1-1 shape
quickly when they lost possession however
it was very narrow which meant when
Hamilton switched play it gave them 1v1
opportunities, although Hamilton didn’t
really play with a traditional winger who
could give them this width.
There was still plenty space between the
lines for Hamilton to exploit.

Both Slater and Hamill didn’t look the best
defensively in the middle of the park and
were often drawn towards the ball leaving
space between the lines for Hamilton to
attack.
This would either be one of the wider
Hamilton players coming infield and
allowing the full back to provide the width,
or Andreu who played off Antioine-Curier.
In the 2nd half when the game was a bit
more stretched their recovery runs were
quite poor.

Kilmarnock’s defensive shape especially at
throw ins is very narrow leaving space on
the opposite side of the pitch for switches
of play.
Magennis can be lazy defensively so a full
back attacking against him could give them
problems.
Chantler was instructed to mark Hamilton’s
wide right player Imrie and he got very
tight to prevent him turning and facing him
up. Sometimes because he is so aggressive
he can give away free kicks easily. Also at
times there was a lot of space in the
channel for Hamilton’s striker to peel into.
Antoine Curier was replaced by Jason
Scotland in the 2nd half and he started to
run into these channels, but he doesn’t
have the pace to really hurt in these areas.

Here as the ball travels Chantler is already
quite close to Imrie, however the pass here
is going into the striker Antoine-Curier who
makes a run into the channel area.
Chantler isn’t the best defensively in 1v1
situations and even is positioning at times is
poor. We should look to get him in 1v1 and
even use a winger to draw him out of
position to allow a striker to move into this
space.

Throughout the game when Magennis was
on the right hand side he didn’t really do a
decent job of going with runners, especially
Hamilton’s left back.
There was always a lot of space at the back
post for crosses to be delivered to. Our left
back/left mid should look to arrive late into
these positions as there is a good chance
that they won’t be picked up.
O’Hara came on in the 2nd half for Chantler
possibly to deal with the greater number of
aerial balls Hamilton began to play, he is
right footed.

v Aberdeen 20/12/14
01 Samson
22 Westlake (Barbour - 43' )
29 Pascali
23 Chantler
33 Muirhead
19 Slater Booked
04 Hamill
18 Ashcroft
07 McKenzie (Johnston - 78' )
28 Magennis
09 Miller (Cairney - 78' Booked )
Substitutes
02 Barbour
10 Johnston
11 Cairney
13 Brennan
26 O'Hara
36 Syme
38 Hawkshaw
v St Johnstone 13/12/14
01 Samson
22 Westlake Booked
06 Connolly
29 Pascali
23 Chantler Booked
33 Muirhead
08 Clingan (Slater - 56' )
04 Hamill
16 Obadeyi
09 Miller (McKenzie - 71' )
28 Magennis
Substitutes
02 Barbour
07 McKenzie
11 Cairney
13 Brennan
18 Ashcroft
19 Slater
26 O'Hara
v Partick Thistle 6/12/14
01 Samson
22 Westlake
06 Connolly
29 Pascali
23 Chantler Booked
07 McKenzie (Johnston - 76' )
04 Hamill
08 Clingan
16 Obadeyi
28 Magennis
09 Miller (Muirhead - 67' )
Substitutes
10 Johnston
13 Brennan
18 Ashcroft
19 Slater
20 Eremenko
26 O'Hara
33 Muirhead

1. Samson
2. Barbour
23. Chantler
6. Connolly
29. Pascali 19. Slater
33. Muirhead
4. Hamill
28. Magennis
7. McKenzie 9. Miller

Opposition Analysis 2014/15 - Kilmarnock FC

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Opposition Analysis 2014/15 - Kilmarnock FC