[FM23] Born to Run - A Journeyman’s Escape from America - AC Milan

[john1]

Loving the tactical write up!

[13th Man]

8 hours ago, DavidBeckham said:

Smashing it mate! I always have a soft spot for PSV due to Ruud van Nistelrooy! You're having a great start to your tenure too! KUTGW mate!

Thanks! van Nistelrooy was the reason Lindsay got the job too - he’d been managing PSV to consecutive league titles before moving to Man Utd and opening up the PSV job for Lindsay. He did just try and take credit for Lindsay’s success in game, but we’ll forgive him that for now.

@john1 thanks! I’m enjoying digging into the tactics. It’s always what I wanted to focus on, but the convoluted registration rules of the MLS split my attention until Lindsay escaped…

 

 

Edited June 13, 2023 by 13th Man

[13th Man]

At the halfway point

[A big philosophical/tactical post is coming soon, but I figured I would do a mid season update first]

One thing was certain, PSV was the team to beat in the Eredivisie. Ajax finally fell 4-0 to Feyenoord, leaving PSV the only remaining undefeated side in the league. Their impressive run in December only cemented their place at the top, as they boasted a 100% record in the month even with significant rotation as they played twice a week right up to the winter break.

Early in the season, pundits could point to the fact that PSV had only played lower Eredivisie teams, but in December they not only beat two teams fighting for Europe in AZ and Heerenveen, they crushed both by a combined total of 10-2 across three matches. Having played half the season, the only sides able to hold PSV to draws were Ajax and NEC.

Lindsay did not expect an Invincibles season, especially as he was eyeing a decent run in the Champions League. PSV would also have to play AZ and Feyenoord away.

Finally, PSV’s 3-0 win over Tel-Aviv put them back in the automatic round of 16 slots with two matches remaining in the CL League phase. He was very glad to be in a strong position because the final two matched were against Atletico Madrid (H) and PSG (A). Lindsay had expected two losses from those matches when the fixture list came out. Now, he expected tough matches but knew his side had the potential to cause an upset or two.

[Jogo Bonito]

Agree with what has been said, and a fantastic season so far!

Edited June 13, 2023 by Jogo Bonito

[karanhsingh]

Amazing, i think the Eredivisie is already in the bag!

[john1]

Getting easy now in the league

[13th Man]

How are you looking to play?

[Here's a big post for anyone looking to go even deeper into tactics. It’s not just tactics, but life, philosophy and…ok, maybe that’s a bit too far. Plato or Nietzsche this is not, but I ended up going quite intensely into one part of the 4-2-3-1.]

How did he want his side to play? It was a question Brian Lindsay had never had much chance to ponder. When asked by the press, his answer was always in response to how he needed his side to play to get a result. 

Upon taking his first professional level coaching job at Austin FC, Lindsay had been a blank slate tactically. Coaching college teams (U21s essentially) was more about getting the best out of each individual as they came through and he rarely had any of the kids able to do anything other than the standard 4-4-2. At the same time, he learned the value of balanced sides. You needed flair players, enforcers, and runners. Too much of any one type of player and a team is one dimensional and easily beaten or countered.  Sometimes it was better to play a balanced side than to have all your most purely talented players on the pitch.

At Austin, he came up with the Coiled Spring, the first iterations of which he created to get the best out of limited resources. With right footed left backs, he used an IWB. With limited attacking options in central midfield, he made a winger a CM(a). With two all-action but technically limited CMs he gave them active roles and created a tactic that focused on getting the ball to the talented wingers in space. The system evolved to be more possession based (shorter passing and play out of defense etc), and he built a squad that excelled in the system, but it didn’t fundamentally change.

Even more so with the USA national team, Lindsay was forced to find ways to make the best of what was available. First he used the Coiled Spring before needs forced a switch and he rode a counter-attacking 3-4-1-2 all the way to 3rd place in the World Cup.

At that World Cup, he saw an Italy squad that played the way he wished he could. In their 4-2-3-1, they played tactically solid yet fluidly attacking football that focused on lightning fast transitions without super intense pressing. It was an even more pure version of the concepts Lindsay used at Austin.

Lindsay has always keyed in on the importance of transitions, with so many of his side’s goals coming from counters, but the efficiency of the Italians in the World Cup was something Lindsay aspired to.

At PSV, the season began only a week after his arrival. He tried out a version of the 4-2-3-1, but the early experiments were not promising. Without time to hone his system in friendlies, he’d returned to the tried and true 4-3-3 Coiled Spring, adding a few wrinkles to make it more positive. It had roles like CWB  instead of WB, and AP(a) instead of CM(a), but it was still very much the same system.

It all changed in the Ajax match. Driven by necessity after going 2 down, Lindsay finally tried out Simons as a defensive midfielder in the 4-2-3-1 Power system he’d drawn up and tweaked in training. Rather than stifle his ability to change the game, the shift freed the young Dutch midfielder - this went even further when he gave him even more creative freedom to drift around the pitch (VOL to Resgista).

His goal output was down, both from a scoring and assisting point of view, but his deeper role allowed him the space to work magic and make the team tick. His 8.48 progressive passes per 90 led the team and he was regularly the player who set up a player for an assist (in Hockey he’d have a lot more assists, as they credit both passers preceding the goal).

In the regista role, he could do both the “quarterbacking” (dictating the play from deep) and the box crashing, with his sudden runs from very deep often taking the opposition by surprise.

Though he’d never truly considered it, Lindsay now was feeling like PSV were playing the way he’d want to set up his side. When watching Italy Lindsay wished he had the right personnel to implement a similar system, but at PSV he did.

PSV Power

PIs -

Both wingers - stay wider, roam from position

AP(a) - move into channels, roam from position, close down more

RWB - sit narrower

LCB - stay wider

The Lead Blocker

The name of the system comes partially from the way it allows PSV to power through the middle with direct running and passing, and with precise but controlled pressing from the front 4. But the name also comes from an American Football concept of Power Football.

[Both the below shots are “pre-snap”, so play is paused as the offense (white and red) set up their play and the defense looks to stop them from progressing the ball]

[If anyone thinks that American Football is just is a bunch of big guys hitting each other, just look at these two images. The first image is literally as simple as it gets and this is a single play, taking up no more than a minute of game time to set up and run.  The second one, though, is admittedly a complex scheme.]

I’m promise I’m not going to get too much into American Football here, this is a soccer…I mean a real football thread. The idea for the system didn’t come from American Football either, but it shares a concept - that of the “lead blocker” to help punch through what rugby players would call the scrum.

This lead blocker, called a fullback in American Football (no real relation to the FB role in real football), can play many roles, but their main job is opening space for the running back to break through the first defensive line when running the ball. How do they do this? By being large yet fast, and hitting the guys that are trying to tackle the ball carrier (blocking). In both the above pictures you can see #21 lined lined up behind the main line - this will be the ball carrier.  Right in front of #21 is the fullback (covered up between 21 and quarterback #7). The running back (#21) will follow him and burst into the hole created by the fullback. In the first picture he will run to the right, and in the second he’ll go right up the middle.

In the above picture you can see the red Fullback #49 pushing (blocking) white #58 from right to left, and the ball carrier #21 bursting into the space #49 is creating, going left to right after following his lead through the line of scrimmage (roughly, the scrum).  I believe that even though the other team has an arm around #21’s leg, he still got free for a big gain here.  Frank Gore was slippery.

[Side note, these are all my SF 49ers during our Power Football phase in the early 2010s]

What does this have to do with anything?

In PSV’s Power scheme, that “lead blocker” is CF Sebastián Haller. While in the 4-3-3 he was the focal point of the attack and its main goal threat, in the 4-2-3-1 his role is more like that of the American Football fullback. He is still the tip of the spear, and is obviously a goal threat, but he is also tasked with opening space. In the 4-3-3, Lindsay feared that PSV were too reliant on him for goals, but the switch to PSV Power has seen the chances spread more evenly. Playing as a CF(s), Haller acts as a physical presence to take up the attention of the defensive line, drop deep to link up with midfield, and create chaos and space in which for the three behind him to operate. Specifically, his influence has allowed Pablo Torre to thrive.

Pablo Torre

The main man to play the AP(a) role as the attacking midfielder, Pablo Torre was the biggest beneficiary of the 4-2-3-1. Both goals against Barcelona were perfect examples of the Power concept in action that helped the Spaniard get revenge on his former club. For the first, featured a textbook case of Haller as the “lead blocker”. With Barca’s right CB rushing out to meet LW Lang, Haller all but literally pushed the CB towards the goal, opening a huge space for Torre to charge into.  For the second, Haller pulled the CBs deep while Torre ran into the space behind.  

Torre had scored 8 of his 10 goals (and 7 of his 9 assists) since the switch to 4-2-3-1, which made up 13 of his 24 appearances. His combination of pace and movement are a huge part of it, but so too is Haller’s movement off the ball creating space for him.

With Torre proving to be one of the best players in the Eredivisie, it was amazing to think he’d been on the transfer list following a contract impasse when Lindsay arrived. Based on a half season’s play, he was fully worth the €67k/w wages that DOF van Oijen and apparently former manager van Nistelrooy weren’t willing to offer him.

Of course, Haller continued to score, as he did with this beauty (glorious assist by Simons as well) as PSV beat Heerenveen 2-1 in December, but the goals didn’t have to come from him. You can also see the way Torre follows him into the space created.

Speaking of goals, one cannot get into PSV’s goal contributions without highlighting their most electric player - Noni Madueke.

Noni Madueke 

The only attacking category in which Madueke was not a massive outlier was in % of shots on target. He was contributing a goal per 90 on average. He led the team in assists with 13 from 25 appearances and had scored 9 goals, many of them stunning strikes including a great run and curling shot to complete a PSV comeback against FC Volendam that closed out 2026. A player of dribbling, flair, and pace, he was often irrepressible with the ball at his feet and he often sucked the entire defense to him before releasing a teammate for a tap in. What surprised Lindsay the most, however, were his defensive contributions. He won a surprising 2.22 tackles per 90 and pressured the ball 15.5 times per 90. Apart from the stats, he could often be found nicking the ball off the opposition FBs as they ventured into PSV’s half, which often led to opportunities to counter.

4-2-3-1 is here to stay (for now)

It wasn’t perfect, but Lindsay had settled on the 4-2-3-1 Power as his go to system. It got the best out of PSV’s best players in  Xavi Simons and Pablo Torre, allowing both to act as playmakers, but in different areas of the pitch. In thinking about how he wanted to play, he’d . It wasn’t always going to work perfectly, but he could take some of the Coiled Spring 4-3-3 to control matches…or simply switch as needed.

[Hootieleece]

Great write up! As a fellow American using American Football for Context and examples is brilliant. 

[karanhsingh]

Absolutely brilliant post really enjoyed the read

Btw what skin is this?

[13th Man]

14 hours ago, Hootieleece said:

Great write up! As a fellow American using American Football for Context and examples is brilliant. 

Thanks! American Football is obviously very very different, but there’s overlap in the concepts around both attacking and defending certain areas of the field/pitch as well as overloads and isolations. The mechanics of the sport mean there’s no 1 to 1 applications, but the concepts and philosophies of attacking and defending certainly can be applied to the football where you actually kick the ball more often than not.

7 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

Absolutely brilliant post really enjoyed the read

Btw what skin is this?

Thank you! It’s @GIMN’s Mustermann skin with graphical attributes that give a sense of the player’s strengths and weaknesses but not nearly as exact as the 1-20 system. It forces you to look more at the player as a whole, rely on scout reports and stats, and look at value rather than be able to compare two players down to their 13 vs 14 dribbling etc.  I’ve really enjoyed the challenge.

It also just looks really good and the stats and match reports are really well laid out.

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by 13th Man

[SixPointer]

On 14/06/2023 at 17:49, 13th Man said:

How are you looking to play?

[Here's a big post for anyone looking to go even deeper into tactics. It’s not just tactics, but life, philosophy and…ok, maybe that’s a bit too far. Plato or Nietzsche this is not, but I ended up going quite intensely into one part of the 4-2-3-1.]

How did he want his side to play? It was a question Brian Lindsay had never had much chance to ponder. When asked by the press, his answer was always in response to how he needed his side to play to get a result. 

Upon taking his first professional level coaching job at Austin FC, Lindsay had been a blank slate tactically. Coaching college teams (U21s essentially) was more about getting the best out of each individual as they came through and he rarely had any of the kids able to do anything other than the standard 4-4-2. At the same time, he learned the value of balanced sides. You needed flair players, enforcers, and runners. Too much of any one type of player and a team is one dimensional and easily beaten or countered.  Sometimes it was better to play a balanced side than to have all your most purely talented players on the pitch.

At Austin, he came up with the Coiled Spring, the first iterations of which he created to get the best out of limited resources. With right footed left backs, he used an IWB. With limited attacking options in central midfield, he made a winger a CM(a). With two all-action but technically limited CMs he gave them active roles and created a tactic that focused on getting the ball to the talented wingers in space. The system evolved to be more possession based (shorter passing and play out of defense etc), and he built a squad that excelled in the system, but it didn’t fundamentally change.

Even more so with the USA national team, Lindsay was forced to find ways to make the best of what was available. First he used the Coiled Spring before needs forced a switch and he rode a counter-attacking 3-4-1-2 all the way to 3rd place in the World Cup.

At that World Cup, he saw an Italy squad that played the way he wished he could. In their 4-2-3-1, they played tactically solid yet fluidly attacking football that focused on lightning fast transitions without super intense pressing. It was an even more pure version of the concepts Lindsay used at Austin.

Lindsay has always keyed in on the importance of transitions, with so many of his side’s goals coming from counters, but the efficiency of the Italians in the World Cup was something Lindsay aspired to.

At PSV, the season began only a week after his arrival. He tried out a version of the 4-2-3-1, but the early experiments were not promising. Without time to hone his system in friendlies, he’d returned to the tried and true 4-3-3 Coiled Spring, adding a few wrinkles to make it more positive. It had roles like CWB  instead of WB, and AP(a) instead of CM(a), but it was still very much the same system.

It all changed in the Ajax match. Driven by necessity after going 2 down, Lindsay finally tried out Simons as a defensive midfielder in the 4-2-3-1 Power system he’d drawn up and tweaked in training. Rather than stifle his ability to change the game, the shift freed the young Dutch midfielder - this went even further when he gave him even more creative freedom to drift around the pitch (VOL to Resgista).

His goal output was down, both from a scoring and assisting point of view, but his deeper role allowed him the space to work magic and make the team tick. His 8.48 progressive passes per 90 led the team and he was regularly the player who set up a player for an assist (in Hockey he’d have a lot more assists, as they credit both passers preceding the goal).

In the regista role, he could do both the “quarterbacking” (dictating the play from deep) and the box crashing, with his sudden runs from very deep often taking the opposition by surprise.

Though he’d never truly considered it, Lindsay now was feeling like PSV were playing the way he’d want to set up his side. When watching Italy Lindsay wished he had the right personnel to implement a similar system, but at PSV he did.

PSV Power

PIs -

Both wingers - stay wider, roam from position

AP(a) - move into channels, roam from position, close down more

RWB - sit narrower

LCB - stay wider

The Lead Blocker

The name of the system comes partially from the way it allows PSV to power through the middle with direct running and passing, and with precise but controlled pressing from the front 4. But the name also comes from an American Football concept of Power Football.

[Both the below shots are “pre-snap”, so play is paused as the offense (white and red) set up their play and the defense looks to stop them from progressing the ball]

[If anyone thinks that American Football is just is a bunch of big guys hitting each other, just look at these two images. The first image is literally as simple as it gets and this is a single play, taking up no more than a minute of game time to set up and run.  The second one, though, is admittedly a complex scheme.]

I’m promise I’m not going to get too much into American Football here, this is a soccer…I mean a real football thread. The idea for the system didn’t come from American Football either, but it shares a concept - that of the “lead blocker” to help punch through what rugby players would call the scrum.

This lead blocker, called a fullback in American Football (no real relation to the FB role in real football), can play many roles, but their main job is opening space for the running back to break through the first defensive line when running the ball. How do they do this? By being large yet fast, and hitting the guys that are trying to tackle the ball carrier (blocking). In both the above pictures you can see #21 lined lined up behind the main line - this will be the ball carrier.  Right in front of #21 is the fullback (covered up between 21 and quarterback #7). The running back (#21) will follow him and burst into the hole created by the fullback. In the first picture he will run to the right, and in the second he’ll go right up the middle.

In the above picture you can see the red Fullback #49 pushing (blocking) white #58 from right to left, and the ball carrier #21 bursting into the space #49 is creating, going left to right after following his lead through the line of scrimmage (roughly, the scrum).  I believe that even though the other team has an arm around #21’s leg, he still got free for a big gain here.  Frank Gore was slippery.

[Side note, these are all my SF 49ers during our Power Football phase in the early 2010s]

What does this have to do with anything?

In PSV’s Power scheme, that “lead blocker” is CF Sebastián Haller. While in the 4-3-3 he was the focal point of the attack and its main goal threat, in the 4-2-3-1 his role is more like that of the American Football fullback. He is still the tip of the spear, and is obviously a goal threat, but he is also tasked with opening space. In the 4-3-3, Lindsay feared that PSV were too reliant on him for goals, but the switch to PSV Power has seen the chances spread more evenly. Playing as a CF(s), Haller acts as a physical presence to take up the attention of the defensive line, drop deep to link up with midfield, and create chaos and space in which for the three behind him to operate. Specifically, his influence has allowed Pablo Torre to thrive.

Pablo Torre

The main man to play the AP(a) role as the attacking midfielder, Pablo Torre was the biggest beneficiary of the 4-2-3-1. Both goals against Barcelona were perfect examples of the Power concept in action that helped the Spaniard get revenge on his former club. For the first, featured a textbook case of Haller as the “lead blocker”. With Barca’s right CB rushing out to meet LW Lang, Haller all but literally pushed the CB towards the goal, opening a huge space for Torre to charge into.  For the second, Haller pulled the CBs deep while Torre ran into the space behind.  

Torre had scored 8 of his 10 goals (and 7 of his 9 assists) since the switch to 4-2-3-1, which made up 13 of his 24 appearances. His combination of pace and movement are a huge part of it, but so too is Haller’s movement off the ball creating space for him.

With Torre proving to be one of the best players in the Eredivisie, it was amazing to think he’d been on the transfer list following a contract impasse when Lindsay arrived. Based on a half season’s play, he was fully worth the €67k/w wages that DOF van Oijen and apparently former manager van Nistelrooy weren’t willing to offer him.

Of course, Haller continued to score, as he did with this beauty (glorious assist by Simons as well) as PSV beat Heerenveen 2-1 in December, but the goals didn’t have to come from him. You can also see the way Torre follows him into the space created.

Speaking of goals, one cannot get into PSV’s goal contributions without highlighting their most electric player - Noni Madueke.

Noni Madueke 

The only attacking category in which Madueke was not a massive outlier was in % of shots on target. He was contributing a goal per 90 on average. He led the team in assists with 13 from 25 appearances and had scored 9 goals, many of them stunning strikes including a great run and curling shot to complete a PSV comeback against FC Volendam that closed out 2026. A player of dribbling, flair, and pace, he was often irrepressible with the ball at his feet and he often sucked the entire defense to him before releasing a teammate for a tap in. What surprised Lindsay the most, however, were his defensive contributions. He won a surprising 2.22 tackles per 90 and pressured the ball 15.5 times per 90. Apart from the stats, he could often be found nicking the ball off the opposition FBs as they ventured into PSV’s half, which often led to opportunities to counter.

4-2-3-1 is here to stay (for now)

It wasn’t perfect, but Lindsay had settled on the 4-2-3-1 Power as his go to system. It got the best out of PSV’s best players in  Xavi Simons and Pablo Torre, allowing both to act as playmakers, but in different areas of the pitch. In thinking about how he wanted to play, he’d . It wasn’t always going to work perfectly, but he could take some of the Coiled Spring 4-3-3 to control matches…or simply switch as needed.

Sensational post!! Love how you’ve broken it down and how you get the message across

Lindsays American background shinning through in his systems and it’s pulling up trees on the European continent 

[13th Man]

A busy January [Part I]

Before getting into what was a surprisingly busy January transfer window, let’s take a moment to highlight a fantastic bit of summer deadline business - center back Diego Coppola.

Brought in on deadline day for €6.5m, the Italian was proving to be a steal. The forwards and creative players got all the plaudits, and deservedly so, but Coppola was going about his business with quiet excellence.  He was exactly what PSV needed in the back - dependable. You noticed the difference he made when he wasn’t there. With Syrota on the left, the two made an excellent partnership at the back.

In terms of transfer needs, Lindsay felt no need to replace any starters. Instead, he looked to add quality depth in two key areas.

Center forward

Long before the mid-season break, Lindsay had been looking for a forward that could rotate with Haller and be a long term replacement, as Haller was 32. The backup at PSV - Sergio Camelo - was a decent player, but the drop off between him and Haller was large, and Camelo wasn’t a physical presence either. He’d also spent much of the first half of the season injured.

The importance of a decent option grew as Sebastian Haller was called up to play for the Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations in January and February.

The scouts found a gem at Vitoria Plzen. Only 18 and already a very good finisher and a physical presence, the hard working, determined Robert Ordelt looked like a potential star of the future.  At €7m (with up to €4m in add ons if he realized his potential) it was good business.

With the arrival of Ordelt, Camelo was put on the transfer list.

DM - Segundo Volante/Regista

While Simons had taken to the regista role as if it was designed for him, PSV really didn’t have anyone else who could play the role. Dani Cellabos had the right player profile, but he seemed deeply uncomfortable in the role - and hadn’t exactly impressed as a BBM in the 4-3-3 either. DM Diouf had done well as a Segundo Volante, but he was better in the more defensive DM position and it wasn’t ideal to have a first choice in one position as depth for another.

Lindsay couldn’t find value for money in a tricky position, so he turned to a familiar face.

Danny Leyva returned to PSV from Austin FC for €7.5m after two seasons in Texas. He was nowhere near the player Simons was, but he had all the tools to perform as a reliable rotation option. In fact, Lindsay had been impressed with his play as a Segundo Volante when on USA duty - though he was backup to Musah there as well - and so could feel more confident.  Still just 23, Leyva still had the potential to grow a bit. 

Funnily enough, the deal ended up costing less due to the sell-on clause as part of his transfer to Austin - PSV would get back 30% of the profits from that €6m sale. Leyva’s release clause at €7.5m meant that PSV essentially got a €475k discount on their former player. In the end, it was like a two year loan for PSV in which Leyva played week in, week out, and only cost them €1.25m, which was about his wages for a single season.

Out - Dani Cellabos - €14.5m (+ €4m)

With Leyva’s arrival, Dani Cellabos was also transfer listed - the 30 year old midfielder had been attracting interest, and had been disappointing in Lindsay’s system. He would leave for Southampton near the end of the window for €14.5m with another €4m in possible add-ons.

PSV largely picked up were they left off as they returned from the mid-season break.  A tune up friendly against lower Bundesliga Hannover was followed by two away league wins.

With Haller on international duty, new signing Ordelt started all three matches. In these early goings, he was looking like a fantastic signing.  He was all over the pitch, tracking back, and linking up well. Even better, he scored a debut goal and set up another against Willem II.

Leyva too was slotting right into the team as a dependable rotation option. He started the friendly, even scoring a goal, and got minutes in both league matches as well.  He looked like an upgrade over Cellabos, at least in the regista/Volante role.

Up next was two Tuesdays of Champions League football.  First PSV would host Atletico Madrid before traveling to Paris to take on PSG in a battle of the PS’s.

Hanging over all of this was the specter of losing one of PSV’s best players…

Xavi Simons was attracting interest from some big clubs.  With a €74m release clause, Simons would bring in a massive windfall, but he was irreplaceable.  Lindsay was well aware that the young Dutchman would be moving on eventually, but he hoped he could at least finish the season with a player that made the side tick rather than be forced to scramble for a replacement when things were going so well…

[Jogo Bonito]

It will be a big blow to lose Xavi Simons. Maybe the return of Leyva will help tide you over if that happens.

Sorry if this was asked before, but backtracking a bit. I see Austin is an affiliate club of PSV. Could that have helped you land the job there? In any case, it made the move ultra realistic. 

[13th Man]

28 minutes ago, Jogo Bonito said:

 

It will be a big blow to lose Xavi Simons. Maybe the return of Leyva will help tide you over if that happens.

 

Leyva is a solid option, but Lindsay is tracking a handful of creative DMs in the €30-40m range to take over the starting role should Simons be tempted away.

30 minutes ago, Jogo Bonito said:

Sorry if this was asked before, but backtracking a bit. I see Austin is an affiliate club of PSV. Could that have helped you land the job there? In any case, it made the move ultra realistic. 

Yes! This is exactly why I thought this move was so perfect! PSV would have been very familiar with Lindsay’s work at Austin.

[Jogo Bonito]

24 minutes ago, 13th Man said:

Leyva is a solid option, but Lindsay is tracking a handful of creative DMs in the €30-40m range to take over the starting role should Simons be tempted away.

Yes! This is exactly why I thought this move was so perfect! PSV would have been very familiar with Lindsay’s work at Austin.

The power of PSV will surely help you attract a good quality replacement.

I see, yes. Sorry for missing that aspect at the time but agreed, it was the perfect move indeed!

[karanhsingh]

How many colours do you have in the attribute graphs? I am guessing the light blues probably mean 15+

[DavidBeckham]

Diego Coppola's gonna be excellent for you! Great signing! I won the Champions League with him on my save! 

Edited June 18, 2023 by DavidBeckham

[13th Man]

23 hours ago, Jogo Bonito said:

The power of PSV will surely help you attract a good quality replacement.

I see, yes. Sorry for missing that aspect at the time but agreed, it was the perfect move indeed!

Replacements can be found, but Lindsay would still hate to lose a player that fits so perfectly!

No worries of course. Between all the updates of all the fine folks here, details are lost!

22 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

How many colours do you have in the attribute graphs? I am guessing the light blues probably mean 15+

There’s blank, tiny dark blue circle, medium sized blue, and large, bright blue circle. You’re probably right but I like to think of it as blank = ****, tiny=bad, medium = pretty decent, big bright blue = elite. I look to see if they’re decent to good in the key areas and then look at stats and scout reports. 
 

 

7 hours ago, DavidBeckham said:

Diego Coppola's gonna be excellent for you! Great signing! I won the Champions League with him on my save! 

He’s been a rock! So quietly solid, and almost never makes mistakes. All around good player and his passing isn’t bad either.

[SixPointer]

The money from a potential Simons deal could allow you to re invest in three/four positions to a much higher level. As hard as it is to let go sometimes it’s brings new life and more strength to the team. 

[13th Man]

8 hours ago, SixPointer said:

The money from a potential Simons deal could allow you to re invest in three/four positions to a much higher level. As hard as it is to let go sometimes it’s brings new life and more strength to the team. 

You’re not wrong, Lindsay’s would just rather he leave over the summer instead of in the middle of a promising campaign. Also, Lindsay is vaguely hoping to somehow keep Simons long enough that he can potentially bring him along when Lindsay (hopefully) moves to a top club.

[13th Man]

A busy January [Part II]

Sebastian Haller was off at the African Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast, and new signing Robert Ordelt couldn’t be registered for the League Phase of the Champions League. This meant that PSV would have to play two big matches with only Sergio Camelo as their only natural center forward. Not only was he transfer listed, but he was only just returning from a long term injury.

To add to the pressure, while PSV were in a good position to make the playoff round, they still had no guarantees. They also had a chance for the automatic qualification spots should they win both matches…

Atletico Madrid (H)

Watching Atletico’s recent matches, Lindsay felt confident in PSV’s chances. They ran a 4-3-3 that was vulnerable to exactly the kind of quick transitions, and runs in the channels that PSV specialized in. 

Would Camello be up to the task of leading the line though?

Lindsay needn’t have worried about Camello. He nearly scored after only 15 seconds, forcing a goal line clearance. Atletico didn’t heed the warning, however, and some glorious one touch passing allowed Camello to get through and score only a minute and a half later. He’d then go on to finish a well executed counter.

As he hoped, PSV were brutal in transition. The movement of the front four was more than Atletico could handle and Camello’s movement and finishing were making Lindsay second guess his choice to transfer list the Spanish striker.

Paris Saint-Germain (A)

After a strong win in Eindhoven, PSV had a huge match away to PSG. Lindsay’s side had secured qualification to the knock out rounds with their win over Atletico Madrid, but would likely fall from the round of 16 slots if they lost in Paris. PSG were loaded with talent and still had prime Mbappe leading the line. Rather than try to stop him, Lindsay would focus on stopping the service to him by pressing both Ruben Neves and Declan Rice, who served as the double pivot in PSG’s 4-2-3-1. Lindsay would also set a high line and high press to try and disrupt PSG’s build up play.

Ahead of the match, Lindsay and PSV got some bad news. Their electric right winger Madueke came down with COVID, and would miss several weeks. Lindsay had to hope the virus didn’t spread.

Losing to PSG in Paris was nothing to be ashamed of, and PSV returned home with pride. What did hurt was giving up a two goal lead and losing to an added time winner from Mbappe.

Even more frustrating was that Lindsay’s gameplan worked very well. The first goal came from the high press, with PSG forced into a long ball that PSV latched onto and quickly worked into the box - though Madueke’s replacement Taferner still had plenty to do. Forward Camello then gave Lindsay more to ponder as he scored a two minute brace to open the second half on two quick PSV counters.

PSG’s relentless press was really effective, however, forcing Lindsay to switch to a more conservative 4-3-3 and abandon any pretenses of playing out from the back. More than anything, it was a case of Mbappe finding ways to Mbappe despite PSV effectively cutting off service for the vast majority of the match.

His first half goal came from an absolutely pinpoint move - Lindsay could find no fault in his defense. His late equalizer from the spot was the result of a clumsy and unnecessary challenge in the box, and his winner was a moment where PSV’s backline switched off for just a moment in transition and were undone by a long ball - it was the one time Mbappe got in behind. Yeremy Pino’s goal was very unfortunate for PSV as well. A Benitez save fell kindly to Mbappe, but his shot was blocked…only for it to fall right at the feet of Pino at the far post.

In the end, PSG were the better side and deserved the three points, yet PSV could feel very unlucky not to get at least a point. Two PSV mistakes and an unlucky bounce negated what was otherwise an incredibly well played match by PSV. 

While Lindsay had initially figured that a defeat was no different from a draw, he found out later that his side would have been through to the round of 16 if they’d managed to even draw in Paris. With 15 points and a GD of 5, they would have been equal with Tottenham in 8th, but had scored 14 to Tottenham’s 12. Lindsay couldn’t let himself dwell on the past, however.

As it was, they’d have to get through none other than former PSV manager Ruud van Nistelrooij’s Manchester United. The Red Devils were having a less than stellar season by their standards and were sitting in 5th in the Premier League. Their League Phase form left them in 20th place after losing to Atletico Madrid, Tottenham and a Feyenoord side that PSV knew well…and had beaten 4-0.

Lindsay was not going to take a giant like Manchester United lightly, but he was not overawed either. The pressure would all be on United and PSV had shown that they could hold their own against the top sides. They’d beaten Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, drawn away at Arsenal, and only narrowly lost a 4-3 thriller in Paris. Play to their potential and they could not only get one over van Neistelooij, but do one better than he’d been able to and make it to the round of 16…

[karanhsingh]

Well done even against PSG. And wow, what a mouth watering match-up. Interesting that Ruud is managing Man Utd.

[SixPointer]

Late goal is a huge sucker punch! Man United provides a nice spectacle with Ruuuuuuuuuuuddddddd at the helm 

[Jogo Bonito]

Good luck and I hope you see off The Red Devils. Good to have the added aspect of Ruud as their boss. 

I'm being really tempted to head off to the Netherlands myself, as it is years since I managed there (and not for long at all either). I probably would have gone to PSV, but really need to find a different club as I already 'followed' somebody at VfB! Might well be AZ, FC Twente or another team that wear red & white that I think can be the next target of my 'build a predominantly home grown successful outfit'.

Keep up the great work with PSV. As a matter of interest, which PSV 'originals' do you still have in your first team squad now?

[DavidBeckham]

The thing FM does best is writing script. There aren't any better than you bringing PSV back to Old Trafford to face RvN! I don't know who to root for though

Edited June 26, 2023 by DavidBeckham

[Hootieleece]

FM leads to great stories that we all like to share on this Forum. In your case PSV facing their old manager that is now with Man U.

PSV for the win!

 

[13th Man]

Manchester United - PSV Champions League Preview

[I’m back after a three month long break from FM.  As a teacher, my summers are largely free, but for the first time in years I had the mental energy to actually make music, so I ended up using the vast majority of it to record an album. And there was also a bit of traveling and such with the family.  Now that I’m fully back in the grind of teaching, I need more of an escape, and FM held out its highly addictive hand, and here we are. Anyway, I'll be checking through a bit of what I've missed in the coming days...] 

Ruud van Nistelrooy is a legend. 

He might not be in the conversation for one of the best players of all time, but he was among the best forwards of his generation. Winning five league titles across three European leagues, he’d also won plenty of individual accolades and scored countless goals while playing for two of the biggest clubs in the world in Manchester United and Real Madrid.

As a manager he looked set to follow a similar trajectory. Just as he had during his playing days, he led PSV to consecutive Eredivisie titles, this time breaking a run of 5 consecutive seasons that Ajax had emerged victorious. Just as he had during his playing days, he then moved to Manchester United. 

But it hasn’t been smooth sailing in England.  The club sit in 4th in the league, nothing to scoff at, but they have suffered 5 defeats, including against top rivals Manchester City (twice), Liverpool, and even Arsenal.  In the Champions League, they were embarrassed by Real Madrid and lost to Marseille as well.  That said, he is doing as well as could be expected for a new manager at a club that hadn’t yet been able to return to the lofty heights of its storied history.

It might be said, however, that his rocky start to his tenure in Manchester may be to blame for his comments about his successor at PSV, the relatively unknown Brian Lindsay.  More than once, van Neistelrooy has made remarks which can certainly be read as belittling or even petty.  He remarked on several occasions about how much money Lindsay has spent - though he’s largely broken even - and seemed to downplay Lindsay’s successes so far this season. Van Nistelrooy even gone as far as to say that he should get the lion's share of the credit for PSV’s success this season.

Unlike van Neistelrooy, Lindsay came with no pedigree.  A manager who catapulted himself onto the world stage after leading the USA national team to a 3rd place finish in the World Cup, Lindsay’s name is hardly known outside of the US.  Under Lindsay, however, PSV have been absolutely dominant. Last season at this point, PSV had lost four games in the league and drawn one.  This season, PSV are unbeaten and have only drawn three times.

Is some of van Neistelrooy’s repeated, and vocal dismissals of Lindsay’s success with his former club a sense that maybe his own resume wasn’t so impressive after all? If these comments had only come after the clubs were drawn against one another in the playoff round, it would be tempting to think it was mind games, but these comments have trickled in all season whenever van Neistelrooy has been asked about PSV.

It begs the question as to whether van Neistelrooy is threatened by Lindsay, as well as another about how van Neistelrooy felt when the draw was made.  Is the former great scared of his old side?  Does he worry that his Champions League season will come to an end at the hands of his successor?  PSV have shown that they can play at the highest level, having defeated Spanish giants Atletico Madrid and Barcelona while drawing away to Arsenal and only falling to defeat at PSG due to a heroic effort from Mbappe.

Manchester United are clear favorites, make no mistake, but PSV will not be an easy draw for the former giants of European football.  The Dutch club boasts a potent attack and a defense which is rarely beaten.  United have shown a weakness against quick balls out to the flanks, something which PSV excel at.  Whether the David which is PSV can take down the Goliath of Manchester United remains to be seen, but it should be a cracking tie…

[Hootieleece]

Congratulations! I only had time to play golf and FM with my summer off. You are much more ambitious than me with your time off.

[13th Man]

On 29/09/2023 at 03:15, Hootieleece said:

Congratulations! I only had time to play golf and FM with my summer off. You are much more ambitious than me with your time off.

I didn’t say the music was good or worth actually releasing….

[13th Man]

Big shoes to fill

A hard fought 2-1 win for Manchester United at Old Trafford set up a contest that was on a knife’s edge entering the second leg of the tie in Holland.  

United were in control at home, with PSV unable to get any real control of the game.  Lindsay tried both higher lines and the 4-3-3 shape, but settled back on the 4-2-3-1 as the changes seemed to hurt PSV rather than help.

PSV also very much missed the suspended [DM] Andy Diouf, who was the sides enforcer foil to the artists in the side such as Xavi Simons and Pablo Torre. At no point was this more evident than when United attacked down PSV’s left and the man that Diouf would have been marking, Jude Bellingham, was left unmarked in the area to pick his spot and score.  After that, PSV’s Pablo Torre and United’s Nicolo Barella traded world class goals from distance.

Another big story going into this next match will be the absence of talisman Sebastian Haller.  Having only just returned from African Cup duties, Haller was injured in the first half at Old Trafford and would face another lengthy absence from the squad.  January signing, teenager Robert Ordelt will likely be thrust into Haller’s shoes.  The youngster has hit the ground running at PSV, scoring twice in his first three appearances, but this will be a very different challenge for the young Czech.

1min CHANCE!!!

PSV are out of the gates quick and really should be ahead. [LW] Madueke’s has a chance cleared OFF THE LINE!!! Two quick passes saw PSV go from front to back through an around the corner pass from Torre to Madueke, sending the winger free on goal.  Madueke beat Kobel in goal only to have the ball cleared off the line by CB Morato.

27 min CHANCE!

Dalot is being given freedom to roam the right flank for United tonight.  Another surging run gets him into the final third, and his cutback finds Bellingham in space at the top of the box.  He takes his time, picks his spot, and forces a good save from Benitez in PSV’s goal!

[New TI, man mark Dalot]

30 min CHANCE!!!

PSV come so very close to getting even in this tie again!  [CF] Ordelt starts the move as he picks up a poor pass from Bruno Fernandes and leads the break.  He exchanges passes with [RW] Teferner, pulling the CBs wide before feeding the ball to [CM] Torre who surges into the space he opened.  The Spaniard’s shot beats Kobel only to come back off the crossbar.  This tie really should be level at this point!

Halftime

United are in control in terms of possession, but PSV have had the better chances by far.  PSV appeared to switch to their 4-3-3 formation late in the first half.  The switch was not able to change the course of the tie in Manchester, but it has given PSV the momentum here so far.

55 min GOAL!!!

PSV 1 (2) - Manchester United 0 (2)

Ordelt has done it!  In his first ever start in the Champions League the Czech teenager has leveled the score!  Torre’s free kick to the far post was decent enough, but Ordelt still had it all to do.  His powerful header beats Kobel and the tie is level!!!

Extra Time

Ordelt’s goal sends the tie to extra time.  Though possession and control favors United, PSV have had the better chances and scored the only goal of the match.

106 - GOAL!!!!

PSV 1 (2) - Manchester United 1 (3)

[LW] Noa Lang makes a massive mistake and his error is punished.  After [LB] Lucas works hard to win the ball back in his own third, he sees an outlet in Lang.  The winger dallies on the ball just outside his own area, however, allowing to Diego Dalot to nick the ball off him and put in a quick cross to Jordan Sancho, who powers his shot past Benitez - despite the keeper getting a hand to the ball.

United are back on top just after the second half of extra time.  PSV have been the better side, but are tiring.

108 CHANCE!!!

PSV almost level the scores again right from kickoff!  A lovely move down the left ends as Torre puts the ball up for Camelo just outside the six yard box.  The forward’s header is well placed, but Kobel is able to make an incredible fingertip save.

120+2 CHANCE!!!

Camelo gets onto a through ball in the dying seconds of the match.  His shot is far too high, however, and it feels like that has to be it.

FULL TIME 

PSV 1 (2) - Manchester United 1 (3)

PSV fought bravely, and maybe even deserved to win, but they don’t take advantage of their chances and fall to Manchester United 3-2 on aggregate.  

[13th Man]

Season fast forward

[Ive already played through the rest of the season that was mostly lacking in drama, so I’m going to fast forward a bit. In the next post or two I’ll get into tactical deepish dives into a few games and the evolution of the 4-3-3 (Control) and 4-2-3-1 (Power) systems.]

Lindsay found the exit in the Champions League massively deflating. It wasn’t so much the loss itself as a feeling of lost momentum. After results against Barcelona and Atletico Madrid as well as good showings away to Arsenal and PSG, Lindsay had felt his side had a chance to replicate Ajax’s 2018/2019 deep run in the competition. They had mostly matched United over two legs, and had plenty of chances to win the tie at home. Instead, they lost a close tie and would remain in Holland for the rest of the season.

Lindsay was surprised at just how little that idea appealed to him. The issue was that PSV had the Eredivisie all but wrapped up by that point, removing the drama from the rest of the season.

There were a few more moments to remember, including securing the title with a 3-0 win over Ajax with five matches remaining in the season. (I’ll cover that one a bit in a later post…).

A sense of complacency settled at the club, including in the first half of that Ajax match, and it led to PSV’s inability to get over the final hurdle in the Dutch Cup.  In the final they lost on penalties to FC Utrecht in a match they really should have won. 

The two above graphics show PSV’s utter dominance, but they were let down by a general lack of sharpness. Shamefully poor finishing from PSV kept Utrecht in the game, and meant that two avoidable errors allowed Utrecht to take the match to penalties. Utrecht went 10 for 10 in the penalty shootout, PSV only went 9-10.

Lindsay was pretty sure a combination of complacency and the fact that, following their defeat to Manchester United in the Champions League, PSV had faced no side that could match them. The blip against Utrecht, however, would be the only match they didn’t win after their Champions League exit.

The football PSV played was beautiful, flowing, and clinical. The sides they came up against every week could not handle them. The only time PSV faltered was when they made mistakes or weren’t sharp. Even then, however, they found a way to win 13 in a row in the league. Their domestic dominance was so thorough that their closest rivals finished 21 (Feyenoord) and 25 (Ajax) points behind them. They broke records for most wins in a season (previously 30) and most points in a season (previously 90).

What else was there to do with this PSV side? He could potentially go on to actually win the Dutch Cup, maybe make a deeper run in the Champions League, but there was really only one way to go in the league. The thought of playing overmatched sides week in, week out in a second tier league had lost its appeal.

Then Chelsea came along and acticed Xavi Simons’ €74m release clause just after the season came to a close.

Lindsay couldn’t blame him for wanting to move to a bigger club in a bigger league. Simons had grown beyond the Eredivisie, and Lindsay began to feel as if he had too.

Even as he brought in a replacement for Simons and set plans in motion to use the remaining funds to improve the squad, he kept an eye out for job postings at truly top clubs. He didn’t expect to get hired at any of the super clubs, but he was aiming at a top four club in one of the top leagues…

[Hootieleece]

Same feeling I had with Preston. I got to the point where basically we would be a midtable Premier League Club and every once and awhile get to Europe. Our Ceiling was constrained by our wages, I moved to Schalke thinking bigger club/ "Fallen Giant" I will be able to move up and consistently make Europe. Similar limits on payroll (this time due to debt) will have Jester looking for another job in a season or two. 

Hopefully FM24 will be out and Jester will retire soon.

[13th Man]

@Hootieleece - That’s kind of the idea. Also with 24 on the horizon it seemed like a move to the big time was a bit more urgent.

[karanhsingh]

Nice to see you back! I myself have had to take a work and family enforced 3 month break from FM too... however just trying to now catch up with at least a few threads from familiar faces. A very good season there, and would love to see you take up one more role at a big club before FM24 rolls around.

[13th Man]

18 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

Nice to see you back!

Likewise! You had another kid right? Lindsay is going to make a run at a top club and see if he can get to the pinnacle of the sport…

[13th Man]

The Big Time

Lindsay went into the summer thinking he’d likely have to stay another season at PSV. Most of Europe’s big clubs had finished as expected and the managers were secure in their jobs. Most of those sacked in the top leagues were from relegated clubs, and without the coaching carousel set in motion by movement at the top, there weren’t many options that wouldn’t be a step down for Lindsay.Two intriguing jobs did open up, however - AC Milan and Manchester United.  

Zinadine Zidane had replaced Stefano Pioli when he left in 2024 after winning a second Scudetto.  Pioli’s Italy side beat Lindsay’s USA in the 2026 World Cup and had, in no small part, inspired Lindsay’s PSV Power system.  However, Zidane’s nearly three years in charge had been less successful, with the club finishing 4th, 2nd and 5th before the ownership decided to move on from the French legend.

Ruud van Nistelrooy, on the other hand, was sacked after only a year at the helm as Manchester United fell into the Conference League.  Lindsay couldn’t help but enjoy it a bit after van Nistelrooy’s many, many comments throughout the season belittling his accomplishments at PSV.

Lindsay felt both were long shots, but he applied before getting on with plans for PSV.  To his surprise, both quickly reached out for interviews…

[karanhsingh]

11 minutes ago, 13th Man said:

Likewise! You had another kid right? Lindsay is going to make a run at a top club and see if he can get to the pinnacle of the sport…

We had twins! To add to the earlier one. So yes, that makes 3 in all 

[keeper#1]

12 minutes ago, karanhsingh said:

We had twins! To add to the earlier one. So yes, that makes 3 in all 

Time to switch to zonal marking.  

[karanhsingh]

7 minutes ago, keeper#1 said:

Time to switch to zonal marking.  

LOL

I am going man to man with the older one. 

[SixPointer]

Glad to see you back bud. Man United and AC Milan would be a lovely narrative 

[13th Man]

On 02/10/2023 at 19:22, karanhsingh said:

We had twins! To add to the earlier one. So yes, that makes 3 in all 

Wow! Things are tough enough with two, add twins to the mix…also makes my old method of playing FM one handed while holding the napping baby impossible…

[13th Man]

Power v Control

One constant across Lindsay’s managerial career was a focus on quick transitions. The moments of chaos are the best chance to disrupt the opponent’s game plan, and the inverse is just as true. Lindsay always looks to create a setup that can take advantage of these situations in attack, while having a shape that is always ready to solidify and plug gaps. Though gegenpressing is the system best known for its focus on transitions, this isn’t the only way of going about it.  

In fact, the system Lindsay developed in his first season in Austin was a reaction to the MLS’s love affair with the gegenpress. Austin kept defensive shape, pulled the opposition onto them, then let the all-action midfield press around midfield, nick the ball, before getting it to the talented wingers in space. This was the Coiled Spring - a system that preyed on the mistakes so often made by teams that were high pressing, high tempo, and overly aggressive despite limited technical and tactical abilities (so basically the majority of teams in the MLS).

Coiled Spring (Austin FC)

PIs - both wingers stay wider, roam from position.

Over time, as Austin came to dominate the MLS and the NACL, sides began to catch on and play more conservatively. Lindsay was forced to be a bit more proactive tactically. He developed Big Club Football, a system that pressed higher up the pitch and played with a bit more urgency going forward.  It was this system that Lindsay settled on at PSV at the beginning of the season.  He experimented a bit with a 4-2-3-1 early in the season but found it didn’t quite work, at least in his initial experiments.

Big Club Football

PIs - 

Both wingers - stay wider, roam from position

AP(a) - roam from position, move into channels

RWB - sit narrower

LCB - Stay wider [new]

PSV started the season strong, until the Topper Derby against Ajax, when they went down 2-0 in the first 20 minutes.  The change to a tweaked 4-2-3-1 made all the difference, and PSV were able to salvage a draw in Amsterdam.  The system also led to excellent wins against Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

PSV Power

PIs -

Both wingers - stay wider, roam from position

AP(a) - move into channels, roam from position, close down more

RWB - sit narrower

LCB - stay wider (to cover for the CWB getting forward)

PSV Power was absolutely clinical at taking advantage of opposition mistakes.  It could score in a lot of ways depending on the way the opposition set up.  The front four could score in a lot of ways, and in Xavi Simons PSV had a player who was extremely dangerous and influential as a Regista.

As the name suggests, PSV power excelled at overpowering overmatched opposition.  It overloaded spaces in different ways depending on how the opposition set up without being too crowded in any one space.

The problem arose when the opposition could keep the ball well…

Power v Control

While PSV overpowered most of their opponents in Holland without breaking a sweat, there were a few matches where PSV’s Power simply didn’t work.  Strong, possession based sides had the ability to keep the ball when they got past the front four.  What Lindsay began to realize is that while the PSV Power was an excellent battering ram, especially against sides that sat deep or tried to go direct, it would struggle to control a match sometimes.

While Lindsay set up his sides to revel in the chaos of transition, if he couldn’t force the opposition into mistakes through bait (the high line/mid block of PSV Power and/or the holes which appeared to be there but which were difficult to actually exploit) PSV would lose control of a game.

Feyenoord - Dutch Cup

One example came in the Dutch Cup against a Feyenoord side that finished the league 2nd.  In the opening stages of the match, Feyenoord’s central 3-4-1-2 had no trouble keeping the ball - then they would strike with direct balls over the top after pulling PSV onto them.  Worse, they were pulling the 4-2-3-1 out of position regularly.  This tactic saw them control the first 10 minutes and score a well deserved goal.

Lindsay switched to his 4-3-3 Big Club system, which exploited the space on the wings, but, more importantly, wrestled control back from Feyenoord.  The rest of the first half saw PSV get back on top in terms of possession and momentum, scoring two.  Two early 2nd half goals sealed the win, and Lindsay began to pull the starters in preparation for the Manchester United CL match midweek, which allowed Feyenoord to get in the game a bit, but not enough to worry Lindsay.

Ajax - Eredivisie

The second match that saw Lindsay need to switch away from the PSV Power was, ironically, against Ajax at home.  While Ajax away had been the match that saw PSV Power unleashed for the first time, at home, Ajax were more content to play a cautious, possession game that dragged PSV around and cut through them like butter.  A few saves from Benitez and a bit of poor finishing from Ajax’s forwards was all that kept PSV from going 1-0 or 2-0 down by the half.

Lindsay had been reluctant to switch to the 4-3-3 at first - especially after that system was brutalized in Amsterdam. Even when he did, things didn’t improve until he upped the lines and the press, and retook control of the match from the visiting rivals.

After the tactical switch at halftime (and a bit of the hair dryer treatment) PSV came out and thoroughly dominated Ajax. Their dominance was so thorough that they easier could have won by more than the 3-0 scoreline.

In truth, the 3-0 scoreline flattered PSV a little. Ajax should have had 1 or 2 in the first half, but the effect of the tactical switch just before the half can be seen clearly in both the momentum and xG charts. It wasn’t just that PSV became dangerous, but that they controlled the game to such an extent that Ajax barely got a sniff in the second half, registering only two low quality shots.

Lessons learned

As Lindsay led the USA to a win the Gold Cup, he agreed to take over as manager at AC Milan. Though more of a historical giant than a current one, AC Milan is still a massive club. In Serie A, Lindsay expected to face a much sterner domestic challenge than he’d faced in the Netherlands. He had taken PSV to a new level, but he’d taken over a side that had won consecutive titles. AC Milan, on the other hand, had finished 5th in Serie A (yet somehow still were in Europe? I think I remember something about Italy getting an extra CL spot and taking one from the Eredivisie? It doesn’t quite make sense but ok).

Lindsay still planned on using the 4-2-3-1 Power as his main system, but there would certainly be more sides that could hold onto the ball and exploit the gaps in the 4-2-3-1 Power. There would be more times that he needed to control matches, not just power through them…

Edited October 7, 2023 by 13th Man

[Hootieleece]

Your power system resembles my Schalke04 system in many ways, but I have more trouble with direct sides than possession sides unless there is a gulf in player quality. (Think Arsenal or FC Bayern)

You should do well in Italy at least doing as well as last season, but it might take a couple of transfer windows to find the perfect players to take you to the top using that system.

 

[karanhsingh]

On 08/10/2023 at 02:57, 13th Man said:

Wow! Things are tough enough with two, add twins to the mix…also makes my old method of playing FM one handed while holding the napping baby impossible…

Oh yes we have all been there! And with the new game coming out soon, I will have to find a way

[BML]

On 07/10/2023 at 22:50, 13th Man said:

(yet somehow still were in Europe? I think I remember something about Italy getting an extra CL spot and taking one from the Eredivisie? It doesn’t quite make sense but ok).

This will be the new rule that gives the two best performing countries (by coefficient) from the previous season a fifth CL entry. Typically this is England + Spain/Italy, although you do sometimes get a fun outlier like Lichtenstein if Vaduz clear a couple of rounds.

Just another concession from UEFA to keep the big teams in the big comp.

[keeper#1]

I had this in my Crystal Palace save as well.  It was always England & some other Big 5 league grabbing the two extra spots.  I think, one season through clubs winning the Europa League and Europa Conference, England has nine or ten teams in European club competitions for the following season

[Hootieleece]

10 hours ago, BML said:

This will be the new rule that gives the two best performing countries (by coefficient) from the previous season a fifth CL entry. Typically this is England + Spain/Italy, although you do sometimes get a fun outlier like Lichtenstein if Vaduz clear a couple of rounds.

Just another concession from UEFA to keep the big teams in the big comp.

 

6 hours ago, keeper#1 said:

I had this in my Crystal Palace save as well.  It was always England & some other Big 5 league grabbing the two extra spots.  I think, one season through clubs winning the Europa League and Europa Conference, England has nine or ten teams in European club competitions for the following season

In my Schalke Thread it was always England and Italy by a large margin in the Coefficient.

I think it has to do with having a lot of teams from a league do well in Europe and it becomes a self-fulfilling thing more teams more chances.

[13th Man]

On 18/10/2023 at 03:47, BML said:

This will be the new rule that gives the two best performing countries (by coefficient) from the previous season a fifth CL entry. Typically this is England + Spain/Italy, although you do sometimes get a fun outlier like Lichtenstein if Vaduz clear a couple of rounds.

Just another concession from UEFA to keep the big teams in the big comp.

Ah! Many thanks on the rule update.  I'm not complaining (Lindsay appreciates the CL football) just didn't catch onto that.

[13th Man]

Hired!

[So, with FM24 on the horizon, and likely to come out before I finish this season, I was considering switching this save over to FM24.  However, I’m loving the graphical attributes (not seeing the exact 1-20s for every player attribute) and don’t want to give it up…Either way, I’m definitely going to finish out the season with Lindsay in Milan.  Whether the story continues is to be decided…]

Apparently impressed by his knack for winning titles, AC Milan chose to bring in American manager Brian Lindsay to the San Siro, beating out former Juventus and current Atletico Madrid manager Massimiliano Allegri.

Between Manchester United and AC Milan, Lindsay had been leaning towards the Italian club, so he was glad when they called first. He considered waiting to see if United called, but ended up deciding against it. This proved smart as United went with Unai Emery, coming off of 5 excellent years at Aston Villa in which they punched above their weight, including winning the Champions League in 2025.  Just as Lindsay hadn’t blamed Leeds when they’d feared another American manager following Marsch’s sacking, he understood why United were hesitant to hire another manager from PSV after van Nistelrooy’s struggles.

[PSV, meanwhile, hired Gennaro Gattuso following Lindsay’s departure.]

Another reason Lindsay was pleased to take over at AC Milan was a connection with their former manager Stefano Pioli.  Lindsay USA faced Pioli’s Italy side in the 2026 World Cup Semis, and it was Pioli’s tactics which inspired the Power system he ran at PSV.  Lindsay had actually managed to get a bit of revenge [not really] in an excellent friendly 1-0 win during early 2027 over Italy.

Though Zidane, Lindsay’s immediate predecessor, ran a 4-3-3, AC Milan had liked the idea of returning to a system more like Pioli’s.  It also might have something to do with the fact that he was getting a reputation for ‘leading teams to title wins’.

The Squad

At first glance the AC Milan ‘best 11’ was loaded with top players.  With a world class winger in Rafael Leao, the excellent Sandro Tonali anchoring the midfield, and world cup winner Theo Hernandez at left back, it looked like there was quality all over the pitch.

As soon as Lindsay looked a bit closer, however, it became clear that there was a huge gap between these top class players and the rest of the squad, and no quality depth.

Youngsters Ruben Seoane and Fillipo Testi were in this supposed best 11 due to the simple fact that there weren’t enough quality senior players.  Lindsay would come to disagree with this initial report - with former Inter man Octavio deserving of a starting role - but he had a lot of work to do if he was going to have a successful first season in Italy.

Promising Youngsters

While Lindsay didn’t want to rely on them for his only depth, much less starting roles, Lindsay was pleased with the amount of talented young players at the club. Two in particular stood out as potential top players.

19 Year old Filippo Testi was a player with the potential to be world class.  He had technique and intelligence, and enough of an all around skillset to do well in the deep midfield role.

Another 19 year old, left back Mirco Cirillo also got on Lindsay’s radar as a potential depth option.  Though he would be more hesitant about using a youngster in defense, he had intelligence beyond his years and appeared more trustworthy than many of his peers.

Holes in the Squad

The issue remained, however, that there were massive holes in the squad.  The only position with quality depth was at CB, where the first choice center back pairing of Mohamed Simakan and Fikayo Tomori was backed up by the solid Luiz Felipe and Jonathan Tah. Otherwise, no position had a tested, top level player ready to step in.  For a club of Milan’s size and packed schedule, this would be a massive issue if Lindsay did not get to work.

Lindsay had been thrilled, almost giddy when he was told about the €100m transfer budget, but when he actually took stock of the squad he began to think that he might need every bit of that to make the club competitive at the top of the European game.

Segundo Volante

At PSV, Xavi Simons had been incredible in the Regista role as part of a double pivot, paired with the more aggressive, ball winning Andy Diouf. When Simons was out, or when he used the system with the US national team, Lindsay tended to use a Segundo Volante instead.

As Lindsay looked to adopt his PSV Power system to AC Milan, he needed someone to fill this crucial role. Sandro Tonali could play there, but Lindsay saw him as a better anchor, wanting someone more dynamic like Simons.

Simons wasn’t an option. When at PSV, he’d looked into Fran Beltran as a potential replacement. His passing range and creativity would replicate a lot of what Simons did as a Regista, if not the athleticism. The signing hadn’t worked at PSV due to his high wage demands, but at AC Milan they had the budget.

In the end though, Lindsay decided to bring in a player that he knew quite well from his days at the US national team.

A price tag of €10m less and the knowledge that Musah could perform the role to good effect made the final decision easy. Paired with Tonali as well, Musah wouldn’t have to be the main link between defense and attack, and he had the athleticism to roam the entire pitch.

The all action, hard working and solid technically American moved to the San Siro from Valencia.  At 24, Musah still had some room to grow, and could prove to be a staple of the side for years to come.  [It was also funny to see that AC Milan, in real life, moved for Musah.]

Forward/Attacking mids

Knowing that it would likely take up a large amount of the budget, Lindsay then looked for a solution at forward.  Belgian Charles De Ketelaere had blossomed into an excellent player, and served as a very good option, but Lindsay would prefer him at attacking midfield.  His ability to lead the line, however, did give Lindsay the option of looking for depth in the position rather than a starting quality forward.

Lindsay first looked back to his old club, PSV.  Inquiring about Pablo Torre, Noni Madueke, and the impressive Czech youngster Robert Ordelt with him to Milan.  PSV were looking for €70-100m for the first two, but agreed to a very reasonable €20m fee for Ordelt.  Unfortunately, the Czech himself wasn’t interested in a move so soon after making his move to the Netherlands in January.  Forced to look elsewhere, Lindsay found a promising young Swede at Strasburg in France.

Spoiler

21 year old forward Robert Engstrom ended up costing twice what Ordelt would have, but he at least had the added ability to play on the right wing - which was another area of weakness for Milan, especially in the way Lindsay was looking to play.  Engstrom had pace, technique, and was an accomplished finisher. Scouts also believed he could blossom into a world class forward.

Attacking midfield depth

In looking for general depth for the front four, Lindsay found 24 year old Bruno Iglesias on the transfer list at Real Madrid.  The versatile attacking midfielder looked like an absolute steal at only €8.5m.

Spoiler

Along with having elite vision, flair and a great free kick ability, he was also fit, determined, and consistent. He also had some potential to grow as a player as he was 24 and hadn't gotten a lot of chances at Real Madrid.

Lindsay then brought in right winger Kayky from Manchester City on loan, with an option to buy.  The skillful, pacy Brazilian had the potential to become a top player, but there were some worries about his mentality.  When a player is good enough, they can be worth it, but Lindsay was nervous about spending a large chunk of money on a player who might not add to the squad. Though his option to buy was higher than what he could have been bought for originally, Lindsay figured that the luxury of having a trial period was worth it.  If he performed and looked set to be a top winger, the €35m would be worth it.  If not…it would only be €1.5m in loan fees and have a depth option on the wing.

Some backups/depth

It also allowed Lindsay to bring in US international, and hero of the 2026 World Cup keeper Zack Steffen. At €21.5m he was costly for a backup, but Lindsay didn’t feel comfortable with the options behind #1 Maignan. Being one injury away from catastrophe was unacceptable for a club of Milan’s stature…and there was the fact that some clubs were sniffing around and Manchester United even put in a bid for Maignan.

Last but not least, Lindsay sold 31 year old CB/RB Jonathan Tah for €15m while bringing in towering and high potential 21 year old El Chadialle Bitshiabu from PSG for only €7.25m. 

[Phlip Fischer was bought before Lindsay's arrival, and the last three are development players brought in by the DOF, but otherwise this was all Lindsay's doing]

On the whole, Lindsay had certainly spent liberally - €120m in spending while bringing in €28m in sales. With the new faces, a new system, and Lindsay’s limited Italian, it would likely take a bit for the side to settle. He had, however, added a lot of quality depth as well as a few starters to fill out the 11...

[13th Man]

A true test

Never has an American manager risen to such high heights. Jesse Marsch has come closest, and his experience at RB Leipzig can be a warning to Brian Lindsay. Just as Lindsay got this chance after leading PSV to a dominant season in Holland, Marsch dominated a second tier league with RB Salzburg, before moving into one of Europe’s top leagues. It did not go smoothly for Marsch and he was not even able to finish out his first season.

The pressure on Lindsay will be even greater. Unlike RB Leipzig, AC Milan is a massive club with a massive history. While they might not expect a title in this first year, Rossoneri will be expecting success right away, especially following the massive outlay in the summer that saw Lindsay spend almost €120m.

So far, the signs are promising. Lindsay’s summer signings have bedded right into the side.  Musah has thrived in a familiar system, having played under Lindsay with the USMNT, and has been all over the pitch with his dribbling, tackling and passing all on display. His partnership with Tonali also looks promising. He also supplied Engstrom with this first goal for the club against Parma, and the young Swede went on to score again at Genoa.

The results have been generally positive as well, with 7 points from the first three matches. The side are clearly still learning Lindsay’s system too, with a lot of misplaced passes and some mix ups in defense which have led to some goals and chances. Still, after a disjointed 1-1 draw against Bologna that saw Saelemeakers get a red card for a reckless challenge and Milan drop points to a late penalty, AC Milan have gone on to dominate Parma and Genoa 3-0 and 3–1 respectively. For now, the future looks promising.

September, however, will be the litmus test for whether Lindsay has improved the side, and by how much. The month will be a gauntlet filled with some of the biggest matches of the season. Manchester City, Lazio, Juventus, Inter, Atletico Madrid, and then October starts with Napoli - All on only a few days rest between matches. AC Milan can be thankful, at least, that only Inter and Napoli are away matches and that means they will not have to travel until the 2nd of November…

Edited October 22, 2023 by 13th Man