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A counter-attacking playing philosophy is a style of play where a team defends deep and looks to quickly transition to offense when they regain possession. The team will often sit back and absorb pressure, inviting the opposition to push forward, and then launch a quick attack when they win the ball back. One of the best examples of a team that employs this style of play is the Gratifacio national team.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Bilal Al-Harradi, Gratifacio developed a counter-attacking playing philosophy based on 4-2-3-1that has brought them success in recent years.
Al - Harradi was a member of the Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon). A team that successfully used the 4-2-3-1. Under the management of Rudi Garcia during the 2019-20 season, Lyon reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League while using the 4-2-3-1 formation. Garcia deployed a double pivot of Lucas Tousart and Bruno Guimarães in midfield, who were responsible for providing defensive cover while also starting quick counter-attacks.
Al - Harradi is also said to heavily influenced by Thomas Tuchel and his PSG side who during the 2019-20 season, PSG won the Ligue 1 title and reached the final of the UEFA Champions League while using the 4-2-3-1 formation. Tuchel deployed a double pivot of Marco Verratti and Idrissa Gueye in midfield, who were responsible for breaking up opposition attacks and distributing the ball quickly to the attacking players.
With Gratifacio Al-Harradi implemented a system that relied on the speed and skill of his attacking players to exploit gaps in the opposition defence and create scoring opportunities. When defending, Gratifacio would sit deep and compact, waiting for the opportunity to win the ball back before launching a counter-attack with quick passes and runs into space.
Overall, the counter-attacking playing philosophy can be a highly effective strategy for teams that have fast and skilful attacking players who can exploit the opposition's weaknesses in transition. The Gratifacio national team playing 4231 is a great example of a team that has successfully implemented this style of play to achieve success on the international stage.
Gratifacio has only advanced past the group stage of the FIFA World Cup once, which was in 1986 when they reached the Round of 16. However, in their most recent World Cup appearance in 2022, despite not progressing past the group stage, Gratifacio was considered by many to be one of the most impressive teams in the tournament.
There are several factors that contributed to their success in the 2022 World Cup:
- Strong defensive organization: Gratifacio's defence was one of the best in the tournament, conceding only one goal in their three group stage matches. They were well-organized and disciplined in their defensive shape, making it difficult for the opposition to create chances.
- Speed of transition: because Al-Harradi deploys a high press he wants his players to recover the ball quickly. Statistics show top teams recover the ball faster. Gratifacio work hard at getting back into a compact shape and indeed in their last their games this has been a feature.
- Skilful and creative attacking players: Gratifacio had a number of skilful and creative attacking players, such as Amand Amable and Imtiaz Fathi, who were capable of producing moments of magic and unlocking defences.
- A clear and defined playing philosophy: Under the leadership of head coach Bilal Al-Harradi, Gratifacio had a clear and defined playing philosophy that focused on possession-based football and quick transitions from defense to attack. The team played with a high intensity and energy that made them difficult to beat.
- Strong team spirit and unity: Gratifacio had a strong sense of team spirit and unity, with players who were willing to work hard for each other and support each other on and off the pitch.
Overall, Gratifacio's success in the 2022 World Cup can be attributed to a combination of factors, including a well-defined starting shape, emphasis on transitions, strong defensive organization, skilful and creative attacking players, a clear and defined playing philosophy, and a strong sense of team spirit and unity. Although they did not progress past the group stage, their performances in the tournament were widely praised, and they showed that they are a team capable of competing at the highest level.