"Perfectionism is a scourge"
1. Introduction
For Malmö, 2022 was a year to forget. Perhaps it was their 7th-place finish in the Allsvenskan, or maybe their winless humiliation in the Europa League Group Stage. Regardless, last season was a fiasco and after their two-year Allsvenskan dominance came to an end, the Swedish giants were in desperate need of a revival. Enter Henrik Rydström.
Rydström made a name for himself in the Southeast of Sweden, with Kalmar. After 20 years playing for the Röda bröder, the 47-year-old began coaching the youth sides before taking over Sirius in his first senior job. In 2021, the Swedish manager went back to Kalmar, where he took a relegation-battling side to a 6th and then 4th-place finish. On top of the results, his distinct style of play began to attract some headlines.
Looking to re-establish their domestic dominance, Malmö took a gamble on the up-and-coming Rydström, and five months in, it has been nothing short of successful. With eight wins in nine matches, Malmö have been nearly perfect under Henrik. But maybe perfection isn’t something to strive for, according to Rydström.
In his interview with Cafe.se, the Swedish manager claims “Perfectionism is a scourge”. In other words, Rydström expresses his desire for the players to expose themselves on the pitch, he wants to create a culture “where it is actually accepted to make mistakes.” While this addresses many other areas, it also influences Malmö’s tactical approach.
This tactical analysis provides a comprehensive look into Malmö’s tactics, specifically in possession. Building on Malmö’s structural tendencies, this analysis progresses through the pitch, exploring the principles, sub-principles, and overall tactics guiding Di blåe under Henrik Rydström.
2. Structure
First and foremost, understanding the formation and consequently the structure provides valuable context. Both in the formation and starting XI, Rydström has been fairly consistent. In his 4-2-3-1, the most common XI can be observed in the image below. Aside from the match against Varberg, where there were quite a few rotations, the most notable changes in the XI can be found on the right side of the pitch.
Søren Rieks plays the role of a Swiss army knife for the Swedish giants, but his free-roaming nature does a good job of occasionally replacing 20-year-old Sebastian Nanasi on the right wing. Additionally, Anton Tinnerholm has come in for Joseph Ceesay in the right-back position; however, the latter seems to be Rydström’s preferred choice. Otherwise, the rest can be identified below.
The image also provides a rough (and very rough) idea of some individual tendencies, movement-wise. Starting from the 4-2-3-1 shape, the structure is incredibly fluid in its development. Anders Christiansen and Nanasi tend to roam quite significantly, while Stefano Vecchia provides more depth and verticality.
The double-pivot works in a more collective and linear manner; however, to make up for some structural developments, they can go off in their own ways at times. For instance, Ceesay balances between moving into the midfield and pushing up on the right channel. As a consequence, Sergio Peña can either drop in with the centre-backs to provide a wider cover at the back or temporarily occupy the right-back position.
There are some tendencies in Malmö’s structure, as highlighted in the image earlier. With the 4-2-3-1 shape as an origin point, movements naturally tend to repeat themselves, and as a consequence, some patterns begin to emerge. However, as observed in the video above, these structural developments are extremely fluid, spontaneous, and relative. This may look like a chaotic mess, but let’s unfold this structure.
3. Ball-Oriented Fluidity
Malmö’s tactics in possession can be thought of as a network of principles and sub-principles. Whether this network is a top-down or bottom-up process only Rydström knows, but frankly, it doesn’t really matter. The 47-year-old wants his side to dominate possession, and so far, Malmö average 60.3% possession, the highest in the Allsvenskan.
This dominance is a result of their ability to control the tempo. Naturally, the game develops itself, and with infinite factors, it can go into many routes. Malmö display an incredible ability, as many top sides do, to regain control of the game. They retain possession well and lower the tempo, especially through lateral and backward passes. After restoring control, they go again. Statistically, their passes are well balanced between 204.29 forward passes and 202 lateral passes.
Di blåe’s possession is characterised by its high tempo and short-distanced nature. Their average pass length (m) stands at 17.21, a relatively short figure. Furthermore, their tempo (passes per minute of possession) is high at 19.63. Putting the laptop aside, this nature can be identified in the short clip below.
This fluid and short style of possession is very aesthetically pleasing to watch, but it’s not as simple as just supporting the ball. Obviously, approximating and supporting the ball carrier with immediate passing lanes is essential and perhaps the most significant principle. The idea of vacating to create is just as important though.
The act of moving towards the pass creates space elsewhere, and fluid rotations become key. These rotations play a key role in disrupting the defensive organisation, but they also keep the necessary fluidity around the ball. After moving to the pass, the players must also move after the pass, again ensuring this fluid rotation of spaces. With these ideas, the players begin to adapt to scenarios and deploy this ball-centred fluid style of possession, always relative to the immediate situation (opposition, ball, teammates).
4. Progression
After examining the structural tendencies and the ideas behind Malmö’s possession, we can begin to examine their methods of progression. Needless to say, circulation is the foundation from which these methods are built. This circulation is centred around the double pivot and the two centre-backs, in an initial 2-2 shape.
This initial platform is supported by the fullbacks, whose heights are very relative and everchanging, and the advanced players. As explored earlier, Nanasi and Christiansen are the ones who enjoy a more free-roaming role, so they often come deep to support this circulation. These tendencies can be explored in the video below.
4.1. Positional Disruption
No surprises, their ball-oriented fluidity is their most frequent way of progressing. As hinted at before, the fluid rotations play a very important role in disrupting the defensive organisation. Numerical superiority is such an obvious consequence that it doesn’t need to be explored in detail. However, this can be countered by the opposition sitting off on the centre-backs and keeping Malmö from having a free man in advanced positions.
One response is the centre-backs driving into space and forcing the extra man to appear by making a defender commit. Most commonly though, Rydström is happy to let his team be more passive in their search for progression, and their fluid structures tend to open up the answers themselves.
4.1.1. Fluidity to Open
With the practicality behind their compact structures clear, we can identify how their fluid nature tends to open up spaces. In the example below, Rydström’s men clump up the right side of the pitch in their own third. The right winger and the attacking midfielder drop deep, the near midfielder shifts over, and the right back is already there.
The attacking midfielder passes it back to the right back and moves away further up the pitch. The near midfielder then comes to receive from the right back and finds the right winger. After the right back makes this pass, he begins making a forward run where he receives it from the right winger and accelerates their attack.
4.1.2. Vacate and Rotate
In certain instances, like the one above, space to progress is quickly achieved. In others, it is a more extended process, where their fluid structure works itself to unlock holes in the defensive organisation. Again, through “vacate and rotate”. Immediate passing lanes are created through approximation, space left behind is filled, and a continuous cycle of “vacate and rotate” begins.
In a more expanded setting, the example below clearly illustrates the fluid rotations of their structure. Through these, they are able to create space to progress into the final third.
Through another example, the same tendencies can be explored again. The one reoccurring theme is the spontaneity of this fluidity. While yes, there is a starting point where players occupy their respective positions, it is not a very programmed mechanism. Nonetheless, repeating tendencies will emerge as it is the same individuals starting from the same positions.
Finally, this one-minute clip displays a beautiful segment of these ideas constructing a nice goal.
4.2. Vertical Options
Another method of progressing is through finding more vertical options. While more advanced players can drop in as explored previously, they can also stay higher in a more expanded and positional structure. The video below highlights two instances where this is the case, both with different players.
In the first, directly from a build-up, one of the midfielders brilliantly supports the centre-back at an angle which creates a vertical passing lane for the attacking midfielder. After passing it back, the midfielder spins off and moves to provide an option for the attacking midfielder. In the second, the left winger receives in a more advanced position, pinning the backline in the middle of the pitch to create space for the first phase of possession.
4.3. Side to Side
Finally, exploring the wide areas is another way through which Malmö progress. With their compact structures in possession, they tend to concentrate the game on one area of the pitch. This naturally creates significant space elsewhere and through the far fullback, this space can be easily accessed and exploited. In some instances, Malmö like to accelerate the tempo in wide areas and become more vertical. In others, they access these areas to lower the defensive block before lowering the tempo again.
5. Rupture
In the final third, there is a final aspect of Malmö’s possession worth exploring, and this can be referred to as rupture. While their possession is generally very supportive with shorter distances, as they get closer to the red zone, their possession becomes more “rupturing”. This is both through individual movement, with more attacking runs and movements, and through more progressive and “sharp” passes.
These attacks tend to be very diagonal, usually beginning on one side of the pitch and going to the other. Players offer diagonal passing lanes, especially between the lines, and through these, they increase the danger of their attack.
The first instance provides an example of Rydström’s men rupturing from the middle third to the final third with diagonal passes. In the second, these result in a beautifully crafted goal. Obviously, there are numerous other ways through which Malmö increase the danger of their attack and create chances. However, this is a very unique and notable method.
6. Conclusion
Henrik Rydström's work at Malmö has been fascinating to watch. The 47-year-old begins his tenure effectively restoring Di blåe’s domestic dominance, and as the season goes on, the pressure builds up for Henrik Rydström to keep Malmö at the highest spot in Sweden. Results aside, Rydström's style of possession is fascinating to watch, and it is attracting eyes from all over the world.