How is the Arne Slot revolution progressing at Feyenoord? With two rounds played in the Eredivisie and qualification to the group phase of the Conference League all but assured (assuming Feyenoord do not allow six goals on Thursday evening against Elfsborg), there is enough material to begin reviewing a few aspects of Feyenoord’s new approach under the new manager. In this article, I will be reviewing Feyenoord’s new playing style, their signings this summer, and the strengths and weaknesses which they have showed in the early stages of this season.
Feyenoord—tactical changes under Slot
-Last season
Feyenoord often appeared uninspired in an attacking sense during the 2020/21 season under Dick Advocaat; although they usually played in a 4-3-3 formation, they were heavily dependent on the creativity of Steven Berghuis, since departed to arch-rivals Ajax. Injuries to key players, such as left-winger Luis Sinisterra, also played a role in limiting the creativity of the team, as did the poor form of centre-forward Nicolai Jorgensen, who has also left this summer. Defensively, either Eric Botteghin, a hero of the 2017 championship-winning team who is clearly past his best, or the inconsistent Uros Spajic lined up next to Marcos Senesi, an excellent ball-playing defender who can, however, occasionally be rash defensively. There was also a notable lack of a creative midfield presence, partly due to the frequent tactic of playing long balls out from defence and partly because of underwhelming performances from Orkun Kokcu and, especially, the 2020 signing Mark Diemers. These factors all played a role in the rather stale football which Feyenoord played during the 2020/21 season, and nearly led to the club missing out on European football for this season.
–New tactics with Arne Slot
Feyenoord set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation under Slot, with a high defensive line and the intention to press from the front and regain possession quickly once the ball is given away. At the back, Feyenoord have brought in a stopper right centre-half, Gernot Trauner, who last season was selected as the best defender in the Austrian Bundesliga; his ability to read the game and win duels gives Senesi the freedom to push forward along the left side and assist in the creation of chances. This in turn stimulates Feyenoord’s wing-play, which has led to a significant number of chances on both flanks. On the left side of the pitch, left-back Tyrell Malacia either tucks inside or overlaps towards the touchline, hoping to drag a defender with him and thus present Sinisterra with more space to either dribble inside or give a cross. On the right side, back Marcus Pedersen, seemingly blessed with a third lung, often begins his runs from the inner-right side channel, looking to combine with right-winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who can also cut inside and shoot or give a cross. The attacking runs of Pedersen are facilitated by the screening presence of a midfielder on the right side- Jens Toornstra has played several matches in this role so far this season-with Trauner also providing support. The presence of two deeper midfielders, usually Toornstra and Kokcu, allows the number 10 Guus Til to play in a freer role, pressing the opposition’s holding midfielder(s) and making runs into the box. Bryan Linssen, who has spent most of his career as a winger, has become the first-choice centre-forward in Slot’s system; he is a relentless presser of the ball, harassing the opposition’s centre-halves, though at just 1.70 he is hardly an aerial presence, which can be a problem against compact defences. Goalkeeper Justin Bijlow has great reflexes and is comfortable getting off his line, although he was sent off in last Thursday’s Conference League match against Elfsborg after bringing down an Elfsborg attacker outside his penalty area. Arne Slot’s Feyenoord is thus a team with pace and energy, which is able to dominate opponents through hard pressing, quick transitions and a very solid defence.
-Signings Summer 2021
Feyenoord’s recruitment of new players this summer appears, with seven competitive matches played, to be significantly improved on the corona-tainted transfer window in 2020. In that window, the major signings were Linssen and Diemers, both coming from mid-table Eredivisie clubs and whose purchase signalled a lack of ambition in the eyes of many supporters. By contrast, this summer Feyenoord have looked abroad to strengthen the squad, using funds freed up by the departures of Berghuis and Jorgensen to buy Trauner from LASK Linz, Jahanbakhsh from Brighton and Pedersen and Frederik Aursnes from Molde, while Til has also come to the club on loan from Spartak Moscow. This is largely a result of Technical Director Frank Arnesen’s work; last season he had just one scout to work with, but the scouting staff has since been expanded to five. It is indicative of the success of this summer’s window that four of the new signings (Til, Pedersen, Jahanbakhsh and Trauner) have been among the best performers in the early part of the season; all four look to be improvements on their predecessors from last season, and Til and Jahanbakhsh have done so well that the supporters have already created new chants for them. Most impressively, the playing style which Slot is implementing removes the dependence on one player to provide the team’s creative spark, as was the case with Berghuis last season; Feyenoord appear stronger despite losing their best player.
–Strengths and (Potential) Weaknesses
In the first seven competitive fixtures under Slot, Feyenoord have appeared an energetic and well-rehearsed side, confident in possession and in attack and very strong defensively (only two goals have been conceded in competitive fixtures so far this season). Slot’s work on the training ground has paid dividends, particularly at set pieces, from which Feyenoord scored three of their goals in the 5-0 rout of Elfsborg, and the team are dynamic along the flanks, where the pace of the backs Pedersen and Malacia compliments the skill of wingers Jahanbakhsh and Sinisterra. And there is still significant room to further improve the team; Slot has managed to wear in an entirely new playing style in just two months in charge, with greater fluency of play likely as the squad continues to adjust to the new system.
This is not to say that there are no points of concern at the club. Feyenoord have a small squad; there are only two fit centre-halves with any top-flight experience to speak of, and Pedersen is the only recognised right-back in the side, while Sinisterra has no obvious backup at left-wing. Centre-forward is another position of concern; Bryan Linssen looks well-equipped to meet Slot’s requirements for the position, but Robert Bozeník, the young Slovakian international who has struggled to come by goals in the past year, and teenager Naoufal Bannis are unconvincing options should Linssen be unavailable. The perils of such a small selection were illustrated during Sunday’s fixture against Go Ahead Eagles, when an early injury suffered by Senesi disrupted Feyenoord’s ability to transition quickly; his replacement Wouter Burger, a midfielder by trade, looked uncertain of his role in building up play from centre-half, and the attacking build-up was thus significantly slower. Feyenoord will have Lutshareel Geertruida, who can play anywhere in the back line, back from October, but a move to secure at least one more attacking player seems necessary for Feyenoord to truly sustain a challenge against Ajax and PSV.
Conclusion
Arne Slot has overseen a pleasantly surprising start to the 2021/22 season, implementing a new playing style with lots of quick transitions, sharp wing-play, high pressure and a watertight defence; Feyenoord are top of the Eredivisie after two rounds of matches and all but sure of participation in the group stage of the new Europa Conference League. Only three months after Dick Advocaat’s tenure hobbled to its end, Feyenoord look revitalised, with a young squad (seven of the starters against Go Ahead are under 25) and a number of exciting new players brought in from abroad. While the small squad and lack of depth in certain positions may put winning the title beyond Feyenoord’s reach this season, they look well placed to improve on last season’s underwhelming 5th place in the league, and to do so while playing attractive and energetic football.
Inthehalfspace 