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23 goals in 3 games - Bela Guttmann's Benfica 3-2-4-1 Fluid Attack

Hey guys,
This tactic is so amazing, just won 7-2, 4-2, and 5-3 in my first three games !!!

So after my Sacchi tactic was completely dominant, winning Serie A by 13 points in Season 2 and the Champions League, i got a bit bored, and thought i'd go through all of UEFA's Greatest Ever Teams.

Bela Guttmann's Benfica is an exciting tactic to replicate. Watching them on YouTube, they score A LOT of goals, and do concede a lot to. Under Guttmann Benfica won two league titles in 1959/60 and 1960/61 as well as a Portuguese Cup in 61/62, historic back-to-back European Cups in 61 and 62, beating Barcelona 3-2 at the Wankdorf Stadium in Bern and Real Madrid 5-3 in Amsterdam’s Olympisch Stadion

I'm starting from ground zero here, since no users seem to have replicated this tactic before. So if you know a bit about his approach, feel free to let me know, and i can improve the fidelity of the tactic.

The formation


Guttmann's Benfica lined up with a 3-2-4-1 formation.

Perhaps the defining feature of the tactic was the role of Eusebio, his role being disguinshed from that of Mario Coluna who played in a deeper role. Together this team "created some of the most beautiful attacking, flowing football the world had ever seen".

Watching some of the games on YouTube, we can see them playing 2 out and out wingers, whilst the full backs contribute mostly in a defensive capacity, with the two holding midfilders assisting with defensive phases. Forwards do get involved in defensive work also.

What do we know about the Playing Style ?


When Guttman was asked what the essence of his tactic was, he replied
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"If we do not have the ball, we have to mark; if we have it, we must run into space...I don't mind if our opponents score three or four goals as long as my team scores four or five" also "I never minded if the opposition scored, because I always thought we could score another.”
In this case we must use the attacking, or even overload mentality, with tighter marking and some losing down, as well as pass into space, with player instructions set to more risky passes.


These football times noted that:
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Guttmann was also adamant on tactical intelligence, with a prevalence for a more expansive formation that made powerful and versatile wingers a crucial aspect brought a variation to the setup of teams. In Guttmann’s system, a further midfielder was dropped back to offer more protection in defence while the centre forward was withdrawn tfrom the frontline, much as Sebes had done at Wembley a few years earlier to devastating effect with Nándor Hidegkuti.

We therefore need to play a wide system, with out and out wingers, as well as playing a defensive midfilder in front of the back three. Although as noted below, the false nine was not a feature of Benfica per se. I would go for a Complete Forward.


World Soccer noted that
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"Guttmann was a part of the sub culture of football thinkers who were catalysts for a very early foundation for Total Football. The 1930’s had seen the Austria Wunderteam develop a style of quick passing taken from the legendary Scotsman Jimmy Hogan. The triumvirate of Gusztáv Sebes, Márton Bukovi and Béla Guttmann adapted this to include rigorous training regimes, fluid movement and versatility amongst players. The Hungarian side also featured perhaps the earliest incarnation of the false 9, a tactic that was unprecedented at the time. The great Barça team masterminded by Pep Guardiola has its roots in the Hungarian football constructed by those three men. The successes of many other famous sides can also be linked back to their tactical innovations"
I think in this case, Guttmann should be considered as belonging to the school of quick possession football, with a very fluid structure.

Note that, at Benfica, he doesn't use the false 9, the striker José Águas: Known as 'Golden Head' for his aerial ability, forward Águas enjoyed European success at the very end of his Benfica career, scoring in both of his side's final victories. António Lobo Antunes, one of Portugal's most important contemporary writers, said of him: "
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He epitomised elegance, intelligence, integrity, talent, and when I thought of becoming a writer, my wish was to be the José Águas of literature."
Here i'm thinking Andre Silva.


Obviously replicating Eusébio:
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"He was the best player of all time,"
said Alfredo Di Stéfano after Eusébio's death in January 2014. Eusébio had amazing control, physical power and thunderous finish scoring 41 goals in 64 games for Portugal, will be difficult for now I've got Deli Alli, and if i intend to take Milan forward using both the Sacchi tactic, as well as the Guttmann, then it might be the case i need to find a more suitable player.

The squad were also known for their togetherness and work rate and determination. In the final against Real for example they were 2-0 down, and turned it around to win 5-3, with Bela Guttman noting "I never found players who felt their shirt so strongly as the ones at Benfica"

Watching the games, for others games check for links in the side bar of the YouTube videos,

Their is a lot of dribbling to carry the ball forward, especially from their 4 attacking midfilders. And they play at a very high tempo.