From memory this was kinda the basic plan for last year, maybe tweaked a bit with less rushing with the ball, our careful build up play looked really good at times and Perth's star defence struggled to manage the attacks form all angles.
The difference is that we're generally starting it higher and when we advance, our CBs also press way higher than they used to - none of this stuck in the middle bs we had last season
Yes we will get caught on the counter but this is what you have to do to win games
Alex Rufer was key to Wellington's high press setup on Saturday night.
5-1-3-1 as he hovered underneath Nagasawa, ready to read the situation. This meant he could stay close enough to the CB's to drop in for second balls from direct play, or push high to make it a 4-4-2 m2m press if Perth played short.
1-2: Perth play over, Rufer squeezes the space around the first ball, helping to create a numerical advantage for the second ball.
3-4: He is slightly higher in this moment, but still at a distance where he can affect both scenarios. Perth's lack of bodies between the lines means he doesn't have to worry about what's behind. He jumps to the #6, while the wingback jumps to the opposite wingback → man-to-man.
