That was a great work..!

Ultimately, what matters most is establishing clear principles for unit distinction within this structure and refining the details. -Structure In Progress -Role Awareness -Fluid Positioning -Direct Progression -Tempo & Flow -Wide-to-Wide Switch -Attacking Shape

This principle is also evident when the ball is quickly played wide and followed by a cross—at least three active units up front consistently position themselves in the gaps between defenders.

In the goal-scoring scene, aside from Ayew, you can see the attacking units each occupying spaces between the defensive lines.

Additionally, depending on the pattern in play, the roles of active and base units can overlap and function fluidly—as shown below.

The sequence in the clip didn’t play out exactly that way, but the positioning clearly showed a structured flow. When possible, they switch sides with one long pass; if not, they keep the tempo high through quick, sequential play.

In a previous Coaches' Voice video, Cifuentes emphasized his preference for moving the ball side to side at a high tempo—and that trait was clearly visible in this match.

#ZLGLEI #mastercifu #lcfc The second half also followed similar patterns under the same “principles,” but a few additional movements stood out and are worth noting.

The team is still in the adjustment phase and hasn’t scored yet, but based on the first half, there’s reason to look forward to what’s coming next.

Unlike typical slow-tempo dominant football, Cifuentes’ buildup is much quicker—skipping defensive lines with direct passes whenever space and positioning align.

In pressing situations, the team adjusted its defensive approach based on whether the opponent’s buildup started centrally or wide—either jumping the line forward or applying staggered pressure from the flank—executing an aggressive defensive setup.

What’s especially interesting is how the full-backs quickly cut inside to join the active unit—not just in high-possession phases, but even when facing a high opponent line—enabling pattern play in fast breaks too.

It’s the middle of the night where I am, so I’m watching a bit chaotically—but even so, it’s clear that the movements of the active, base, and pinned units are being deployed with impressive flexibility depending on the situation.

The most important takeaway is that, within just three days, Cifuentes was able to establish a certain set of "principles"—and more importantly, those principles were already being put into action.

#ZLGLEI #mastercifu #lcfc Cifuentes’ first preseason match has kicked off. While there’s still plenty of room for improvement in terms of team cohesion, a few aspects were quite interesting.

#mastercifu

Cifuentes’ tactical philosophy summarized: *Active / Base / Pinned units → Structured roles for fluid buildup. *Flexible wide triangles → Rotating roles in wide areas. *Exploiting interval gaps → Timed runs between defenders.

The third-man concept is deeply integrated into Cifuentes’ flank triangles and unit roles. It allows his side to find dynamic attacking solutions — even when up against back-five systems — by shifting how principles are applied, rather than changing the principles themselves.

Cifuentes also emphasizes collective movement. As shown in the image, his team pushes up as a unit and keeps tight spacing — forming a compact attacking structure in advanced areas.

The unit names — base unit, active unit, and pinned unit — are labels I’ve assigned while studying Cifuentes’ principles. Interestingly, these concepts remain consistent even when applied to a back three system.