Mayo need to create pressure and mayhem all over the park

• Date: 19 December 2020
• Author: Jim McGuinness
• Published date: 19 December 2020

Well, maybe.

A moment will have come where James sat down with a pen and paper and thought about what needs to happen to cause a malfunction in this Dublin machine. It's a word that is used a lot about Dublin. But, of course, the truth is, they are only human.

So for me the most important thing about Mayo's game plan is pressure. How many different ways can they create pressure situations on Dublin?

The first area is on Dublin's kick-out. The number of column inches and broadcast airtime devoted to Stephen Cluxton is vast. But it is because his influence has not waned and doesn't change. So it leaves Mayo with a clear choice. To take them on or not. I feel it is vital that Mayo take them on. That doesn't mean you necessarily win possession off their kick-out. The chances of doing that are not great. But you would create that sense of pressure. Can you force the players who receive the ball to make decisions they wouldn't take with less pressure? Can you force Stephen Cluxton to take his second or third option - and then make winning that ball combative and apply pressure? It has to be full-on commitment. But the athletic profile of their younger players gives me reason to believe they can challenge Dublin in this area.

The second objective is to stop Dublin getting the ball in their hand. Once they take control of the football, then they slip into possession mode. So can you apply pressure on them in open play? It is particularly hard to do this against Dublin because they are extremely well schooled. They are big and athletic and they can beat a lone tackler and simply do not want to force the ball through contact. They will lay it off to the next free man. They don't take the risk to give defenders a chance to get at them.

Aggressively

So Mayo must be very organised and disciplined and work in twos and threes where possible. You decide when you go and then you trap aggressively and squeeze them towards the sideline. The Mayo forwards have a big part to play as well: their inside forward line can stop the Dublin ball carriers from freely going back out the pitch when they don't fancy the options in front of them. Ciarán Kilkenny does this brilliantly, backpedaling to buy space and change the angle of attack. In short, they must be harassed and hurried all evening.

When Dublin attack now, they are simultaneously preparing to defend in the event of losing the ball. So if you do win the ball on your defensive 21 you are facing 13 Dublin players suddenly in...