AMAZING Richie Wellens Tactic

Born in 1980, in Manchester, England, Richie Wellens was swept up by the rich footballing culture of the city. His talents were spotted early, and he joined the prestigious Manchester United academy as a youth, surrounded by future legends and developing under the gaze of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Despite his promise, Wellens found first-team opportunities at Old Trafford limited—an experience shared by many young hopefuls at one of the world’s elite clubs.

In 1999, after several years developing in United’s youth ranks, Wellens sought first-team football elsewhere.

His professional breakthrough came with Blackpool, where he signed in August 1999. His performances were integral to Blackpool’s rise through the league ranks. During the 2000–01 season, he helped the club secure promotion to the Second Division (now League One) via the play-offs.

Over the next three seasons, Wellens became a mainstay in the side, making more than 200 appearances and building a reputation for his passing range and footballing intelligence.

In 2005, after six fruitful years at Blackpool, Wellens made the switch to Oldham Athletic. His two-year spell at Boundary Park was notable for his influence on the team’s midfield and his growing leadership qualities.

Wellens’ performances earned him a move to Doncaster Rovers in 2007. At Doncaster, he would enjoy one of the most successful spells of his playing career. During the 2007–08 campaign, he was a linchpin in midfield as Doncaster achieved promotion to the Championship, winning the League One play-offs by defeating Leeds United at Wembley in May 2008.

In July 2009, he signed with Leicester City, freshly promoted to the Championship. His arrival coincided with a resurgence in the club’s fortunes. Under Nigel Pearson’s guidance, Leicester made the Championship play-offs in Wellens’ first season, narrowly missing out on promotion to the Premier League.

Wellens was named the club’s Player of the Year for the 2010–11 season, a testament to his consistent performances and leadership both on and off the pitch. He played over 120 games for the Foxes, further burnishing his reputation as a dependable and technically proficient midfielder.

The latter stages of his playing career saw him return to Doncaster Rovers in 2013, where he again provided experience and leadership. Short spells at Shrewsbury Town, Oldham Athletic, and Salford City followed.

At Salford, owned by the Class of ’92, Wellens finished his playing days and began to contemplate a move into coaching and management. He officially retired from playing in 2017.

The transition to management was marked by a keen desire to imprint his footballing philosophy—a blend of possession-based football, tactical flexibility, and a commitment to attacking play.

In October 2017, Wellens was appointed manager of Oldham Athletic, the very club where he had flourished as a player. He inherited a struggling team in League One, and despite some promising performances, he was unable to stave off relegation.

His time at Oldham ended in June 2018, but the spell offered invaluable experience.

In November 2018, he took the reins at Swindon Town in League Two. Here, his managerial credentials blossomed spectacularly.

Implementing an exciting, passing style of football, Wellens guided Swindon to the League Two title in the 2019–20 season. His team were crowned champions on points per game after the season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The triumph was a testament to his tactical acumen and ability to galvanise a squad.

Wellens’ next managerial stop was Salford City, appointed in November 2020. He led Salford to victory in the delayed 2019–20 EFL Trophy final—played in March 2021—securing the club’s first major piece of silverware. Despite this success, his time at the club was short-lived, and he was dismissed in March 2021.

After a short stint at Doncaster Rovers in 2021, he was appointed Leyton Orient manager in March 2022. At Orient, he revitalised the squad and, in the 2022–23 season, led the club to the League Two title, securing promotion to League One. This achievement further cemented his reputation as one of the Football League’s brightest young managers.

Richie Wellens is an advocate of attacking football, typically preferring a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 formation. His system prioritises ball retention, short passing, and positional rotations. T

he midfield operates as the link, ensuring smooth transitions between defence and attack. During the 2022/23 League Two campaign, Leyton Orient averaged around 52% possession per match—one of the highest in the division—underlining Wellens’ emphasis on controlling the game.

A hallmark of his tactics is his insistence on playing out from defence. The centre-backs are comfortable on the ball, while full-backs are encouraged to push high and wide, stretching the opposition and creating overloads on the flanks.

In the 2022/23 season, Leyton Orient completed an average of 410 passes per game, with a pass completion rate of over 78%. This patient buildup play often draws the opposition forward, creating spaces behind the first line of press for Orient’s midfielders to exploit.

The midfield trio is typically composed of a deep-lying playmaker, a box-to-box engine, and a creative advanced midfielder. Wellens tasks his midfielders with aggressive pressing as soon as possession is lost.

This counter-pressing approach—'gegenpressing'—enables Orient to win the ball back quickly and keep opponents pinned in their own half. During their title-winning League Two campaign, Leyton Orient led the division for recoveries in the final third, averaging 5.3 per match.

Wellens’ sides are noted for quick, incisive attacks once they pass the halfway line. Wide forwards are vital in stretching defences, often cutting inside to support the central striker, while overlapping full-backs provide width.

In the 2022/23 season, Leyton Orient scored 61 goals—second highest in League Two—demonstrating the effectiveness of their structured attacking play. Notably, goals were well distributed: top scorer Paul Smyth netted 10 league goals, with several others contributing significantly.

While Wellens is known for attacking football, his teams are also defensively disciplined. In 2022/23, Leyton Orient conceded just 34 goals in 46 matches, the best defensive record in the division.

The team shape remains compact when out of possession, with midfielders dropping deep to shield the back four.

In game, I went for the 4-2-3-1 setup. With a sweeper keeper on defend duty in goal. I chose these role and duty as I needed the goalkeeper the participate in the team’s passing, when possible, to avoid the opposition’s pressing game.

The back four is made of two wing backs on support and two central defenders on defend. The wing backs were asked to cross more often, to make sure that even with this balanced setup, the get up the pitch and help the attackers.

The central defenders were told to play more direct passes, to try and keep the possession of the ball, rather than clear the ball.

The two defensive midfielders are a defensive midfielder on defend and a segundo volante on support. I used this roles combination to try and keep the formation balanced, using the segundo volante as another layout in attack by arriving late in the opposition’s box.

I asked the segundo volante to get further forward and move into channels.

And the attackers are two inside forwards on attack, an attacking midfielder on support and an advanced forward.

The inside forward role was chosen for the wingers as we need them to try and disrupt the opposition’s defensive setup by get inside the pitch with or without the ball.

Also, they are our most important goal threat, besides the striker.

The attacking midfielder is the passing hub of the team. We need this player to collect the ball and find the best pass moving forward, creating goalscoring chances.

I asked this player to take more risks when passing and roam from position, as we need him to find the best position to help his teammates on a moment-to-moment basis.

And the striker’s only objective is to be in the best position to score goals for our team.

I chose positive as mentality.

In possession, fairly narrow attacking width and play out of defence. Shorter passing directness and a balanced width. To try and preserve the possession of the ball and control the game. Work the ball into the box and play for set pieces.

In transition, counter-press, counter and distribute the ball to the centre backs through short kicks.

And out of possession, a mid block and standard defensive line. And trigger press is more often.

To make sure that we trap the opposition in a midfield battle, we recover the ball and go on the counter as fast as possible.

In my save, managing Benfica in Portugal, we dominated the league. Scoring 102 goals, conceding 23 and winning the league title by a 13 points margin.

Domestically, we won the league cup and the Portuguese cup.

And on a continental and inter-continental level, we were knocked out of the UEFA Champions league quarter finals by Liverpool and managed to qualify to the FIFA Club World Cup.

Richie Wellens is a very good manager who seems to have a bright future. I hope he fulfils his managerial potential, and along with that, the potential of the team’s he is managing.