The 1965-1966 season saw the introduction of the 1-2-2 system at CSKA Moscow. According to Anatoli Tarasov, it was first tested in the pre-season Sovietsky Sport tournament in September 1965. The idea was to replace the traditional hockey formation (two defencemen, three forwards, 2-3) with a different set-up: one "stopper" (стоппер), two "half-backs" or "midfielders" (хавбека or полузащитника) and two forwards. Tarasov's rationale:
Tarasov (1968):
"Imagine the most basic set-up. An attacking opponent bursts into the corner near our goal and the defenceman engaging him ices the puck into the other corner. Now the opponent follows the puck there and so must one of our players. But which one? The one in the far corner will not be there in time. So it's up to the one in front of the net, the most dangerous place, the "slot", to move there. And that leaves the crease uncovered. So if we lose the battle for the puck somewhere, we're immediately in trouble defending our goal. The main benefit in attacking an opponent lies in the time factor. Passing the puck to the other side is quickly done, changing of positions by the players on the ice on the other hand... good luck trying to keep up with the puck!"
Tarasov (1971):
"Let me remind you that our hockey doctrine is based on the principle that attack is the best defence, the most reasonable and dominant form of a game scheme. (...) However, if we keep protecting the goal with players only positioned in two lines as is custom with many Canadian, American and European teams, we will not achieve the main purpose of a good defence: Reliable protection of our goal and constant readiness to counterattack."
The role of the "stopper" in the 1-2-2 system:
Tarasov (1968):
"The stopper has to be a strong and courageous athlete, he's obliged to block the puck with his body. His area of operation is limited and he's not allowed to take risks, to get involved in the attacks and to move forward. This central defenceman has a special responsibility, he is our sheet anchor. Only the stopper as the last skater can still correct the mistakes of his line-mates and smooth out the lapses in their game.
In contrast the two half-backs are supposed to contribute both defensively and offensively:
"Under the system common today attacks are prepared by the two defencemen, but they only prepare them through their passing. They cannot risk going forward in an attack or counterattack since there is no-one [providing cover] behind them. In the new tactical system however, only one player is preparing the attacks and limited to passing. The other two, the half-backs, are free to move forward, play more creatively and become more of a real threat to the goal of the opponent. Four players are now constantly involved in the attacks, not [only] three like before. (...) When defending the stopper covers the center of the ice and the half-backs have to battle in the corners of the rink."
The emergence of the half-backs also affects the way the forwards play:
"At the same time the offensive zone is not as crowded as in a game of 'all in attack', so there is more room for the athletes to move around and be creative. Both forwards in the new system are decidedly offensive players, with the defensive tasks largely removed from them they have a free hand to take tactical risks. (...) The forwards get a lot of room. Two players are now operating in an area 30 meters wide where there used to be three players."
The 1-2-2 unit employed in 1965 consisted of: Oleg Zaitsev (stopper), Igor Romishevsky (half-back), Yevgeni Mishakov (half-back), Yuri Moiseyev (forward) and Anatoli Ionov (forward). Other candidates for the half-back roles who were tried out in the preseason but failed the test: Anatoli Drozdov ("lacking the necessary inventiveness") and Valentin Senyushkin ("not enough speed endurance"). Both soon found themselves transferred to SKA Leningrad. But even if Tarasov thought he had found suitable players for "the system", the transition to the new set-up wasn't free of trouble. The first game (the Sovietsky Sport final against Dinamo Moscow on September 25th) was won 5-4, but the new unit failed to score a goal and they were on for at least one goal against (back then the Soviets still recorded own-goals and Romishevsky had one of those). Tarasov reports that the half-backs Romishevsky and Mishakov weren't happy with their game and asked for allowance to play with more flexibility and interchangeability, not only between each other but also stopper Oleg Zaitsev. The next game was the season opener against Spartak Moscow on October 3rd and it brought a severe blowback to the 1-2-2 unit. Overwhelmed by the "complex interaction" they were aiming for, the Romishevsky/Mishakov line was on the ice for three goals against while they again failed to score themselves. (The game ended in a 4-4 tie.) According to Tarasov, both half-backs, especially Romishevsky, played too offensively to fulfill their defensive duties, as did Oleg Zaitsev who didn't act as the "defensive anchor" and "lifesaver" he was supposed to be. His takeaway: the players have to stick stricly to their specific roles in the 1-2-2 system. More flexibility is a nice idea, but requires an advanced mastery of the "system".
The next game against Spartak Moscow on October 28th gave Tarasov more reason to be satisfied. The 1-2-2 unit was on the ice for three goals and just one goal against in a 5-2 victory. The set-up hadn't changed, except that Ionov and Mishakov switched positions. What had changed was the discipline with which the players observed their tactical responsibilities.
Quoted:
Anatoly Tarasov: Совершеннолетие (1968=2nd edition)
Anatoly Tarasov: Хоккей грядущего (1971=2nd edition)
