5 most tactically efficient teams in recent years

#2 Tony Pulis\' Stoke City

Stoke returned to the top tier of English football in 2008 under the stewardship of Tony Pulis, and though he might be criticized for his ancient methods and reactive brand of football, the work he has done there has ensured that Stoke have never had to face a relegation battle since their promotion to the Premier League.

Pulis might be lambasted for his style and his refusal to romanticize football in the manner that other managers do, but he is easily one of the most effective managers in the modern game. He utilized the throw in and corner kicks to good effect and he isn't afraid of physically hurting the other team if it means he can get a result. He is a dour and contemptible man, but one that gets the job done.

Pulis likes to employ a relatively simple 4-4-1-1. The two banks of four are tightly arranged and move in unit cohesion to prevent spaces from opening up. The shadow striker is expected to scour his own half pressing deep playmakers while the striker stays alert for the counter-attack. The objective was to keep a clean sheet, which his teams more often than not did. It did though, raise some concerns from the fans for his approach. Pacey wingers were the only outlet for goals from open play.

His one-dimensional approach eventually cost him his job, but it did not make his work any less admirable. He returned to management with Crystal Palace saving them from inevitable relegation and is now working with West Brom trying to achieve the same. His methods have seen a slight change, but the philosophy remains the same - defend, defend, defend.