All the traits that got Schalke in the Champions League last season – passionate and disciplined defending paired with quick counterattacks and dangerous set-pieces – made life difficult for Manchester City. Guardiola’s side was not capable of creating many goal scoring opportunities with their center-focused approach. To win, they needed a free-kick goal and the […]
Isn’t this the best time of the year? The winter cold slowly fades away, to be replaced by the thin and hopeful sunlight of early spring. Club football enters its decisive phase, with lots to play for in every competition. After a set of very enjoyable Champions league ties last week and a double goalless […]
The incessant attacking flow of this game was in no way comparable to the final scoreline. However, a lot more of the open attacks fell in favor of the visitors, whose exploits in every third of the pitch were superior to Lyon. The weaknesses within Lyon’s deep block were plain to see but Barcelona could […]
Liverpool and Bayern Munich approached the game in aggressive defensive stances that made the first half a high-octane affair. Things settled down in the second period of play as Bayern Munich became much more passive, which proved to be an even more effective method at stymieing Liverpool’s offense. Tactical analysis and match report by Om […]
Isn’t this the best time of the year? The winter cold slowly fades away, to be replaced by the thin and hopeful sunlight of early spring. Club football enters its decisive phase, with lots to play for in every competition. After a set of very enjoyable Champions league ties last week, the biggest competition in […]
Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s United side bounced back from their disappointing display against PSG with a feisty counterattacking approach, again adopting a 4-4-2 diamond system for a big away game. Apart from bursts of activity from Eden Hazard, Chelsea’s possession was tame. First half goals from Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera were enough to allow United […]
Thanks to better pressing, better finishing, and some tired Sevillan legs, Villarreal managed to win their first league game since November. Despite not producing a tactical master class or playing Sevilla off the pitch, this might spark Villarreal’s season back into life as they look to claw their way out of the relegation zone. Tactical […]
This past week has been one of confidence building, for both AS Saint-Étienne and Paris Saint-Germain. For the home side, a welcome victory over Strasbourg saw them end a run of four matches without a win, thereby solidifying their hopes of a Europa League campaign next season. PSG had left Old Trafford with a comfortable […]
He said that he would accept to be sacked. He then went on to say he would not agree with it, pointing out that there are “circumstances beyond the control of the coach”. Valencia manager Marcelino is right. His team are an extreme case of what happens every season, in every league. Results in football […]
In a game wherein Betis had seventy-five percent ball possession, Rennes took an early lead, largely thanks to maestro Hatem Ben Arfa. The balance shifted towards Betis however, in no small part due to the Rennes’ own tactical mistakes. The second half was a true besiegement of Rennes’ goal, and when the dust had settled, […]