Despite a disappointing match in terms of goalmouth action and creativity, the individual quality of Dortmund’s players saw them through against a dogged and committed Wolfsburg side. Hero of the day? Paco Alcácer. Tactical analysis and match report by Carl Carpenter. A victory over middle-of-the-pack Wolfsburg was an absolute necessity for Borussia Dortmund. In recent […]
Espanyol genuinely made life hard for Barcelona at Camp Nou by playing in a very compact and well-functioning 5-3-1-1 formation. Only past the midway point of the second half did the home side find a way to score and this essentially ended the game, after what had been a very interesting, yet one-sided seventy minutes […]
TSG Hoffenheim were able to beat Leverkusen 4-1, exactly the same score as in the first meeting. Julian Nagelsmann chose a strategy that mostly relied on counterattacks, and switched to a line of four in defense. Bayer Leverkusen showed the same issues as they have in recent weeks, and were caught in transition multiple times […]
It is fair to say that Stade Rennais against Olympique Lyonnais is one of the most intriguing clashes in Ligue 1 this weekend. Both are interesting sides to watch, with innovative and free-flowing styles of play, but severely contrasting levels of organization. This showed in today’s game, as Rennes operated from a well-drilled and compact […]
Welcome to the weekend primer of Between the Posts, where we preview the matches that will be covered during this weekend, including a little preview of these matches. International football is over until summer, club football is back. We have a whopping eleven matches coming up, from Friday to Wednesday, six days in a row, […]
Switzerland dominated the majority of the game, grabbing a three goal lead in the process. They looked very solid in a conservative style of play which allowed them to bypass Denmark’s pressure. But things took a turn in the final stages of the game. Denmark pushed forward in hope of a consolation, and Switzerland started […]
In a very one-sided affair, France completely dominated the game and produced a brilliant performance to beat Iceland 4-0 in Stade de France. Iceland parked the bus and managed to keep a one-goal margin until the late stages, but France was never really threatened here and completely outclassed their opponents. Having not impressed in possession […]
Germany obliterated the Netherlands in the first half as their two-and-a-half attackers were a constant menace for the Dutch defense. After a change of system, the Netherlands clawed their way back into the match, and the game was level after sixty minutes. Even though this is a new era for Die Mannschaft, one of their […]
After being played off the pitch in the first half, Norway found more success after the break, using a man-oriented high press. Since Spain were ineffective in front of the goal the whole match, Norway were close to stealing some undeserved points, something Spain have only themselves to blame for. Tactical analysis and match report […]
Gareth Southgate’s England continued their good form with an impressive victory at Wembley Stadium to kick start their qualifying campaign for the European Championships. Dominance in possession, impressive runs from wingers and fast breaks forward would break down an inferior but well-organised Czech Republic – for a good hour at least. Tactical analysis and match […]