Ajax made some tweaks to their usual system to deal with the threat posed by Liverpool. Their 4-3-1-2 arrangement against the ball was fairly successful in limiting Liverpool’s attack, but they conceded through an unfortunate Nicolás Tagliafico own goal. Going forward, Ajax were much more direct than usual, and the quality of attacking game deteriorated […]
Leeds failed to capitalize on their positive wide play during Wolves’ sluggish start out of their 5-3-2 defensive shape. Marcelo Bielsa’s outfit got in behind the Wolves wing-backs frequently but were unable to cash in on all their crossing opportunities. A fortuitous second-half goal made the difference for the away side as Leeds captured hearts […]
Early high pressure from Lens proved fruitless, as Lille’s buildup quickly adjusted and was able to expose gaping holes through midfield, while flooding the visitor’s backline with a kaleidoscope of attacking movement. Lille would go on to deliver a victory that moved them to the top of the table and set them up as Paris […]
Gennaro Gattuso carefully studied his opponent to organize a game plan that cut Atalanta in two slices, as the defense was thrown into the lion’s den to be devoured. Giampiero Gasperini tried to respond at the break, but soon enough realized the gap was too wide to bridge. Foremost, Napoli’s defense was too solid to […]
Ronald Koeman’s impatience pegged Barça back more than anything, as the successful tweaks applied in-game were tweaked once again but this time prematurely. Contrastingly, José Bordalás’ regimented approach consistently made the most out of every man-to-man duel. Tactical analysis and match report by Peter Munnelly. The away side, in all of Getafe’s first four games this […]
Covid-19 stricken Inter faced AC Milan, who were full of confidence during a match in which Stefano Pioli’s defensive risks paid off. Despite a drop in intensity in the second half for yet another match, Antonio Conte’s team executed their tactical plan correctly, but were unable to get any points as they could not convert […]
After an aggressive and chaotic first half, James Rodríguez and Thiago Alcântara began to influence the events of the match, which helped deliver an entertaining affair. Although this contest will be remembered for its heavy tackles, Richarlison’s red card and a late VAR decision, Carlo Ancelotti and Jürgen Klopp produced an intelligent tactical battle, something […]
Manchester City were able to return to winning ways in the Premier League against Arsenal with a new system which featured an unorthodox distribution of roles for the players on the pitch. City’s new arrangement saw them have good control of the match, helped by their solid pressing and counterpressing. In the end Raheem Sterling’s […]
After sealing the victory against Belgium on the weekend, England seemed in a prime position to take momentum into their game with Denmark. But after an even start with signs of promise, five minutes saw England lose control and battle to hold onto a slim loss. Tactical analysis by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. Recent England games have […]
With both teams flawless in the Nations League thus far, this clash was a matchup between two of the contenders to take the competition altogether. However, while both teams traded blows, neither side’s offensive structure was able to make the breakthrough. Tactical analysis by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. France have begun their Nations League campaign on a […]