Manchester United’s clash with Villarreal had handed the home team a chance of gaining revenge for inflicting heartache at the end of last season. But sinking at the hands of the superior organization of the Yellow Submarine for a second time, a dramatic finale could only partly hide the faults of a display that generated […]
Expectations were not high for Juventus heading into this group stage encounter with defending champions Chelsea, but there was always the possibility of an upset given the talent level of the Italians. Sure enough, sluggish play from Chelsea gave Juventus a glimmer of hope in the first half, before the Old Lady took the lead […]
Manchester City’s display followed a familiar script. Compact high pressing, overloads from the left, and territorial dominance defined much of this contest. But PSG’s quality at both ends of the pitch was decisive, setting the stage for a vintage goal from the biggest star of all. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. PSG […]
As defensive organizations continue to improve, depending solely on individual talent to break down deep defensive structures might not be viable in the modern game. It takes a unit to break down a unit; structured movements to break down a structure. The rise of Liverpool in the last couple of years was seen as a […]
A North London derby between two mediocre sides could have produced a tense affair. Luckily, Arsenal picked the ideal day to deliver a dynamic display. A mix of craft and incision left Spurs trailing in their wake, running riot in the first half hour of the game to take the bragging rights. Tactical analysis and […]
Unai Emery’s midfield trio dominated Real Madrid in the first half of the match, but Carlo Ancelotti’s half-time adjustments made Real Madrid more competitive in the second half. A formation change and the introduction of Eduardo Camavinga gave Real Madrid a new outlet in attack, which helped them pin Villarreal into their own defensive third […]
Without Marco Reus and Erling Haaland, Borussia Dortmund still had enough quality to eke out a result against a struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach. However, losing Mahmoud Dahoud to go down to ten men was too much of a stumbling block, as Denis Zakaria’s strike struck a fatal blow to Dortmund and gave Adi Hütter’s team a […]
Manchester City’s press has often found difficulties when up against Chelsea. However, after a cagey first period, City increased their control and nullified their opponents in a way which we had yet to see. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. Breaking through the world’s best defensive organization has been no easy task for one of […]
A stylistic clash at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium promised to test the credentials of Sevilla, who faced a dogged Valencia outfit. Yet, it was the home team that would go on to show their resilience. Holding onto a commanding lead in the second half, they put on display that saw them clinch a deserved three […]
If three elite attackers could not blow their opponents to pieces, PSG fans may have hoped the addition of a fourth would do the trick. But few have seen the flaws of reliance on individual brilliance more than in Paris, where the home team’s struggles gave way to a hard-fought win. Tactical analysis and match […]