Olympiakos made history as the first Greek club to win a major European trophy after a pragmatic tactical performance in which they were happy to sit deep and play direct in their 4-2-3-1 system. They kept the game tight, and eventually Ayoub El Kaabi provided the decisive moment in extra-time. Tactical analysis and match report […]
Southampton outplayed Leeds in the Championship Playoff Final to gain automatic promotion to the Premier League, thanks to their impressive defensive organization which stifled nearly every attempted line-breaking pass from Leeds. Tactical analysis and match report by Kyle Boas. We decided to make this article free to read. If you want to support our work, […]
Bayer Leverkusen lost grip of their goal in Europe but the stranglehold in Germany is firmly theirs. A red card could have ruined their rigorous work in the first half of this final, but the response from their unfancied opponents was too meek to spoil the script on this occasion. Tactical analysis and match report […]
Manchester United were underdogs here, but they arrived with a gameplan to stay compact and hit Manchester City on the counter-attack in their 4-2-2-2 system. This plan was executed perfectly, and two United academy products in the form of Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo were able to score the decisive goals. Tactical analysis and […]
To end a run of three cup final defeats under Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta Bergamo needed to end Xabi Alonso’s winning machine for European glory. With an intense off-ball plan they made Bayer Leverkusen look unrecognizable, and Ademola Lookman was there to reap the rewards on a historic night in Dublin. Tactical analysis and match […]
A timeless Calcio classic! Center-backs have been instrumental in Bologna’s attacking patterns, and this occasion was no different, as Riccardo Calafiori seized the opportunity and netted twice to propel his side to a three-goal advantage. However, Juventus rallied late in the game, aided by Paolo Montero’s changes and Bologna’s recurring mistakes, as they found the […]
A hot shot striker, as a man on a mission, strived successfully to personal glory. However, his club could not correspond with those efforts on the field, stumbling to a fatal stalemate. Tactical analysis and match report by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. Real Madrid maintain the spot at the summit of Spanish football, 14 points clear of […]
In a game where Brighton were simply unlucky not to score, the role of Kobbie Mainoo and splitting center-backs wide were the two main talking points for Manchester United. In the end, United were able to take advantage of the few chances they created on the counter to carve out a much-needed win. Tactical analysis […]
Manchester City flew into an early lead in this game and dominated play throughout. The first half saw an aggressive 3-4-3 diamond structure which stretched West Ham’s midfield resources, while the second half saw a more reserved approach with Pep Guardiola reinforcing the rest-defense to secure the three points. Tactical analysis and match report by Josh […]
Breaking down an immensely compact low block is not fun at the best of times. Sean Dyche brought his organized team to Arsenal, who needed three points to have a chance at the ultimate celebration. Pep denied them of that right once more, but Arsenal can be encouraged by the foundations they have built. Tactical […]