Real Madrid were second best the whole game, largely because of Ajax’s fierce high press and quality on the ball. But the best team sometimes does not win in a game of football, and that was exactly the case in this intriguing Champions League round of 16 match-up. 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. Whatsmore, we’ve got Champions League football lined up this week. The world’s most watched competition […]
In the highly anticipated return of Champions League football, both teams initially struggled to establish a rhythm. Paris Saint-Germain had some problems playing from the back, and United showed potential defensive issues. In the second half, PSG came out as the dominant team, helped by United’s injuries forcing them to make two half-time changes. Thomas […]
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. Whatsmore, we’ve got Champions League football lined up this week. The world’s most watched competition […]
This game was fun, y’all. Really, really fun. Some smart tactical tweaks, a few brilliant goals, some of the most gifted young players in football, two bizarre red cards and a whole lot of twists and turns in the final minutes. Bayern look steadier than they did a month ago. While this very young Ajax […]
With qualification to the knockout rounds hanging by a thread, Tottenham Hotspur’s performance at Camp Nou was exceptional – albeit against a somewhat weakened FC Barcelona starting eleven. Mauricio Pochettino’s diamond system expertly exploited the holes in Barça’s pressing, whilst also causing some problems for the home side in their buildup phase, too. Tactical analysis […]
Mohamed Salah scored the deciding goal as Liverpool edged past Napoli at Anfield to progress into the Champions League Round of Sixteen. Liverpool’s intensity disturbed Napoli’s play, and the visitors struggled to gain rhythm which allowed the home side to dominate the match for large periods. Tactical analysis and match report by Josh Williams. Group […]
PSV successfully implemented a game plan with aggressive pressing and direct play towards their commanding striker Luuk de Jong, preventing Barcelona from controlling the game. This forced the Spanish champion into an uncomfortable high-tempo game, which exposed their problems when transitioning from attack to defense. However, trading punches against Lionel Messi often ends up badly… […]
You expect the game changer of PSG – Liverpool to have a Brazilian nationality (Neymar or Roberto Firmino), to be the best teenager in the world (Kylian Mbappé) or even to act as a living pharaoh (Mohamed Salah). Well, in the end, the hero of the day appeared to be an Italian: Marco Verratti. PSG […]
In similar fashion to their big win at the Etihad Stadium two months ago, Bruno Génésio’s aggressive defensive approach paid dividends. Never looking to retreat at the hands of City’s relentless ball control, Lyon managed to comfortably deal with their opponent’s attempts to pull them apart and subsequently got the better of the English champions, […]