History echoes with the Dutch team traveling to Germany as outsiders, reminiscent of 1988. Forever fresh off the heartbreak of some lost international final, the Netherlands aim to put collective coherence above last-minute dropouts to chase the shadows of the past. This tactical preview has been written by Sander IJtsma. We decided to make all […]
Boasting one of the most talented squads at the tournament, England have the chance to end a fifty-eight year run without a trophy. Whether they are able to do this will depend on finding the right tactical set up for their world-class players to shine. This tactical preview has been written by Josh Manley. We decided […]
Excitement supersedes expectation for this summer’s European Championship hosts. With Julian Nagelsmann guiding a team full of experienced veterans, emerging stars and in-form players, German football fans have real reasons to feel optimistic about their team’s chances of success on home soil. This tactical preview has been written by Nick Smoothy. We decided to make […]
After a surprise resignation, Luciano Spalletti led the holders through a tough European qualification campaign. They knocked the North Macedonia curse, ground out a gritty performance to Ukraine, but has his tactics taken Italy out of the abyss, or are they about to fall back into uncertainty? This tactical preview has been written by Joel […]
Real Madrid maintain their magic. Dortmund’s deep running daggers powered their transition tactics before the break, but Ancelotti’s astute approach patched up the problems. Resilience resides in the hands of his players, who have the know how to solve situations for themselves. We’ve seen the same story so many times: maybe the solution is actually […]
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 […]
Center-backs are on the move in Serie A, and for very good reason. Here we can see how they can be utilized in rotations up the field, how they can unlock one of your creators on the ball and the importance of rest defense to tie ideas together. Written by Joel Parker. We decided to […]