Atlético Madrid are betting their future on the performance of their new signing, the young João Félix. In this article, we attempt to explain why Atlético needed a Griezmann successor so badly, why Félix could be that successor, and what tactics can Simeone and his staff use to build a good collective structure around him. […]
Tactical issues on both sides made for a rather open game between Manchester United and Chelsea. In the end, United were able to take advantage of transition moments to get ahead in the game, even though the two teams were often fairly even. Tactical analysis and match report by Josh Manley. There have not been […]
The bright lights and cameras return. Cold nights, last minute goals and beef bovril in a cardboard pot would have to wait as a sunny Sunday afternoon at the King Power Stadium saw two top-half Premier League teams pitted against each other. Leicester dominated the ball, yet Wolves had the better chances. A tight VAR […]
What might have seemed like an intriguing opening day fixture not so long ago quickly turned into something out of last season’s script. Arsenal’s struggles to penetrate compact defenses away from home proved to be a tough a test again. Were it not for Newcastle’s own structural problems, the visitors might well have come away […]
It looked like Aston Villa would come back to the Premier League in style, getting points off Spurs by successfully defending their box against the home side’s predictable crossing game. However, the substitution of Christian Eriksen infused new life and unpredictability to Tottenham’s attack, allowing them to finally break the deadlock. Tactical analysis and match […]
In a statement victory over West Ham United, City declared they are ready to put together another 95 points-plus Premier League season. Time and time again, City went behind West Ham’s defense, easily racking up chances as a result. First and foremost, they proved that the biggest question will be who can stop them this […]
Despite high amounts of possession, Marco Silva’s Everton still look no closer than last season to breaking down a low block. Crystal Palace kept Everton at bay with a compact 4-4-2 system, but failed to adapt their style until late in the game, thereby missing a chance to sway the result in their direction. Tactical […]
Norwich showed some attacking promise against Liverpool with strong combination play going forward. However, through a mixture of bad fortune and bad defending, they quickly found themselves falling behind, as Liverpool were 4-0 up at half-time. Norwich were able to get a consolation goal in the second half which was nonetheless well deserved, and got […]
Assessing Frank Lampard’s first season at Stamford Bridge.
We watch football in close-up these days. The exposure to live matches has exploded, up to the point where now every minute of practically every match can be consumed. As with any observation, looking from up close may lead to missing the big picture at times. One such big picture may be signs of a […]