For what had appeared to be a rather limited strategy for ball progression from Ronald Koeman soon turned into an irrepressible one. Once Manuel Pellegrini’s side felt forced to switch their pressing scope from the Dutch magician, Frenkie de Jong, on Pedri instead, they then found themselves in deep waters, trying to steady a forever-sinking […]
Sevilla started the game well, combining composure with a neat adjustment to their 4-1-4-1 shape to control the opening stages of the game. But unable to improve their advantage, Athletic’s growing pressure and sloppy mistakes in buildup turned the game on its head. Tactical analysis by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. Athletic Club entered this matchup on a […]
An exciting first half featuring goals and attacking flair gave way to a slower second period which suited Real Madrid perfectly. After Ansu Fati cancelled out Federico Valverde’s opener, it was Barcelona who looked the sharper of the two sides. However, a resurgence of the defensive solidity that brought Real Madrid their title saw them […]
Ronald Koeman’s impatience pegged Barça back more than anything, as the successful tweaks applied in-game were tweaked once again but this time prematurely. Contrastingly, José Bordalás’ regimented approach consistently made the most out of every man-to-man duel. Tactical analysis and match report by Peter Munnelly. The away side, in all of Getafe’s first four games this […]
Julen Lopetegui’s Sevilla put on a mighty fine display at Camp Nou to avoid defeat, and also lay down a marker for their ambitions of the title as an outsider. Two early goals were followed by an otherwise goalless encounter, yet it was hard not to become engrossed in the away side’s fluency offensively and […]
After a convincing start to their new domestic campaign, Barcelona found Celta Vigo’s 5-3-2 block a tough outfit to crack. But despite several setbacks, the visitors managed to rack up the goals and seal a second win under their new manager. Tactical analysis by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. Celta Vigo have made a steady start to the […]
With Ronald Koeman at the managerial helm, this was the beginning of a new Barcelona chapter. A dazzling Fati performance highlighted the cohesive left flank of Barcelona’s 4-2-3-1 formation. From the support from Alba and De Jong to the central connections being constantly available, Barcelona’s left caused plenty of danger. Villarreal failed to deal with […]
Catch your breath if you can in this one: red cards, penalties, goals, own goals, tactical adjustments and everything a fan can hope for came into play for this quite sensational five-goal thriller, which really could have tipped so much further in the visitor’s direction. Tactical analysis and match report by Peter Munnelly. Entering the ring […]
Real Madrid’s clash with Real Sociedad was billed as the star fixture of the second matchday of LaLiga football. The guests controlled proceedings through their pressing and possession in their 4-2-3-1 shape, pinning back their opponents for much of the game. However, attacks petered out in the final third, as Madrid searched for a new […]
Neither side was able to create consistent offensive chances in a match that was defined by defensive adjustments. Both managers sought to stymie the other, with Pablo Machín using the full flexibility of his 3-1-4-2 formation against Betis’ lopsided 4-2-3-1 shape. Tactical analysis and match report by K.T. Stockwell. After narrowly avoiding relegation Deportivo Alavés made […]