A matchup between the red halves of Liverpool and Manchester, number one and two in the league, raised expectations, but failed to deliver the battle that we all craved. Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s game plan in United’s 4-4-2 shape created both advantages and disadvantages, whilst Liverpool still found themselves out of sync, resulting in a goalless […]
Manchester City invoked an extremely fluid formation, which saw them buildup in a nominal 3-2-2-3 shape. The freedom of the front five made it nearly impossible for Manchester United to get near the ball for the better part of seventy minutes, with the guests eventually snatching their first goal, settling back into a comfortable defensive […]
Flexibility, wide rotations, and false nine’s hit Chelsea with a flash of old Pep-fluency. Manchester City had the game wrapped up, with three goals before half-time, as they delivered a message for the rest of the league, whilst pressure continues to grow on Frank Lampard. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. A matchup between […]
Aston Villa brought good counterpressing, quick free-kicks and a narrow defensive block, but Manchester United withstood their rampant opponents to go level on points with Liverpool. This high intensity and entertaining affair brought the best out of few, but Paul Pogba’s role on the left turned out to be too much to handle for their […]
A matchup between two teams, level on points, forty-eight hours after their last game was not ideal for both, but Chelsea and Aston Villa served up a feisty affair. Chelsea blew hot and cold, convincing combinations hand-in-hand with fruitless passes, whilst Aston Villa pressed effectively, without feeding their attack as much as they could have. […]
As we have grown accustomed to this season, Tottenham took the lead early and chose to sit back, accepting Wolves’ seemingly harmless attacks. Settling for little often backlashes, though, and a late goal made the once high flying title contenders violently crash back to earth for a draw. Tactical analysis and match report by Kareem […]
Liverpool hoped to put West Bromwich Albion to the sword in their final home game of 2020. Though they took an early lead, the hosts struggled to break down a dogged low block, before taking a nasty blow at a set piece to leave us all pondering what turn the title race will take next. […]
Boxing Day brought a much-needed win for Mikel Arteta. Not only does it buy him time, but the convincing way his Arsenal side dispatched their unflattering London rivals provides a blueprint for the future. His team showcased a functional system, combinations, and a balanced framework in an entertaining affair. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel […]
Intelligent sequences of play interspersed with battles in midfield saw Manchester United take the lead twice, but the resilience of the home side saw them do enough to secure the draw. Brendan Rodgers’ side managed to claw back through goals from Harvey Barnes and the inevitable Jamie Vardy, but it was clearly United who won […]
Ole Gunnar Solskjær will have another semi-final to look forward to, as his Manchester United team dominated proceedings at Goodison Park. Though their chance creation was not supreme, the movement of their midfielders pulled their opponents apart before goals in the last two minutes delivered a crushing blow to Everton’s hopes of a much-needed trophy. […]