Leicester City arrived with arguably the stronger tactical display in a game where neither team played on an especially high level. However, the Foxes’ lack of chance creation outside of penalties came back to bite them later in the game as Spurs were clinical with their chances, seeing Leicester miss out on the top four. […]
Chelsea approached the match with a positive attitude from the start and dominated Leicester’s 5-4-1 defensive block. Chelsea’s asymmetric 3-4-3 system offered strong movement through midfield and attacking areas, allowing them to create shots with relative ease in the first half. They eventually got their two goals after the break and were able to see […]
Leicester City have won their first FA Cup, thanks to a phenomenal strike from Youri Tielemans. The goal rightly takes the plaudits, but their effective pressing scheme and flexible defensive organization nullified waves of Chelsea attacks, which didn’t come. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. The valuation of the FA Cup’s importance has been, […]
Manchester United’s possession structure and wing dynamics presented a tough challenge for Aston Villa to contend with throughout the game. Villa were able to go ahead after some poor individual defending from United, but the away side quickly turned it around in the second half with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood, before Edinson […]
Pep Guardiola loves an experiment, but even this was more audacious than normal. Manchester City traded total control to find ideas past Europe’s most challenging defensive block. Chelsea had also rotated but found routes through thanks to effective right-side interchange. A 90th minute winner draws the battle lines. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. […]
For eighty minutes, Manchester City had brutalized and controlled Tottenham Hotspur, both on and off the ball. The winning goal may not have been as pretty as some of their earlier attacks, but a return to flexibility and fluency comes at a great time for Pep Guardiola’s men, who can add more than the EFL […]
A match that stood symbol for both teams’ domestic campaign. The hosts’ buildup continued to lack the desired result, as Arsenal offered very little end product or balance. Though Everton tinkered, another ugly win continues to keep them in contention for European football next season. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. Arsenal and Everton […]
In a slow and methodical FA Cup semi-final, deep buildups and counterpressing came to the forefront. Though neither team had dominated the shot count, Chelsea were more efficient in bypassing Manchester City’s pressure, to secure another trip to Wembley, thanks to the work of the front two. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. January’s […]
Both teams showed why they are no longer within the top four, while revealing factors that got them there in the first place. Everton created better chances, ignited by the repetitious behaviour of James Rodríguez, but Harry Kane remains Tottenham Hotspur’s “Get Out of Jail” free card. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. In […]
After a first half of poor passing quality, one team tinkered to resolve such issues, while the other wallowed in self-pity. A goal, crafted in Poch-Esque fashion would be consumed in the harsh dose of José Mourinho reality, as Tottenham Hotspur blew their lead to a revitalized Manchester United after the break. Tactical analysis and […]