Tottenham Hotspur’s possession game faced up against Liverpool’s pressing and transition play, and it looked as if Liverpool were having the better of things early on. A red card for the away side changed things though, and Spurs dominated much of the game afterwards. They struggled to find the winner however, even later on against […]
Refusing to deviate from their playing style, Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur side had the majority of possession in the first half of this game, showing bravery against Arsenal’s pressing. Arsenal were still able to create chances though, and Spurs had to show character to come from behind twice to earn a draw. Tactical analysis and […]
Erik Ten Hag tried to experiment with a 4-3-1-2 system for Manchester United as they faced Brighton & Hove Albion. After a slightly difficult start though, Roberto De Zerbi’s side were able to find tactical superiorities against United’s system by exploiting width, and the away side ultimately left Old Trafford with a convincing victory. Tactical […]
The first half was a somewhat low-tempo affair, as United tried to control the game with a cautious possession approach which Arsenal were happy to allow. Arsenal took more possession in the second half though, while United attacked through transitions. This very nearly worked out for the away side, but Arsenal ultimately got the decisive […]
On the day, Tottenham’s buildup bettered Bournemouth’s press. The away side continued to showcase their understanding and the effectiveness of Ange Postecoglou’s style of play. Whereas for the home side, there is still work to be done, and fitness levels to be reached, for Andoni Iraola’s style to begin making an impact. Tactical analysis and […]
Liverpool were able to keep some level of control over Newcastle’s pressing and transition play in the early stages of the match. However, a sudden goal and red card put Liverpool behind with ten men. Newcastle struggled to capitalize on this and put the game to bed with their possession game in the second half […]
Three outings, two away days, and one prominent injury in eight days have thrown City’s squad into the deep end. But the sign of a true champion is strength in adversity. Against an opponent whose quality can cause most in the league a world of pain, the Premier League holders showed why, at this stage […]
Newcastle’s gameplan in and out of possession made them deserved winners of this match. However, Villa’s insistence of playing a high defensive line without the required engagement on the ball changed the potential narrative of this game from “opening day away loss” to “statement home victory”. Tactical analysis and match report by Nick Smoothy. The […]
Liverpool took the lead early on against a Chelsea defense still finding its feet, but the home side were able to hit back in the first half and ended up taking the initiative as the game went on. Mauricio Pochettino found a tactical arrangement with a 3-4-3 shape in possession which posed problems for Liverpool, […]
Short Burnley passes? Manchester City engineering long balls? Just how did football get into this position? Despite dynamics that would confuse the traditionalists, the result was not as unclear. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. We decided to make this article free to read. If you want to support our work, consider taking a […]