Liverpool set out like a side with a point to prove. A mix of intensity and guile put the visitors in a firm position of control, cutting through the hosts’ 4-4-2 setup. But on taking a deserved lead, a familiar narrative emerged to turn the game on its head in a frantic seven minute spell. […]
Protracted and substandard. This wasn’t your usual Guardiola and Mourinho matchup, yet the alarming ease in which Manchester City brushed past Tottenham Hotspur made this a big talking point in each other’s seasons. City were able to play on autopilot, with rehearsed movements getting them past the block, whilst Spurs looked clueless and deprived of […]
Nine goals in this back-and-forth FA Cup thriller!
City started very strongly in the match with a good use of width with the ball and solid counterpressing against Liverpool’s transitions. Eventually Liverpool started to take more of the ball and City were content to control the spaces behind their defense. Guardiola’s pressing tweak at half-time preceded City taking the lead through İlkay Gündoğan. […]
Though Arsenal had decent spells, Aston Villa’s organized defensive shape and work in transitioning proved too much for Mikel Arteta’s team. Arsenal had their most controlling periods towards the end of the game, thanks to their changes, but reverted back to old systemic problems in desperation for points. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. […]
Chelsea continued to provide intrigue in their third match under new coach Thomas Tuchel as they once again showed an ability to control possession and play in their opponents’ half. Tuchel’s slight tweak to the arrangement of his front three helped cause problems for Spurs. The home side became more aggressive in the second half […]
Boring, low-quality stalemates are not supposed to have twenty-eight shots within the game! Despite this deceiving shot count, neither Arsenal nor Manchester United were effective at breaking through each other’s similar defensive setups, which led to wild shots, poor decision making in the final third and zero goals. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. […]
Liverpool’s luck had to change some time after a run of five games without a victory and this was the perfect occasion for the champions to regain their flair. Facing a Spurs team that had nearly beaten them last time, Liverpool put on a phenomenal second half display to clinch the win, with Sadio Mané’s […]
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 […]