France began their World Cup title defence with a comprehensive Australia in the final fixture on Tuesday night. They did suffer an early scare as they conceded the opening goal, but it was all one-way traffic thereafter. In the process, they also seemed to find the right setup in possession that gets the most out […]
Saudi Arabia brought an ambitious gameplan into this match, looking to impose themselves on the game by pressing Argentina’s buildup and deploying an offside trap to stay high up the pitch. This looked exploitable at various points, but Saudi Arabia were able to take their limited chances at their other end of the pitch, scoring […]
Both teams struggled on the offensive side of things, until a late moment of defensive collapse presented a moment for the Dutch to express their individual qualities. Up to that point, Senegal’s neat tactical adjustments and well-executed high pressing proved very challenging for Van Gaal’s possession-dependent system. Two late goals tipped the result and showed […]
Gareth Southgate’s team dominated possession from the start here against a passive Iran side. England looked cohesive in their 4-2-3-1 formation as sharp movements helped them carve out openings, and they were able to gain a comfortable win against an Iran team who grabbed two consolation goals in the second half. Tactical analysis and match […]
While in some national teams like the Netherlands or Spain the coach is the superstar of the project, Lionel Scaloni has followed a more player-based approach. His flexibility and diplomacy allowed him to build the most consistent Argentina of the Messi era, with particularly strong possession and counterpressing phases. This tactical preview has been written […]
On the back of embarrassing exits from the 2018 World Cup and the 2020 Euros, Germany resorted to a fresh path by hiring Hansi Flick. After a grim period with a focus on rebuilding, a new generation of players are stepping up and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar offers a chance at vindication. This […]
After years of sluggishness, Brazil hasn’t assembled a squad as rich as this one in over a decade. Tite has developed a strong plan in both the offense and defense, but when such concrete steps have been taken, the flipside is that no nation carries a greater weight of expectation. No matter the situation, no […]
As Fernando Santos leads Portugal to their second World Cup under his tenure, there are many questions surrounding the squad going to Qatar. Though Portugal seem to be one of the oddsmakers’ better rated teams going into the tournament, a combination of underlying issues in the squad and antiquated tactics may hinder them from making […]
In the recent years, Belgium are one of the best teams in world football, but their attempts to attain silverware have been denied multiple times. Roberto Martínez is in charge of a star-studded side as they head into the World Cup with the hope of securing the coveted treasure. This tactical preview has been written […]
Last four of EURO 2020, finalists at the 2021 Nations League, another Nations League semifinal beckons in the summer of next year. Luis Enrique has revitalized Spain as a beacon of stability. Yet, in the making of that consistency are flaws that have capped their ceiling too. This preview sharpens the lens on one big […]