Don Manuel and the Invisible System
Manuel Pellegrini prefers to focus on the players and offense in an age of complex structures and a league obsessed with defensive organization. Let’s talk about how his Real Betis plays a more offens...
Pep The Podiatrist: Mastering The Management Of Footedness
Manchester City are in the habit of breaking down low blocks. Pep Guardiola always finds ways to reinvent the wheel, exploiting the space and time opponents afford his men. In this article, we take in...
Sampdoria – AC Milan: Ten-men Milan Grab Three Points In Hard-fought Win (1-2)
After a strong start, Milan came away with the win despite a complicated second half in which Rafael Leão received a red card and forced his team to battle courageous Sampdoria until the last breath o...
Real Betis-Villarreal: Betis Sinks the Yellow Submarine to End Villarreal’s Unbeaten Run (1-0)
In a wasteful performance from Villarreal, they threw away a number of quality chances that easily could have earned them two or three goals on another night. Real Betis were not much better, though t...
AS Monaco – Olympique Lyonnais: Set Pieces Do The Trick For Monaco (2-1)
Monaco’s high pressing presented an interesting problem for Lyon in the opening stages, although the game eventually began to open up for Lyon’s midfield rotations. However, two set piece goals in the...
RC Lens – Troyes: Lens Comfortably Cruise To A Temporary Spot At The Top Of The Table (1-0)
The opening fixture for the seventh round of Ligue 1 fixtures in 2022/23 saw high-flying Lens host Troyes at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Lens had the chance to temporarily climb all the way to the sum...
RB Leipzig – Borussia Dortmund: Rose Pricks At The Progress Of His Former Admirers (3-0)
How better for Marco Rose to begin his new job than to down the club he formerly coached? The Leipzig manager set out his stall in front of a home crowd, bagging a comfortable victory. However, the se...
Napoli – Liverpool: Napoli’s Superb Performance Crashes Liverpool Into Pieces (4-1)
After a sublime first half, Napoli blew away Klopp’s Liverpool with an outstanding display of attacking football. For a night, Napoli stole their opponents’ trademark style made of pressing and vertic...
Manchester United – Real Sociedad: Controversial Call Favours The Bold Basques (0-1)
The high flying Red Devils have made their way out of purgatory, but their progress has hit a snag in the road. Real Sociedad were more than a match for the hosts due to a mature buildup phase and a h...
Internazionale – Bayern Munich: Bayern’s Aggression Pays Off (0-2)
Bayern Munich were aggressive with and without the ball here, with high pressing and a structural shift in possession that saw them successfully control the game by pinning Inter back. A goal in each ...