Friday night under the lights at a raucous Selhurst Park would be a stern test of Arsenal’s metal. Notwithstanding their early lead, the visitors were under the cosh for stretches of this match. But they weathered the storm, thanks to a man whose debut was well worth the wait. Tactical analysis and match report by […]

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel revamped his midfield structure at the interval to overcome a difficult first half period and knock London rivals Crystal Palace out of the FA Cup. The results underlines the tactical versatility and astuteness this Chelsea side possess.  Tactical analysis and match report by Charles Orchard. February’s close-fought fixture between these two […]

Eager to rebuff Spurs’ quest for fourth place, Arsenal needed a win. But if Patrick Vieira ought to have been in a giving mood to bestow his old club a favor, he had not read the script. Potency in transition, pressing, and possession stunted the guests, whose season will go down to the wire. Tactical […]

A combination of a stale set-up and effective Crystal Palace block left Chelsea in another state of stagnation. With a low shot count and sporadic phases of quality, the game was destined for a goalless draw, only for Hakim Ziyech to find space at the back-post to squeeze in a late winner at the game’s […]

For thirty minutes, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace produced an intriguing but unproductive affair. However, the hosts had showcased solutions to passing problems and seized on a Palace collapse to gain a comfortable three points. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker.  When the time turned to reinvent, both London clubs looked to iconic midfielders, […]

Despite high amounts of possession, Marco Silva’s Everton still look no closer than last season to breaking down a low block. Crystal Palace kept Everton at bay with a compact 4-4-2 system, but failed to adapt their style until late in the game, thereby missing a chance to sway the result in their direction.  Tactical […]

Eleven games, eleven wins. Things seem perfect for Arsenal right now under Unai Emery, right? Well, not quite as much as you’d think, if you watched them play during that run. Against Roy Hodgson’s free-flowing Palace, this local derby at Selhurst Park epitomized Arsenal’s continued struggles in their buildup play and how Emery is still […]