Neither team was able to find the cutting edge to score in this match, but that was down to good defensive schemes as much as anything else. United were proactive in preventing Chelsea dominance in the first half, but then fell back in the second half. The home side had the better chances but were […]
Diego Simeone’s vintage defense-first mentality dictated the tempo and tactical pattern of this match. In a game where chances were rare and the game state only changed once, fans of football tactics still had enough to look out for. Eventually it took a little bit of Olivier Giroud magic to break the deadlock, meaning Atléti […]
Chelsea dominated the ball and had some moderate success playing against Southampton’s high pressing and forcing them deeper later in the half. However, Chelsea had problems creating shots and were punished for this when Takumi Minamino put Southampton ahead. Chelsea equalized through Mount early in the second half but were unable to break down the […]
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 […]
A sterile match wherein the game state changed infrequently suited Lille fine, as the nil-nil draw saw Christophe Galtier’s side move back to the top of the table. PSG’s 3-5-2 formation once again struggled to produce anything in possession, as the reigning champions remain in a provisional third place. Tactical analysis and match report by […]
Lyon’s strategic pressing forced PSG’s least experienced center-back into dictating the tempo of their buildup, which in turn led to numerous turnovers. The recoveries triggered a sharp and refined offensive transition from the visitors, who so perfectly exploited their opponent’s weakness. Another confusing marriage to a three-man defense left Tuchel bereft on the sideline, as […]
A distinctly second-string eleven had to fight hard and count on poor play from Montpellier in the final third to hold their place at the top of the table. A five-man backline and two strikers failed to ignite a PSG offense that has looked static in recent weeks. Montpellier had their chances to not only […]
Paris Saint-Germain took a number of tactical risks to start the match, most of which failed to pay dividends. As a consequence, they would not look comfortable until shifting to a 3-5-2 formation in the 65th minute. Manchester United defended well, but were undone by their manager’s inaction and the reckless play of Fred, who […]
Bordeaux’s decision to bring more high pressure early in the second half unsettled PSG’s three-man buildup and in the end led to the match’s tying goal. However, it was the home side’s lack of defensive fortitude and refusal to put in the requisite work in all four phases of the game that was their ultimate […]
A flurry of formation changes to start the second half eventually swung the moment in favour of Leipzig. The visitor’s possession numbers ballooned, as Paris defended in a deep 5-3-2 low-block. It was onlythe visitor’s lack of cutting edge that an early penalty from Neymar Jr. proved enough to salvage a PSG victory. Tactical analysis […]