Author: Rhys Desmond

Across the past decade, I have worked with thousands of players and coaches across multiple sports and disciplines. I recognize the value of diving deeper beyond the first glance, and uncovering the deeper-lying ways to enhance performance. I make a commitment toward positive reinforcement, research-backed insights, and making the experience fun for those that work with me. If you’re interested in learning more about my site or experiencing my coaching, feel free to reach out! 👊⚽

How I coached an unbeaten team

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Podcast, The Mastermind Site Podcast

In the summer of 2021, I took a youth team to an unbeaten campaign, in their first ever season playing together. While winning is never the most important part of youth soccer, I share some of the key tips and tricks that allowed me to achieve success with my team and instill a positive culture where each and every player wanted to return. In the first half of the episode, I also discuss the exciting opportunities coming up on TheMastermindSite.com. Follow the show and my body of work @mastermindsite and @desmondrhys! 

Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid – UEFA Champions League Final – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Match Analysis, UEFA Champions League, World Football

Over the past few seasons, we've seen some legendary Champions League finals. This encounter between Liverpool and Real Madrid, in many ways, was more lethargic and leisurely. A chess battle as both teams patiently worked through the thirds and never fully pressed the gas, Liverpool couldn't quite ever get up to full speed in matching Real Madrid's assuredness and steady flow in possession. With Courtois supersonic-ifying his gloves beforehand, the match ended with Real Madrid coming out as winners, claiming an impressive double under the influence of Carlo Ancelotti, and one last hurrah for many of the decade-defining stars from the 2010s. Here is our tactical analysis of Real Madrid's narrow 1-0 win over Liverpool.

Analyzing Marco Rose’s time at Borussia Dortmund

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Managers, Most Recent, Team Analysis

Rose had clear attacking intentions and tactical ideologies that he wanted to implement, but few of them seemed to pan out in application. While many individuals consistently performed to the highest level, very few of them gelled together as a cohesive unit, working toward an over-arching tactical plan. Here in lies Rose's greatest failure. Those who watched Dortmund once in a blue moon were able to see the exact same problem as those who watched Dortmund week in and week out. The Black & Yellows simply played like a team of individuals.

Why Alex Stewart has been an inspiration at Tifo Football

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Most Recent

Today marks a sad day - the day that Alex Stewart announced his departure from Tifo Football. Alex has been an inspiration for many in the tactics community, and continues to serve as a reminder of what can be accomplished in the tactics and analytics field. Here is why Alex's work at Tifo can continue to serve as an inspiration.

Tactical Thinker: Which relegated stars are set to stay in the Prem?

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Most Recent, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting

After the conclusion of the Premier League season and the subsequent relegations of Norwich, Watford and Burnley, we ask you to conjure up the players that you would keep in the Premier League next season. Whether it's likely to happen or not, we want to know who you would take at your club next season, or who you think would excel at a Premier League team in 2022-23. Answer our latest Tactical Thinker below!

How to make substitutions like Pep Guardiola

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Managers, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Premier League, Team Analysis

Fifteen minutes to go in the 2021-22 Premier League season, the title looked likely to change hands for the first time in months, with Liverpool having every chance of stealing top spot away from Manchester City. But then came Pep Guardiola and three inspired second half substitutions, stealing the crown right at the death. Here are three ways to best support the substitution process, and make effective changes to change football matches.

Replacing Conor Gallagher at Crystal Palace

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Attacking Midfield, Central Midfield, Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting

Out of all the midfielders in the Premier League, very few stand out when it comes to as many attributes as Conor Gallagher. The Chelsea loanee has been on fire all season long at Crystal Palace - bagging 8 goals with 3 assists in 33 matches, alongside some of the best pressing and tackling numbers of players in his position. With his late arriving goal-scoring form and top-tier pressing intensity, Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea are bound to steal Gallagher back into their team, and give him regular minutes next season. A quintessential box-to-box midfielder who can also dovetail as a number ten, Gallagher will be a massive miss for the Eagles next season. So with that, we examine who could possibly come in to replace the 22-year-old midfielder at Crystal Palace next season.

How not to defend set-pieces (ft. HFX Wanderers & Cavalry)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Coach Education, Masterclasses, Match Analysis, Most Recent

I can't remember another game in my lifetime where four goals, in fact - 100% of the goals, came from set-pieces. I love analyzing team structures and shapes in traditional match analyses, and I could tell you all about Cavalry's almost 3-3-1-3-esque build-up or Halifax's stern 4-3-1-2 press. But ultimately, this game was decided by free kicks and corners. While that may be seen by some as "boring", on this occasion, all four of the goals resulted off the back of both tactical and psychological mistakes, more than worth breaking down in detail. So with that, here is our Match Analysis of Halifax's 2-2 draw with Cavalry, and our case study on how not to defend set-pieces.