Brendan Rodgers – Leicester City – Tactical Analysis (2019-20 Edition)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Formations, Managers, Premier League, Team Analysis, World Football

Leicester City have had an exceptional start to the 2019-20 Premier League season, losing just 1 of their opening 7 matches. If it weren't for the all-star cast and crew of England's top two teams, the Foxes could very well have found themselves in a similar position to where they were at this time back in 2015-16 when Claudio Ranieri led Leicester to a league title. Brendan Rodgers has done an incredible job since taking over as Leicester manager for Claude Puel back in late February and has turned the Foxes back into one of England's top sides after a couple of years of nothing more than mid-table success. Here is The Mastermind's Tactical Analysis of Leicester City so far in 2019-20 under Brendan Rogers.

Antonio Conte – Inter Milan – Tactical Analysis (2019-20 Edition)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Formations, Managers, Serie A, Team Analysis, UEFA Champions League, World Football

Since Antonio Conte's arrival at Inter Milan, the Italian giants have completely transformed into the most effective side in all of Serie A. Conte's start to life at San Siro has gotten off without a hitch and I Nerazzurri have won all six of their matches to the start off the league campaign. In that time, Conte's men have scored 13 goals and conceded only 2, maintaining the second highest passing accuracy and fifth highest amount of possession per game in the league. Players like Romelu Lukaku and Kwadwo Asamoah have been able to turn their careers around again, while the likes of Marcelo Brozovic and Stefano Sensi are practically developing into the best in the world at their positions. This is The Mastermind's Tactical Analysis of Inter Milan so far in 2019-20.

Managing Different Personalities on a Sports Team

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Sport Psychology

Every athlete is different. Every athlete has a unique set of characteristics, behaviours, dispositions and traits that make them who they are and can directly affect their ability to perform. Managing these different personalities can be a daunting task for any sport manager, coach or leader, particularly in a team setting where twelve to eighteen conflicting personalities may require managing.

La Pausa – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Attacking Midfield, Central Midfield, Coaching, Defensive Midfield, Masterclasses, Sport Psychology, UEFA Champions League

La Pausa - Spanish for 'The Pause' is a fantastically useful skill for players looking to fool their opponents. La Pausa is a skill whereby players in possession pause on the ball, drawing in defenders and enticing them to make a movement toward the ball. After the defender makes a movement toward them, the player in possession will often quickly speed up play or then make their pass or movement in a direction that exploits the fact that the defender has approached them.

Counter Attacking and the Death of Tiki-Taka Football

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Euro 2016, Managers, Masterclasses, Premier League, Sport Psychology, UEFA Champions League, World Football

For a while, tiki taka, highlighted by the intricate triangles created in Spain's Xavi-Iniesta years, prevailed as the dominating tactic of the beautiful game. However, with Spain's struggles in recent tournaments and the much talked about "possession without purpose" that has haunted many teams in recent modern day matches, I pronounce the death of tiki taka.

Best Formations for 9v9 (Part 2)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Formations, World Football

Along with the growing popularity of the 9v9 game in youth soccer, is a growing popularity of the examination of different 9v9 formations. We pretty much covered it in Best Formations for 9v9 (part 1), but there are so many formations out there, so might as well explore some of the other best options in this part 2 of Best Formations for 9v9. Enjoy! 

How Antonio Conte’s Chelsea Won The 2016-17 Premier League Title Playing 3-4-2-1

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Formations, Managers, Premier League, Team Analysis, World Football

In an era where formations are ever-changing, the 3-4-3 has become one of the most popular to use around the world. Serie A teams have long been fans of the back three, but formations like the 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 are growing in popularity virtually everywhere - from Spain to France to Germany to even England … Continue reading How Antonio Conte’s Chelsea Won The 2016-17 Premier League Title Playing 3-4-2-1

Bernardo Silva – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Attacking Midfield, Central Midfield, Coaching, Player Analysis, Premier League, Winger

In the past two years, Bernardo Silva has gone from a very talented footballer that occasionally would come on and make a difference for Manchester City, to one of the best players on the planet. Silva does the simple things very well while simultaneously making the complex look very, very easy. The decisions he makes on a football pitch are absolutely brilliant and he's even grown into a player capable of playing not only on the wing but in central midfield as well. This is a tactical analysis of Manchester City's supreme star, Bernardo Silva.