Much of the discussion surrounding Manchester United at the moment revolves around one central tenet – the fact that they still have Fred & McTominay playing in midfield – rather than superman and wonder woman. It is true that United strengthened in several areas that they did not necessarily need to over the course of a busy summer window. It is also true that they neglected to strengthen the widest, gaping whole in their entire team. But Fred & McTominay have become scapegoats for the fragility of a fairly flimsy team that almost certainly would be worse off without them.
Coaching Automatisms – Rehearsed Patterns of Play
In the past few years, I have adopted an almost entirely games-based approach to coaching. Everything is based within scenarios and situations players encounter in the game, and related to rehearsed actions on where to be in different situations players encounter on a football pitch. These are what the footballing world call "patterns of play", and what some top managers in the game have dubbed "automatizations".
Bundesliga 2021-22 Matchday 7 – Tactical Review
The Bundesliga continues to entertain as ever, with intriguing tactics, goals galore, and surprising results. Matchday 7 saw Frankfurt get a shocking win over Bayern, Monchengladbach surprise Wolfsburg, and Union Berlin leapfrog FSV Mainz in the table. Here is our tactical analysis of some of the key matches.
The 4-4-2 Pitfall Evident in Sampdoria vs Napoli [Quick Take]
As often discussed, the 4-4-2 is both a classic and still highly utilized formation in football, benefited by clear roles and a simple structure. However, it is also a setup that risks a fair deal of overexposure. The recent match between Napoli and Sampdoria evidences this balance to perfection. For the first portion of the … Continue reading The 4-4-2 Pitfall Evident in Sampdoria vs Napoli [Quick Take]
Chelsea 0-1 Man City – How Pep Beat Tuchel – Tactical Analysis
Chelsea vs. Manchester City was tipped to be an early title decider, and it did not disappoint as a highly contested affair between two teams right in the thick of the race this season. In the end it was the Citizens who came out on top, after an utterly dominant performance over a team that beat them in the UEFA Champions League final last season. Here is our analysis of the match.
Bundesliga 2021-22 Matchday 6 – Tactical Review
The Bundesliga continues to entertain as ever, with intriguing tactics, goals galore, and surprising results. Matchday 6 saw Leipzig get back on track with a thumping win over Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg suffer their first defeat of the season, and Dortmund look completely out of sorts in the Borussia derby. Here is our tactical analysis of some of the key matches.
Why the 4-3-3 has made football formations redundant
Much is made of formations in the modern world of football, with each and every top team attempting to innovative and reinvent the beautiful game. One of the most popular formations throughout history is the 4-3-3 formation. Those who view the game with a simplistic mindset would tell you it involves four defenders, three midfielders and three attackers. That certainly appears to be the case on the face of it, but is that how it works in reality? Or is 4-3-3 an amalgamation of several different tactics, effectively killing off the concept of a starting formation?
Bundesliga 2021-22 Matchday 5 – Tactical Review
The Bundesliga continues to entertain as ever, with intriguing tactics, goals galore, and surprising results. Matchday 5 saw Bayern smash VFL Bochum for seven, and things go from bad to worse for Leipzig as they slip even further down the table. Here is our tactical analysis of some of the key matches.
