Since taking over in 2018 from Aston Villa's Dean Smith, Thomas Frank has turned Brentford from an average to below average Championship side, into a nearly unstoppable one, with now two back to back playoff finals in two seasons. Frank's tactics emulate the same principles as some of the world's best managers and teams in the modern era, with unique takes that have turned The Bees into one of the most efficient sides in the division. Even if they can't make it happen in the playoff final for the second year running, Brentford appear as though they will be in the Premier League sometime very soon, due to their excellent recruitment, and Frank's exceptional management and tactics. Here is our tactical analysis of Thomas Frank's Brentford in 2020-21.
Tag: 3-4-1-2
Chelsea 0-1 Leicester – FA Cup Final – Tactical Analysis
Oh, the magic of the FA Cup. Leicester City came into the cup final as clear underdogs, with Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea in great form and a UEFA Champions League final in their sights. But it was the Foxes who came out on top with a stunning Youri Tielemans strike, and two fantastic saves from Kasper Schmeichel. Here is our tactical analysis of the match.
Gian Piero Gasperini – Atalanta – Tactical Analysis (2020-21)
After successive back to back third place finishes in Serie A, Gian Piero Gasperini has firmly established Atalanta as one of Europe's most lethal and tactically fluid teams. Despite losing their star player Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez halfway through the season due to disagreements between player and coach, Atalanta look set to finish inside Serie A's top three once again, with the highest tally of goals for the third season running. Here is a tactical analysis of Gian Piero Gasperini's Atalanta in 2020-21.
Bo Svensson – FSV Mainz 05 – Tactical Analysis
When Bo Svensson took over at FSV Mainz 05, Die Nullfünfer were in the relegation zone. Now, four months on, Mainz sit in 12th place, currently on a eight match unbeaten run in the league. The former Mainz player has revolutionized the team, changing tactics, lifting spirits, adopting a back-three formation and making Mainz one of the most effective, functional teams in the league. To make matters all the more interesting, Svensson is doing all of this in his first big job in management. So with that, here is a tactical analysis of how Bo Svensson turned FSV Mainz 05 around.
Paulo Fonseca – AS Roma – Tactical Analysis
AS Roma are still far from the side they were many years ago, but they have enjoyed two of their better seasons over the last decade since Paulo Fonseca arrived at the club. The Portuguese manager came to Roma with a respectable reputation, having led Shakhar Donetsk to three league titles and a 74% win rate in his three seasons at the club. During his first season in charge at I Giallorossi, Fonseca led AS Roma to a fifth place finish in Serie A - securing Europa League football for the team. Roma have since performed well in the competition this season, with a semi-final against tournament favourites Manchester United to play for in the next few weeks. Their performances in the Europa League have outshone their relatively sub-par season in Serie A, with the side currently in seventh place. Nonetheless, if Fonseca's team were to pull out a miracle and make the Europa League final, this season would be seen as a complete success. With that, here is a tactical analysis of Paulo Fonseca's AS Roma this season.
CF Montreal 4-2 Toronto FC – Tactical Analysis
After a fantastic midweek win in the CONCACAF Champions League against Club Leon, Toronto FC looked beaten and battered before the whistle even blew on Major League Soccer's opening day. The Reds looked lackluster throughout the match, struggling to put up a fight against a Montreal defense full of mistakes. This is our tactical analysis of Montreal's 4-2 win over Toronto FC on the opening round of the 2021 Major League Soccer season.
Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0 Eintracht Frankfurt – Tactical Analysis
Earlier this week, Adi Hütter was announced as the next Borussia Monchengladbach boss. Unfortunately for him and his current Eintracht Frankfurt team, he didn't make the best impression on his new club this weekend, suffering a 4-0 defeat. Adi Hütter's team were lifeless and ineffective, and let Gladbach walk all over them. So as this managerial merry-go-round saga continues, we analyze Borussia Monchengladbach's 4-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt.
Adi Hütter – Eintracht Frankfurt – Tactical Analysis
In the merry go round that is the Bundesliga managerial landscape at the moment, Adi Hütter has officially been announced as the next Borussia Monchengladbach boss. The announcement came just days after leading his team to a massive win over third place VFL Wolfsburg, with Die Adler in poll position to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season. Monchengladbach on the other hand, sit just eighth in the table, after a stop and start second half of the season. Part of Gladbach's lack of form could be down to the other big managerial announcement of 2021 in the Bundesliga - Marco Rose's imminent arrival at Borussia Dortmund. However, Hütter's achievements with Frankfurt are monumental in comparison to Gladbach's disappointing season. That makes it all the more confusing why he would leave a side about to participate in the UEFA Champions League for one that is not guaranteed European football next season. Nonetheless, the surprise announcement gives us the perfect opportunity to eulogize everything Adi Hütter has accomplished at Eintracht Frankfurt.
