Manchester City demolished Norwich City this past weekend in the Premier League's second round of fixtures, with Jack Grealish grabbing his first goal for the club. Here is our analysis of the match, including a special look into how the former Villa captain fits into the squad.
Heading into the 2021-22 Premier League season, we were somewhat pessimistic about Nuno's chances to lead Tottenham to better times. But the Portuguese manager got off to a flying start on Sunday, beating the Champions in a surprising 1-0 victory. The match should now give Tottenham fans plenty of hope for the new season, especially given Nuno's intriguing tactical tweaks that benefited Spurs' ability to win the match. Here is our analysis.
With the efforts and emotions of the enormously entertaining Euro 2020 still enduring, it’s hard to believe that preseason for many European clubs is already underway. To further set the stage for the impending season, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on last season’s tactical trends. Tallied below are the most popular formations in Europe’s top five leagues as per UEFA association club coefficient (Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1). Enjoy!
In a highly contested affair, Italy and Spain played out a 1-1 draw after extra time, and needed penalty kicks to settle the match. After missing just one of their spot kicks, Italy sent themselves through to the final of the tournament, extending their impressive unbeaten run to 33 matches in all competitions. Here is our tactical analysis of the match!
When establishing a style of play, all top-level managers face the same pragmatic questions: How will positional defenders become functional attackers (and vice versa) as changes in possession occur? Where is the balance between earnest advancement and cautious reserve? And how is that equilibrium expressed, implicitly and explicitly, on the team sheet?
For much of Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield reign, Liverpool have favored a 4-3-3 shape. In this system, the Reds have enjoyed defensive solidity, offensive prowess and become one of the most dominant forces in world football. The results speak for themselves regarding the effectiveness of this shape, with the well-rounded formation taking Liverpool to Champions League and Premier League success. While the Reds weren’t always ruthless in their title-winning season, few can deny that they were efficient. But is it time for Klopp to freshen things up? Well, he may have the chance to try something new in 2021-22.
Euro 2020 has officially kicked off, with Italy smashing Turkey to pieces in the second half of the opening fixture. The match was a fairly dull affair in the first half, with Turkey defending resolutely, and Italy only got going once they abandoned their attempts to have all of the possession. By relinquishing more control over to Turkey, Mancini's team ultimately gained more control in the final third and were able to unbalance Turkey's defensive structures to win the match comfortably 3-0. Here is our tactical analysis of the match.
The England National Team heads into the UEFA European Football Championship in scintillating form, with a crop of players that some argue could rival the golden generation at the 2004 edition of the tournament. However, this time, hopes are even greater for The Three Lions, as Gareth Southgate's squad not only has a wealth of depth, but also tactical flexibility. With the hope and promise that Southgate's squad could pick up silverware for the first time since 1966, we take a look at how they might approach the competition, tactically and beyond.
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