Tag: Angel di Maria

Argentina *3-3 France – World Cup Final – Match Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Match Analysis, World Cup 2022

Wow. What a final. The 2022 World Cup showed quite a bit of promise for having a tournament halfway through the season, and the final lived up to expectation as one of the best in years. Argentina came out flying on all cylinders, with France looking shell-shocked for the entire first half. But through the efforts of Mbappé and a few others, they eventually clawed their way back to force the game into extra time, and then penalty kicks. Here is our analysis of the 2022 World Cup Final between Argentina and France.

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Explaining the Inverted Winger – Player Role Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Attacking Midfield, Data Analysis, Masterclasses, Player Analysis, Player Education, Recruitment & Scouting, Winger

Unlike their name might imply, 'Inverted Wingers' are far more than just wingers that cut or drift inside. That is only one small part of an overarching role that prioritizes playmaking in the final third, and dynamically linking play between the other members of the front-line. The best of the art will often post high numbers in goals and assists, but 'Inverted Wingers' need to be so much more than just creative goal-scorers - generally tasked with creating space, rotating with teammates, and moving off the ball to exploit the half-spaces at the right moments.

Top 100 Male Footballers 2021 Edition (80-61)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in World Football

The end of the year is nearly here! And that means it's time for our annual Top 100 Footballers list to kick off. This year, you had your say in our voting polls, and this is where you landed. Here is numbers 80-61 in the Top 100 Footballers in the World.

Right Winger of the Year – Interactive Vote (Top 100 Footballers 2021)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in World Football

The end of year is almost here, and that means it's time for our annual Top 100 Footballers list. This year, you, the readers of our website, will get to have your say. Just simply see the list of nominees below, and rearrange the list to suit your preference of first to last in each position. When we rank the Top 100 Footballers of the Year, we take into consideration a player's form throughout 2021, their club and national team success, difficulty of league, and their reputation + performances in the year prior. You can rank based on any criteria you desire! Below is our poll ranking the best right wingers in 2021.

Mauricio Pochettino – PSG – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Formations, Managers, Masterclasses, Subscriber Exclusives, Team Analysis, UEFA Champions League, World Football

Although Mauricio Pochettino hasn't had the best start to life with PSG, much hope and promise for the future remains, given his early time in charge so far and the team's form in the UEFA Champions League. The Parisians are yet to lose a game in the Champions League under Pochettino, and despite a disappointing loss to Lille in Ligue 1, remain in the hunt for a treble. The league title that the Argentinean desperately craved at Tottenham is still within reach, and will certainly come even if not this season. So with that, here is a Tactical Analysis of Mauricio Pochettino's PSG so far in 2020-21.

Top 100 Male Footballers 2020 (40-21)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Premier League, Serie A, UEFA Champions League, World Football

2020 was a strange year for everyone in the world, not just footballers. But the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that we haven’t gotten as much football as we might have done otherwise. That said, there were still plenty of matches played across the year, and some surprise performers and performances along the way. As always, TheMastermindSite.com will now count down the top 100 male footballers in the world for the year. This list takes into account a player’s form in 2020 as its primary mechanism, with reputation, difficulty of league, club and national team success each playing a secondary role. So with that in mind, here is TheMastermindSite’s Top 100 Male Footballers in the World for 2020 (40-21).

Thomas Tuchel – Paris Saint Germain – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Managers, UEFA Champions League, World Football

For the first time ever, Paris-Saint-Germain have reached the final of the UEFA Champions League. Beating out Borussia Dortmund in the Round of 16 paved the way for PSG to play Atalanta and surprise semi-finalists RB Leipzig upon a return to the competition in August, where they now await German giants Bayern Munich in the final on Sunday. Under the fantastic management of Thomas Tuchel, PSG have been extraordinarily good. Some might argue that their path to the final was a tad easier than previous finalists of the competition, but it would be hard to argue PSG to be undeserving of their place in the final with such a star-studded lineup. The Ligue 1 champions have scored 25 goals in Champions League play thus far, conceding just 5 in the process. Here is a Tactical Analysis of Thomas Tuchel's PSG as we head toward the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League Final.

Top 100 Male Footballers 2019 (40-31)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Premier League, Serie A, UEFA Champions League, World Football

It’s almost the end of the year, so it’s only fitting that we count down the top 100 footballers of 2019. Check out the start of the list (40-31) below. 40. Ederson Moraes Manchester City have had a bit of a rough go of it this season. As a result, Ederson has also had a … Continue reading Top 100 Male Footballers 2019 (40-31)

PSG Fruitless Without Cavani & Mbappe

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

Paris Saint Germain have developed a well-oiled system under Thomas Tuchel. The tactical flexibility of players like Dani Alves and Julian Draxler have allowed the French giants to flourish in a number of different systems, seemingly chopping and changing their formation every week without ever missing a beat. However, without star men up top like … Continue reading PSG Fruitless Without Cavani & Mbappe

Top 100 Footballers In The World 2018 (80-61)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, World Cup 2018, World Football

Here is the second batch of the Top 100 Footballers of the Year for 2018 - numbers 80-61. Enjoy! For more on what goes into determining The Mastermind’s Top 100 of 2018 click here. For the first set (100-81) click here!  80. Gonzalo Higuain  Why Gonzalo Higuain left Juventus for AC Milan is still a bit fuzzy. … Continue reading Top 100 Footballers In The World 2018 (80-61)

OFFICIAL: Top 100 Footballers 2016-17 (60-41)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Premier League, UEFA Champions League, World Football

Top 100 Footballers 2016-17 60-41 60. Sadio Mane This season, Sadio Mane not only established himself as one of the world's best wingers, but also became Liverpool's key man in attack. Loaded with pace and power, Mane has been Liverpool’s star and standout player this season and when he wasn't in the team, Klopp’s system … Continue reading OFFICIAL: Top 100 Footballers 2016-17 (60-41)