Tag: Attacking

Analyzing Marco Rose’s time at Borussia Dortmund

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Managers, Most Recent, Team Analysis

Rose had clear attacking intentions and tactical ideologies that he wanted to implement, but few of them seemed to pan out in application. While many individuals consistently performed to the highest level, very few of them gelled together as a cohesive unit, working toward an over-arching tactical plan. Here in lies Rose's greatest failure. Those who watched Dortmund once in a blue moon were able to see the exact same problem as those who watched Dortmund week in and week out. The Black & Yellows simply played like a team of individuals.

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How Southampton’s attacking transitions vary between phases of the game

by Jeremy Barnes, posted in Coach Education, Managers, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Premier League, Team Analysis

After a slow start to the season, Southampton are one of the in-form Premier League teams at the moment. Fielding a 4-2-2-2 on paper, the Saints recently picked up unexpected points against some of the league's biggest hitters - Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United. Results in tow, Southampton’s implementation of quick and progressive attacking transitions have them climbing the league table, playing with a distinct style and groove.

How to beat a low-block like Antonio Conte’s Spurs

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Managers, Masterclasses, Match Analysis, Premier League, Team Analysis

Antonio Conte's Spurs, as expected, have gotten off to a flying start. Conte's team have gone unbeaten in their eight Premier League matches so far, playing some fantastic, easy on the eye football in the process. The variety in their attacking play has helped the team to 14 goals in 8 matches, with just 5 conceded in the process. In our recent analysis of Conte's team, we posited that the team only had one key dilemma to solve - what to do against low-blocks who want to sit very deep against them. As opposition teams sort Tottenham out, Conte's quest to combat the low-block appears to be growing all the more difficult by the match. They failed to claim victory against 10-man Southampton earlier in the week, and yesterday had to wait until stoppage time for Davinson Sanchez's winner. So with that, we take a quick look at how teams like Antonio Conte's can disrupt a low-block and generate scoring chances, taking examples from Spurs' own 1-0 victory against Watford at the weekend.

What Newcastle fans can expect of Paulo Fonseca and his tactics

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

After sacking Steve Bruce on October 19, it appears that Newcastle United are now inching closer to selecting their next manager. With Paulo Fonseca still, shockingly, out of a job following a successful year with Roma last year, Newcastle are taking heavy interest in bringing the highly touted manager into their ranks. So with that, we take a look at what Paulo Fonseca could bring to Newcastle and why the move could be exactly what Newcastle fans have been calling out for.

How To Press Like Jessie Marsch’s Salzburg

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Managers, Masterclasses, Team Analysis, UEFA Champions League

Jesse Marsch is one of the most buzzworthy managers in the world of football at the moment. Since taking over at Red Bull Salzburg for Marco Rose, the American has developed a reputation as a tactical innovator and one of the most exciting young managers in the game. However, it's not as though Salzburg's record is anything out of the ordinary from previous managers. The buzz and attention surrounding the former MLS superstar is instead much more about how Marsch's tactics and coaching styles have been out of the ordinary. His open communication regarding his coaching philosophies and principles of play has also been welcome, and only increased the manager's growing reputation. Here is a tactical analysis of Jesse Marsch's Red Bull Salzburg.

Jesse Marsch – RB Salzburg – Tactical Analysis

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

Jesse Marsch is one of the most buzzworthy managers in the world of football at the moment. Since taking over at Red Bull Salzburg for Marco Rose, the American has developed a reputation as a tactical innovator and one of the most exciting young managers in the game. However, it's not as though Salzburg's record is anything out of the ordinary from previous managers. The buzz and attention surrounding the former MLS superstar is instead much more about how Marsch's tactics and coaching styles have been out of the ordinary. His open communication regarding his coaching philosophies and principles of play has also been welcome, and only increased the manager's growing reputation. Here is a tactical analysis of Jesse Marsch's Red Bull Salzburg.

How Wolves Have Struggled Without Raul Jimenez – Tactical Analysis (2020-21)

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching, Premier League, World Football

Since losing Raul Jimenez to a horrific head injury in November 2020, Wolves have picked up just 8 points in 11 matches. They've stumbled down the table to 14th, and they look a far cry from the side that finished 7th in previous back to back seasons. Without Raul Jimenez and a sudden abandonment of their back-three mantra, Nuno Espirito Santo's side look like a team that lack a clear identity to win football matches. This comes as a surprise, given that Wolverhampton had one of the clearest identities in the league two seasons in a row before this one. After their toothless performance in the second half against West Bromwich Albion, leading to a 3-2 defeat, we take a look at what's gone wrong for the Raul Jimenez-less Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020-21.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – Manchester United – Tactical Analysis

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

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been beaten and battered as Manchester United manager for the past two and a half seasons. But although Manchester United are nowhere near the level they were under Sir Alex Ferguson, Solskjaer has managed to get the Red Devils to play some fantastic football and achieve several impressive results over the past few years. The Red Devils currently sit second in the table, even after a horrendous start to the season that saw them all the way down in 15th just a few months ago. After fifteen Premier League matches, Manchester United have accumulated 30 points, only 2 less than Liverpool, and remain unbeaten in their last ten in the league. Although he looks destined for the sack in time, Solskjaer might be one of the most underrated managers in world football at the moment. Here is our Tactical Analysis of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United.

How to counter attack like Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Managers, Masterclasses, Premier League, Team Analysis

Jose Mourinho has long been a proponent of counter attacking football. We featured Mourinho prominently in our 2019 article all about how Jose Mourinho killed tiki taka football with his counter attacking approach to big games, such as the UEFA Champions League final with Inter Milan in 2010. But now with his counter attacking approach … Continue reading How to counter attack like Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham

13 Shooting & Finishing Activity Ideas

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching

I've never been a big fan of shooting & finishing session plans, as they often involve activities with loads of wait time, and take up too much time for something that happens actually relatively infrequently in games. Instead, I've preferred to work on shooting & finishing with players in 1on1 or small-group training sessions, where the repetition can still be high and the waiting time low. That said, players love shooting & finishing sessions. Who doesn't like to shoot the ball and score goals? All players enjoy these sessions, even goalkeepers and defenders as it means they get opportunities to do what they love too. So with that, here is a variety of shooting & finishing activities to help you design your own shooting & finishing session with individuals or groups. The activities are separated between the amount of repetition and wait time, helping you make a distinction between which might be useful for smaller numbers and which can be done in team training.

Quick Transitions – Full Session Plan & Key Coaching Points

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coaching

Transitional moments are an understated, underrated and under-coached part of the modern game. How a team sets up after winning or losing the ball can make or break a team. As a result, today we share this full session plan on 'Quick Transitions' with a variety of activities guided towards both attacking and defensive transitions.