Rest-defense continues to evolve with the best teams in the modern game. It's become so much more than just what happens behind the ball. It's also much to do with the structures and shapes teams use at the very back-end of their possession in the attacking half. As you will see, "resting" players aren't really resting at all. Here is how the best teams in the world use their rest-defense to create chances.
In the month of September, Pascal Groß has arguably been the best midfielder in the division. Certainly one of the most influential, putting up 3 goals and 3 assists to start this season. Here is what makes the German midfielder so special.
Brighton have been one of the best teams in the Premier League so far in 2026-27, topping the charts on goals, xG, and clean sheets. They're also second in the possession table behind only Manchester City, as one of the only remaining 'press and possess' teams in the league. Along the way, they've been tactically flexible and complex, making for one of the most fun teams to root for right now. Here is an analysis of Fabian Hürzeler's Brighton so far in 2026-27.
De Zerbi's team now have five games to go, and they need to make them count. The only way to do that is to channel everything they showed in this match, and show that they truly care about staying up.
In spite of Tottenham's formidable, unbeaten start to the season, something felt missing without the presence of a goal-scoring '#9' up front. It may have been the obvious move with Richarlison not exactly hitting the ground running, but Ange Postecoglou might just have found the perfect solution in Heung-Min Son. Here is Game of Numbers #27, featuring Son as a '#9', and Evan Ferguson's stellar hat-trick.
Despite Brighton's high-flying start to the season, I worried about what would happen when faced with a truly great counter-attacking side, given the space out wide in their shape. Well, in came West Ham United, one of the best counter-attacking teams in the world. Here is Game of Numbers #26, starting with how West Ham perfectly exploited Brighton's greatest weakness.
Hands down, Alexis Mac Allister has been one of the Premier League's most improved players from this season to last. For his seamless transition into a 'DLP' role at Brighton, where he played a critical role in the team's sixth place success, I even had the Argentinean midfielder in my 'Team of the Season'. To get this player for £35 million in today's obscene money market would be one of the steals of the past few years. In this article, I'll break down exactly what makes Alexis Mac Allister such a perfect signing for Liverpool.
Crucially for his role as a 'Wing-Back', Pervis Estupiñán is one of the best crossers of the ball in the division. That has translated in over 3 crosses and 1.6 key passes per 90 in league play. It's the awareness of when to keep the ball on the grass or when to raise the ball in the air that comes as such an underrated skill, and one that often allows the Ecuadorian to set his teammates up for a real chance of scoring.
