Our Ten Most Popular Analyses of 2021

2021 was the most successful year in the six year history of TheMastermindSite.com. Over the course of the year, we doubled our number of views, visitors, social media followers and email subscribers from where we left off in 2020. Our most popular feature and the aspect of our website that has gained the attention from pro club managers, former and current professional players, and writers from The Athletic, has been our tactical analyses all year long. So with that, here are the ten most popular analyses of the year, all written by Rhys Desmond in 2021.

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Despair to Delirium – Italy’s Rise to Glory at Euro 2020

The eleventh of July, 2021 will go down in footballing history as the day Roberto Mancini and his Italian warriors etched their name in the history books. After missing out on the World Cup in 2018 entirely, Italy snatched the European Championship from England, right under the Wembley arch.

Futbol Masterminds – Italy Win Euro 2020, England’s Penalty Woes, and Southgate’s Substitutions

Kausty and Rhys break down their thoughts from the final match between England and Italy, including Gareth Southgate's substitutions, England's penalty woes, and the Player of the Tournament going to Gianluigi Donnarumma. Be sure to follow the show @futbolmasterminds on Twitter and subscribe via Spotify and Itunes!

Euro 2020 Final – Italy vs. England – Tactical Analysis

Euro 2020 has officially come to a close, with Italy crowned as tournament kings. England gave a mighty effort in the final to stop Italy from taking the crown, but as the match wore on there was only going to be one winner, and that was Roberto Mancini's Italy. Nonetheless, the final proved to be an intriguing tactical battle. We break it all down in our Euro 2020 Final tactical analysis.

The Mastermind Monthly Magazine – June 2021

Calling all subscribers to TheMastermindSite.com, our Monthly Magazine for June 2021 has now arrived. This month's issue features an analysis of England's 2-1 win over Denmark and Italy's 2-1 win over Belgium.

Futbol Masterminds – Italy and England Through to the Final! But Who Will Win?

Following the conclusion of the Euro 2020 semi-finals, the Futbol Masterminds break down the semi-final games between Italy and Spain + Denmark and England. Declan then tries to convince John and Victor why Italy will win, with Victor and John pushing back with echoes of "It's coming home." Follow @futbolmasterminds on Instagram to see more … Continue reading Futbol Masterminds – Italy and England Through to the Final! But Who Will Win?

Italy vs. England – Euro 2020 Final – Tactical Preview

After the craziness of the Round of 16 resulted in France, Germany and Portugal all being eliminated from the competition, the match that was expected to take place in the Euro 2020 final will now come to fruition. Italy and England have been the two best teams at the tournament, and the only two teams to not only go unbeaten, but win all of their games up to this point. Here is a tactical preview of the Euro 2020 final battle between Italy and England.

Italy 1-1 Spain – Euro 2020 Semi-Final – Tactical Analysis

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!

Quick Take: Italy’s Shield is the Euro’s Sharpest Sword

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?

Futbol Masterminds – Quarter Final Breakdown and Semi-Final Predictions!

Following the conclusion of all four Quarter Final match-ups, the Futbol Masterminds discuss the winners and losers of the round, and make their bold predictions for the semi-finals. Follow @futbolmasterminds on Instagram to see more of the show and subscribe via Itunes and Spotify!

Futbol Masterminds – Southgate’s Selection Headache and Paul Pogba’s Roller Coaster Ride

Kausty and Rhys dissect all eight Round of 16 ties, including in-depth analyses of Gareth Southgate's winning tactics for England against Germany, and Didier Deschamps' losing tactics for France against Switzerland. Kausty has some choice words to say about Paul Pogba, but Rhys comes to the Manchester United man's defense, calling it one of the standout performances from a player at the tournament so far. Rhys and Kausty also disagree on how Southgate should progress his team moving forward, and make their picks for the final of this summer's championships. Follow @futbolmasterminds on Instagram to see more of the show and subscribe via Itunes and Spotify!