Scoring goals is not always as easy as it looks! The best strikers in the world make it look oh so simple, but like the Wizards of Waverly Place theme song, it's not what it seems. Yet some players seem to find their way out of any situation. After this weekend's round of fixtures, I analyze two of those players who make scoring look oh so easy - Ollie Watkins and Lautaro Martinez. Here is Game of Numbers #29, featuring a pair who notched seven goals between them at the weekend.
While it's true that one of Inter Milan's main goals will be to win Serie A again, there's no denying that this has been a phenomenal season for the Italian giants. They've flourished under Simone Inzaghi thanks to a clear identity and several succinct principles of play, much of which have remained in place since the days of Antonio Conte. I Nerazzurri now prepare for the crowning moment in the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Champions League Final, serving as the perfect time to break down Simone Inzaghi's incredible Inter Milan. Here is our tactical analysis of the Black and Blues in 2022-23.
Just under five years ago, Tajon Buchanan was playing for a little-known club here in Ontario called Sigma FC, under the tutelage of Bobby Smyrniotis. Today, he's being linked with a move to one of Europe's biggest clubs - Inter Milan. Buchanan's had quite the rapid rise from a dynamic dribbling right-sided central midfielder for New England, to one of Canada's most influential players. He's excelled for Club Brugge as a right-wing-back the past couple of seasons, and now looks destined for a move to one of the grandest stages in European football. Here is our analysis of what makes Tajon Buchanan perfect for Inter Milan.
Cesare Casadei already plays for one of the biggest clubs in world football, Internazionale Milano, and you can certainly see why. So composed yet so dominant in possession, the young Italian should provide his future national teammates so much confidence surrounding their next generation. Sequentially, Inter can also maintain faith in their upcoming group, as this homegrown lad looks prepared to settle into the first team squad right away. Completing both offensive and defensive duties to a high standard, you can expect Cesare Casadei to be a few years away from stardom. Here is our analysis of the Italian international after his successful summer at the 2022 U19 Euros.
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.
“Win your individual battles”. This is the mantra of a manager employing man-on-man marking. Win the battle on restarts, when isolated, and with or without the ball. This is because 1v1 success inevitably increases the likelihood of 11v11 victory. And so, paired with each tactical posturing is this personal pursuit. With the many dynamic, dribbling attackers and foul-catching cameras in the modern era, sometimes these 1v1 situations in dangerous areas are seen as a shortcoming or an ill-advised 50:50 from the defending side. Seemingly, to a certain extent, AC Milan and Inter Milan beg to differ.
In one of the most surprising moves of the season, Antonio Conte has officially been named as the new Totttenham Hotspur boss. The Italian manager has a proven track record for success, winning league titles in each of his last three managerial roles - at Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan. Conte will now be hoping to carry over his undeniable success to Tottenham, which dares to be his toughest challenge yet. Here is a quick tactical analysis of what Conte could bring to Spurs in 2021-22.
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