Tag: Joel Matip

Finding the next Virgil van Dijk – Tactical Analysis

by Charlie Ellis, posted in Centre Backs, Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Player Education, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting

Van Dijk's return post-injury has been fairly remarkable, but he is starting to show signs of slowing down. He's no longer that same commanding presence that simply cannot be dribbled around. Liverpool meanwhile are suffering, with the Europa League now acting as their best shot at attaining European football next season. The Dutchman himself is now 31 years old, and often remains alongside another key figurehead of the same age in Joël Matip. With that, we attempt to assess the best candidates to replace Virgil Van Dijk at Liverpool, as Jurgen Klopp prepares for the future.

The multiple layers of Trent Alexander-Arnold

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Fullback, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Player Education, Premier League, Wing-Back

Trent Alexander-Arnold is one of the best right-backs in the world of football, and possibly one of the greatest the Premier League has ever witnessed. So for all the extremities that he accomplishes in attack, it becomes very normal for fan-bases across the globe to try and poke holes in his game and conjure up reasons that go against his greatness.

Explaining the Ball-Playing-Centre-Half – Player Role Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Centre Backs, Coach Education, Data Analysis, German Bundesliga, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Player Education, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting

As the name suggests, a 'Ball-Playing-Centre-Half' is a centre-back that excels in possession of the ball, from passing to long passing to carrying to dribbling. They can simultaneously exist as 'Sweepers' or 'Stoppers', providing another interesting asterisk to the role not found in many other positions. Unlike say a fullback or goalkeeper where we have created clearly defined separations and almost polarizations on a style scale, 'Ball-Playing-Centre-Halves' can also be 'Stoppers' or 'Sweepers'.

Picking the 2021-22 PFA Team of the Year

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Most Recent, Premier League

It's that time of year! In this week's Tactical Thinker, we asked you to name your PFA Team of the Year, as though you were one of the pros making the difficult selection. After a countless number of responses, we compile the top eleven players as voted by our own stack of pros - you, the readers. Here is our PFA Team of the Year, from the TMS community.

Tactical Thinker: Picking the PFA Team of the Year

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Most Recent, Premier League

This past weekend, Mohamed Salah claimed the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year, with more individual awards soon to follow. Individual awards are fraught with controversy within a team sport that relies on all eleven players working in tandem, and sometimes fail to acknowledge those that didn't do the flashy bits on a football pitch, but performed like their lives depended on it week in and week out. On both accounts, that's what often makes the Team of the Year an intriguing award to follow. When it comes to the PFA Team of the Year, it becomes all the more fascinating to see who the pros themselves had the most difficult time playing against this season, and who they felt deserved to be remembered for their role in making the 2021-22 season special. So with that, we ask you to pick your PFA Team of the Year, if you were one of the pros.

Jurgen Klopp – Liverpool – Tactical Analysis (2021-22 Edition)

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

With 23 matches gone, Manchester City are evident favourites for the title. But Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool haven't been too far off, and still have both a game in hand and a game against City to play. The Reds have been brilliant this season, regardless of their competitors, scoring the most goals in the league and returning to their best under the return of Virgil Van Dijk, and other players restored to their normal positions. Through it all, Jurgen Klopp's team have continued to perform to the highest standard in all the areas expected of them, from their heavy metal pressing to meticulous methods of playing out from the back. Here is our tactical analysis of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool in 2021-22.

Liverpool’s Tactical Concerns (2020-21) – TMS Podcast

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Podcast, Premier League, The Mastermind Site Podcast

Much of the dialogue going into this weekend’s Liverpool-Manchester City match centered around the fixture as a potential title decider for Liverpool. The assumption was that if Liverpool lost, their hopes and dreams of winning the title would dash before their eyes. As it turns out, Liverpool didn’t just lose, but were badly beaten and bruised by a terrific Manchester City side. With all of their struggles this season, not just against City, we take an in-depth look at where Liverpool have gone wrong tactically and beyond. Guest: Russell Tho is a Liverpool and Barcelona fan and friend of the show. You can find him on Instagram @russelltho96. Host: Rhys Desmond is the creator and owner of TMS. He is lifelong lover and educator of the beautiful game. You can find him on Twitter @DesmondRhys.