Pressing from the front is an essential tactic in the modern game. Most of the best teams in the world deploy a high press to some degree, attempting to win the ball back in the most dangerous areas of the field. One of the most important players to a team's ability to press from the front is the centre-forward. The team's centre-forward, or striker, is responsible for setting the tone, intensity, angle, and first act of pressure. So this Christmas day, we've analyzed the best strikers in Europe when it comes to pressing from the front in 2021-22, attempting to identify the very best of the art. If you have a team that loves to press from the front, you should be tweeting your managers tomorrow, telling them to get these men through the door. But before we get into, let's first establish the criteria for the compilation of our list.
Tag: Jonathan David
John Herdman – Canada – Tactical Analysis
After years of barely even being on the football map, Canada are suddenly thriving and well under the new leadership of John Herdman. The Canadian Men's National Team have won 71% of their matches since Herdman took over, following up from his personal successes with the Women's team, where he helped the nation claim two Olympic bronze medals in 2012 and 2016. His first mission as men's national team coach was to help the Canadians earn their first qualification to a World Cup since 1986, and they have now gone 13 matches unbeaten in qualifying, with 9 wins and 4 draws. With just a few games to go in the round robin, Canada look destined to qualify for their first major international tournament in thirty-five years. Here is an analysis of John Herdman's work with the Canadian Men's National Team.
Futbol Masterminds – Leicester’s “Bottle Job”, Liverpool’s Top Four Comeback, and What’s Next For Harry Kane?
This past weekend, the 2020-21 Premier League season came to an end, along with all of Europe's top five leagues. In an exciting and dramatic final matchday, Leicester City crashed out of the top four, leaving the Futbol Masterminds to argue about whether or not they "bottled it". The panel also discuss Liverpool's subsequent top four comeback, Harry Kane's impending, or rather unlikely, move away from Tottenham Hotspur, Lille's Ligue 1 title win and Atletico's La Liga title thanks to Luis Suarez. Follow @futbolmasterminds on Instagram to see more of the show and subscribe via Itunes and Spotify!
How LOSC Lille Won Ligue 1 – Tactical Analysis
Against all the odds, LOSC Lille defied expectations to win the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season. Normally considered a "one-team league", Lille ensured the 2020-21 season would go right down to the final day, where PSG's three season title streak would officially come to an end. Under the influence of Christophe Galtier, Les Dogues conceded just 23 goals and kept an astonishing 21 clean sheets in 38 matches. Their defensive prowess set them on the path to win the league title right from the very opening day of the season, and tactically, they've been one of Europe's most intriguing sides. So with that, here is a tactical analysis of Christophe Galtier's Ligue 1 winning LOSC Lille in 2020-21.
2020-21: A year for Canadians in Europe to remember
As the major European football leagues draw to a close on the men’s side, this year will be a year for Canadian soccer fans to remember. In ways never seen before, Canadian footballers have been right up there with some of the world's best, even playing key roles in top European title races.
CONCACAF Qualifiers: What is the Best Formation for Canada’s Men’s National Team?
It’s early days for the Canadian Men’s National Team, but there is a lot to be optimistic about. After a 5-1 win to open their 2022 World Cup Qualifying campaign, here are some thoughts on the way that John Herdman is lining up players and moving them around the field. In a world where just a few years ago, the biggest club representative of Canada was Unattached FC™, it is nice to see some healthy competition and tough decisions for the coach.
Previewing the international break (March 2021) – Netherlands, Germany and Canada
The first international break of 2021 kicks off an exciting spring/summer in the world of football with three major tournaments: the Euros, Copa America and Olympic Games - taking place in a few months' time. All three tournaments were supposed to take place in 2020, however due to the COVID-19 pandemic they were pushed to 2021. Here we will highlight a few teams and storylines to keep an eye on this international break.
