Manchester City have scored 15 goals in the Premier League's opening 8 matches. Erling Haaland has scored 11 of them. And among many of those goals, a common trend has emerged. I call it - the backstep!
Tag: Match Analysis
Forge 1-0 Cavalry – Match Analysis
What a dramatic finish. What a dramatic match. I haven't watched much football in the last year, but wow. That was one of the best games I've seen in a long time. And who would have expected anything less? It's always a tactical battle and such an intense match when Forge host Cavalry, and their … Continue reading Forge 1-0 Cavalry – Match Analysis
Toronto FC 0-0 Vancouver Whitecaps – Match Analysis
After a stellar unbeaten run to start the season, the Vancouver Whitecaps have slowed their speed, desperately trying to manage a condensed list of fixtures. It feels as though they're yet to come away from ninety minutes of MLS action without losing a key player to injury, and this match could prove more catastrophic than desired as both Mathias Laborda and Andrés Cubas suffered the same fate. Nevertheless, the Whitecaps have strength within the depth of their team, and that is exactly what we saw as they secured a hard-earned draw against TFC. Here is my match analysis of the Whitecaps' 0-0 draw with Toronto FC, in the form of dissecting the three main stars of the match.
Game of Numbers #31 – Scoring goals from central midfield like Scott McTominay
Throughout his time as a starting character for Manchester United, Scott McTominay repeatedly faced doubt. No one could ever question his heart and desire to play for a club of the stature of Manchester United. But many questioned his ability, and continuously called for the Red Devils to bring new men into their midfield. However, McTominay has something special about him, and that something special has started to manifest in 2023 in the form of goals galore. Here is Game of Numbers #31, first detailing how to score goals from midfield like Scott McTominay.
Game of Numbers #30 – Defending the world’s best striker – Gabriel Magalhães
We all know just how good Erling Haaland is at football. He only needs one chance, and more often than not, he'll score. But what makes him such a powerhouse is the combination of traits (pace, power, strength, hold-up, playmaking, etc.) that intertwine to make him the most frightening striker in the world. In order to defend against the world's best in Erling Haaland, you have to fully believe and embody the role of someone who can go toe-to-toe with the City man. Perhaps most importantly, you have to throw Haaland off his game, without stepping over a certain line of aggression. It might have gone under the radar as Arsenal claimed their first win over the Citizens in the Arteta era, but that is exactly what Gabriel accomplished on Sunday. Here is Game of Numbers #30.
Game of Numbers #27 – Heung Min-Son as the ‘9’ & Evan Ferguson’s hat-trick
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.
Game of Numbers #26 – James Ward-Prowse & West Ham on the break
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.
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