Tag: Pressing

Jesse Marsch – Leeds United – Tactical Analysis (2021-22)

by Charlie Ellis, posted in Coach Education, Managers, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Premier League, Team Analysis

After years of joy and tactical transformations under Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds United finally made the decision to sack the club legend, with the club desperately clinging on to Premier League safety. Jesse Marsch came in as his successor, and brought with him a sense of optimism that Leeds could stay up for another season. Unfortunately, Marsch's arrival in West Yorkshire has been a roller coaster ride for Leeds so far, with a mix of remarkable highs, and desperate lows. They needed to wait until the final day to secure their safety, ultimately achieving a solid tally of 38 points from 38 matches. So with that, after securing safety, we bring you what you've all been waiting for - our Jesse Marsch Tactical Analysis for 2021-22.

Replacing Conor Gallagher at Crystal Palace

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Attacking Midfield, Central Midfield, Data Analysis, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting

Out of all the midfielders in the Premier League, very few stand out when it comes to as many attributes as Conor Gallagher. The Chelsea loanee has been on fire all season long at Crystal Palace - bagging 8 goals with 3 assists in 33 matches, alongside some of the best pressing and tackling numbers of players in his position. With his late arriving goal-scoring form and top-tier pressing intensity, Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea are bound to steal Gallagher back into their team, and give him regular minutes next season. A quintessential box-to-box midfielder who can also dovetail as a number ten, Gallagher will be a massive miss for the Eagles next season. So with that, we examine who could possibly come in to replace the 22-year-old midfielder at Crystal Palace next season.

Canadian Premier League Matchday 5 – Tactical Review

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Match Analysis, Most Recent, World Football

This season in the Canadian Premier League, Rhys Desmond will be bringing you the tactical minutiae behind every single match, team, and moment. Here is our tactical review of the Canadian Premier League's fifth round of fixtures!

I will change your mind about automatisms

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

Off-the-ball movement is, of course, the most important facet to the game. But saying that all passing patterns or attempts to make decision making automatic are "stupid" fails to account for the fact that these things don't have to be trained in isolation. After all, if they were stupid, why would coaches like Jurgen Klopp or Ralph Hasenhuttl deploy them as training methods?

How Cavalry’s staggered shape stunned Edmonton – Match Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Formations, Match Analysis, Most Recent

The Cavs started the season in a 3-4-2-1 formation, suffering two embarrassing losses to York and Atletico, and a stagnant draw against Forge. After realizing the slow-moving car wasn't quite motoring the way he wanted it to, even despite the gas pedal being pressed, Wheeldon Jr. was right to identify a new vehicle. Now in a flexible 4-4-2 shape, Cavalry have been utterly dominant in both of their matches since, both in and out of possession. On this particular occasion, they completely stunted Edmonton's progress going forward, and massively exploited space in exactly the right areas through staggering their personnel across the pitch. Here is a quick tactical analysis of Cavalry's commanding 3-0 win over FC Edmonton.

Washington Spirit 2-1 OL Reign – Match Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Masterclasses, Match Analysis, Most Recent, NWSL, Women's Football, World Football

The enthralling back and forth encounter between Washington Spirit and OL Reign was full of non-stop energetic thrusts, between two high pressing, quick transitioning teams.

Canadian Premier League Matchday 4 – Tactical Review

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Match Analysis, Most Recent, World Football

We may be four matches in now, but the Canadian Premier League continues to show no signs of slowing down, with four goals scored in both of the weekend's fixtures so far, balancing out a dull midweek affair between Edmonton and Pacific. Ahead of the final two fixtures, here is our ongoing tactical review of Week 4 inside the Canadian Premier League.

Why Thiago has been Liverpool’s second best player this season

by Charlie Ellis, posted in Central Midfield, Coach Education, Data Analysis, Masterclasses, Most Recent, Player Analysis

Liverpool have been utterly rampant this season on all fronts. With the strength in depth Jurgen Klopp has to offer in almost every position, the Reds look strong contenders to win each and every competition this season - going strong in the UEFA Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. With an EFL Cup win already under their belts, a historic quadruple remains in their sights with a little over a month of action to play.