On a surface level, you may look at Marsch - a man who loves a high pressing system - and think to yourself that Leeds is a match made in heaven for 48-year-old (yes, we know he looks much younger). In reality, the jump from Bielsa to Marsch is a big one, going from an intense man-marking press, to a press that centers around the ball. So with that, today, we analyze what Jesse Marsch will bring to Leeds United, and whether or not the Lillywhites are prepared for the leap.
In the massive amounts of football I've watched over the past two months, it seems almost crazy to say that I've witnessed more of Cruz Azul than just about any other team...having not watched them any time in the last few years before the start of 2022. I started watching the iconic Mexican team in preparation for Forge FC's CONCACAF Champions League double-header against them in February, and now I can't stop. With so much free flowing football, positional rotation and frantic, energetic vibrancy to their play, Cruz are one of the most exciting teams around. So with that, today I bring you my tactical analysis of Juan Reynoso's Cruz Azul in 2022.
In this special edition Spin The Ball Q&A, Rhys Desmond talks about how to find the balance between being fun and assertive in coaching, how to be more enthusiastic for your players, and gives his thoughts on the CONCACAF Champions League and Man City vs. Tottenham this weekend. Be sure to check out @mastermindsite on social media and everything we have going on at themastermindsite.com to never miss an update.
Ralph Hasenhuttl's Southampton used intelligent positional patterns (or automatisms) to gain crucial advantages against United, and come out with a massive away draw. Particularly vital on the day to finding space and gaining tactical victories were Oriol Romeu and Mohamed Elyounoussi, who took on various roles over the course of the match away from their 'normal' position.
18-year-old Jude Bellingham has lit the Bundesliga on fire since arriving at the start of the 2020-21 season, catching the attention of clubs, fans and managers across the globe. Evidently with still so much to learn, the Dortmund man plays with a class and confidence beyond his years, and already has a manager wanting to build a team around his undeniable quality. In this tactical analysis, we take a look at why Bellingham has excelled at Dortmund, and attempt to identify his next big club.
Without Chris Wood, Burnley seemed destined for relegation in 2021-22. Sean Dyche has done brilliantly to keep the Clarets in England's top flight for nearly a decade now, but this season has not gone as planned, and COVID interruptions have caused them to play the fewest amount of games so far. They sit bottom of the table as a result, and before today, had no genuine goal scoring threat in the team. But all of that has now changed in the blink of an eye, with a stunning surprise signing of Wout Weghorst from VFL Wolfsburg and Louis Van Gaal's Netherlands. In this tactical analysis, we break down why the Dutch forward is the perfect fit for Burnley, and why Weghorst swapped the Bundesliga giants for the Premier League minnows.
Sadio Mane may not have as much versatility in skillset as Firmino and Salah, but his talent levels are supreme. Out of all the candidates, Emmanuel Dennis might be the closest clone. The Nigerian forward is just sheer speed and scoring power, which, without underselling all of this, is Mane to a tee. Then you have Rafael Leao, who is so much more skillful than the Senegalese, but lacks the exact trait we would most want to find in a future Mane replacement (better scoring and shooting accuracy). So with that, we have to go with...
As we found out, finding Mohamed Salah's replacement at Liverpool is a tough task. He's a strangely unique player, who does just about everything in the game to great effect. Nobody will ever replace his goal-scoring presence for the Reds, and that much always needs to be taken into consideration. So with that, we've done something a bit crazy.
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