Tag: Tactical Analysis

How I watch football matches for tactical analyses

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Masterclasses, Match Analysis

As a football analyst, I often get asked a very broad question - 'How do you watch football matches?'. What people really want to know is what I look for, the process of watching to disseminating that information to an audience, and how they can learn more about the game to see football like a true tactical analyst themselves. A little over a year ago, I wrote an article titled 'How to watch football like a tactical analyst', following a 'how do you watch football?' type of question from one of our long-time readers. Since that article, the way I watch football has evolved, with new processes and techniques to study the game and prepare myself for the subsequent analyses that follow. So with that, today I share how I watch football matches, and gain the necessary insights that guide my articles.

Joelinton – Player Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Central Midfield, Coach Education, Masterclasses, Player Analysis, Premier League, World Football

Often seen as the emblem of an overpriced transfer that failed to deliver, Joelinton has seen a complete transformation in position, role, and status under new Newcastle boss Eddie Howe. The former Bournemouth coach has harnessed the Brazilian’s tireless work rate by moving him from forward to central midfield, where he's performed brilliantly as a box to box midfielder. So with that, we decided to take a look at how Joelinton has transformed into one of Newcastle's most important players in the blink of an eye. Here is our latest Player Analysis.

Forge FC 0-1 Cruz Azul – Match Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Canadian Premier League, Coach Education, Masterclasses, Match Analysis, World Football

While they won't be overly pleased with the result, Forge FC continue to showcase just how far soccer has come in Canada, going toe to toe with Cruz Azul in their first appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League. Cruz may have dominated the match, but Forge put up a valiant fight to the end, and could have easily gotten a result on a different day. Here is our tactical analysis of Forge's 1-0 defeat at the hands of Mexican giants Cruz Azul.

Why Manchester United should play 3-4-1-2

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

The current dialogue around Manchester United is boring. Every week, it's the same story in the media, whether or not they win, lose or draw. It's obvious that Manchester United are not at their best, but very few are discussing tangible ways for the Red Devils to fasten their seatbelts and shift the car into overdrive. So with that, today we take a look at why Manchester United should shift away from a back-four, and into a 3-4-1-2. Don't get us wrong, United need to drill several loose bolts. But, a change to the formation may help to mitigate several of their greatest issues.

Domenico Tedesco – RB Leipzig – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in German Bundesliga, Managers, Most Recent, Team Analysis

Domenico Tedesco has achieved wonders in his first few months in charge of Leipzig, with the team accumulating an impressive 62.5% win rate after eight matches. Tedesco's inauguration has been marked by a return to a back-three, where Die Roten Bullen have fluctuated between a 3-4-1-2 and 3-4-2-1 formation.

How Southampton used positional automatisms to gain advantages v. Man United

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Formations, Masterclasses, Match Analysis, Premier League

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.

Finding Jude Bellingham’s next club

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Attacking Midfield, Central Midfield, German Bundesliga, Premier League, Recruitment & Scouting, UEFA Champions League, World Football

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.

Analyzing Barcelona’s attacking brilliance vs. Atletico

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Managers, Masterclasses, Match Analysis, Most Recent, Team Analysis, World Football

past weekend, securing an easy 4-2 win against arch-rivals Atletico Madrid. With the likes of Dani Alves, yes Dani Alves, and a younger version of Xavi himself in the form of 17-year-old Gavi, Barca have a mix of incredible experience and youthful verve to propel them into the top four moving forward. Here is our match analysis of Barca's 4-2 win over Atletico, and Barcelona's attacking variety and balance throughout the match.