Tag: Tactics

Undervalued Premier League Talents: Teemu Pukki

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League, Striker

Although Teemu Pukki has succumbed to relegation for the second time with Norwich City, he remains one of the most fascinating and complete centre-forwards on the planet. Full of exceptional movement, intelligent pressing, and a natural eye for goal, Pukki scored 11 times in both of his two Premier League campaigns for the worst team in the league. Now at the age of 32, Teemu Pukki is unlikely to return to the Premier League. That said, his price tag according to Transfermarkt sits at just €5 million, which would be an absolute steal for a player who's hit double figures in both of his Premier League seasons. With that, we discuss and analyze the remarkabilities of Teemu Pukki, and the potential suitors for the Finnish forward if he were to seek pastures new this summer.

Undervalued Premier League Talents: James Tarkowski

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Centre Backs, Most Recent, Player Analysis, Premier League

Although he's not currently in the Premier League, James Tarkowski remains one of the best value-buys the league has to offer, and should be destined for a move back into the big time. Here is what makes Tarkowski so remarkable, why every Premier League club should be taking interest, and which clubs rank as the best suitors for the 29-year-old.

Football is more about psychology than tactics

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Coach Education, Coaching, Masterclasses, Sport Psychology

This is not a headline that you would expect to see from a website so devotedly focused on tactics and analysis. But as complex and debatable as this may sound, football is more about psychology than tactics. The best coaches are not always the best tacticians. But the best coaches are always the best motivators. The likes of John Herdman, Emma Hayes, Jose Mourinho and even Jurgen Klopp, rarely ever speak about tactics when expatiating about the game. Instead, they pontificate about the psychology of their teams and players, and their attempts to get the best out of their mentality.

Undervalued Premier League Talents: Pascal Groß

by Charlie Ellis, posted in Attacking Midfield, Central Midfield, Player Analysis, Premier League

We've already seen Aston Villa striking for gold in identifying Boubacar Kamara and Diego Carlos as under the radar signings to improve their ranks, but others remain on the market. So with that, we analyze some of the very best Premier League stars who remain undervalued gems worthy of greater attention this summer. In this article, it's all about Brighton & Hove Albion's Pascal Groß.

Why there’s an abnormal amount of centre-backs taking set-pieces in the NWSL

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Centre Backs, Most Recent, NWSL, Player Analysis, Women's Football

In quite fantastic fashion, there is an abnormal representation of centre-halves on set-piece duties. Normally associated with banging in the goals from free kicks and corners, several NWSL teams instead have one of their centre-backs as a key taker of set-pieces. This begs the question we should always be asking in analysis - and that is...why?

Liverpool 0-1 Real Madrid – UEFA Champions League Final – Tactical Analysis

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Match Analysis, UEFA Champions League, World Football

Over the past few seasons, we've seen some legendary Champions League finals. This encounter between Liverpool and Real Madrid, in many ways, was more lethargic and leisurely. A chess battle as both teams patiently worked through the thirds and never fully pressed the gas, Liverpool couldn't quite ever get up to full speed in matching Real Madrid's assuredness and steady flow in possession. With Courtois supersonic-ifying his gloves beforehand, the match ended with Real Madrid coming out as winners, claiming an impressive double under the influence of Carlo Ancelotti, and one last hurrah for many of the decade-defining stars from the 2010s. Here is our tactical analysis of Real Madrid's narrow 1-0 win over Liverpool.

Analyzing Marco Rose’s time at Borussia Dortmund

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

Rose had clear attacking intentions and tactical ideologies that he wanted to implement, but few of them seemed to pan out in application. While many individuals consistently performed to the highest level, very few of them gelled together as a cohesive unit, working toward an over-arching tactical plan. Here in lies Rose's greatest failure. Those who watched Dortmund once in a blue moon were able to see the exact same problem as those who watched Dortmund week in and week out. The Black & Yellows simply played like a team of individuals.

Why Alex Stewart has been an inspiration at Tifo Football

by Rhys Desmond, posted in Most Recent

Today marks a sad day - the day that Alex Stewart announced his departure from Tifo Football. Alex has been an inspiration for many in the tactics community, and continues to serve as a reminder of what can be accomplished in the tactics and analytics field. Here is why Alex's work at Tifo can continue to serve as an inspiration.