Ivan Jurić’s Genoa after Gasperini: new attacking tactics and formation
The beginning of a new cycle for Genoa involves some softer and expected changes…
Ancelotti’s Bayern uses PEP Guardiola strategy vs Bremen: “Salida de balón”
Carlo Ancelotti appeared at the presentation press conference before the reporters and his new fans, stating: “I will not drastically…
Fullbacks’ role in Pep Guardiola Tactical System
At FC Barcelona Pep Guardiola started to revolutionise the way of envisaging football, through the positional play that is characteristic of him. He drew inspiration from his coaches and he evolved…
Spurs look ahead to Liverpool match with new signing Janssen and Wanyama
By the standards of this particularly excitable transfer window, Tottenham’s summer captures have been markedly low key. Maurico Pochettino…
Backline build-up: Guardiola, Emery, Sampaoli and De Boer’s teams
Guardiola, Emery and Sampaoli choose to seek superiority building up with the two centre defenders and a midfielder who drops back between the two to act as playmaker.
Manchester City new striker Gabriel Jesus
You can certainly see why Original Ronaldo (Originaldo, if you will) sees so much of himself in Manchester City’s new signing Gabriel Jesus.
Reinventing teams’ tactics: 3 top managers in the EPL
All the high-performing football teams in the world reinvent their self when new players join them. Clubs necessarily experience transformations so that this results in a sustained performance – if possible with quality play.
Awareness: How to defend on the opposite half
In order to describe how marking can best work as a fundamental defensive tactic, we used Hummels, a centre back who came up under the leadership of three great coaches…
Video analysis: Set pieces as determining factors to create scoring opportunities
The rate of set pieces in an important football event like Euro 2016 has always been a subject of interest…
Pjanic and Benatia’s Juventus: New roles, tactics and strategy vs Tottenham
Juventus is one of the big players in the European transfer market. While waiting to see the last great coup, Higuain, along with Dani Alves and Pjaca, for the first time, Allegri had the chance…
Features for goalkeeper coaches in the new Wyscout 5
It is something more than an intuitive software and than a simple to use tool available to technical staff. The Wyscout platform is a loyal co-worker…
Gabriel Jesus: Flexibility, technique and great finishing on goal
Born on 3 April 1997, Gabriel Jesus already has astonishing numbers. 54 goals in 48 matches in 2013 and 37 in 22 in 2014 at a youth level (Paulista Under 17 league). In 2015, the first season he played at Palmeiras, he scored 7 goals in 37 matches. And, above all, 15 goals in 18 games for the current season..
New Italy coach Giampiero Ventura: strategy and formation of the team
Although they particularly stress a clean ball coming from the defence, Conte and Ventura’s teams do not play…
Reviewing a game: Was England vs Iceland as bad as people said?
Three weeks have passed now since Iceland beat England in Nice. But was it really as bad a performance as…
Ante Ćorić: Ball control, through passes and dribbling
His time has come!!! At eleven years of age Ante Ćorić tried out for Chelsea and Bayern Munich and both teams would have been happy to have him in their youth line up, but he surprised everyone by deciding to transfer to Red Bull Salzburg. Now Napoli, Fiorentina, Milan, Liverpool and other European superpowers seem to be taking an interest..
Set pieces as determining factors to create scoring opportunities: Euro 2016 by numbers
Of the 108 goals scored (an average of 2.12 per match), 28 stemmed from…
The play that decided Euro 2016 final
Éder goal seems to be the result of individual achievement, but in all reality, it actively involves a fair number of players on both teams.
Portuguese tactical resilience
Fernando Santos managed to fit his best players into the right positions in a balanced and sustained manner, even though there had been tactical indecisions and changes within the team.
Euro 2016 final: Where it went wrong for France?
The final of the European Championships was, it is fair to say, no classic. But it could have been even worse. It should have been even worse.
Wales tactical analysis: Highs and lows of the team
It cannot be said that Wales does not have a certain taste for history. In 1958, the last time they participated in a large international competition until Euro 2016, a goal by Pelè…
4 ways to get the most out of your Wyscout platform
Tools like Wyscout can make it easier to at least keep abreast of the important things. And here are four ways it helps me.
Evolution of Chile’s pressing from Marcelo Bielsa to Juan Antonio Pizzi
For the second year in a row, Chile has won Copa América in the final against Argentina. The first two titles in Chile’s history have roots…
Twin strikers: Combined movements in the central area and defensive mistakes
The choice made by Italy and France, respectively against Spain and Iceland, was to focus on offensive development in the central area in order to…
Building-up with 3 centre-backs
There are different approaches at the start of the offensive process (1st phase): while some coaches prefer a more fixed backline…
Germany offensive strategy: Line-up and pressing
Germany had qualified for Euro 2016 as the first team in Group D, but only the Czech Republic – of the winning formations in a group – had conceded more goals (14 compared with 9).
Three types of goalkeeper’s offensive transition
The offensive transition phase with a counter attack that starts with the goalkeeper is much more articulated and requires organisation…
Conte’s great tactical performance behind Italy’s win over Spain
It seems strange now to recall Antonio Conte’s gloomy forecasts for his nation this summer. Far from a lone voice, the Italy boss….
Russia’s exit from Euro 2016: Analysis of game plan and goals in the group stage matches
They were placed in the complicated “B” group with teams like England, Wales and Slovakia. But there is no doubt that Russia’s performance at Euro 2016 was disappointing.
Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey: Solidity and tactical balance
If the man of the hour for Wales’ miracle is Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey is playing a role that is just as fundamental.
Portugal team tactical identity at Euro 2016
In Portugal’s first two games their opponents’ pragmatism (Iceland and Austria) enabled the coach Fernando Santos to see they must have greater judgement in the offensive third.
Positional play and build up: Diaz role in Chile’s team
Looking at the images from the Mexico-Chile match, it is clear how the key to interpretation for Chile revolves around Diaz. We can identify two build-up models that combine continuously: positional play and building up.
Spain team analysis: Tactics, formation and weaknesses vs Czech Republic
Spain’s start at European championship was brilliant (13 matches undefeated), but the 1-0 against Czech Republic confirmed a few difficulties in the scoring phase for La Roja.
Match analysis: Belgium vs Italy
So much for the theory that Italy were heading for yet another early tournament exit. Having been knocked out in the group stages of the last two World Cups, the chances are that this will be an altogether more pleasant summer for Italy. Manager Antonio Conte takes tactical preparation very seriously.
Defence in situations of (apparent) inferiority: 2 v 1+ GK
The complex approach to the game of football forces us to face a series of questions and priorities. Collective tactic and Individual tactic or Individual tactic and Collective tactic? Which order? Which priority? When the order of the items is changed, the result – in this case – changes, and not by a little.
Individual movements to confuse the opposing team
It often happens during important competitions like the ones that are currently taking place – Copa America and Euro 2016 in particular – that the curiosity about which play strategies will prevail works its way into football enthusiasts’ debates. What is sometimes forgotten is that the individual plays will be the ones that really make the difference. And quite often, even if the most superficial spectators do not realise it, every single play is the result, especially for the most organised teams, of specific drills that are run dozens and dozens of times in training.
Belgium weak points without Kompany and Lombaerts
Belgium is one of the most awaited teams at Euro 2016. And yet, a problem that cannot be ignored came up for coach Wilmots just a few months from the French tournament: the injuries of
Kompany and Lombaerts, the starting centre players. Wilmots’ idea was to come to Euro 2016 with a four-man defence with Vertonghen and Alderweireld as backs, as has been the case in
recent years.
Germany’s strategy without Philipp Lahm
For the first time since the 2002 World Cup, Germany will play in an international tournament without Philipp Lahm. The German national team lost not only its captain, but also a tactically fundamental player who left no heirs. After all, can a back be replaced who, according to Pep Guardiola, has the same football intelligence as Iniesta?
Analysis of euro 2016 teams: Ukraine
When you’re this close to the start of a major international tournament, most avenues have already been explored. We know the favourites: France; Spain and Germany. We know the nations that have it within them to win, but probably won’t: Belgium; Italy and England. We know the dark horses: Austria; Croatia and Poland. We even know the minnows: Albania; Hungary and Northern Ireland. But what about the middle ground? What about the teams with just a puncher’s chance of glory? What about Ukraine?
England’s 3 moves to defend from a corner kick
Great international events have always been a time of growth and innovation. At the threshold of this Euro 2016 competition, it would have been difficult to hypothesise any significant changes because, without even realising it, we have gone through a change of an era over the last two years, coinciding with the last World Cup. Germany was the country able to absorb the Spanish influence and transform it into a football style with vertical possession, sprinting and aggressiveness.
France offensive strategy at Euro 2016
The 2015/2016 season was Karim Benzema’s best since he has been with Real Madrid. He scored a goal every 83 minutes in la Liga, in addition to the 4 on the path toward La Undecima. Under normal circumstances, after a year like that, Benzema would no doubt have been the star of the home Euro 2016 for the favoured French team.
Analysis of Euro 2016 teams: Italy
Claudio Marchisio’s injury and the decision not to call up Andrea Pirlo triggered a bit of debate on Antonio Conte’s choices in view of Euro 2016. Also considering the fact that Marco Verratti is out, Italy has without a doubt lost three very high quality elements in the midfield.
Analysis of Euro 2016 teams: Slovakia
It has been assumed in some quarters that England have an easy first round group in France. Russia are old, so the argument goes, Wales are too reliant on Gareth Bale and Slovakia are…well…Slovakia.
Principles of a fluid and complete team
After meeting Foggia on the first day of Coppa Italia, I am seeing a more mature team, more aware of their own qualities. A team that I would define as fluid, able to mould endlessly with respect to the various play situations.
Tactical analysis of the Champions League final
Football is the most seen sport worldwide and it doesn’t share out its glory. Real Madrid won! The 11 times Champions of Europe, 5 times of which were in the last 20 years…remarkable. What were the most significant tactical aspects in this Spanish final of the Champions League?
Alvaro Morata technical strengths and weaknesses
The first question the Juventus football transfer market must answer is the fate of Alvaro Morata, in the hands of Real Madrid because of the “buy back” option included two years ago in the player’s transfer contract by the bianconeri.
What would Italy strategy be if Giampiero Ventura takes over as coach after Conte?
At the end of the European Cup, Antonio Conte’s adventure on the Italian national team’s bench came to an end. As things stand, the name of his successor has not yet been announced. But there is no doubt, as journalistic indiscretions will confirm, that the most likely candidate is Giampiero Ventura.
Nemanja Mihajlović: Speed, ball control and excellent resistance
Nemanja Mihajlović (born in Niš on 19 January 1996) is a Serbian footballer, a midfielder for Partizan Belgrade. He made his début on the Rad first team in the 2012-2013 season against Donji Srem Pećinci. He scored the first goal of his senior career against Borac Čačak. During the winter transfer window, Mihajlović was scouted by the French club AS Saint-Étienne.
5 types of throw-ins and defensive techniques
We have classified 5 types of throw-ins (long, to change game play area, to win the finishing area, to develop the strong side and fast solution) and we asked ourselves what the difficulties are in defending this solution.
Tactical analysis of Uefa Europa League final
Same formation (4-2-3-1), very different game strategy. The Europa League final between Liverpool and Seville was an exciting contest, not only between the players on the pitch, but also between Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery.
Analysis of trident tactical formation and set up
In Italy, 4-3-3 is a formation historically associated with Zdenek Zeman, who believed that it was the best way to set up the pitch in order to continuously form triangles and generate multiple passing solutions. In recent seasons, a Zeman pupil has been emerging who, after years of work at Sassuolo, managed to forge his own way, finding a balance between the defensive and offensive phases: Eusebio di Francesco.
Analysis of Euro 2016 teams: Romania
Romania’s strengths are obvious to anyone who has taken a glance at their qualifying campaign. They finished their group unbeaten, having conceded only two goals in ten games. And when you watch them, it doesn’t take long to see why.
Analysis of Higuain play: Positional superiority and counter-movement
36 goals in Serie A. No one like him in the history of the Italian league. This is Gonzalo Higuaín’s incredible score in the premiership league. A player who, under Sarri’s direction, found his second youth, showing the world how, as an excellent player, with hard work and the support of a great team, you can become a top player.
Aïssa Mandi: A complete centre back
Aïssa Mandi (Châlons-en-Champagne, 21 October 1991) is an Algerian naturalised French footballer, defender for Reims, French Ligue 1 and the Algerian national team. He is a right footed centre back but he also adapts well with his left.
Why Sevilla is ready to re-write Europa League history
Sevilla are re-writing the history of European football by reaching the final of the Europa League. During their previous two matches the team, led by Unai Emery, was victorious.
Let’s have a closer look at the second semi-final of their Europa League game with Shakhtar Donetsk and see where Sevilla’s strength truly lies.
Suso’s movements in Genoa scheme
Jesús Fernández Suso, who joined Genoa on loan from Milan last January, is just the last name in the list of players relaunched by Gian Piero Gasperini (among the others, Marco Borriello, Thiago Motta and Diego Milito, or more recently M’Baye Niang, Diego Perotti and Leonardo Pavoletti). Suso played a big part in Genoa’s good results in the second part of the season, which saw the Rossoblu climbing the league table from the 17th to the 10th place.
Analysis of Euro 2016 teams: Albania
Of all the teams heading to France for the European Championships, Albania have surely the most fascinating back story. They’ve never qualified for a major tournament before. They’ve only ever
qualified for two youth tournaments before.
How to create space into the opposite half of the pitch
A vital behaviour in players that occupy areas between backlines and that appear in spaces on the wings is without doubt, playing with the “blind” side of players that come out to apply pressure on the player in possession of the ball. Besiktas managed to apply this principle at some points during the game.
How to prepare offensive strategy studying the opposing goalkeeper
In today’s article we would like to offer a point of view that can help you plan out your week. Video analysis and studying the opposing team are no longer new
ideas, but nevertheless, analysing the tactics chosen by the goalkeeper does not always lead to adequate measures.
Hakim Ziyech: A real number 10
Hakim Ziyech, born in 1993, pure talent, already a technical point of reference on the Moroccan National team, as well as on Twente, quickly rose to idol status for fans of the Dutch team. Last year he ended his rookie season in a Tukkers jersey with 11 goals and the most assists of anyone in the entire league.
Analysis of André Gomes: How could he fit into Juventus?
Juventus, fresh from winning its fifth consecutive championship shield, is making plans for next season.
Portland Timbers find their groove in a 2-1 success over Toronto FC
As title defences go, Portland Timbers effort had thus far fallen into the ‘Chelsea’ category. Victors over Columbus Crew on the opening day of the season (a replay of the 2015 final and with the same score too) gave a false read for the weeks ahead.
Space and movement as key-factors to improve performance
A Roma team fully in the running for second place that, under Spalletti’s direction, has rediscovered energy and organisation, so much that they have brought home eleven consecutive wins.
Match analysis: Atlético Madrid vs Bayern Munich 1-0
Due to various reasons there are teams that rebuild their squads. In some cases they decide to change or rebuild because the performance that they have obtained has been below the created expectations.
Statistical analysis of Casemiro impact on Real Madrid performance
The demanding Santiago Bernabeu fans are often divided over his importance. But Casemiro’s contribution to the cause of a Real Madrid that is astonishingly back in the race for the Liga and in the Champions League semi-finals can be anything but overlooked.
Jorginho’s role in Sarri’s tactical scheme
If a team bases its game play on precise mechanisms practised during training, and if the opposing teams come onto the pitch with the specific intent of blocking those mechanisms, a coach finds himself in a crucial dilemma: either find a solution or be forced to distort your game play.
Impressive LA Galaxy win over Real Salt Lake
For the uninitiated, there is much that separates Major League Soccer from other notable leagues around the world. There is the single entity business structure, the draft system, the designated star player policies. But most of all, in these opening weeks, there is the sense that no team is considerably better than any other. At least, that was the case until this weekend when LA Galaxy faced the undefeated Real Salt Lake and pulled their pants down in front of everyone.
Set pieces as determining factors: How the Champions League semi-finalists defend
In matches that are more and more played at the limit and battled out in episodes, set pieces could be determining factors in shifting balances.
Match analysis has a dual value: on the one hand, understanding what current defensive organisation trends are and on the other, understanding where Real, Atletico, Bayern and Manchester City can try to build their offensive plays.
What made the difference in Roma vs Napoli match
Are the most entertaining matches the ones between the big teams that end 5-0 or maybe 4-3 or perhaps the ones that end 0-0 or with a win that was just barely pulled off?
Youssef Ait Bennasser
This season, although playing in Ligue 2 with Nancy, Youssef Ait Bennasser has already managed to attract the interest of many big European clubs: 21 matches with 2 goals and 2 assists in 2014-15, this year he has already seen playing time in 21 matches and scored one goal.
Statistical analysis of Atletico Madrid growth in the last 3 years
Two Champions League semi-finals in the last three years, consistent top spots in Liga and two eliminations inflicted on Barcelona, both in the quarter finals of the most important cup.
Tactical analysis of FC Barcelona weaknesses vs Valencia
Even with the best players in the world on the roster, the lack of lucidity cannot help but accompany the negative dynamic instead of reversing it.
Analysis of Vieira’s New York City defeat
In the first six games of his managerial career, we have seen innovation and ambition from Patrick Vieira. But it’s been five games since we’ve seen a win.
How to attack a fully manned defence with two players
What are the two main factors in an effective attack?
The principles of positional play in Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich
The words “Set, unmark and pass” are certainly intrinsically in the mind of any player of Pep Guardiola’s Bayern. The driving/progression/retention of the ball attracts the attention and the presence of opposing players whilst generating spaces that facilitate the movement of the backline offensively.
The tactical secret behind Leicester city’s success
It seemed like it was just a dream, an illusion. And yet, Leicester is still leading the Premier League at the decisive time of the season. Much has been said about the impact on the Foxes structure by Claudio Ranieri, a figure like Jamie Vardy, the talent of Ryad Mahrez and the unique physical qualities of N’golo Kanté. But is there a tactical secret to the success of the Foxes?
Analysis of Icardi’s play: An “old-school” footballer
The goal scored in Frosinone on Saturday marks Mauro Icardi’s fiftieth in one hundred matches played wearing the Inter jersey (a perfect average of half a goal per match that really does not reflect his seasonal average, which is slightly higher: 0.58 goals per match).
LA Galaxy escapes with a point as De Jong escapes red card
Sometimes we can be a little hysterical about challenges in football. Bound up by tribal loyalties or an earnest sense of protection, we forget that football is intense, physical and occasionally dangerous. Accidents happen and they always look worse in a slow motion replay. But Nigel de Jong’s challenge on Darlington Nagbe was no accident.
Video analysis: The key to read the game – David Luiz action read through video analysis
A counter-attack begins, the play is fast, by the time anyone realises what has happened, the ball is at the back of the net. In living rooms all over the world, all eyes were on David Luiz’s (apparently clumsy) movement. Coordination error? Technical error? Tactical error? With the help of Wyscout images and a more in depth Video Analysis, we can arrive at a different answer.
Conte’s 3-4-3: How it works
Without a doubt Conte’s recently signed contract with Chelsea runs the risk of creating some problems in the press for him because of the English media’s attention to the current National team coach’s past controversy with sports commissions and the law. However, from a tactical point of view there is no denying that his technical prowess is nothing short of exemplary.
Match analysis: Paris SG vs Manchester City
PSG and Man City are two teams that want to be European champions due to all of the investment they have made in recent years. Players with tremendous potential and different playing philosophies. Both committed errors but they were capable of being resilient.
Analysis of FC Barcelona’s defence
Barcelona got back on the pitch after the break with a slightly less confident step and one might wonder if Luis Enrique’s team isn’t risking thwarting everything good they have built thus far.
Opposition analysis as a key to success
Preparation for the match takes on a fundamentally important role for achieving the end result. In a sport with such reduced margins, observing your opponent in order to learn strong and weak points constitutes a potential competitive edge that no team can do without.
Dawid Kownacki: A once-in-a-decade talent
At just 8 years of age he joined Lech Poznań, the club he still belongs to. In the Poznań team’s youth sector, Dawid demonstrated exceptionally consistent scoring. From the Under 15 to the Under 19, (with 5 goals in three games in Under 18), he quickly became an irreplaceable pivot point for all of the Polish youth selections.
How atlético Madrid could beat Barcelona
Barcelona vs. Atlético. Battle of the giant. Nobility against the working class. David against Goliath. Luis Enrique against Diego Pablo Simeone.
Analysis of New England revolution victory over New York Red Bulls 1-0
“It’s shameful for me,” said New York Red Bulls’ coach Jesse Marsch afterwards. “The game is supposed to have honour.”
It’s a nice thought and in an ideal world, we would all conduct ourselves with grace and nobility. But as Bill Shankly once said, “If you don’t know what to do with the ball, put it in the net and we’ll discuss the options later.” And that’s exactly how New England Revolution won their first game of the season.
Analysis of Germany’s tactics in recent games
Winning the World Cup and the European Cup two years apart is no easy task, but Germany’s goal is still to prevail even within the borders of the continent.
Blas Riveros: Speed, technique and the will to succeed
Raised in a loving, but humble family, he began with Olimpia de Itauguá as a forward and after just six months he caught the eye of the Olimpia di Asunción youth manager who brought him into the under 14 team when he was just 12…
Total football. A chameleon-like Italy undermines the spanish model
Total football, in the true sense of the word. It would be easy to say, knowing that Spain would be the team in the these final preliminary matches for Euro 2016, but the “total” surprise comes from Antonio Conte’s Italy.
FC Dallas win over DC United
Still without a win this season, DC United manager Ben Olsen called for his players to be more clinical in front of goal before their meeting with a depleted FC Dallas. Unfortunately for him, most of his problems came at the other end of the pitch. DC were only missing defender Steve Birnbaum, but what a miss he proved to be. His team started brightly, pinning Dallas into their own half, albeit without really creating anything of note. But that hope was short-lived; quickly snuffed out by DC’s own hapless defenders.
What does it mean to change formation during the game?
Let’s try to understand what advantages it provides by looking at the Italian examples of Juventus and Fiorentina.
Analysis: The greatness of Paul Pogba play
Spacing, interception and game-reading ability in Juventus –Torino derby
Marlos Moreno speed and versatility
Since Guardiola was announced, of 11 matches Manchester City has won only 3.
This Premier League derby did not have a clear leader in terms of quantity/quality. The similar average position of both blocks of the teams only changed a little when in the 2nd half Manchester United defended the result on their own half.
Manchester City vs Manchester United – Rashford opens the race for the top four
Since Guardiola was announced, of 11 matches Manchester City has won only 3.
This Premier League derby did not have a clear leader in terms of quantity/quality. The similar average position of both blocks of the teams only changed a little when in the 2nd half Manchester United defended the result on their own half.
Barcelona beyond the “MSN” trio
Praise galore has been heaped on Barcelona’s star trio, Messi-Suarez-Neymar, also dubbed MSN. Their phenomenal results speak for themselves. The fact is though that many observers believe, perhaps rather simplistically, that they alone are behind Barça’s success. The strength of Luis Enrique’s team is, however, more than the sum of this trio.
Guardiola’s Bayern individual battles and combined manoeuvres to get free
Ten seconds that changed the course of a match, perhaps of an entire competition. The play that led to Bayern’s draw against Juventus during the Champions League round of 16 embodies the entire essence of the game of football: individual battles, combined manoeuvres to get free, defensive/offensive transition, breadth, depth, density and concentration
Bayern Munich vs Juventus ball possession as a culture win as a state of mind
As a fan you might potentially think that Bayern Munich vs Juventus was a game where the result couldn’t have been predicted. But as a coach one would have, because using different styles and different way of thinking always give the chance to go beyond.
MLS insight: Vieira’s NYCFC first defeat
To his eternal credit, Cyle Larin barely celebrates the goal that gives Orlando City victory in New York. But this is not because, as the reigning Rookie of the Year and a man who scored 17 goals last season, he is blasé about the art of scoring. No, it is because the ball has literally landed on his face and gone in.
Corner kicks: Lessons from top european champions
“Why not kicking direct from a corner kick ?” So many fans end up asking this question every time their team plays, proving how difficult is to understand coaches strategies on set-pieces.
Ranking Champions League contenders in quarter-finals
In recent Champions League editions there has never been such a clear favourite as this year.