If you were to look at almost any event from an attacking/in possession lens, you will likely come to a different answer to the question “why did that happen?” than if you viewed that event through a defensive lens. I’ve been trying to change my perspective recently, and this article documents some of my thoughts.… Read More Defensive Transition: Shifting My Lens From Attack to Defense
… and why they’re all misleading and/or faulty.
We’re currently in a situation where widely-available data and metrics used to analyze defenders can often be antithetical to defending itself. There’s a disconnect between on-ball events and quality defensive skills in current data accessible to the public.… Read More We Need to Talk About Defensive Metrics…
Article by Ben Griffis We widely use chess as a metaphor for soccer tactics, and the mere idea of a person playing chess invokes a romantic air of strategy and wisdom. Recently, Louis Vuitton ran an ad featuring Messi and Ronaldo playing chess—likening their careers to that of a chess match, where each player is… Read More Shogi And Football: The Japanese Version of Chess And Its Copious Parallels to The Beautiful Game
England and the USA played to an energetic and exciting 0-0 draw in the 2nd Group Stage match of the 2022 World Cup. This article examines the USA’s effective defensive block tactics that stifled England’s buildup, diving deeper into Christian Pulisic’s asymmetrical positioning.… Read More Dissecting the USA’s Defensive Block & Pulisic’s Free Defensive Position: How the US Defended England’s Buildup
The 4-4-2 Kompany employs leads to energetic, attacking football with strong buildup play, swift and fluid connections between players in the final third, and a sturdy defense. This article breaks down his unique take on such a tried-and-tested formation that has seemed to lose favor among the top teams recently.… Read More Art on a Football Pitch – Vincent Kompany’s Unique 4-4-2 Tactics
This article first analyzes Brøndby and Silkeborg’s tactics before detailing some recommendations for how Brøndby can ensure they beat Silkeborg again, but this time with a more complete performance and dominate the game.… Read More Silkeborg IF 0-1 Brøndby IF: Analysis & Recommendations for Brøndby Ahead of Identical Fixture on April 10th
This article analyzes the tactics Gimpo FC manager Ko Jeong-woon employed to beat Gwangju FC 1-2 in the opening round of the 2022 K League 2. Gimpo came away the better side defensively and possibly offensively as well, earning three well-deserved points.… Read More Analyzing Gimpo FC’s First K League 2 Match: A Great League Debut 1-2 Win Away at Gwangju FC
Is South Korea the stronghold of the Back 3? This article shows that the majority of matches in both professional leagues, K League 1 and K League 2, involve a back 3. It then looks at the performances of each formation used in the leagues.… Read More South Korea: The Back 3’s Stronghold
Transitioning between different shapes is a good way to both counter the opposition’s unique threats and confuse their defenders and markers. A constantly changing formation in specific situations can have game-changing effects in both defense and attack. This piece looks at the different positional movements players can make to transition from a 3-4-1-2 formation to other widely used formations. Namely, it discusses movements from a 3-4-1-2 to 4-4-2 Diamond, 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, and 3-3-1-3 tactical shapes.… Read More Formation Transitions From a 3-4-1-2: Tactical Theory and Player Requirements
Café Tactiques 