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
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
Vincent Kompany has devised a strong buildup shape that enables Anderlecht’s flowing attacks. This article analyzes his back 3 in buildup along with tactical patterns and variations.… Read More Vincent Kompany’s Back 3 Buildup with Anderlecht: Shape, Patterns, and Variations
Nuno Espírito Santo out-smarted Pep Guardiola in the Premier League’s top-billed match of the opening weekend. Espírito Santo’s tactics allowed him to beat last season’s champions and stop one of their strongest aspects of play—their buildup that enables endless, dangerous, flowing attacks. This article analyzes those tactics.… Read More How Did Tottenham Stifle Manchester City’s Attack? Analyzing Nuno Espírito Santo’s Defensive Tactics in City’s Buildup
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
Sønderjyske’s direct attacking tactics and structured defensive shape helped them unexpectedly beat Midtjylland 3-1. This article looks at how both teams set up and how Sønderjyske’s directness carved open one of the best Danish teams of the past decade.… Read More Sønderjyske 3-1 Midtjylland: Direct Tactics Propel Sønderjyske to a Second Straight Cup Final
This article analyzes Genk’s tactics in their 2021 Belgian Cup final 2-1 victory over Standard de Liège. Genk’s tactical changes at half time propelled them to their first Cup victory since 2013.… Read More How Genk’s Tactics Beat Standard Liège 2-1 in the 2021 Belgian Cup
This article examines Christophe Galtier’s tactics with Lille in the 2020/21 season. After 33 games, Lille lead Ligue 1 and have been in first place longer then not.… Read More Top Dogues: Christophe Galtier’s 2020/21 Lille Tactics
Café Tactiques 