… 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
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
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