Articles
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Rafa Mir’s Breakthrough at Huesca
Since suffering a horrific collision with David Luiz on November 29, Raúl Jiménez has been out of action for Wolves and his long-term absence has deprived Nuno Espírito Santo of their number-one goal threat and a deadly presence in the box. Nuno has turned to Willian José, who has failed to find the back of…
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Leon Goretzka: The All-Action Pressing Machine
FC Bayern extended their gap atop the Bundesliga to 7 points over the weekend, beating RB Leipzig in a match that will surely see the 9th consecutive Meisterschale remain in Bavaria. In a tight affair that hung in the balance until the very end, it was a goal from one of Bayern’s most reliable performers…
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Player Analysis: Ander Barrenetxea
21st March 2021, Real Sociedad face Barcelona at the Anoeta. Despite the lack of fans, the excitement was apparent. For la Real, this was a chance to replicate their early season form. Imanol Alguacil’s side was imperious when La Liga kicked off. However, as March continue to roll on, their decline became inevitable as they…
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Ozan Tufan: Fenerbahçe’s Midfield Warrior
Turkey began their 2016 UEFA European Football Championship in Paris, narrowly losing to Croatia after Luka Modrić scored a firecracker of a volley from outside the box to give the Vatreni a lead before halftime. The following match, they found themselves dominated and defeated by the reigning European champions, with a goal from Nolito sandwiched between…
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Fulham’s Man-Oriented Approach Against Manchester City
Man-orientation is relatively common when pressing, but not in consolidated defensive play. However, it can appear via a mix of man-orientation and zonal marking, depending on the location of the ball. For example, a defensive backline may become man-oriented against an opposition front line when the ball is being progressed forward, with the aim of…
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The Complete U-21 Euros Group Stage Review
In just 7 days, the U-21 European Championships group stage has come to a close, a tournament whose peculiar scheduling and lack of preparation haven’t taken any of the spectacles away. In the 24 group stage matches, we witnessed captivating individual performances, fluent midfield dominations, and more than enough goalkeeping errors. Though many of…
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Player Analysis: Alexis Mac Allister
In terms of pathways to professional football, it was almost a foregone conclusion Alexis Mac Allister would become a professional footballer. The young Argentinian comes from a footballing family. His father, Carlos, and uncle, Patricio played professionally. Such pedigree seemingly laid the pathway for not only Alexis but his brothers Francis and Kevin, who play…
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Player Analysis: Emil Riis Jakobsen
On 1 October 2020, Emil Riis Jakobsen signed a four-year deal with EFL Championship side Preston North End. Having joined Danish Superliga side Randers at the age of 14, a club literally on the doorstep from his hometown Hobro, Riis showed off his ability within the space of two years, becoming the top scorer of…
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7 Zone-Model and the Importance of Establishing Connections
Thomas Tuchel uses the methods of positional play to achieve this optimal possession positioning, which @la_notice_ details here: What is Positional Play? – Breaking The Lines. The crucial element to take away however is the use of vertical corridors to dictate positioning whereby the wide centre backs when possession is central sit in their respective…
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A Masterclass in Pressing: Red Bull Salzburg
As they close in on their eighth consecutive Austrian Bundesliga title, Red Bull Salzburg continue to draw more and more praise for their promising young players such as Patson Daka and Mergim Berisha, in addition to a unique, domineering style of play. Case Study: Jesse Marsch’s Red Bull Salzburg They can be most recognised…
