Creating a Qualitative Superiority: Sassuolo

A qualitative superiority refers to a situation, where instances of numerical equality are in real terms not equal. It can be used holistically as a complex way to describe the ‘better team on paper’ or is something more individualised within games, which is where I feel it has more analytic use.

Using the principle of not all situations of numerical equality being equal, teams attempt to manufacture positions where they can have their better players isolated as to exploit the circumstance of ‘real’ terms inequality. This article will analyse the method by which Sassuolo isolate their danger men in Jérémie Boga and Domenico Berardi, creating situations of qualitative superiority.

https://breakingthelines.com/player-analysis/player-analysis-jeremie-boga/

There is a general preference to show play down the left when building up as Boga in particular can often be effective at wriggling his way through multiple players and progressing via dribbling while Berardi is more end product-oriented; however, both players are capable in both regards which makes it a preference rather than limitation which makes any distinction barely noticeable.