Prior to this match in the English Premier League, the narrative was firmly set that the Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola was very much coming up against an opponent, in Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, who had figured out how to combat the Spaniard's tactical approach. The tail end of the...
In terms of high profile matchups in the top four leagues of European football, there is arguably no match bigger at the moment than Liverpool vs Manchester City. The narratives surrounding the two sides combined with the quality of players at their disposal and the fact that they are now...
This tactical analysis of Southampton vs Chelsea originally featured on our network site feelchelsea.com, a site for all things analysis and Chelsea Chelsea F.C is proudly back on the map, landing the second rank of the league table after winning over Southampton with a clean sheet. There was a great...
This tactical analysis of Fulham vs Arsenal originally featured on wearethearsenal.uk, another site in our analysis network. After eight consecutive wins in all competitions, last Sunday was even more successful for the Arsenal. Not only the team won its ninth win in a row but also did it in a...
Saturday evening saw the possible resurrection of Jose Mourinho's tenure at Manchester United, as his side demolished a two-goal half-time deficit to Newcastle United to emerge as the winners in a thrilling 3-2 comeback win. Newcastle, who had scored a grand total of four goals in their seven games thus...
This tactical analysis of Chelsea vs Liverpool first featured on another site in our analysis network, feelchelsea.com Sarri's men fairly dealt with a much awaited, yet interesting, tactical battle against Liverpool. A 1-1 draw was not that bad given that both teams were equally competitive working to offset each other's...
This tactical analysis originally featured on a site in our analysis network, wearethearsenal.uk It was an intensive Saturday for Arsenal once again as the team earned a seventh consecutive win in all competitions after beating Watford 2-0 at home in the Premier League. It all came in late as it...
Manchester United lost their third game of the season so far, falling to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of an invigorated West Ham side, to equal their worst-ever start to a Premier League season. United have 10 points from the first seven league games and are already nine points...
Few expected Fulham to upset the reigning Premier League champions at the Etihad and despite a good effort Manchester City were head and shoulders above the Londoners. In this tactical analysis we look at how Pep Guardiola defeated Slavisa Jokanovic' men to keep the pace with Liverpool and Chelsea. Manchester...
This match was the moment in which it truly felt as though the English Premier League season got underway. With the first, awkward, international break out of the way the visit of Liverpool to Wembley Stadium to face Spurs had the feeling of a clash of genuine heavyweights. Indeed, if...
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City got back to winning ways in the Premier League with a fairly comfortable 2-1 victory over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. In this tactical analysis, I will look at how City overcame Newcastle, employing the unorthodox use of a diamond. As with most City...
The explosion of tactical analysis in football has brought a tactical revolution in football strategy. Teams are actively using analytic data to minimize low-value shots and maximise every scoring opportunity. My previous article, Premier League Moneyball, details this revolution. Jonjo Shelvey the Inefficient Outlier One clear outlier that is bucking...
The Curious Case of West Ham Shot Efficiency Sorting through the data from whoscored.com for an article on Premier League Moneyball, there was a curious team hanging out with unexpected company. West Ham popped up in data of the most efficient shot conversion teams. The percentage of shots that were...
Coming in the Premier League with new ideas and tactics is not something easy. Maurizio Sarri and Unai Emery have two similar approaches, a mix of pressing and possession game but implement these schemes in England is not as easy as in Italy or Spain. The last game facing Chelsea...
In terms of attacking talent, few teams in world football can compare with Manchester City. Leroy Sané, Raheem Sterling, Sergio Agüero, and Gabriel Jesus can feature anywhere across the front line, while the mercurial pair of Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva drift in behind the front line, finding space...
Andreas Pereira has been waiting in the wings for his chance at Manchester United for a while now, having gone out on loan to La Liga clubs Granada and Valencia in the past two seasons, respectively. At one point, it was unlikely that he would ever make the grade at...
The first matchday of the English Premier League season saw an intriguing match with the champions Manchester City travelling to the Emirates to face a much-changed Arsenal side under new management for the first time in 22 years. With the Spaniard Unai Emery now in place as head coach of...
Tactical Revolution does NOT include Rafa's Newcastle Moneyball has become a general term in sports that describes using data to find an undervalued edge that can be exploited into a competitive advantage. Eventually, the rest of the league catches up making the edge no longer undervalued. Off the pitch we...
A Tactical Revolution in the Premier League is Happening Right in Front of Us Major League Baseball was forever changed by Billy Beane assessing a value amount to baseball skills creating a competitive advantage for his Oakland A’s team. The static game of baseball was altered in a revolutionary way...
