When Amy Merricks was appointed as the new Birmingham City Women’s manager earlier this year, it seemed as though it was a match made in heaven.
Having developed under Hope Powell at Brighton, Merricks was identified as a young and progressive coach who could help Birmingham return to the Women’s Super League.
Things appear to be coming to fruition for the Blues this season, as they currently sit atop the Women’s Championship on the back of some offensive-minded and tactically expansive play.
She is undoubtedly paving the way for female coaches in the world of football.
Her relentless nature has allowed Birmingham to become an impressive women’s football outfit again.
The following scout report and tactical analysis will dive into some key features of Amy Merricks managerial style, focusing on the impressive tactical tweaks that have allowed the Blues to consistently threaten their opposition.
We will also identify how their pressing structure has bolstered their presence in the final third but can also lead to some negative consequences at the wrong end of the pitch.
Initial Build-Up Phase
Throughout this season at Birmingham City Women, Merricks has encouraged a deep build-up phase centred around maintaining ball possession while remaining progressive and damaging to the opposition’s defensive structure.
Birmingham have usually lined up in either the 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1, meaning that Merricks side will often interchange between a single or double pivot as clear passing options for central progression.
However, the height of their full-backs and the confidence that the central defenders have when moving with the ball indicate that Birmingham have been much more effective when building up along the flanks.
The following image provides an informative snapshot of Merricks’ usual in-possession structure as her side plays out from their box against Newcastle.
With Newcastle marking the Birmingham pivot man-to-man, Merricks’ side can use the space in the channels to progress the ball quickly, thanks to the movement of their roaming playmaker and the right winger, who has adopted a more centralised position.
This was also an effective strategy against Bristol City, with one winger stretching the width of the defensive line whilst the other could move infield to play closer to Birmingham’s other attacking outlets.
