EFL Championship 2019/20: Swansea City v Hull City – tactical analysis

Swansea City entertained Hull City in their opening match of the 2019/20 Sky Bet Championship season on Saturday. Both teams were taking to the field for the first time under their new managers  Steve Cooper and Grant McCann respectively  and were looking to kick off their campaigns in style. 

Despite taking a second-minute lead through Kamil Grosicki, Hull succumbed 2-1 thanks to two goals in as many minutes by the hosts just after half time. In this tactical analysis, we will provide an in-depth look at the tactics utilised by both sides, and use analysis to show how the Swans came out on top.

Lineups

The home team were set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation by new boss Cooper, with Jay Fulton and Matt Grimes tasked with providing defensive protection in order to allow the attacking talents of offensive quartet Bersant Celina, George Byers, Nathan Dyer and Borja Baston to flourish. Grimes operated as a single pivot, looking to receive the ball from his defenders and use his smart passing range to fashion opportunities in the final third. In contrast, Fulton had more of a box-to-box role, as he looked to use his energy and stamina to get around the pitch to provide support.

As for the Tigers, McCann started with a 4-5-1 for the clash at the Liberty Stadium. The trio of Kevin Stewart, Daniel Batty and Jackson Irvine were the central midfield three, and all had slightly different responsibilities: Stewart to mainly give defensive solidity at the base; Batty to get up and down to aid both defensively and offensively; and Irvine as the most forward-thinking of the three to support lone striker Nouha Dicko.

Keep Reading TFA With A Free 7 Day Trial

Login if you have a TFA subscription

Try TFA Risk Free For 7 Days

Full Access To TFA Articles

New Content 7 Days

Expert Insights

TFA Podcast Access

7 Day Free Trial

Money Back Guarantee

Subscribe For Free