La Pausa Meaning ‘La Pausa’ is a term commonly used in football. La Pausa literally means ‘The Pause’ and describes a player's ability to slow down the game's pace, take control of the ball, and assess the situation around them. What is La Pausa Football? La Pausa is a technique...
Argentina once again delivered a football feast in front of its fans at Estadio Monumental. Lionel Scaloni team defeated and thrashed Fernando Batista Venezuela 3-0 in the penultimate matchday of the CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Already qualified and at the top of the table, Scaloni gave room to names pointing...
In this tactical analysis, we will explore the five types of off-the-ball movement that Marcelo Bielsa identifies and teaches as the foundation for generating passing lines, sustaining ball circulation, and breaking defensive structures. For Bielsa tactics, the game is not limited to the ball possessor; the active and conscious participation...
The FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in the United States delivered far more than entertainment; it provided a competitive stage where established stars and emerging talents showcased their quality against the world's best. While the headlines were dominated by Chelsea’s tactical discipline and PSG’s attacking flair, the real story of...
Thiago Almada floats across the pitch like any playmaker raised in the Rioplatense school. He manages tight spaces, has lightning‑quick changes of pace, uses pauses as synonymous with rhythm, and delivers sharp passes (with a broad range of them). However, despite floating and possessing the traits of a classic Argentine...
The choice between a two-striker system and one with a central forward supported by two wide attackers represents one of a coach's most significant tactical decisions. Each approach offers advantages and presents challenges, profoundly influencing offensive dynamics, defensive structure, and the team's overall balance. Analysing the pros and cons of...
When it comes to defending in football, much of the content that has been written about it online usually mentions the same principles or similar versions of the same principles. These principles are generally centred around the defensive shape of a team needing to be compact near the ball to...
The 2024 Major League Soccer season concluded last weekend. Record MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy ended their longest title drought since the league began in 1996 by winning their sixth crown in a 2-1 win over New York Red Bulls on home soil. Now that another season is over...
As MLS heads into Decision Day, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are on the brink of history. Tata Martino's team has claimed the Supporter’s Shield and will enjoy home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. If Inter Miami win their final game of the year against New England Revolution, they would break...
The curtain fell on Copa América 2024, as Argentina won the title for the second time consecutively and the 16th in history, establishing a record as the nation with the most titles. This achievement surpasses Uruguay, who held 15 titles, making Argentina the largest country to achieve such a distinction....
Argentina have been one of the favourites for Copa América 2024 glory from the outset of this year’s tournament, so it comes as no surprise that we see them in the final. Their opponents, Colombia, on the other hand, entered the competition with far less expectation behind them that they’d...
The quadrennial Copa América tournament has always been an exciting event in the football calendar, with it constantly attracting swathes of football fans from around the world and giving them an opportunity to witness some of the best players currently active as they lock horns in a bid to secure...
Good morning analysis fans and welcome to the #TacticsTuesday newsletter - full of analysis, scouting and tactics. Fill up on your football knowledge - follow the Total Football Analysis page and be part of the squad that want more than just a match report. The traditional target man number 9 is a role we might...
Who Is Robert Taylor? Inter Miami have never really been a giant of the MLS. In fact, prior to Lionel Messi’s arrival from Paris Saint-Germain, you could even argue they’ve been on a downward spiral; a struggling team clinging for life. But they are reversing their fate as we speak,...
Lionel Messi’s move away from PSG has been the talk of the town in recent weeks. Barcelona struggled to bring the Argentine back to his boyhood club with the tight grip of Financial Fair Play. Conversely, a move to Saudi Arabia would have been financially lucrative for the seven-time Ballon...
The ultimate goal in football is quite simple – to win the game by scoring goals. However you turn it, you always have to score to win, and whether that’s done in full time, extra time, or via penalties, it doesn’t really matter. And regardless of the style of play...
When Argentina faced Chile in their Copa América debut last Monday, there was a big surprise on their starting eleven. The 23-year-old winger Nico González, who plays for Stuttgart in the Bundesliga, started ahead of players as important as the new FC Barcelona signing Sergio Agüero or PSG’s star Ángel...
The 4-4-2 appears to be the most common defensive shape for teams that form a mid-block, as it offers a more balanced vertical and horizontal compactness in contrast to other common formations. Even teams such as Barcelona, Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Juventus, who are renowned for playing in a 4-3-3 formation, are not...
If you have read Jonathan Wilson’s extraordinary book Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Soccer Tactics, you are well aware of football’s historic march from attack-centred formations and subsequent footnotes. As the book portrays, football tactics started with attack-minded systems, then became more defensive in pursuing results. Tactical trends and formations followed...
Now two of the most exciting managers in England, Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola have admired and influenced each other for a long time. When the Argentinian arrived in England, Guardiola said Leeds United had the best coach in the world. Bielsa has often spoken very highly of the Catalan...
