Italy is usually well-known for its defensive mindset. The term Catenaccio is closely connected with Calcio and its tradition of defensive discipline and results over style of play. Of course, there are several exceptions, such as Arrigo Sacchi, or in the last few years, Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri. Those coaches have...
Eyebrows were raised in November 2018 when Dutch coach Marcel Keizer was announced by Sporting CP as José Peseiro’s successor. Apart from an ill-fated six-month spell as Ajax head coach in 2017, the 50-year-old does not boast much top-level coaching experience on his CV. That said, he is, of course,...
Another home game at Molineux, another positively dominant performance from Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolverhampton Wanderers. Two goals, both in the first half, from Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez gave Wolves all three points against a despondent Cardiff City side who have now conceded 10 goals in three games. If you...
In a game marred by some horrific refereeing decisions, Bournemouth and Wolves shared the spoils at the Vitality Stadium. The man in the middle, Roger East, got a number of things wrong, including, but not exclusive to, a handball by Chris Mepham in the penalty area which went unpunished, an elbow from...
Olympique Lyon took on Paris Saint-Germain in what was expected to be a highly contested encounter between the two French giants. The visitors lead Ligue 1 with Lyon sitting in third 16 points adrift, but the outcome of this match still bears significance to the chasing pack. A win would...
This was the headline posted by Spanish publication Marca when Thomas Tuchel’s side signed the Schalke defender from the clutches of Barcelona. Thilo Kehrer is another product in a long line of defenders who have flourished when given the opportunity in the Bundesliga. The world-renowned Schalke academy has produced numerous...
With the arrival of Zinedine Zidane as the head coach of Real Madrid, it brought with it a turn away from the ‘Galactico’ signings with a view to buying and nurturing younger talents. An ageing squad at the Bernabeu in combination with city rivals Atletico making waves with their youthful...
Barcelona travelled across town to the home of Catalan rivals RCD Espanyol for the latest edition of the Catalan derby. Barcelona have been dominant in this fixture in the past, as Espanyol have not won against their more illustrious neighbours since 2009. However, with the team's strides under new coach...
After their fourth unbeaten match, Italy finished with multiple attempts and a dominance they've rarely experienced in recent years. The positives of a long decline, however, finally started to flourish. The progress under Mancini has been before everyone’s eyes for a while now. If the first two positive performances in some...
What Is Gegenpressing? Football has become a lot more dynamic over the last decades. As a result, the transition phases have become increasingly important. This rang the bell for a new concept on how to react after losing the ball: Gegenpressing. It is the concept of regaining possession immediately after...
It was dubbed a disaster and a catastrophe. Some called it the apocalypse. After Italy missed their first World Cup in 60 years, something had to change. Out went Giampiero Ventura, and his chosen replacement is former Manchester City and Inter manager, Roberto Mancini. Mancini started work in May with...
Marcelino took charge of Valencia last summer and led them back to the Champions League in his first season. Los Murciélagos are one of the biggest clubs in Spain, but after some disastrous managerial spells, García Toral has managed to turn the club around. The Spanish coach's method has been...
During the last decade, the number of teams pressing high up the pitch has increased significantly. Coaches like Guardiola, Klopp, Sarri, and Pochettino aim to regain possession as quickly as possible. Therefore, their sides often press the opponent with aggressive forechecking. Tactical Considerations “Defending is a matter of how much...
Many of the questions surrounding Steven Gerrard's arrival in Glasgow were around the fact he was taking on such a big job for his first in management. Elements of risk were mentioned in abundance, both for Gerrard and for Rangers. His first two games in charge were Europa League qualifiers,...
Eusebio Di Francesco Preferred Formation In his first season in Rome, Eusebio Di Francesco has steered his former side to their first Champions League semi-final in 34 years and look set to finish in the top four in Serie A. The season has been a bit up and down for...
Things have changed since Matías Almeyda took over as manager at Chivas. After they claimed the Liga MX 2017 title for the first time in a decade with a team featuring only Mexican players, pressure rose on Almeyda. But the Argentinian coach and his players failed to live up to...
