Burgos CF are a team currently playing in the Segunda Division, the second tier of Spanish football. After a mediocre season, finishing in 11th place and being the team with the lowest amount of goals involved in their games, Burgos have carried on their methods into the next season. After 11 games of the current season, Burgos CF have only just conceded their first goal in their 11th game, while keeping a clean sheet in 10 of the 11 fixtures so far. They are well on their way to beating last seasons total of 16 clean sheets in 42 matches.
The current manager, Julian Calero Fernandez, has worked wonders already by bringing Burgos back to the second tier, after being stuck outside of the top two tiers for the past 19 years. Burgos currently sit in 3rd place, with an eye on promotion to La Liga this season seeming more likely by the week. Burgos have been setting up in a 4-2-3-1 designed to counterattack the opposition. While the results have been excellent the xG data shows that theyve been expected to score 9.79 goals and have slightly underachieved by scoring 8 goals this season. On the other hand, theyve been expected to concede 12.43 goals, and have somehow only conceded 1.
This tactical analysis will come in a form of a scout report to explain the tactics behind Burgos strong start to the season, and how they have only allowed 1 goal to go in. This analysis will show how Burgos have set up tactically, to make life as difficult as possible for their opponents and also be devastating on the counterattack.
Defensive Solidity
One of the biggest reasons for the excellent defensive record that Burgos have earned, is the setup of the squad, led by the coach, Fernandez. They have been setting up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, in a low block. The team is very compact vertically, with minimal spaces being allowed between each defensive line. This means that there is no space for any opposition players to drop into and pick up the ball without the risk of an opponent being right behind them.
The defensive line also pushes up to help be vertically compact, while the keeper is responsible for sweeping up any balls that are played over the top. Opponents are forced to either play risky passes over the top or have to try to go around the sides of the defence, from which it is easier to defend the space.
Another key tactical point of the Burgos low block is the role of the three central midfield players. The midfield players are tasked with man-marking the central, creative, players from the opposing teams. Man-marking helps take those creative players out of the game. As a result, opposition teams must either pass sideways or go long. This style of play, while defensive, is very brave and prevents teams from properly creating chances or even getting into the final third.
The image below shows how the attacking midfielder of Burgos, is solely focused on the opponent. He is only looking at the other player, which is evidence of the man-marking tactics set up by Burgos. On occasions, when the centre forward can cut off half of the pitch and force play to one side, the wide midfielder tucks in and does the man-marking, as shown in the picture below. This allows the spare midfielder to cover central areas in the final third, preventing anyone from being able to drop deep to collect the ball.
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