Mansfield Town 2023/24: How Nigel Clough has concocted a winning formula this season – tactical analysis

Arsenal, Portsmouth, Tottenham Hotspur, and Mansfield Town. At the time of writing, all of those four clubs have one thing in common – they remain unbeaten in their respective leagues this season. Mansfield, currently sixth in the EFL League Two table, boast a healthy attacking output and the divisions best defensive record. Manager Nigel Clough, son of football legend Brian Clough, has been in charge of the Stags for 165 games, dating back to November 2020, but they have been somewhat stuck in League Two during that time. This season, however, they have started strong, building on their eighth-placed finish last season – many League Two fans believe Mansfield are strong promotion contenders this season.

This scout report will provide a tactical analysis of Cloughs side, highlighting the critical elements of his tactics. The analysis will provide insight into their approach on the ball, where they have shown a lot of promise yet still with room for improvement, and we will also analyse their defensive tactics as we look to uncover why they have been so difficult to beat so far this season.

High crossing rates despite having no wingers

The use of wingers is such a common factor in football, and rarely do you see a team regularly deploy a system that features no true wingers. However, Mansfield do precisely that and still find plenty of attacking success in wide areas. Not only is this a unique tactical element, but it is also vital to their system – they average 19.64 crosses per 90, the highest crossing average in League Two, quite remarkable without any wingers! So how do they achieve this? This segment explores that and examines other essential components of their attacking tactics.

Clough has implemented a 4-3-1-2, which, on paper, looks to be a very narrow formation. And while it can be used by a team looking to play to the strengths of a narrow approach – and Mansfield do inflict their fair share of damage from central areas, their work in and out of possession allows for an excellent balance in width. In terms of attacking tactics, the full-backs are given the freedom to attack the flanks when the time is right, as you will see further on.

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