Toulouse 2021/22: How inverted wingers helped lead Montanier’s side to the Ligue 2 title – scout report

Narrowly missing out on promotion to Ligue 1 in the 2020-21 season, before losing in the playoff final, Toulouse had extra incentive to achieve their goal this season. The manner of that two-legged defeat to Nantes, the last decided by the away goals rule, fuelled their desire even more.

The South of France side were relegated in season 2019-20 when the league was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, with ten games to go and being 14 points from safety, relegation appeared inevitable. Damien Comolli, who had previously worked in the recruitment department of EPL clubs Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and Liverpool, came into the club as president that summer.

Comolli used statistics to determine that the best-attacking team in Ligue 2 had the best chance of automatic promotion. A team’s defensive performance was deemed as less important, with few teams holding the best defensive record gaining promotion. Going against the conventional wisdom of “defence wins championships”. These statistics were used to guide the clubs recruitment policy and the team’s playing philosophy.

Head Coach Philippe Montanier, appointed in June 2021, has implemented Comolli‘s attacking philosophy to great effect. The former Real Sociedad and Nottingham Forest boss has his side playing free-flowing, expansive football.

This analysis will be presented in the form of a scout report. The focus will be on Toulouse’s build-up play and how they create goalscoring opportunities through their use of inverted wingers. In this tactical analysis, we analyse the key tactics behind Toulouse’s promotion success in the 2021-22 campaign.

Statistical Analysis

As the above tactical diagram shows, Toulouse’s preferred formation in the 2021/22 season was a 4-3-3. However, as will be covered in the next section, they often created a 4-2-4 or even a front five in the build-up phase. The front three, as indicated in the diagram, often played inverted with the wingers occupying the half-spaces.

Montanier’s attacking philosophy is evident in his sides 2021/22 league statistics. Toulouse scored by far the most goals in Ligue 2 with 82. The next highest goals tally was Auxerre’s, who finished the season in third-placed, with 61. Ajaccio, who claimed the second automatic promotion spot, scored less than half Toulouse’s total with 39.

Toulouse