Arsenal

After a third successive season as the Premier League runners-up, Arsenal have been in the market for a serious overhaul. Mikel Arteta’s side had an impressive UEFA Champions League campaign, beating Real Madrid to reach the Champions League semi-final. However, their lack of goals in crucial situations, especially in their...

As the dust settles on the 2024/2025 Premier League season, the focus naturally shifts toward the lessons learned and what they might mean heading into the 2025/2026 EPL campaign. While headlines often revolve around goal scorers and playmakers, the foundation of any successful side remains defensive structure. In a fast-paced...

Arsenal have gone and spent £52m to secure the signing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea. On the surface, it looks like a very expensive backup signing, considering the Gunners already have one of the best right-wingers in the world in Bukayo Saka.  However, there is more underneath the surface with Noni...

With pre-season football fast approaching or already underway for some teams, small-sided games are valuable tools for increasing intensity, preparing players physically for the season, and reinforcing tactical concepts.  The three small-sided games included in this tactical theory can be incorporated into training sessions, aiming to improve wide players' understanding...

Valencia have been gutted on the transfer market over the last few years. After being taken over by Peter Lim about 10 years ago, the club aggressively signed many talented players, but with Lim losing interest in the club since the pandemic, Valencia have been more of a selling club....

What is Zone 14 In Football? In football, the pitch is divided into several zones in various ways. For this following tactical analysis, we will use the following division and definition for Zone 14: “On a pitch divided into a six-by-three grid with a central strip as wide as the...

After months of speculation, Arsenal looks on track to finally confirm the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Martín Zubimendi. The Gunners have now been Premier League runners-up three years in a row. The Spanish International could be key in driving Mikel Arteta’s side towards potential glory. He will share the...

As we have seen with many of Europe's top teams this season, attacking wingers can often be the difference-makers in close matches.  With many teams defending deep, inside their own defensive third, and crowding out the central areas, having a player who can go by a full-back and take defenders...

In the modern Premier League, success is no longer defined solely by goals and points. Tactical intelligence, data-led planning, and structural clarity have become essential in differentiating genuine progress from surface-level performance. This data analysis report utilises a combination of progressive metrics, possession models, and underlying performance data to examine...

It has been quite the season in the Premier League. At the summit, a fight to secure UEFA Champions League football in the next campaign broke out, lasting right up until the final day. For the second consecutive year, the three teams promoted last summer were relegated back down to the Championship....

The art of build-up under pressure is a fundamental aspect of modern football, especially for teams facing aggressive, high-pressing opponents. More than just a method to progress the ball, it represents a philosophy of play that transforms defensive risk into attacking opportunity. In this analysis, we’ll explore how top teams create structures, support...

After the game, though the scoreline was negative, Mikel Arteta said his Arsenal team were better in the second leg against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League semi-final by PSG with a 1-3 aggregate score, after PSG won the second leg 2-1 at Parc des Princes. However, Arsenal really did look...

The 2024/2025 Premier League season has become a tactical battleground where vertical progression and transitional threat are redefining success at the top level — this data analysis explains exactly how. In this data analysis report, we focus on how Liverpool, under new coach Arne Slot, have reclaimed their dominance with...

Paris Saint-Germain brought home a victory from their UEFA Champions League trip to North London. They beat Arsenal 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. As Mikel Arteta pointed out in his press conference, it was a victory down to the small margin and the efficiency of...

The evolution of inverted full-backs stands as one of the most significant tactical innovations of the past decade. Born from the need to manipulate central spaces and enhance control during the possession phase, this role has transformed the approach to deep build-up play and the creation of numerical superiority in...

Since Ashley Cole's international retirement, left-back has been a problem position for the England National Team. Luke Shaw has performed well when called upon. Still, regular injuries have limited his involvement and often forced Gareth Southgate to look to an out-of-position Kieran Trippier in recent tournaments. Yet, as Thomas Tuchel...

Real Madrid faced a considerable challenge in overturning the three-goal deficit against one of Europe’s most disciplined defensive sides. To stage a remontada against Arsenal, Madrid needed creativity and courage to disrupt Arsenal’s defensive structure. Yet, this was far from reality. Arsenal, content to concede possession, managed the game with...

We have all observed how Declan Rice scored two goals from direct free kicks to facilitate Arsenal's victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. It is widely recognised that direct free kicks can be decisive in football, particularly when a team possesses skilled...

This post is shared with permission from Billy Carpenter's Substack. Please follow and subscribe to his Substack if you enjoyed this piece. The spotlight rightly hovers over players and managers. They’re who we pay to see. But the architects of sustainable footballing projects often operate away from the floodlights, even...

The inverted full-back position is an ever-evolving position, and new ideas and tactics for best utilising these players are constantly being introduced. This tactical analysis will show some of the most common ways inverted full-backs are being used not just in the build-up but also to finish off attacks. Inverted full-backs can become...