20 y.o Football Coach/Analyst from Northern Ireland | 1-2-1 + u10s/u13’s Coach @ R-Kix | 3rd Year @ UCFB (Manchester) | Academy Scout @ Everton | UEFA C License
Last night, I had another watch of Bayern vs RB Leipzig (German Super Cup Final) from Saturday Night (12/08/23). The game finished 3-0 to Leipzig. The main focus of this analysis is to look at how RB Leipzig operated, mainly Out of Possession, to achieve this victory.
(Thread)
Rewatched the Brighton vs Manchester United FA Cup game from 23/04/23. My analysis will focus mainly on Brighton’s play In and Out of Possession.
(Thread)
Recently had a look back at Man City’s 6-0 win over Burnley (18/03/2023) mainly focusing on analysing City to find how they achieved this victory…
(Thread)
Recently went back to continue my analysis on Lazio under Sarri over the last 2 seasons. This time, the Derby della Capitale between Lazio and Roma, which took place on 06/11/22…
(Thread)
Great to finally get the UEFA C License finished. Best thing about these courses are how they challenge, but don’t dismiss, how you interpret football. Onto the next one…🙌🏻🙌🏻
Over the weekend, I watched back Bayern Munich’s last 2 games, a 3-0 loss in the Supercup vs RB Leipzig and a 4-0 win in their first league game against Werder Bremen. This analysis will focus on Bayern In Possession and how they dealt with the 2 different opponents.
(Thread)
Out of Possession - Suffocation Third
4-2-3-1 Press vs 4-2-4 Build-Up (1/2):
- Aggressive press from ST means when ball is switched to RCB AM has to jump out to press
- Shape jumps from 4-2-3-1 > 4-4-2
- Aggressive press works here, as Leipzig win a throw on halfway
Interesting how “unstable” and “chaotic” this looks, yet this is the same team in training
Maybe just become a product of their training environment and are comfortable within this, can read situations + strong associative play due to their repetitive environment in training
Rewatched parts of the Lazio 4-0 Milan game from 22-23 and wow, when SarriBall works, it is unbelievable to watch! Progression through third man combos, team-wide effort to achieve these moments (awareness + support for next pass) and 4-3-3 > 4-4-2 > 3-5-2/3-6-1 press in moments
Had a watch of Brighton vs Chelsea from 29/10/22. Wanted to get a perspective on how RDZ has introduced his ideas at Brighton, ahead of the Arsenal game later…
(Thread)
Had another watch of the Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund game from the start of the month (01/04/2023). This was Tuchel’s 1st game in charge. The main focus here will be on how Bayern played, whilst currently in a moment of transition to a new coach.
(Thread)
In Possession - Construction Third
2-2-4-2 Shape from Goal Kick (1/2):
- Aim here to use build-up to create space higher up by baiting opponent in to press
- CM’s start deep on the edge of the 18
- FB’s move higher + wider level with the dropping AM + ST
Watched Lazio - Inter from 26/08/22. A pretty enjoyable game overall. Will share my thoughts on Sarri’s Lazio and how some ideas have translated from last season into the early part of the new season.
(Thread)
In Possession - Build-Up Third
Build-Up in a 4-2-4 (2/2):
- Front 4 start narrow but here, RW times movement wide whenever RB receives which opens space for forward run from CM
- Even after losing ball, notice how aggressive they are to stop Bayern attack
Anyone interested ahead of tonight’s 2nd Leg, check out this analysis below. Centred around the Vinicius goal mainly but addresses issues I think may be seen/solved tonight, on Bayern Munich’s part.
The main element was the Out of Possession approach in middle phase/own half
Really interesting listening to
@Jon_Mackenzie
@MartinRafelt
talk about Positional Play, Relationism etc.
Big thing that I’ve seen, which Martin mentioned, was “when” a team applies these.
My known example is Lazio under Sarri who would build in their own half in… (1/2)
- LB/LW adjusting to inside/outside left spacing
- Distances between midfield here
- RW inversion to exploit space (Rabiot dragged both times) as RCM vacates his space (seen early + the eventual forward pass)
- Lift in tempo + aim for combination as ball goes forward
Bayern block in middle third slow to shift horizontally from left to right as Madrid switch play, oepning lane between Laimer and Sane for Madrid to play into Vinicius.
CB not jumping either which is quite risky if Vinicius isn’t closed down quickly after receiving here
In Possession - Build-Up Third
Build-Up in a 4-2-4 (1/2):
- Look to play through within less time and touches, more vertical in their actions
- Start with FB’s deep and CM’s positioned behind 1st line of Bayern press
4-2-4 Midblock:
- Wingers narrow, City forced wider in initial phases
- Front 4 protect 3 central lanes and screen central players
- Mainoo/Amrabat go tight man-marking with Foden/KDB, when ball is central
- Back 4 stay narrow but FB’s to jump as ball goes wide
Watching some Napoli under Sarri clips. With Jorginho being the main receiver (like to find him facing forward) as the DM, it’s interesting how its not only through third mans or combinations but also just simply through his ability to turn and open/close his hips when receiving
Rewatched the Belgium vs Slovakia game. Dare I say Belgium didn’t look that bad?!?!
Slovakia asked alot of questions with their setup off the ball. Very Sarri-like 4-1-4-1, moving into a 4-4-2 on switch between CB’s (CM jumping).
Few thoughts below👇🏻👇🏻
Tbh my biggest issue is people thinking one style’s better than the other. It’s all football, people have preferences.
I can appreciate someone sitting in deep, setting up well for long + 2nd balls as much as watching someone break down a low block.
As long as its all quality
Out of Possession - Suffocation Third
4-4-2 High Press vs 4-2-4 (1/2):
- Decision to be aggressive or passive seems to be down to the 1st Pressers action (here high and aggressive)
- As ball goes to LCB, RST is aggressive to put him under pressure with RW + RCM backing him up
Thanks to everyone who has got this far in the thread. I hope you enjoyed it and perhaps you picked up some other observations and interpretations from the game.
Any Thoughts or Feedback is Much Appreciated!!🙌🏻
Quite like Baleba in midfield for Brighton. Does the usual job of a Brighton/De Zerbi CM well but also seems keen to drive forward with the ball.
Great awareness aswell to read where the next pressure is coming from and make his decision to combine or turn out via this.
Out of Possession - Suffocation Third
4-4-2 High Press vs 4-2-4 (2/2):
- Far-side ST will look to move onto the Ball-Side Bayern CM to ensure he can’t open out and beat press
- Results in a 4v4 situation in the corner, Bayern have no outball to find due to tight man-marking
Out of Possession - Defensive Third
4-4-1-1 Shape to Defend:
- Aim to close central spaces and force play wide
- Midfield 4 less compact than defensive 4 and look to be main pressers
- When ball is wide, back 4 remains width of 18 while WG presses
- AM stops access to DM
Out of Possession - Suffocation Third
Far-Side ST Fails to Cover:
- Within an aggressive press, being attracted to the wrong player can kill the press
- In the same space where Leipzig created a 4v4 (last clip), they are outnumbered 4v3 as far-side ST fails to cover Ball-side CM
Don’t think Lazio have been too bad. Created some decent chances and defended with a strong mentality, although perhaps too passive.
See in the below thread how Lazio adjust their press against 2CB’s vs 3CB’s. Feel Sarri set up for 2CB’s in initial press and has adjusted now.
Timing of Lazio jumps in press and moments of intensity is so much more united and frequent than I’ve seen this season.
Jumping AS A TEAM, provoking little mistakes from a Bologna team who I love but are prone to these silly mistakes as we’ve seen in games recently
Issue with Narrow United Wingers:
- United restricted City success centrally, forcing them to play wider to attack inside, with mixed success
- AWB jumps to press due to Garnacho narrow in front 4
(1/2)
People may disagree but this is a great example for coaches at any level, when chatting to a group. You have to be a strong communicator to be able to keep a group engaged and/or interactive, when speaking for 2+ mins
I make this mistake all the time haha🤣😭
However, some managers plan meticulously, but then over-think it & effective communication is lost.
In the 2020 final, Southgate spent a mighty 3 min, 30 sec on logistics (e.g., revising notes and deciding about his penalty takers
#6
-10).
Indecisiveness can be contagious.
4/8
Bayern vs Leipzig
In Possession - Build-Up Third
2-4-4 shape vs 4-2-3-1/4-4-2 Press (3/3):
- Leipzig press in this third disrupted Bayern control
- I would question if CMs can do more to aid RB (ball-side CM drops deep and wide behind RB and far-side CM moves into vacated space)
Out of Possession - Control Third
4-4-2 Midblock (2/2):
- ST closes down RCB with LW ready to aggressively press RB with a hope to win ball back here
- Positioning of far-side ST means Bayern RCM cannot receive from RB or would be under immediate pressure
The amount of stick Lukaku gets is unbelievable. So much quality in hold up, will run channels, finds decent spaces in the box. Same old story of inconsistency in finish but the positives outweigh the negatives by far imo
Great week at the SuperCupNI with County Armagh Juniors. Hell of an experience within video + analysis at this level which is invaluable at a young age. Thanks to
@mporter308
,
@chrisy_c
, Mikey, Bucky and everyone else for the help (…and
@AaronAgnew_
for recommending me) 🟠⚫️
No matter how this game goes, need to watch this Holland OOP setup again🤯🤯 Not for great reasons haha
Played around so easily in early/mid phases, Midfield stetched picking up runners, CB’s not seemingly aggressive enough, little to no pressure when defending around their box
Feel a big detail about this jump from CB > midfield is the timing.
I’ve seen the CB jump later in the move, rather than immediately, perhaps to disrupt the opposition press in a dynamic moment.
Allows CB to pick spaces pressers may vacate or attract pressure to free others.
Bologna's ability to maintain a stable structure despite incredible individual fluidity is fascinating, and the CBs play a significant role in this.
Focus on Jhon Lucumí (26). Starts the clip as a CB, moves into a CM position, supporting both wide areas, and then stays at RB.♻️
Issue with Narrow United Wingers:
- Twice Amrabat dragged in by Foden/KDB’s positioning
- Their movement to attack space in behind Amrabat opens space for 2nd man to receive before slipping them through
- Big distances for United FB’s to jump, with City FB’s deep + wide
(2/2)
Really basic errors in Chelsea’s press again. So much space between 1st + 2nd line of 4-4-2 allowing Partey to receive.
Again, Caicedo jumping onto Partey after and space around Enzo exposed.
CB’s not jumping and leaving 1v1 against Havertz either. Tough
4-4-2 High Press Fail:
- In buildup, 2ST’s screen Rodri + Akanji (CM’s)
- Jump from Palmer after initial angled press = group message to be tight and aggressive, esp on ballside
- Jackson tight to ballside DM here however Madueke caught 2v1 between farside CM and LB
(1/2)
Bayern vs Leipzig
In Possession - Build-Up Third
2-4-4 Shape vs 4-2-3-1/4-4-2 Press (1/3):
- As ball travels back to CB’s, Leipzig jump from 4-2-3-1 to aggressive 4-4-2
- Back 4 is stretched by Bayern Wingers, with Bayern ST’s playing between the midfield-defensive line
Don’t want to act like i’m superior and others are dumb about such a game full of many factors and incredibly subjective…
However, some people I just avoid speaking to football in any serious way about🤣🤣
4-5-1 > 4-4-2 Press vs Back 3 (2/2):
- Far-side Winger (LW here) will tuck in to form a 4-4-2
- Shape shifts to cover ball-side spaces
- Ball-side FB aggressive to jump if Ball-side WB is found
Foden/KDB Movements:
- Need Foden/KDB work together with ballside of the 2 moving into spaces deeper/wide of the united block (Foden here) to open space for KDB 1v1 centrally (if Foden’s tracked) or allow Foden to carry forward if not tracked (would need cleaner build-up)
(1/2)
Defensive Transitions:
- Aggressive in many situations after loosing the ball not only to win it back but also to commit fouls early and disrupt Bayern attacks while Leipzig may be out of shape
Out of Possession - Control Third
Temporary 4-3-3 Press:
- Due to Bayern’s FB’s beginning to play at different heights (RB deep, LB high) Wingers follow this to form a temporary 4-3-3
- RW stays deep and narrow while LW goes high and aggressive to match up
Had a watch of Porto vs Lazio from 17/02/22
A really enjoyable game overall. Below I’ll post some bits on how Lazio done and different strategies implemented by Sarri.
(Thread)
4-4-2 Midblock:
- Chelsea defend in compact 4-4-2
- Caicedo being aggressive to jump onto a City CM, depending on which ST jumps to press (avoid DM being free man like in final third clip)
- Knock on now RB must pick up KDB, leaving wide right free for Grealish
(1/2)
Also, the whole “this game is boring”, “this game is a tactical masterpiece” arguments are very boring. Surely we know people take in the most dynamic and “weird” sport in the world, in all different ways. No need to “know ball” or try stand out from the crowd.
A few areas that will be focused on in the In Possession Section include:
1. 4-3-3/4-2-4 Build-Up
2. Temperament in Actions in Build-Up Phase (Particularly use of Jackson)
3. Movement into 3-2-5 Shape (Control/Final Third) + Variety of Rotations within this
Out of Possession - Suffocation Third
4-2-3-1 Press vs 4-2-4 Build-Up (2/2):
- This jump forces CM’s to then step onto Bayern double-pivot leaving spaces between the defence-midfield for Bayern’s central attackers to exploit
Teams like Bologna, Leverkusen, Arsenal all getting huge credit by “tacticos” on here isn’t some trendy coincidence (for the most part)
Just some of the new “hybrid” teams. Arsenal went from controlling the game in possession to controlling out of possession so easily…
@umirf1
From my watching over the last year or 2, Lazio suffered from this. Much of their work in possession, in the opposition half was “connected” by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. His eventual loss last summer was a huge factor towards their downfall and Sarri leaving, imo.
This rondo variation is far better than the usual flat rondos we see/coach. Constant pass + move/new angle ideas. Even as an arrival activity, gotta stimulate good habits imo
7 seconds in is my favourite part. Outside moves inside, sets for new angle to allow pass + move inside
Wanted to speak about the United press quickly, in this phase:
- 3-2-4-1 shape
- Aim to stop BR central play
- Shaw steps up beside Casemiro to form box midfield and match BR 4v4 centrally
- WG’s start narrow
- ST angles press to cut off spare CB
- 3v2 advantage on last line
In Possession - Control Third
Wide Movements (2/3):
- Another similar example here
- Look at Enciso’s movements to fix the LW and allow Gross to receive with time and space, wide right
- Again, March moves inside as Gross begins to push higher up on the right
Adaption to 3-2-4-1 High Press:
- Adapted 4-1-4-1/3-2-4-1 aggressive press
- Enzo higher besides Palmer to press CM’s
- CBs step out to track City attackers
- Aggressive approach but nearly gets a regain - in same move also allows a clean exit for City (High Risk vs High Reward)
Out of Possession - Defensive Third
4-4-2 Deep Block (2/2):
- Once ball goes wide, look to press over quickly here with FB’s and even CB’s pulling out to mark their man and CM’s covering central spaces
I think this clip is really interesting in terms of the current look at positional/relational teams.
Here, I would argue Lazio use a mix, as
@toni_Gagliardi
explains in his recent work, of perimetral and spatial players.
Midfield all adjusting angles, RW too. LW/LB… (1/2)
- LB/LW adjusting to inside/outside left spacing
- Distances between midfield here
- RW inversion to exploit space (Rabiot dragged both times) as RCM vacates his space (seen early + the eventual forward pass)
- Lift in tempo + aim for combination as ball goes forward
Movements + Rotations in 3-2-5:
- Caicedo drops between CB’s
- Enzo + Palmer work as 2 main receivers infront of 3
- FB’s move high into attacking line (Gusto varies width inside due to Madueke wide right)
(1/2)
Chelsea 4-3-3/4-2-4 Build-Up:
- Both CM’s working at different heights to connect different phases (Palmer + Enzo)
- Mixed approach from Chelsea taking few risks in build up and looking to play forward earlier at times
(1/2)
Interesting United Front 4 - 2 wingers who are threats in behind and a central pairing both who can pick space (specifically Fernandes) with McTominay’s physical threat when playing direct centrally.
Front 4 when defending left a transitional threat that City had to be wary of.
Recently went back and watched Lazio vs Spezia from the 28/08/21. The game finished 6-1 to Lazio despite going down 1-0 to begin with.
For the first time, I’ll post some trends in and out of possession I seen from Lazio as SarriBall continues to peak my interest: (Thread)
In Possession - Construction Third
Beating United Pressing Triggers:
- As ball comes from CB-CM, United anticipate usual Brighton pattern to find far-side CB
- This commitment opens the pass to LB
- Again, as LB receives facing forward, tempo lifts to form a breakout attack
Variation in 3-2-5:
- Ball-side FB moving high + wide
- Far-side FB stays deeper and slightly narrow to support CB’s in transition (+ potential fluctuation of width in switch to unbalance City shape)
(1/2)
Chelsea In Possession Summary:
I thought Build-Up was weak, with an overeliance on going long
However, given the game plan to play heavily in transitions, this created these moments + stretched the game + City
Jackson strong receiving back to goal, Palmer great in pockets
Thanks for checking this bit of analysis out. Hopefully you enjoyed a longer thread covering 2 different types of opponents.
Any thoughts or feedback is appreciated!!🙌🏻
This Real Madrid press seems to be there for the taking. 4-2-4 and CM’s getting dragged out of the centre frequently. Perfect opportunity for Barca to breakout
In Possession - Control Third
Playing Through Central Spaces:
- As mentioned above, emphasis usually to play through these central spaces
- Body shape from Estupinan to find far-side CB
- As far-side CB receives, MU shuffle over leaving space for ST to receive in (poor touch)
Impacts on City Build-Up:
United done well to close off Foden/KDB initially, with Amrabat/Mainoo going tight 2v2.
Solution for City imo revolves around separating and creating space between United’s CMs, to play through or isolate either of them 1v1. Below ideas show this👇🏻
General post but so happy with how “open” my head is towards football atm. Used to neglect certain aspects of football in my coaching and analysis (physical, Out of Poss, “battles” etc - funny being from NI🙃)
Appreciate these a lot more besides my existing ideas on the game🤣🙌🏻
Odegaard constantly aware of outball through LCB when pressing high, which limits his jump to press GK, when Villa circulate again, allowing Villa to slow down again
Any potential jump from Ode allows for outball on farside (3rd man through centre), overloading Sala + White 3v2
1st Clip - Space between RCM/RW opened/Success by KMJ being aggressive:
- RW anticipates Real circulating to left side, leading to slight jump
- RCM forced to jump to press midfielder leaving Vini free to find angle off RCM
- KMJ aggressive as Vini receives, launching counter
4-4-2 High Press Fail:
- In buildup, 2ST’s screen Rodri + Akanji (CM’s)
- Jump from Palmer after initial angled press = group message to be tight and aggressive, esp on ballside
- Jackson tight to ballside DM here however Madueke caught 2v1 between farside CM and LB
(1/2)
Use of Rodri + Kovacic:
- Good work to find the space, development of this over the 30 mins, gotta be brave in execution here to find spare man early
- See Haaland moving deep to overload midfield line 3v2
- Kovacic found, lack of support around him immediately + United recovery
In Possession - Control Third
Wide Movements (1/3)
- Ball-side CB has time + space to travel (mentioned above)
- Ball-side FB then moves higher in the wide lane
- To compliment, Ball-side WG moves inside to double up on LB and leave one free to receive
Italy beating press well getting into wide areas under heavy pressure then using a diagonal into central more advanced spaces to escape. Barella again so key in breaking out
Failing to carry momentum into Spain half in attack, lack of strong ball carriers there in big spaces imo
The synergy and connections relevant to all 3 of these teams, in their best moments, is key.
Connections + Synergy outweigh the stylistic details each one has.
after Sarri’s Napoli, this is the next most synonymous team to Pep’s Barça. so many shared elements.
the distances. the deep, horizontal overloads. the dynamic arrivals into space. pass counts & speed. technical details. distribution of responsibility to create pass lanes etc.
Poch project has Chelsea hasn’t exactly gone to plan but after the analysis I done on them and watching tonight, I’m intrigued in seeing how/if they move on next season.
Maybe need to watch them against teams that let them have the ball, then make my judgement…
4-4-2 Midblock:
- Gives Madueke 2 jobs: press Ake when he receives + recover to defend Grealish
- Press angle may help Madueke here to screen Grealish (show Ake inside) but 3rd man LB-CM-LW may unlock this
(2/2)
Regardless of result, Brighton always a great watch. Constant central combinations are mesmerising. Small details in creation of angles, ball speed in different moments, awareness of where the next pressure is coming from etc etc.
Honestly beautiful🙌🏻🙌🏻