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Mar 4, 2022 9 tweets 4 min read Read on X
Thread 🧵

Counter-pressing explained... 🏃‍♂️⏱️
Counter-pressing is a strategy used to disrupt the opposition as soon as possession is lost – the point of defensive transition. It involves aggressively pressing the ball and the opponents near to the ball with several players... ⏱️🧵
Pressing is one of the five defensive principles, and has been an aspect of the game since football was invented. It grew in prominence from the '60s, when Ernst Happel, Rinus Michels, Valeriy Lobanovskyi and Arrigo Sacchi all had their teams adopt an aggressive press... ⏱️🧵
More specifically, counter-pressing is a translation from the German word ‘gegenpress’. Many German coaches, including Wolfgang Frank, Ralf Rangnick, Jürgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Julian Nagelsmann, have developed and used this strategy at various clubs... ⏱️🧵
In possession, teams make the pitch as big as possible by placing players all over the pitch. The aim is to increase the space to play in and the distances that the opposition have to cover when defending... ⏱️🧵
Klopp has used aggressive counter-pressing with success at Dortmund. This was high up the pitch in domestic games, and in the middle third against stronger sides in Europe. His Liverpool have become known for their suffocating counter-pressing in all areas of the pitch... ⏱️🧵
Guardiola has merged aggressive counter-pressing with his possession-based style. The use of full-backs who move infield, a false nine and inverted wingers mean his teams have extra bodies in central positions, ready to counter-press following a defensive transition... ⏱️🧵
Bielsa asks his teams to aggressively counter-press all over the pitch. When in possession, his players rotate positions constantly and are free to move all over the pitch. Bielsa then relies on the players closest to the ball to aggressively swarm around the ball-carrier... ⏱️🧵
With both RB Leipzig and Southampton, Hasenhüttl’s counter-pressing in midfield has proved a productive way of creating chances through counter-attacks. From a compact 4-4-2, his players crowd the space around the ball and limit the opposition’s chances of playing out... ⏱️🧵

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More from @CoachesVoice

Sep 23
New tactical analysis thread 🧵

Our UEFA-licensed coaches have analysed the tactics from yesterday's dramatic heavyweight fixture at the Etihad... 🌶️🧐

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#MCFC • #Arsenal

bit.ly/3MXapKO
Manchester City’s 4-3-3 started on the front foot as Arsenal initially attempted to press into the host’s half, in a 4-4-2 shape. Arsenal went player-oriented in the wide areas, with Declan Rice and Thomas Partey tracking Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gündogan’s forward runs. However, Silva’s wide runs to City’s right-side created space for Savinho to drive inside, penetrating against the aggressive jumping of Arsenal’s left-back, Calafiori. This helped disrupt and stretch Arsenal’s back line in the early stages, including when Haaland was slid in-behind to calmly open the scoring... 🧐🧵Image
It wasn’t long before Arsenal formed a low block, while City responded with a 3-1-5-1 shape. Josko Gvardiol moved into a left-side number eight role from full-back, with Gündogan as the central option underneath Haaland. Rodri – soon to be replaced by Kovacic – acted as the single pivot. Still, it was City’s right side that proved most potent, with Silva’s wider positioning supporting Savinho’s direct movements and dribbles against Calafiori... 🧐🧵Image
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Sep 19
Thread 🧵

The key points of a 4-2-3-1... 4️⃣2️⃣3️⃣1️⃣🧐
Stemming from tweaks to the 4-4-2 formation, and initially most popular in Spain, the 4-2-3-1 grew in popularity from the 2000s onwards. It has since been used with success by many prominent coaches, including Pep Guardiola, Arne Slot and Erik ten Hag... 4️⃣2️⃣3️⃣1️⃣🧵
Central protection...

The 4-2-3-1 requires defensive midfielders who can duel, tackle and intercept in individual battles. These midfielders must be alert enough to land on any second balls. They must have good acceleration and deceleration to help with this... 4️⃣2️⃣3️⃣1️⃣🧵 Image
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Oct 19, 2023
Thread 🧵

Ange Postecoglou back at school... 🇦🇺👨‍🏫

#THFC Image
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Nov 28, 2022
Fresh analysis thread 🙌

How Spain and Germany’s changes in attack cancelled each other out in an intriguing tactical battle between Luis Enrique and Hansi Flick... 🧐🧵

🔋 @Wyscout

#ESP#GER
Spain used a 4-3-3 structure and built play patiently from the back, despite Germany pressing aggressively from their 4-2-3-1. They moved the ball around the back line to isolate Thomas Müller, before a centre-back stepped out with the ball into midfield... 🧐🧵 Image
Olmo continued to move inside and Asensio dropped deep, in the process pulling Süle out of his position in Germany’s back line. This helped Spain to build out from the back and get around Germany’s increasingly effective high press... 🧐🧵 Image
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Oct 21, 2022
Thread 🧵

Inverted full-backs explained... ↩️🧐
Traditionally, full-backs are the widest players in a back four, and as a result they attack and defend mostly in the wide areas. However, full-backs who move inside into central spaces are known as ‘inverted full-backs’. This movement adds an extra presence centrally... ↩️🧐 Image
Although Pep Guardiola is the coach most associated with the inverted full-back, Johan Cruyff used them with Barcelona many years before. Then, he often converted the 4-3-3 into a 3-4-3 diamond, with one full-back inverting into central midfield... ↩️🧐 Image
Read 8 tweets
Oct 20, 2022
Fresh analysis thread 🙌

How Manchester United's midfield movements and Bruno Fernandes’ central influence helped them beat Tottenham to go fifth... 🧐🧵

🔋 @Wyscout

#MUFC#MUNTOT
Manchester United were set up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, but Fred pushed forward from the double pivot to become a number 8 and give them a stronger attacking presence in central midfield. Bruno Fernandes then adapted his positioning, moving into the left inside channel... 🧐🧵 Image
The hosts eventually pushed both full-backs higher, primarily working around the outside of Tottenham’s wing-backs. United’s wingers then came inside, with the freedom to rotate with Fred and Fernandes, as long as both inside channels were always occupied... 🧐🧵 Image
Read 6 tweets

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