A SCATHING REVIEW of Enzo Maresca and Chelsea 🔵

“Respect defending or DIE!”

MEGA-THREAD! 🚨 Enzo Maresca may be unlucky in certain regards because the expectations at Chelsea are to compete with Liverpool and Arsenal when his squad is quite simply not on that level (the XI is, but the depth behind it is not), but he can't be excused for Chelsea's mid-block or mentality.

Arne Slot has one clear tactical flaw:

Defending against teams who use a box midfield or a 3-2 build-up shape in open play.

Liverpool only press with 4 against Palace's 5.

Good teams manipulate this to get time on the ball before playing vertically through Liverpool's block 👇

Arne Slot's idea in this moment is to trap the opposition to one side whilst leaving the far-side opponent unmarked.

This can work, on occasion, and it often works from situations like goal kicks because Liverpool can position themselves where they want from restart moments.

Xabi Alonso has created the most tactically complete Real Madrid that I have ever seen.

4-2-4 build-up, 3-2-5 attack, man-to-man pressing from the goal kick, & most importantly Madrid are getting effective pressure on the ball in open play!

A breakdown of the new-look Madrid 👇


Alonso has implemented some 🔝 in-possession dynamics.

A positional idea but fluidity/freedom is encouraged within the framework.

For example, Tchouaméni (one of the most intelligent players alive) has taken up a Kroos-esque role in the left half space with Carreras pushing on.

Newcastle-Barcelona is another clear example of why you need to actually watch games as opposed to seeking narratives through X.

Newcastle could have been 3-0 up inside 30 minutes & finished the game with more xG even though they often failed to get shots off.

Barca suffered 👇 Newcastle primarily played direct to use their superior physicality to bully Barca (often via restarts), but they also had some superb routines to bypass Barca's aggressive press.

Here, Martín jumps, Trippier sets inside, Elanga comes short, Gordon receives 1v1.

TOP automatism.

Thomas Frank and Spurs main problem in the 4-3-3 👇

The idea is to create a 3v2 in the first line against a 4-4-2, whether that be with the #6 dropping low or staying in the #6.

But the wide triangles have 2 wide with 1 inside.

Hard to combine like that. Low AND high width means your team plays in straight lines.

What is the winger meant to do here?

Spence passes to Simons, Pepe back-presses to cut the angle off to Spence, and Simons is stuck with his back to goal with a defender behind AND in front of him.

He loses the ball..

Aside from Fulham's goal kicks where United could lock on man-to-man, Ruben Amorim’s defensive idea prevented United from getting reliable pressure on the ball in the game.

As the game wore on, United got even worse defensively.

R. Amorim has to improve.

Post-match analysis 👇 Marco Silva played a 3-1-6 shape with Fulham’s #9 and #10 pinning United’s centre backs and their #8’s overloading the midfield two outside the block.

United's wingbacks were also consistently pinned which prevented them from getting out to Fulham's fullbacks when they were low.

Arsenal beat Leeds 5-0 yet all I can see is a team that have not fully clicked.

The 1st half was flat. Arsenal lacked creativity in open play.
I want more.

Although Eze has not even debuted yet, his importance is already extremely clear.

Below, I break it all down.

THREAD! 🚨 Arsenal were too flat for my liking against Leeds.

They exerted control with the ball thanks to Arteta's usual dynamics with Raya providing a +1, Rice and Zubimendi dropping into the first line, Ødegaard dropping from high to low, and the wide triangles being as dynamic as ever.

Pep Guardiola constantly talks about how much faith & trust he puts in his coaching staff.

The influence of Pep Ljinders on City's defensive idea backs up those words.

But City are not built to press like Klopp's Liverpool.

Many foolishly overlooked it vs Wolves...

THREAD! 🚨 City's new Ljinders and Klopp-esque pressing schemes are clear.

The idea is firmly zonal in comparison to the man-to-man defensive approach City had in recent years without Ljinders.

In the narrow 4-3-3, the idea is to force the opposition to one flank & trap them on the side.

3-2-5.

Timber tucked in, Calafiori pushed on.

Saliba with his studs on the ball to assess the situation and decide whether to play left or right with equal balance in his body weight and full control of the ball. He passes to Timber who dribbles forwards.

Timber tells Zubimendi to pick up the position he just vacated so Arsenal maintain their 3-2 base.

Zubimendi obliges.

Arsenal build with Saliba assessing the picture once again, except with Zubimendi low and Timber inverted.

Carlos Baleba 🔴⚪️

An analytical thread 🔻 Baleba reminds me of Mousa Dembélé.

Capable of dominating games via ball-carrying, ground coverage, intensity, & winning duels.

Has top quality in possession too, but rarely dictates through passing.

Dembélé was never 'great' because he didn't dictate & never arrived to score.

An in-depth analysis on what we can expect to see from the new-look Manchester United in 25/26:

✍️ Ruben Amorim
🔝 Benjamin Šeško
🇧🇷 Matheus Cunha
🔺 Bryan Mbeumo
🤯 Carlos Baleba

Read below 👇
THREAD! 🚨 The addition of Benjamin Šeško is of particular interest in this moment.

I have previously stated that he has the potential to become the best #9 in the world, and I stand by that.

First, let's discuss how he fits into Ruben Amorim's system before assessing Utd as a collective.

Arsenal 25/26:

Arteta's squad possesses depth, tactical versatility, the ability to control games with/without the ball & ELITE quality in many areas.

Gyökeres' signing adds necessary transitional power. Madueke's signing increases the demands to win NOW.
Do-or-die.

THREAD! 🚨 That squad is very special, but Liverpool, City, and even Chelsea can be special too.

As are many teams around Europe.

The time has come for Mikel Arteta to win at Arsenal.

Ultimately, that is what the process is all about. The journey is huge, but the destination is to win.

Arne Slot's idea remains TOP.

Lots of talk about Liverpool's transition issues yesterday but that is personnel related, not structural.

De Zerbi-type 4-2-4 patterns in the build-up, wide triangles in attack with lots of fluidity, occupation of key spaces despite a fluid idea 🔴

Man-to-man from the opposition goal kick with Salah pressing inside and the right back pushed on behind him.

Zonal idea in open play with Elliott splitting the #6's and Szoboszlai + Morton marking man AND space as they are prepared to screen the defensive line or jump to the #6.

Noni Madueke can be anything he wants to be 🔴⚪️
He has WORLD CLASS potential! 🤯

Below, in an in-depth thread, I break down:
- Madueke's profile on both wings,
- If he can fulfil that potential,
- And his tactical fit under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.

THREAD! 🚨 Noni Madueke, at his very best, has two stylistic profiles.

Both of them are most similar to Raphinha.

On the right, Raphinha dictated attacks and was creative.

On the left, he takes less touches but his output has gone to a new level because the angles make him play direct.

Christian Nørgaard to Arsenal ✅

This move is smarter than you think.

Let’s break it down through the lens of Mikel Arteta, the man who wanted Nørgaard in the first place.

THREAD! 🚨 Christian Nørgaard is a well-rounded midfielder.

A proactive, mobile, and attentive defender with aerial qualities.

Not a natural #6 with the ball as he plays with a right-sided bias, a bit like Jordan Henderson, but is brave to receive, has top range and underrated 'deftness'.

But but Viktor Gyökeres doesn’t score vs low blocks!!!

I laugh every time I read it.

An analysis on why Viktor Gyökeres is going to score an obscene amount of goals for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal.

THREAD! 🚨 Remember Luis Suárez in the box?

Like how he barged his way through defenders and the ball somehow stuck to his feet?

Gyökeres is also relentless when dribbling.

Not always squeaky clean, but he has a relentless mindset to create separation & the finishing to capitalise on it.

Zubimendi's signing has HUGE implications for Mikel Arteta's Arsenal 🔴⚪️

You know how Vitinha rotates with Neves/Ruiz?

Partey & Jorginho were not mobile/technical enough to do that — Zubimendi is!

Arsenal's ability to control games is about to go up another level 🤯
THREAD 🚨 Get used to rotations like this (see Oyarzabal and Zubimendi).

Zubimendi will have the license to move high along with the technical quality & mobility to pull it off.

Jorginho was intelligent enough to try it, but lacked the mobility in these areas.

Zubimendi is more dynamic.

Chelsea under Enzo Maresca — the bigger picture.

🇧🇷 João Pedro
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Jamie Gittens
✅ They have the quality to dominate with the ball
🔐 But if they want to win, the culture has to change

Let’s break it down.
A thread 👇 João Pedro is an exceptional footballer, and Jame Gittens has the potential to be one.

But the key for Chelsea and Maresca is to address their lack of physicality and entire culture which is not obsessed with defending the way it needs to be to compete with the elites.

Cesc Fàbregas might be football’s next elite manager.

Relentless pressing. Clear principles. Tactical detail you rarely see this early in coaching.

But his idea is not flawless — his defensive model still has cracks.

What sets him apart — and what he must refine 👇

THREAD! 🧠 Cesc Fàbregas' main idea in the defensive moment is to press with maximum aggression within a 4-2-3-1 base.

Man-to-man — even releasing to press the goalkeeper.

Ultra-aggressive!

You can also see how Como sensibly adjust the structure to match up with back 3's, for example.

Cesc Fàbregas isn’t just a name from the past — he might be Spain’s next elite coach 🇪🇸

La Masia DNA. Mentored by Pep, Wenger, Mourinho, Del Bosque, and Conte 🧠

Now shaping something serious at Como 🇮🇹 — like Mikel Arteta or Luis Enrique before their rise...

MEGA-THREAD! 🚨 Unsurprisingly, with that background, Fàbregas has had a successful first season as a coach with Como.

In an interview with @IJaSport, Cesc reveals his philosophy.

Instead of committing to one way, he wants his team to have as many solutions as possible.

Thomas Frank is one of the best defensive coaches in the SPORT! He also sets special standards, both on & off the pitch 🤯

Spurs' identity is about to change - his team will be a nightmare to play against.

Below, I reveal Frank's tactical ideas from start to finish.

THREAD! 🚨 Thomas Frank did an absolutely unbelievable job at Brentford.

The evolution epitomised common sense.

Early on in the Premier League, Brentford almost exclusively played a 3-5-2 / 5-3-2 which was ultra compact and aggressive in every phase with physicality in every area.