Manuel Pellegrini:
“City’s success made new demands of United. Traditionally they were bigger but it’s changing; kids tend to support winning teams. English football changed but respects tradition. When I came in 1988 it was about getting the ball into the area quickly. Some of that essence is maintained. A team that’s 1‑0 up wants a second and a third.”

From the dirty, muddy pitches with crowds wanting transitions to the patient build-up, through Silva, KdB to Rodri. Or to other players, like Elliott, Kanté and Scholes.

F.C Barcelona - Real Madrid: Winners of the Spanish Super Cup, Xavismo continued.

[THREAD]

#JdPExplains A primordial game, though insignificant on paper. The Spanish Super Cup used to be a final game between the league & Copa Del Rey winners, but the format recently has changed. After Valencia and Betis were booted out by the archrivals, here they were to meet again.
A Clásico.

Oscar Hernández's experience on his first days with Mascherano's Argentinian U20 NT:

"With Mascherano, we introduced a more fundamental positional play. They discovered that many of the stereotypes people had over it [JdP] were erroneous. We noted that JdP doesn't restrict... ...But that there are zones that must be occupied, but that it doesn't have to be occupied by the "assigned player." The fullback can occupy the zone of the winger, the winger the one[zone] of the interior...the player has total freedom of movement to receive the ball".

Germany's exit explained – as requested – #JdPMiniThread I. Background

Since the 2014 World Cup Trophy, Germany's legacy has become forgettable. The 2016 Euros didn't convince many, and 2018 became the last straw for Joachim Löw – losing against South Korea in the process.

The Old Guard had to retire, change was coming.

Find the argument interesting, but I don't think I necessarily agree.

For one, I don't think John (or for the record, a majority of “us” — those that enjoy positionism”) suggest/ed “This is the perfect way football should be played.”

Instead, it's rather an ideal.

https://twitter.com/stirling_j/status/1597523931845779457

There's a concept, an ideal.
And there's a reality.

Those two a different. When me, John or any “positionist” for instance has watched a structurally similar space distribution on the basis of a passmap, and called it perfect, it doesn't mean it's infallible. In no way.

Matthias Jaissle:

On philosophy.

“I think it’s important that every club has a philosophy about the way they want to play. But what is also important for me as a coach: Here in Salzburg are guardrails – but within these guardrails, each coach can bring his own signature.” We often forget to differentiate club culture from individual coaching philosophy. With clubs that focus on home-grown talents, it's important that certain basics remain visible across all categories — but with different footprints from each manager to have player learning.

Always find the 'No Premier League experience' argument lazy, unfounded and perhaps even a myth.

Countless players have marked the PL w/o former experience — in an era where scouting has become the norm, one would expect a change in mentality. The likes of Pedri, Vinicius Jr, Alphonso Davies or Romero were not 'proven', and it's a risk — “the biggest risk one could take is to never take risks”.

It's a result of socio-cultural factors & it requires a shift in mentality to let football flow & evolve in Europe.

R.Pruna:

"At F.C Barcelona, what we really do is to train players so they can play to the highest level, and for that, cognitive training is essential."

We often talk about physical re-integration of an injured player. But what about the mental side of the game? "It is necessary that during a recovery, the player continues to visualize, that he keeps the capacity to react, to anticipate, the focus he needs during the games, the reflexes..."

Perhaps the best example to illustrate that is Samuel Umtiti, who changed for the worse.

Eintracht Frankfurt – F.C Barcelona:
When doubt arises from uncomfortable circumstances leading to regular, silly errors: Or how Frankfurt surprised Barcelona.

#JdPExplains

[THREAD]

📸: @Barca__pictures Barcelona's structure was composed of the usual elements, originally intending a 2atb (Slight alteration following Piqué's forced substitution), nonetheless including the usual positioning of the frontline + interiors. Araujo, as expected, remained reluctant to advance forwards.

F.C Barcelona – Real Madrid: Where Barcelona confirms its positive trend, and how Real Madrid saw a Xavi masterclass at the Bernabeu.

#JdPExplains

[THREAD]

📸 @Barca__pictures 1/ Barcelona's structure was similar to what was seen v Galatsaray or other opponents. Where FdJ/Pedri did not interact much, they both progressed dynamically following ball receptions on either side of the pitch. Important to note García's connection with Pedri.

F.C Barcelona – Atlético Madrid:

Revival for a first 2022 Camp Nou, Dani Alves, Adama Traoré, or how Xavi outclassed Diego Simeone to Barcelona's first major win in a while.

#JdPExplains

[THREAD] 1/ Xavi's usual build-up

With now Traoré sitting wide as the lone right-winger, Xavi seeked to implement his quadruple in the center to overload the center, with now Dani Alves inverting.

Xavi:

"What Simeone looks for is contrary to what we look for. He understands football in a different way. He feels comfortable without the ball, and I feel desperate on the touchline when my team doesn't have the ball".

Football was never a right or wrong, but differences. On what he aimed to achieve:

"We want to achieve numerical superiority in the midfield and we worked for it with two different systems: the 3-5-2 and the 3-4-3."

This turned out to be perfect for Dani Alves, helping as the +1 man in the midfield.

Athletic Club – F.C Barcelona:
How Marcelino dominated Barcelona and why possession is defending ~

#JdPExplains

[THREAD] Barcelona intended to build-up as accustomed but unlike previous encounters, access was blocked as early as the first phase of build-up. Neither of Piqué/Araujo pushed back Athletic Club's first line. In turn, that meant no Busquets in build-up & relying on full-backs.

Tuned into Galatasaray-Kasimpasa to watch how Domenec Torrent's team is doing in his beginnings. Obvious issues but for sure something to retain is that there are ideas that will need implementation. Of course not a good look to lose 1-3 against Kasimpasa, 15th in the Süper Lig. One experiment that however caught my eye & @QuanTue pointed out to me is the surprising role given to Patrick Van Aanholt. Found himself at the heart of every progression through the (weak) midfield as the Galatasaray's touchmap above portrays it. For sure an interesting idea.

Lucas Boyé:

"The smartest thing a player can do is interpret when to keep the ball for a bit longer and when to release it. Only a handful are able to decipher those moments. I always try to interpret what the game demands but many times I do it wrong." Every decision of a footballer betrays their state of mind, their understanding, their intentions. In an advanced role like Boyé's where space is scarce, each decision matters as touches on the ball are limited; Which is why he prefers to involve himself in the build-up.

Real Betis – F.C Barcelona: First defeat under Xavi: What went wrong, how to use Barcelona's weaknesses & interesting substitutions.

#JdPExplains

[THREAD] 1/ Real Betis cut off access to Busquets by playing two forwards between Araujo/Lenglet & Sergio. Full-backs were also man-marked, leaving Barcelona w/ the following question:
"How do we advance from there?"

They found the answer after a while: Patience to move Betis.

Manchester United – Arsenal: About a lack of organization, mentality, game tilt & why the score doesn't reflect the performance by either team.

#JdPExplains

[THREAD] Arsenal started the first minutes well off, unafraid to press United high. Carrick's men found it difficult to find passing outlets to evade the press. Arsenal were compact and high, cutting connections for the backline to advance to the midfield – improvement needed for ManU.

Villarreal - F.C Barcelona:
Through struggle comes faith, or why Barcelona can/should be grateful for yesterday's win in the near future ~

#JdPExplains

[THREAD] It is in the first minutes that Abde had already showed the world why he started against Villarreal. A 1v1 winger that Barcelona lack, able to receive the ball thanks to his runs off the ball & Abde toyed with his marker throughout the night.

A unique profile in the squad.

Barcelona-Benfica:
Success in failure and why yesterday's draw was beautiful in its own way.
#JdPExplains

[THREAD] Similar patterns repeated right away as Demir and Alba were tasked as width-holders on either wing, both with significant responsibilities they managed well. Gavi once again enjoyed runs in his opponent's blind-stop, helping Barcelona open up – i.e Nico in this situation.

Football's cruel, even at youth level. Barcelona's Juvenil A lost 3-0 to Benfica. Though the result suggests uncontested dominance, Barcelona's first half only lacked very little to change the game. Notably that most of Juvenil A's players are born in 2004 (1y younger than me!). The group was very difficult for Barcelona. Benfica & Kiev have been impressive throughout the campaign. Estanis was the highlight just like Casado: The former for his 1v1 attempts, the latter for his regular line-breaking passes – Casado has done it all season.

Curious about Atalanta's Sidibe & Panada concerning possible opportunities w/ the first team in the near future, especially after today's display. Both have been amazing for Atalanta's U-19.

Sidibe is really interesting btl to break the opposition, Panada to stabilize deep. Both are standouts in the domestic league as well w/ pretty good numbers, too. Key 2-3 win away from home for Brambilla's boys. Tonight's win leaves the Young Boys alone while Atalanta can still hope to qualify as United netted a last minute winner to make it 2-1 v Villarreal.