SV Column: A never-ending cycle
No matter what they do, they fail. This has become a motto for Schalke 04. The squad is undeniably good. The ambitions are high. Coaches have come and gone. Nothing has worked so far.
Dortmund hold their own against counter-focused Real Madrid
Meetings between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund have become a regular event in recent years and made for some special matches. On their return to the Champions League, Tuchel’s new-look side played host to Zinedine Zidane’s reigning-champions.
Substandard City triumph in Wales
Guardiola’s City travelled to Wales in their 10th game of the season as they looked to make it a perfect 10 wins from 10 at the start of the season. After their previous league game Guardiola credited Bournemouth as the Premier League side who had caused them the most trouble with their use of the ball and Swansea could be expected to pose a similar threat. Swansea meanwhile were aiming to avoid back to back league losses and a 5 game winless streak as they aimed to ease their relegation fears.
The SV Podcast: Episode 2
The panel discuss the Champions League, Bundesliga title contenders and much more.
Leipzig pressing blunts Dortmund attack
After Dortmund’s issues were clear to see in their opening win against Mainz, they were completely exposed by RB Leipzig. The pressing of the hosts gave them full control over the match for large periods in what was a disappointing performance for Tuchel’s side.
City dominate at Old Trafford
Manchester United hosted their local rivals Manchester City in the 172nd edition of the Manchester derby. Although the fixture is always eagerly anticipated, the additions of Mourinho and Guardiola to their respective teams created a unique level of tension and excitement.
Tactical Theory: The strategic potential of the blind side
In football one of the most underrated and yet most important aspects is perception and how it affects decision making and the execution of actions in all phases of the game. However the importance of perception is inherent given that every action on the field is influenced by what the players perceive. The most important and most commonly used dimension of perception in football is vision. Whilst players at times use other senses, the ability to view things such as the ball, team-mates, opponents and their positions on the pitch is vital.
Guardiola’s men wrestle control with structural shift
Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid met Guardiola’s Barcelona at the Bernabeu on the evening of the 10th of December 2011. Mourinho’s men went into the game with a 3 point advantage and were desperate to add to their solitary victory over their arch-rivals in Mourinho’s tenure.
SV Column: Are RB Leipzig just like any other nouveau riche club?
Everyone, including major international outlets, is talking about RB Leipzig these days. When in 2006 the Red Bull company started looking for a club in Germany they could use to market their famous energy drink, who would have thought that their project would make such headlines within a few years.
Enrique’s men resist Bilbao’s intense pressing
La Liga champions Barcelona made the short trip to the Basque country to take on Athletic Bilbao on Sunday evening. In what is one of the more eagerly anticipated clashes on the La Liga calendar, Bilbao’s intense and energetic pressing was pitched against Barcelona’s commitment to passing out from defence. What followed was a thrilling encounter where only poor finishing from both sides meant the game finished with one goal.