Italy – Costa Rica 0:1
Back threes and fives remain unbeatable at this World Cup. Back fours are dead. And oh shit, Costa Rica is good!
FC Augsburg – Borussia Dortmund 2:3
Borussia Dortmund picked up the first points of their Bundesliga campaign with a 3-2 win away to FC Augsburg. Jürgen Klopp’s side clearly dominated the first half and could have ensured victory with a little more ease, but conceded two goals in the last ten minutes of the match.
Manchester City – Liverpool 3:1
On match day 2 the top 2 teams of last year’s Premier League met in the Etihad Stadium. Liverpool had a slight lead at the end of last season and an infamous 2:0 loss to Chelsea & a 3:3 tie with Crystal Palace allowed Manchester City to steal the League title from underneath Liverpool’s noses.
How Van Gaal will rebuild Manchester United
Italy was the natural home of the back three in the last ten years. But it is enjoying a resurrection in international football at present and could be introduced to many clubs in domestic football leagues. Louis van Gaal led the Netherlands to a World Cup semi-final with a 3-4-1-2
Man Coverage / Man-to-Man-Marking
The two most prominent methods of coverage used in soccer today are man and zone. In this article we’ll explain the different types and characteristics of man coverage as well as their advantages and disadvantages.
Champions League final: Real Madrid – Atletico Madrid 4:1
Real Madrid have won the Champions League in 2014. In a final full of pressing, switching play, and cramps, they had the upper hand over an Atlético Madrid side that was fully devoted to fighting for the win.
Liverpool – Chelsea 0:2
Jose Mourinho sent his B-team to Anfield, prioritizing reaching the Champions League final. Despite the weakened lineup, however, they managed to steal three points from Liverpool and make the race for the title extremely exciting again.
In-depth analysis: Bayern Munich – Real Madrid 0:4
Real Madrid allowed only four shots on goal in the 2nd leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Guardiola’s FC Bayern München. Is Guardiola’s Tika-Taka finished or has Carlo Ancelotti simply developed an enormously effective counter tactic?
Dortmund’s hidden diamond vs. Mainz
That’s the ball game! BVB find an offensive concept that works after months of tinkering. Against Mainz two play-making structure givers on the wings created a hidden diamond with diverse creative potential.
Three at the back, chains and variations of it
In this World Cup we have witnessed a big tactical trend emerge: the abandonment of the back four as dogma. While only one team at the 2010 World Cup played without a back four, several teams used a different style of defense this time around.