Wednesday, 18.06.2025

Tactical Theory: Diagonality

von am 12.06.2025 in den Kategorien Tactical Theory mit 0 Kommentaren

Over the last years, one of the main concepts regularly mentioned on this website – but so far rarely explained – is the one about Diagonality. Whether in the theory articles about the blind side, the discussion about relational football or 2014’s classic about The Half-Spaces, diagonality either played an implicit or a very explicit role. Yet, there hasn’t been a real deep dive into this topic – until now. The Fools of Spielverlagerung proudly present: An Article about an angle. Diagonality is here.

Collaborative article by  Addis Worku, Martin Rafelt, René Marić, George Jones & Judah Davies

Chat GPT: Diagonality Football’s Hidden Dimension of Play

von am 12.06.2025 in den Kategorien Tactical Theory mit 0 Kommentaren

Football is often framed in terms of vertical and horizontal play – attacking “directly” upfield versus spreading the pitch wide. Yet between these axes lies an equally crucial but subtler dimension: diagonality. Diagonal passes, runs, and structures connect the vertical with the horizontal, unlocking angles that pure north-south or east-west approaches cannot. In geometric terms, a player in a central position has roughly eight directions to play the ball (forward, backward, left, right, plus four diagonal angles), whereas near the touchline there are only five (forward, backward, square inside, square outside, and two diagonals) 1 . Those extra diagonal options dramatically expand the attacking vocabulary. Diagonality is not just a hybrid of vertical and horizontal – it is a first-principles concept in its own right, one that influences how space is created, perceived, and exploited at the highest levels of the game.

The Timing Game – MH

von am 31.03.2025 in den Kategorien Tactical Theory mit 1 Kommentar

The Timing Game describes a playing philosophy in which the right moment of an action is crucial. It not only allows pressing traps to be reversed but also enables teams to break down deep defensive blocks with precision. In the Premier League, Brighton’s then-manager Roberto De Zerbi took this tactical approach to a new level.

Overloads in Possession – MH

von am 15.01.2025 in den Kategorien Tactical Theory mit 0 Kommentaren

A key tactical tool in modern football is the use of overloads. Creating a (situational) numerical advantage allows for more effective combinations, opening up spaces, and disrupting the opponent’s defensive structure. This article explains the strategic benefits of overloads in various areas of the pitch and demonstrates how they can be created and exploited to pose challenges for the opposition.

Protagonists Of The Game – Between Absolutism and Relativism

von am 10.01.2024 in den Kategorien Tactical Theory mit 1 Kommentar

In this article we are trying to summarize a discussion about Positionism and Relationism in a somewhat different way. This discourse has evolved in various ways and shapes, often without a clear overview of the status quo of itself. By doing so, it did reach it’s intended goal already: Discuss football differently (again). Now we will try to give perspective and an update on the discussion by updating some premises of itself but also giving an outlook into practice and practitioners. Welcome to Spielverlagerung Discussion.