It's interesting how many elite teams are still founded entirely on creating numerical advantages. Especially with teams like Inter now built specifically to prevent those advantages. I haven't seen Bayern attempt any attacking dynamic that isn't contingent on generating a free man.

In his current form I think Fermín is more effective as an outlet (like Raphinha) than a connector (like Olmo). I personally prefer Gavi as a compliment to Frenkie-Pedri because he reads the game and combines better.

The greatest strength of Frenkie de Jong is he knows where the football is. He'll delay, take risks, play back into pressure, if that's where the attack is leading him. Eric Garcia will just play the safest or most obvious pass. The team loses a lot as a result.

Ancelotti and Pellegrini are two coaches I highly respect. They don’t impose an abstract game model, but build a platform for technical and creative players to thrive. And their teams play great football.

Again.

The offensive levels that Pedri goes up when Olmo is on the pitch… I’ll return to this.

Is there a more entertaining watch than Barcelona this season? Genuine question.

Enjoyed this! In defence of modern football though, the average standard and watchability of the game is miles higher than it used to be. Everyone's a fan of individual creativity, until their own team does something stupid and the defensive midfielder and both full backs have suddenly gone missing.

Why we don’t see more creativity in football? What has happened to the beautiful game? Very grateful to collaborate here and extremly thankful to see years of research artfully crafted into this modern masterpiece.

This is the video that took over a month to make and (I hope) will spark some very interesting discussion. From Ronaldinho to Robots: How Football killed creativity. youtu.be/CAguK4fLOiM

City’s downfall is a good backdrop for the project I’ve been working on for the past month. (Yes I have been working on content)

His right foot can do that???

Barcelona are one of the more ‘relational’ top teams, and even they are nowhere near prepared enough for Atalanta’s man-to-man. Forget about position and looking for space. Get close to each other, play into pressure, commit players, pass and move.

I love how Atalanta force teams to play in completely unfamiliar ways. Fun to see Barcelona pushed to another level of movement and unpredictability (and glad they have the licence to move.)

A lot of kids are going to fall in love with football because of Lamine Yamal. And I’m not sure there’s a higher compliment than that.

The mid-block is not the way to go against Flick’s Barca. Either commit to the press or park the bus. Conceding space in front AND behind is a death-wish.

Top stuff from @thepuristfootball.bsky.social The best video tactics content around.

The world is healing(?)

Imo football tactics are shifting in a really interesting way. I think we’re on the cusp of top games looking/feeling quite different. To set the scene for that discussion, I analysed Guardiola’s positional play, and how it’s influenced most of modern football. www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxSd... ttx

Liverpool are a really interesting variation on positional play. Still finding the words to describe it… but while many teams are ‘side-to-side’, they’re more ‘in-and-out’. Lots of bounce passes to draw pressure, lots of counter movements, and vertical passes into pockets or deep runners.

Big Anthony Gordon fan. Much smarter footballer than people realise.

Lots of central options, could attack the box directly… …instinctively shuffles the ball wide.

Barcelona couldn’t get the result despite delivering one of their most dominant performances of the season

A ‘that’s football’ moment. Thought Barca played some of their best football of the season. Pedri’s qualities as a 10, being unlocked by Olmo, is really special to watch. When they lean more on those relationships they look monstrous. These things happen.

New video analysis on Hansi Flick’s Barcelona! Including: - How they manipulate space - Why Olmo is important - Yamal as a game-breaker Check it out :) youtu.be/63hzmoGGxjU ttx

Got a Barca video analysis coming later today :)

Pedri’s role in this team is perfect and his genius gives them so many different dimensions. Controlling from deep, always finding the player in space. But then becoming a 10 at the heart of the combinations around the box. Near-complete footballer.

One of Flick’s big weaknesses at Bayern returning at Barcelona I think. Very little consideration for buildup when pressed. Too happy to isolate the forwards and create a bunch of 1v1s. Really unnecessary given the technical quality and stops you exerting periods of pressure.

Mac Allister is the glue. In quite a meticulous Liverpool system, he still plays so intuitively. Almost every attack goes through him. One of my favourite players right now.

So many players get put in a box. It takes a smart football person to break the mould and see the real version of a player. Hansi Flick realised Raphinha was a centre forward (second striker, whatever) and not a winger and look what happened.

It’s not rocket science, but Flick’s Barca do a *very* good job in general of creating space between the lines. Use the fullbacks to stretch the midfield line and then overload the gaps. But without Lamine Yamal, cycling back and forth to find those gaps becomes the only mode of attack.

Think @blayasensat.bsky.social said it, but Barca lose a lot when Raphinha has to create rather than run. It’s not that he’s a bad creator, I really like the directness of his passing. But there’s nobody else replicating those runs.

Enzo Fernández is a good footballer. When you allow him to be mobile and have mobile pieces around him, he adds tempo to possession and makes a lot of valuable passes. Am I surprised he struggles in a strict positional system? No.

Been too long since I’ve watched Messi. It’s funny how the more you learn about the game the more inexplicable he is. Deep playmaker, game-breaking dribbler, BTL connector, box predator etc etc. He takes ‘complete’ to another level.

Filipe Luís’ Flamengo look pretty interesting. Keeping tabs.

Freedom 😌