A brief break from the in-depth tactical analysis here, to round-up the major European leagues, highlight this weekend’s crucial table-topping fixtures, and celebrate how wonderful European football has been this season. Read more »

What more can you say about this Barcelona side? European champions, La Liga champions and Copa Del Rey winners, all in the first season under the charge of Pep Guardiola. And they didn’t do it by merely winning games, they did it by winning in style, making them perhaps the most universally respected side of the decade. Read more »

It’s a shame that the three-man defence has become so unfashionable in recent years, because tactically it’s a lot more interesting and varied than a four-man defence. It essentially did the same job – with one fewer player, allowing the side to dominate the midfield with an extra man. Read more »

It’s easy to criticize Steven Gerrard at the moment. After all, he’s having the worst season of his career, in an amazingly underwhelming campaign for Liverpool, having come so close to their first Premiership title last time out. Meanwhile, more persistent doubts remain about his true ability as a footballer. The master of modern football tactics, Arrigo Sacchi, once said that Gerrard ‘lacks what I call knowing-how-to-play football’, describing him as ‘a great footballer, but not a great player’. Read more »

If you’re a centre-back making your Premiership debut, the one striker you don’t want to come up against is Didier Drogba. Skilful, strong and a great goalscorer, Drogba is almost unplayable on his day. Read more »

No major tactical surprises here, and no surprise outcome either. Ferguson’s default line-up for these ‘big’ games is a flexible 4-5-1 shape (which means no Dimitar Berbatov) whilst Benitez was always going to go with Lucas ahead of Alberto Aquilani for a more solid midfield away at Old Trafford. Read more »

Manchester United’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool this weekend was hardly a classic – it was a mundane, scrappy game producing few chances. Indeed, it is exactly the sort of victory United always achieve at this time of the season – picking up results without playing well. Read more »

Denilson is one of the Premiership’s most underrated players. After an impressive 2008/09, his place has recently come under threat thanks to the good form shown by Abou Diaby, especially in games where Arsene Wenger wants a more offensive slant to his midfield. Read more »

You have to admire Gianfranco Zola for going to the Emirates and playing a 4-4-2. Without his two best players, Scott Parker and Carlton Cole, it would have been tempting to do what most sides do when they play Arsenal away – go 4-5-1 and try and hit Arsenal on the counter. Read more »