2023 Advent Calendar
Find links to each post, the original articles, and the extended excerpts below.
Come back each day for an excerpt from one of my top Total Football Analysis articles from the past four years.
All links are provided in the comments.
THREAD 🧵on centerbacks
What does intelligent movement look like at the centerbacks position?
I’ve studied some of the best the game has to offer in the hopes of helping my own players better understand the role.
Here’s what I found.
Incredible message from La Liga.
They've singlehandedly shutdown more fan and analyst accounts than any other league.
Free marketing and educational material is piracy, apparently.
They deserve every bit of the backlash they're getting for this insulting, out of touch message.
The
#NCAA
Transfer Portal has 2,233 entries for D1 and D2 men's soccer players.
There are roughly 12k men's soccer players between the 2 divisions.
That means 19% of D1 and D2 players are trying to transfer.
19% doesn't include those who simply stop playing.
Prioritize fit.
Midfield 4s are back in fashion.
But that line of 4 isn’t strictly in the traditional 4-4-2.
My latest article examines the roles of center mids in midfield 4 variations.
🧵THREAD on
#6
/8 Roles in a 4-Man Midfield
#SundayShare
@SundayShare10
Scoring goals is the most difficult part of football.
Movements that lead to goals are the hardest things to coach.
That got me thinking...how do elite forwards move off the ball and which ideas can I deliver to my players?
Here’s what I came up with.👇
#SundayShare
Thread
Creighton University: An inside look at NCAA Men’s Soccer’s most data-driven team
Data analytics was critical to their College Cup run.
Tracking KPIs gave the coaches concrete measures for performance and another tool to teach the players.
Read it here
"What Gallardo has done with River is incredible," Guardiola told TNT Sports.
"Every year three coaches are named as the best in the world, and he's never among them. I can't understand it."
Who is Marcelo Gallardo and why has Pep hailed him as a top coach?
THREAD 🧵👇
THREAD🧵on goalkeepers
The keeper position has evolved.
No longer JUST a shot-stopper, they're now required to use their feet well and contribute to the build-out.
How do the intelligent movements of GKs benefit their teams in the build-out?
Here's what I found. 👇
It's
#FollowFriday
, but WITH A TWIST.
Football Twitter offers some incredible outlets for coaching and analysis content. The trick is finding the right info.
Instead of just listing my favorite follows, here are 27 threads & articles with topic-based follows.
THREAD 👇
Language is important.
The language we use in our training sessions carries additional context beyond the immediate information we convey.
That goes for off the ball movement as well.
4 Steps to Better off the Ball Movement went live last night.
LINK ⬇️
Coaches, I'm telling you, create an Eric Laurie analysis document for your players and you're improving the quality of their play immediately.
The visuals are clear and informative.
I'm working on the running document for my players.
Fantastic stuff, as always, Eric!
We all want more intelligent players.
But are we giving them the developmental support they need?
THREAD🧵👇
Superiorities-Based Training for Possession Dominant Teams
This is my
#SundayShare
.
@SundayShare10
Zinedine Zidane MEGA THREAD
I’ll have the Madrid vs Liverpool match analysis for you tomorrow on
@TotalAnalysis
, but, for now, get to know Zidane’s philosophy and tactics through this extensive thread detailing his work at Real Madrid.
(RTs appreciated)
Jordet's work on scanning should impact the way coaches design sessions, analysts and scouts research off the ball movements, and lead to better habits in players.
Only 3.5k views is far too low.
@GeirJordet
- Scanning in elite footballers via
@YouTube
Listening to the panel, you hear the difference between a top level manager and a commentary team.
Mourinho's experience and meticulously-developed framework immediately cuts through the fluff and lays out a clear managerial approach.
The full 14-minute panel is well worth your
This is a fantastic conversation where Mourinho describes with several examples what the difference is between game principles and systems of play.
Listen to Jose carefully 🧵👇
Ever wonder what separates the top midfielders in the game from the pack?
There’s no universal set of physical traits in the middle of the park and you can argue there’s very little separating their technical qualities.
So what’s left? 🧵
@SundayShare10
#sundayshare
Is it better for kids to develop at a smaller club or a large academy?
This article got me thinking.
If top academies routinely poach 14-17-year-olds from smaller clubs, does the 2nd offer a better developmental pathway?
What say you,
@SundayShare10
?
NEW ARTICLE - Tactical Analysis: Cues for Progressive Actions
🧵Our focus is on cues for progression in the final third, taking examples from the game's best.
RTs appreciated
@LVHoosierGK
Title XI has done a lot of good, but it allows football to skew scholarships that harm many male sports programs.
Football is a different animal, especially since there's no female equivalent. It should exist outside of Title XI. That would bring greater balance.
Teaching movement off the ball is difficult.
Establishing a process and language streamlines the process, teaching players how, why, and when to move.
That's the topic of my latest post, 4 Steps to Better Movement off the Ball.
@SundayShare10
#sundayshare
Language is important.
The language we use in our training sessions carries additional context beyond the immediate information we convey.
That goes for off the ball movement as well.
4 Steps to Better off the Ball Movement went live last night.
LINK ⬇️
IDEA
H.S. and transfer recruits, instead of adding music to your highlights, why not analyze your film?
Talk us through the video, giving an example of your tactical ideas.
Pause the video at key points and explain the significance of the sequence.
#collegesoccer
#NCAAsoccer
@thewinningdiff1
I hear about how difficult it is to coach Gen Z.
Nonsense.
Treat your athletes with respect, set clear expectations, hold them accountable for their actions, and reinforce community standards.
Yeah, Gen Z has their own set of cultural norms, but so has every generation.
I spent 40+ collecting, calculating, and sorting data to answer one question...
Who wins more trophies, Ideologues or Tacticians?
Here's the result, exclusively on
@TotalAnalysis
.
P.S. The domestic trophy answer...🤯
This
#SundayShare
is a special one.
Congrats to my buddy,
@DKostanjsak
on his first publication, "Anatomy of a Genius: Leo Messi's Tactical Evolution at FC
#Barcelona
."
Read about Messi's career adaptations as highlighted by one of Football Twitter's best.
@SundayShare10
The Day Pfeiffer Played Clemson - NCAA D2 Men's Soccer Data Analysis
The 2nd part of my college soccer data analysis is live.
This time, I'm looking at trends in D2.
If you don't follow the collegiate game closely, prepare for a surprise.
2023 Advent Calendar - Day 12
Exploring innovative throw-in routines and principles from Europe’s best
Exploring innovative throw-in routines and principles from Europe’s best
Thomas Gronnemark entered the spotlight as
#Liverpool
announced they had hired a throw-in coach.
A
I'm thrilled to join
@FMAnalysis
and
@SathishPrasadVT
at the
@VELEZCFoficial
announcement party.
Back in September, while celebrating 1 year at
@TotalAnalysis
, I mentioned wanting to improve my match coding.
In October, I joined an ambitious project at Vélez as a match analyst.
No more teasing. Time to reveal my first book.
"Revitalizing Real Madrid - The Tactics and Stats behind Zinedine Zidane's Success" is now available for pre-order on .
Football/soccer Twitter, can you help me spread the word with a ❤️ and Retweet?
For those who are interested, here's Shane Parrish from
@farnamstreet
on
@artofmanliness
podcast. My first exposure to Shane's work came through this medium. I highly recommend both if you're serious about
#personaldevelopment
.
I had the pleasure of speaking with
@MattAddison97
of
@LivEchoLFC
to discuss Pep Lijnders' experience at Porto.
Lijnders is a fascinating young coach with a very clear football philosophy. Is he there heir to the Liverpool managerial role? Have a listen and decide for yourself.
🎙️🔴 Blood Red podcast | Pep Lijnders special: Inside story on Zeljko Buvac’s successor’s rise at Anfield
@MattAddison97
gets the lowdown from:
🔴
@CoachScottCopy
on his time at Porto
🔴 Assistant at NEC Nijmegen
🔴
@DistanceCovered
on his
#LFC
future
@ESPNFC
Sergio Ramos was Real Madrid's 2nd leading goal-scorer with 11 goals, plus he anchored 19 clean sheets while rating among the league leaders in possession adjusted interceptions, tackling success rate, and aerial duel success.
What's it take for a defender to win a prize?
The Sun’s analysis of Maldini’s career claimed he “averaged only 0.56 challenges per game,” which is such an extraordinarily low number it’s difficult to even fathom.
There must be something to his statement.
“If I have to make a tackle then I have already made a mistake.” – Paolo Maldini
The underlying principles are that a centreback’s duties include directing the team’s defensive structure, sealing access to threats and valuable areas of the pitch.
A must-read for coaches...
@EricLaurie
of
@moldefotball
wrote a brilliant article on the principles of building and progressing play as a unit. With in-depth analysis and well-constructed examples, this is one to bookmark.
I'll never forget the end of the season thank you card from my old U17 girls team.
Multiple players thanked me for not making them cry.
Seriously, that's how low the bar is. It's embarrassing.
We can do better, coaches.
Abuse in soccer happens everywhere. College soccer was one of the most traumatic experiences for me. It’s taken me a while to be able to talk about this publicly but I want to help those who might need it (A thread)
Speaking from the D3 perspective, once we decided to start with the assumption that no one knew about Pfeiffer, we funneled energy into improved outreach and brand recognition.
It's the single best decision we made.
💯!! At the end of the day you have to swallow your pride and know where you coach. Most kids don’t want D3, and most kids have probably never heard of most of the D3 schools out there.
If you’re a D3 coach at one of those schools, you have to work 10x harder and be very
@SoccerMomInt
Pfeiffer University is still recruiting '23s (men and women).
We're a D3 school 45 minutes east of Charlotte, NC.
H.S. and transfer students are invited to DM me.
✅12:1 student-to-teach ratio
✅Loads of internship opps in Charlotte
✅In MLS, NFL, & NBA markets
✅Amazing fans
"He's a D1 Player"...But Is He? - NCAA D1 Men's Soccer Data Analysis
Let's be honest, we throw around the D1 assessment far too much.
In doing so, we devalue college soccer talent and create illusions of grandeur.
Let's look at what the data says.
Every Sunday, I send out an email called, The Sweeper-Keeper Newsletter.
The Sweeper-Keeper is a collection of the best football content of the previous week. I pick my top 5 articles and send them to your inbox.
Want a sample? Here's this week's content. 👇
If Håland does in fact sign with City, Madrid needs to put that money into left and right backs.
Carvajal is done, Nacho isn't up to standard, and Mendy adds nothing to the attack (when he's healthy).
The issues at the back are on full display tonight.
2021 was a big year for threads.
The series on the intelligent movements of elite players was easily my top-performing.
Here are my top 10 threads of 2021
@SundayShare10
#SundayShare
@DKostanjsak
This is pretty much what we discussed in the preseason. Now that they've final replaced Messi and Griezmann with first team players, they're well on their way back to the top.
With Eden Hazard injured again, I'm trying my hand at a new dashboard, focusing on his injury history and declining production.
In total, Real Madrid's big-money signing has missed a total of 282 days due to injury, leaving him unfit for 43 games in one and a half seasons.
Pleased to have earned my USSF C License.
Many thanks to the instructors, especially
@BillFurjanic
for his guidance and to my coaching colleagues for the conversations, feedback, and cooperation.
It was a genuine pleasure getting to know these coaches.
Onto the B badge.
Thank you to everyone in attendance of the
@ussoccer_coach
education C License course and to
@CSA_Soccer
+ OrthoCarolina Sportsplex for your hospitality. Good luck and learn on!
🚨📱REVITALIZING REAL MADRID GIVEAWAY📱🚨
With many countries returning to lockdowns, I've decided to give away 10 digital copies of my book, Revitalizing Real Madrid.
Follow my page, like the post, and retweet to enter the contest.
10 winners will be selected on January 25th.
One of my goals was to reach 8k followers by the end of the year.
However, life got in the way and my inactivity will prevent me from achieving that.
Still, just wanted to thank everyone for the support and invite you to join me on this journey if you like Barça and analysis 🙏
If a centerback knows where the next pass is going, odds are they can glean the second and third ones too.
Well structured defensive presses should funnel play into pressing traps, limiting the number of outcomes for the second and third ball.
If that organization is intact, outcomes are much more predictable.
And that’s ultimately the objective of the out of possession team; make play predictable through your defensive organization.
Restrict access to one part of the pitch in order to funnel play into another.
@eleanorkpenny
While running a soccer practice for my U17 boys team, I decided I'd SHOW them how to play rather than tell them. Thought I'd bust out a few highlight reel moves, make some awe inspiring passes, break some ankles... with 2 minutes left in the practice, I broke my own ankle.
2023 Advent Calendar - Day 23
Interactions of attackers that lead to goals
Ask any coach or player about the most difficult task in football and you’ll get the same answer, scoring a goal.
Since scoring is the most difficult aspect of the game, analyzing and developing a clear
I've just crossed the 1k follower threshold, in large part due to the recommendations of
@DKostanjsak
and
@totalBarca
.
As a Madridista, I'm honored by their referrals as I do make an attempt to put my club allegiances to the side when engaging in analysis.
Thank you, all!
It's
#FollowFriday
and I'm back with another thread.
This week's theme...breaking outside of your football bubble.
Danny Mills made waves this week with his shockingly ignorant comments on
@raphaelvarane
, so this thread is designed with the other top 10 leagues in mind. 👇
There's much more to read in the full article.
Ruben Dias is in there too, as is a breakdown of the attacking and defensive movements of outside-backs.
My 5 y.o. - "Dad, why does Bale play for Wales?"
Me - "Because he was born in Wales."
5 y.o. - 🤨"How was he born in a whale?"
Fair enough, son.
#HappyFathersDay
#EURO2020
🚨NOW AVAILABLE 🚨
"Revitalizing Real Madrid - The Tactics and Stats behind Zinedine Zidane's Success"
Get the digital copy (color ed.) on my website. Link below. ⬇️
Can you help me spread the word with a RT 🔄 and a like ❤️?
#RealMadrid
@realmadriden
#HalaMadrid
Often when you hear someone speak about direct vs possession football, you’ll find “direct” used in a pejorative manner.
We've dumbed down the conversation by neglecting qualifications, which inspired...
"Tactical Theory: A comprehensive guide to direct possession" 👇
Great to join
@DKostanjsak
and
@HackrLife
to discuss Xavi's work at Barcelona and the state of the team.
And all from a Madridista's perspective!
I appreciate the ecumenical dialogue with these two Barca fans and the opportunity to speak about coaching and the club.
Incredible to have the one and only
@CoachScottCopy
on the pod to give us a professional coach's view on Xavi and Barcelona's season.
The fact he's also a sworn Madridista definitely gives us a different perspective on things too. 🙃
Give it a listen. 👇
Let's start with Maldini.
Back in 2008, 39-year-old Maldini locked 26-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic down in the Derby della Madonnina.
Maldini was so good that Ibrahimovic and Inter Milan attempted to avoid the Italian stalwart as much as possible.
Tomorrow marks 1 year since Revitaling Real Madrid's release.
To celebrate my 1st publication (
#3
coming soon), the 1st 2 chapters will be available as a FREE sample on my website (link👇in comments).
You get Zidane's tactics, stunning data visualizations, & a story of renewal.
Ideally, centrebacks will consistently put in performances like Maldini's against Inter.
There were no extraordinary defensive actions, no last-ditch defending or heroic sacrifices in his box.
He did the little things well, so the grandiose actions were unnecessary.
Brighton picked Chelsea apart over the weekend.
In fact, only a few clubs have managed to contain them in 2022/23.
I've studied those clubs, identifying key tactical elements to slow De Zerbi and his high-flying Seagulls in the early phases of their attack. ⬇️
Brighton's incredible build-up play has been well-documented by now - but how do you stop it? 🔵⚪️
#BHAFC
#PL
@CoachScottCopy
uses examples from this season, looking at teams who were able to stifle the Seagulls in this phase
Many battles on the pitch are, first, a battle for positioning, perhaps none more so than aerial duels.
While most of the centrebacks in this analysis are 6’2” or taller, we do have an undersized centreback in Sergio Ramos.
@MintCityColl
Let's keep the beer in your cups. I don't want your beer all over me and I'll be pissed off if it ends up on my kids. It's a disrespectful celebration.
Goalkeeper Thread⚽️
While researching a Sporting game, I came across Pote's 2nd goal vs Dortmund in the Champions League Group Stage.
It's a well-taken shot, but could the GK have done more?
Here are my thoughts (share yours too). 👇
@SundayShare10
#sundayshare
2023 Advent Calendar - Day 3
Tactical Theory: The intelligent movements of elite defenders
What does intelligent movement look like at the centerbacks position?
I’ve studied some of the best the game has to offer in the hopes of helping my own players better understand the
Have you ever asked a fellow coach or fan about a team's playing style and heard...
"They're very direct"
Maybe...
"They don't try to play"
Or...
"They're a kick-and-run side"
Are all direct styles equal?
Let's Talk about Direct Possession
Milestone achieved!
Here's my 100th article for the
@TotalAnalysis
network.
Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this tactical analysis journey. I've thoroughly enjoyed your friendship and conversations.
#EURO2020
- Analytical trends from the tournament -data analysis
EURO 2020 was an excellent tournament, and there was a lot that we learnt from the tournament.
@CoachScottCopy
looks through the data to bring out some of the most notable trends from this superb month of football
Growing up, my Dad and I watched nearly every
@FIFAWorldCup
and
#Euros
match together. He was my teacher in the beautiful game.
Now, we live quite a ways from each other, but a family vacation let us relive those days. 3 generations of Martins cheered on our
@selecaoportugal
.
Top takeaways: reading the trajectory of the ball, boxing out his opponent, and maintaining physical dominance throughout the duel.
As the long pass is sent, watch Ramos engage physically. Like a basketball player boxing out for a rebound, Ramos protects his space.
Once play is funnelled into the desired area, the team picks up their pressure on the ball carrier.
That, in turn, will often limit the opponent to short and intermediate passing options.
Just another night in
#CONCACAF
.
The pitch is more mud than grass, 2 🟥, top level shithousery, half a dozen skirmishes, and an overwhelmed officiating crew.
The push mower missed a few patches too.
El Salvador vs
#USMNT
- 9/10 CONCACAF Rating
#ConcacafNationsLeague
@BeauIgor
1) Would you attend the school w/o soccer?
2) Does immediate playing time matter?
3) Are you OK with being on the reserve team?
4) Do you like the coaches and players?
5) Are you capable of playing at that level?
6) Do you love the game enough for a 365, 4-year commitment?
Spent the weekend studying De Zerbi's Brighton.
🤯
How do you stop them?
I'm not sure that's possible (just ask Chelsea), but I put together some thoughts on the matter.
Keep an eye on
@TotalAnalysis
first thing tomorrow morning.
🚨2023 NCAA D1 Men's Soccer Data Analysis🚨
#⃣25k+ values collected + custom metrics
🎯Performance stats for all 211 D1 teams
✅Styles of play seen through data analytics
The article link is in the comments, but here's a quick recap. 👇🧵
Coaches and recruits bookmark this
Here's the link to the article.
Read, share, and interact.
The intention is to turn this into a series, using the articles as a means of player education.
My next magazine piece will come from a similar vein, just a bit deeper down the pitch.
I had the pleasure of meeting a former Spanish youth international today.
He just finished his collegiate soccer career at a very good D2 program.
Before snubbing a nose at D2, remember it was good enough for a Spanish youth international.
To all
#classof2024
students, most of us are still working on our
#classof2023
.
June 15th is simply a day. It won't determine where you play, all interested schools, or your college athletics fate.
Recruitment is a process, for student-athletes & universities.
Hang in there.
Finding players that are the
#Rightfit
for a college & finding colleges that are the
#rightfit
for a player DOES NOT happen Today!
It’s about relationships.
Education.
Many conversations.
Those take time
Months & months
Today is just a date on a calendar
Relax
#trusttheprocess
With Xavi entering the fray, I'd imagine La Masia grads will have an excellent opportunity to set into the first team, especially given the club's injury and performance issues.
@DKostanjsak
has the most detailed La Masia thread on the platform. Get to know the next generation.
With Barcelona crippled by injuries, Xavi might use LaMasia to gap holes in the team.
Wingers in particular are scarce & will be needed by the new coach. That's where Ilias Akhomach comes in.
But who is
@IliasAkhomach
& could he be a solution to this issue?
👇
|THREAD|
I need your help, Football Twitter.
Help me settle a long-standing debate with a friend.
At the peak of their powers, which midfield would you rather have? Golden Era Barcelona or Prime Real Madrid?
BONUS POINTS - Explain why you voted that way and the gap between the two.
Dom continues to produce some of the best content on the platform.
This is an incredibly well-written piece with a mix of a Ferran Torres scouting report and the tactical theory underpinning movements of elite forwards.
Loads of value in this piece.
Ferran Torres has been immense since his arrival & yet, he's heavily underrated.
Best forwards move in a way that optimises goal-scoring opportunities. And despite being only 22, Ferran's movement is elite.
Here are the secrets of his success.
Read 👇
Alex was our assistant coach at
@VELEZCFoficial
the past couple of seasons, leading the analysis side of the club.
Here's his new Twitter account, which he plans to update with analysis and coaching videos.
I highly recommend you follow him.
@SundayShare10
#SundayShare
Liverpool FC - Attacking the box
Training pitch > Matchday
Any player cutting in from a wide area always gets a supporting option centrally to combine. Simple and very effective.
- Pass from wide area / half-space
- Set or combination with central player
- Shoot, pass or cross
Have you ever thought about the principles of negative passes?
No?
That's okay, because
@DKostanjsak
has.
Read his thread on the benefits of negative passes, then read the full article for a complete analysis.
Brilliant as always! 👏
Passing is a basic aspect of football. Everyone can do it.
Doing it well, however, takes skill. Aesthetics don't always equal functionality.
Today, I'll tackle negative passing and explain how by mastering it, teams achieve advantages & superiority.
|THREAD|
⏬
Notice his body orientation as well.
He can see the ball and his mark and is well-positioned to move either towards Ibrahimovic or towards the penalty spot.
His stance is low with his quads activated, ready to move. Despite losing physical quickness he's easily 1st to the ball.