• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Soccer Training Solutions

Individual Soccer Training Tips, Soccer Drills, Fitness Tips and More

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Individual Training
  • Our Complete Training System
  • Fitness & Strength
  • Game Tips
  • Nutrition

The Problem With Soccer Tactical Analysis

By Parker & Walsh Leave a Comment

soccer tactical analysisIn recent years a particular type of soccer writing has boomed in popularity: the tactical analysis. These pieces aim to tell a story about how a game unfolded using subtle, easy to miss details that, according to the author, hold the key to interpreting the result.

Inspired by soccer tactics books from authors like Michael Cox and Jonathan Wilson, an army of columnists, bloggers and YouTubers with varying levels of experience are now publishing and sharing tactical analyses in order to explain the results of the biggest games.

A tactical analysis typically begins with a breakdown of the teams’ formations followed by a close look at the trends and patterns that proved decisive in the contest. You learn things like the positioning of midfielders, pressing schemes, overloads to create numerical advantages, and how each coach adjusted over the course of the match.

And to provide evidence for the points made, there are diagrams, screenshots, and even GIFs and videos that illustrate the narrative.

The story often seems convincing, even if you may have watched the same game and not noticed many of the particular trends. In some cases, however, it’s natural to question some key elements of the analysis.

Is that actually what those midfielders were trying to do? Is that GIF representative of the whole game, or just that particular sequence?

And, perhaps most crucially, does any of this even line up with what the coach actually called for?

A closer look at a tactical analysis often reveals a lot of hedging language that throws the narrative into doubt. “‘It seemed like” a player started to drop deeper. The team “appeared to” change up their press or passing patterns.

Indeed, a major weakness of these analyses is that we almost never get to hear a tactical plan from the coaches themselves, so these analysts are making something of an educated guess based on what they know about the team.

And it’s often not difficult to dig up a screenshot that illustrates the opposite of what was said in the analysis. Who is to say which is the trend and which is the outlier?

An exclusively tactical focus can make it seem as though players are interchangeable cogs and it’s just their positioning relative to their opponents, masterminded by a brilliant coach, that decides games.

But in the real world, it’s the moments of individual genius, lucky bounces, and even bad calls that lead to goals and decide games.

Because of this, critics have argued that tactical analyses are “not meant to be a description of how a game unfolded, or why one team played better than another, because that is often a result of factors that have nothing to do with tactics.” Instead, “tactical analysis describes longer periods of time. This is what Wilson does in Inverting the Pyramid, picking games to help the reader understand the evolution of soccer strategy over its 150 year history.”

The urge to wield it as an explanatory tool may be connected to the “glorification of general managers and back-room statisticians” and the fact that “some sports fans derive more joy believing their team outsmarted their opponent, as if that is some higher form of victory than scoring a beautiful goal.”

Ultimately, analyzing tactics on a game by game basis has its place, but it’s important not to go too far in concluding that it decisively caused a particular result.

To do so ignores so much of what makes soccer exciting, unpredictable and ultimately worth watching.

image credit

Related Articles:

  • soccer tactics positional play diagram
    Tactical Terms: Positional Play vs. Principles of…
  • mixer
    Best Soccer Books for Learning Tactics and Advanced Strategy
  • 10592332104_6c7805f427_c
    How Much Do Managers Matter? From Tactical Genius to…
  • nou-camp-la-liga
    Premier League vs. La Liga: Tactics and Style of…

Ready to improve your game faster? Our proven system has everything you need to reach the next level.

soccer training system ebook
Get Started Today - Button Orange

Filed Under: Professional Soccer, Team Tactics

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Get Better at Soccer – Faster!

Get Started Today - Button Orange

About Your Coach – Parker Koester

Parker Koester
I have extensive experience coaching soccer players of all types and can't wait to help you reach your highest level. Read more

Connect With Us

RSSTwitterFacebook

Soccer Tips Newsletter

Sign up for exclusive soccer tips sent to your inbox and a free ebook of our best soccer training content.

Latest Blog Posts

  • 5 Things You Can Learn from Watching Center Midfielders Play
  • How Youth Players Can Get Better By Watching Local High School and College Games
  • True Size and Height: How Big Are Pro Soccer Players, Anyway?
  • Best Practice Drills for Kids Ages 5 and Under
  • Why Every Soccer Player Should Know Tactics
  • Best Ways to Warm Up for Soccer Training or Pre-Game (Solo, Partner, and More)

Recent Comments

  • Scotty on What Would Happen if the Offside Rule Was Abolished?
  • Mike on What Would Happen if the Offside Rule Was Abolished?
  • Booze Baron on What Would Happen if the Offside Rule Was Abolished?
  • Hugh on What Would Happen if the Offside Rule Was Abolished?
  • Tarr on What Would Happen if the Offside Rule Was Abolished?
  • Tarr on What Would Happen if the Offside Rule Was Abolished?
Affiliate Disclosure and Privacy Policy

True Size and Height: How Big Are Pro Soccer Players, Anyway?

· Leave a Comment

Best Practice Drills for Kids Ages 5 and Under

· Leave a Comment

Why Every Soccer Player Should Know Tactics

· Leave a Comment

Best Ways to Warm Up for Soccer Training or Pre-Game (Solo, Partner, and More)

· Leave a Comment

How Much Do Managers Matter? From Tactical Genius to Man Manager

· Leave a Comment

guardiola

Club vs. National Team Tactics: Why They’re So Different

· Leave a Comment

The greatest accomplishment for any soccer player is to win the World Cup for their country. So it may come as a surprise to many to learn that this and other international tournaments aren't where … [Read More...] about Club vs. National Team Tactics: Why They’re So Different

nou-camp-la-liga

Premier League vs. La Liga: Tactics and Style of Play Compared

· Leave a Comment

It's no secret that watching the best professional players in the world can help you improve your own game. But is there a clear-cut best league to choose? The two top candidates that tend to … [Read More...] about Premier League vs. La Liga: Tactics and Style of Play Compared

epl champions

EPL Tactical Trends in 2022-23: What to Watch For

· Leave a Comment

One of the best ways to get better at soccer is to learn from the pros, and with the recent boom in soccer streaming services there are more ways than ever to watch the best leagues from around the … [Read More...] about EPL Tactical Trends in 2022-23: What to Watch For

soccer shin guards

Soccer Shin Guards: How Big Should They Be and What’s the Best Type?

· Leave a Comment

One of the benefits of soccer over certain other sports is that you don't need to wear lots of protective equipment like pads and helmets. There's one safety measure that is well worth it, however, … [Read More...] about Soccer Shin Guards: How Big Should They Be and What’s the Best Type?

soccer tactical analysis

The Problem With Soccer Tactical Analysis

· Leave a Comment

In recent years a particular type of soccer writing has boomed in popularity: the tactical analysis. These pieces aim to tell a story about how a game unfolded using subtle, easy to miss details that, … [Read More...] about The Problem With Soccer Tactical Analysis

  • The 4 Basic Soccer Skills Required To Play: A Beginner’s Guide
  • 7 Best Fitness Trackers For Soccer
  • Youth Soccer Positions Explained
  • Why All Soccer Players Prefer Grass Over Turf
  • What Are The Physical Benefits Of Playing Soccer? Find Out Here!

Copyright © 2025 · Log in