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 surface as answers to this question are the English Premier League and Spain’s La Liga. In this article we will […]
Professional Soccer
EPL Tactical Trends in 2022-23: What to Watch For
The Problem With Soccer Tactical Analysis
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, according to the author, hold the key to interpreting the result. Inspired by soccer tactics books from authors like Michael Cox […]
Luck vs. Skill: How Important is Luck in Soccer (And How to Make It Work For You)
In soccer, as in any sport, luck is a major part of the game. And it’s natural to wonder just how important luck is compared to skill. With so many games decided by razor-thin margins and seemingly random events, does it even matter who’s better? And more importantly for you as a player, are there […]
Best Soccer Books for Learning Tactics and Advanced Strategy
By Andrew Walsh In recent years there’s been an explosion of interest in the tactical side of soccer. The tactics of the world’s top managers are regularly broken down at a level rarely seen in generations past. Countless blogs have sprung up on the internet breaking down the formations and tactics for all of each […]
Watching the Women’s World Cup to Improve your Game
Watching the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France is a great way to improve your game. We’ve written several times about the benefits of carefully watching professionals in order to learn from them. In a previous post, we asked you to watch a specific player and check out of the formation of both teams. […]
What Soccer Teams Do I Support? From Off and On Euro Fan to MLS
By Andrew Walsh Nearly a decade ago, a soccer writer asked his readers which clubs they supported, foreign or domestic, and how they became a fan of those clubs. Since I just stumbled across that article now, I thought I’d write up a post of my own explaining my allegiances and how I developed them. […]
What Would Happen if the Offside Rule Was Abolished?
American sports fans sometimes suggest that soccer should do away with the offside rule. The thought is usually that this change would lead to more scoring, and therefore more entertaining games. But in order to understand the impact this would have on the game of soccer, it’s necessary to understand some key tactical principles that […]
Premier League Tactics to Watch for in 2018-19
It’s an exciting time of the year for soccer: the start of the new English Premier League season. Cheering for your favorite team or simply marveling at all the talent present in the league is undoubtedly an enjoyable experience, but you can also significantly improve your own game by watching games a bit more analytically. […]
